Confidence out hacking

[J_sarahd]

How do I build my own confidence out hacking?

I’ve really been trying to focus on hacking with Nova but I’ve found myself stuck in a rut of going on the same route, trotting in the same place but mostly walking and going with the same people. I really want to explore with Nova and I want to get to a stage where I’m confident cantering her on hacks to build up her strength, but I’m just too nervous.

She’s fairly sharp and mostly I can laugh it off but I just worry that she will go and either I won’t be able to stop or she will bronc me off. Annoyingly, I used to be so confident out hacking and would take my old pony everywhere and wouldn‘t think twice about cantering and he was a little tank.

 

[ycbm]

She's a 4 year old off the track TB , and my experience of those is that they take their confidence from their rider.

Can you get some confidence training from somewhere, I know a few forum members have suggested stuff in the past? I think @Ambers Echo even runs a camp. Hopefully someone will be along soon with ideas. In the meantime I would avoid situations where your own fears could be passed on to her, though I'm sorry that won't sound at all helpful, but it will stop any possibility of a vicious circle starting.
.

 

[J_sarahd]

She's a 4 year old off the track TB , and my experience of those is that they take their confidence from their rider.

Can you get some confidence training from somewhere, I know a few forum members have suggested stuff in the past? I think @Ambers Echo even runs a camp. Hopefully someone will be along soon with ideas. In the meantime I would avoid situations where your own fears could be passed on to her, though I'm sorry that won't sound at all helpful, but it will stop any possibility of a vicious circle starting.
.

100% agree that she takes her confidence from me, which is why I’ve stuck to the same route as I know what we are likely to face and I try and not do things she probably would be okay with but would worry me - like pass tractors etc.

I’ll definitely look into confidence training, thank you.

 

[#jackofallmasterofnone]

Sounds like maybe you are on the right track just need a little more time? Having a secure route with good company seems like a great start and for many would be the end goal! Keep building on that and maybe work up to adding a canter while on that route with your most sensible companion. When you find you are actually bored of that hack you might find you set new micro goals - doing it backwards, taking a small detour, doing part of it on your own etc. It’s been my experience that the wash rinse repeat approach builds a great base to go from. It’s also a great thing to have if / when there is a wobble down the line.

 

[Fransurrey]

I was struggling terribly earlier this year and found that audiobooks on speaker were really good for settling the nerves (perimenopausal anxiety). Previously with spooky horses I've walked them and with my mare I used her as a training partner for my long runs, run/walking the distances. That was a lot of fun, kept us both fit and meant that when i rode, she was fit enough to do lots of interval work of walk/trot (I counted 20 walk paces and 20 trot paces, which again, settled my nerves).

 

[black and brown]

Totally agree with the micro goals approach. Try to achieve one small difference in a hack, even if it's only trotting a section that you walk or maybe extending your hack by a further five minutes. Then you can build on this next time. I completely get where you are coming from. I got lazy over the winter, riding the same routes in the same direction. This summer I've made myself ride new paths and routes, it has been difficult at times but on the whole we've enjoyed it!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

She's a 4 year old off the track TB , and my experience of those is that they take their confidence from their rider.

Can you get some confidence training from somewhere, I know a few forum members have suggested stuff in the past? I think @Ambers Echo even runs a camp. Hopefully someone will be along soon with ideas. In the meantime I would avoid situations where your own fears could be passed on to her, though I'm sorry that won't sound at all helpful, but it will stop any possibility of a vicious circle starting.
.

Thanks YCBM. Yes I'm a confidence coach and run camps and clinics of various kinds. PM if you'd like any info x

 

[Griffin]

I think making yourself safe as possible can also help with confidence. I am quite confident hacking but I always go out in a body protector, both of us covered in hi viz and lights if it is a bit dull.

 

[J&S]

I used to be so confident out hacking and would take my old pony everywhere and wouldn‘t think twice about cantering and he was a little tank.

Try to keep the memories of this foremost in your mind. I had a major loss of confidence after my Han/TB dumped me but got it back together with the help of a friend who literally rode step for step with me for months. We began in October and by April did 15 mile long distance ride! I hope you have such a friend.

 

[Melody Grey]

There’s a lot to be said for the relative safety of familiar routes- I’ve often relied on this with tricky horses. You could try a small new route with a cyclist/ someone on foot if available? Extensions of an existing route are always a good idea as well as trying loops the opposite way round. I’ve sometimes walked a route a couple of times in hand first which has really helped, progressing to getting on on the return home and a little further away each time.

Small steps are the key in my experience.

 

[Skib]

I’ve really been trying to focus on hacking with Nova but I’ve found myself stuck in a rut of going on the same route, trotting in the same place but mostly walking and going with the same people.

There is no harm going the same route. In winter I am a one route, one direction rider. (Solo rider)

But I dont think horses pick up vibes from their riders. Horses need to learn routes, to learn to hack and to keep their minds on the person riding them. That means the rider needs to keep the horse's mind on them, by steering and by riding lots of transitions.

Are you still hacking in company? And with friends or with a pro? We used to teach horses to go out on our RS yard, first by having the new horse follow an experienced horse. I was the beginner on the experienced mare which was how I always came to ride first. Followed by the YM treaching the newly arrived horse.

When I stopped riding that mare and rode a new pony, some days we would do an exercise. My escort would trot a little way ahead of me. Then halt. I would trot up to the escort, passed her (in trot) and stopped further on. This teaches two horses out together, to take their cues from their rider and not simply follow the other horse.
But at my RI]s yard training was more cautious. A new horse might be led by a footsoldier, first at the back of the group and gradually progressing till they went first, being led. and eventually went first with a rider and without anyone leading them.

 

[tda]

If you are genuinely that worried that she is either going to run off with you or bronc you off if she sees something, I think you would be better off trying to build your relationship a bit more at home, and I say that as a hacking out solves most things person.
Something like some Trec or working equitation. You need to be able to have a situation where horse becomes worried, and you can confidently give her a pat and say, it's ok, go on and she will listen and respond in a positive way.

 

[J_sarahd]

Thank you everyone. We are very lucky that we have a friend and her mare to go out with - her mare is pretty solid - and the friend will accompany me out on foot if I want to hack without another horse. There are also lots of other sensible horses to go out with but I probably don’t feel as comfortable with them.

 

[J_sarahd]

If you are genuinely that worried that she is either going to run off with you or bronc you off if she sees something, I think you would be better off trying to build your relationship a bit more at home, and I say that as a hacking out solves most things person.
Something like some Trec or working equitation. You need to be able to have a situation where horse becomes worried, and you can confidently give her a pat and say, it's ok, go on and she will listen and respond in a positive way.

To be fair, she’s not a spooky horse and even when she saw some hay bales in a field and was properly scared, she didn’t really do anything other than freeze. I’m not actually really sure what I’m scared of. I think it’s just the whole thing of going from hacking a horse I knew like the back of my hand to one I am having to learn. Things like cantering in stubble fields - before, would actually seek them out whereas now, part of me wants to but part of me is worried about what she will do.

 

[tda]

But those things will come , in time. Your previous horse was new once too

 

[Barton Bounty]

It is all about the confidence you give your horse. I had the spookiest horse ever who would have a meltdown at the mere sight of another horse… persevered on my own just done a little bit each day, extended it , was very religiously consistent. Until one day … we just were having so much fun, cantering in open stubble fields etc and he just listened, I forgot all our worries and we are still a great team.
It is all to do with the relationship you have with your horse. If they trust you, you’ll get there

 

[cjwchez]

I think making yourself safe as possible can also help with confidence. I am quite confident hacking but I always go out in a body protector, both of us covered in hi viz and lights if it is a bit dull.

this is exactly what i did when i felt nervous out hacking. i hadn’t been able to get out for weeks in winter due to the weather, so when spring came around i didn’t feel confident. i covered both of us in hi viz, wore a body protector and got my confidence back within a handful of rides.

theres also some podcasts about gaining confidence out hacking that are worth listening to.

 

[canteron]

Lots of good advice - on a practical level add in some neck flexions / shoulder in on your hacks, they are a fantastic tool for concentrating both your minds!!

 

[J_sarahd]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Lots of things to try and think about. It’s also allowed me to come to the conclusion that this anxiety is all in my head and not really anything to do with what Nova’s done - hacked her last night with this thread in mind and she was absolutely foot perfect.

 

[cauda equina]

To be fair, she’s not a spooky horse and even when she saw some hay bales in a field and was properly scared, she didn’t really do anything other than freeze. I’m not actually really sure what I’m scared of. I think it’s just the whole thing of going from hacking a horse I knew like the back of my hand to one I am having to learn. Things like cantering in stubble fields - before, would actually seek them out whereas now, part of me wants to but part of me is worried about what she will do.

I've been where you are with a new horse - scared, but about what I couldn't say; the horse had never actually done anything
Once I acknowledged that it was entirely in my head it made it easier to tell myself things would be fine (as they had been; he was a good lad, just new) and just crack on

eta - as above!

 

[Sossigpoker]

Look up Karl Greenwood. It's literally in your head. His methods can help you change the way your brain processes the situation and your thoughts from "what if my horse spooks /bucks " etc to "what if I have the best ride of my life".
He also talks about setting up small, achievable goals.
I'm quite mentally fragile at the moment anc trying to enjoy a canter out hacking is too much for me right now. So the other day I set up a goal for a relaxed trot down the one side of a field and I doubled it - massive confidence boost !

 

[#jackofallmasterofnone]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Lots of things to try and think about. It’s also allowed me to come to the conclusion that this anxiety is all in my head and not really anything to do with what Nova’s done - hacked her last night with this thread in mind and she was absolutely foot perfect.

Go You! Don’t dismiss your anxiety though as ‘all in your head’ this might add extra pressure to ‘just get over it’! I think we are allowed to have a case of ‘What If’s’ every now and then … especially when facing something new and unknown.

I know our horses take confidence from us but it’s been my experience they also take confidence from other things too such as a steady hacking buddy (which you have) and a familiar route (which you have) so you should be taking confidence from the fact you are doing a great job filling your horses confidence bucket!

Your stubble field comment hit home for me … I lost my heart horse suddenly and before we ‘were finished’. I just couldn’t imagine I would EVER feel as confident as I did with him and we LOVED a stubble field gallop!

I have spent the last year filling both mine and the new baby horses confidence buckets, little by little, bit by bit and just last Saturday his hooves hit the stubble for the first time … and it was mega! So keep going!

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Look up Karl Greenwood. It's literally in your head. His methods can help you change the way your brain processes the situation and your thoughts from "what if my horse spooks /bucks " etc to "what if I have the best ride of my life".
He also talks about setting up small, achievable goals.
I'm quite mentally fragile at the moment anc trying to enjoy a canter out hacking is too much for me right now. So the other day I set up a goal for a relaxed trot down the one side of a field and I doubled it - massive confidence boost !

Thankyou for sharing that quote that’s a great way too think

 

[ycbm]

Has anyone mentioned singing yet? If really works!
.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Look up Karl Greenwood. It's literally in your head. His methods can help you change the way your brain processes the situation and your thoughts from "what if my horse spooks /bucks " etc to "what if I have the best ride of my life".
He also talks about setting up small, achievable goals.
I'm quite mentally fragile at the moment anc trying to enjoy a canter out hacking is too much for me right now. So the other day I set up a goal for a relaxed trot down the one side of a field and I doubled it - massive confidence boost !

Yes do this he has some amazing methods that really work I've been on his confidence course and really recommend him.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Has anyone mentioned singing yet? If really works!
.

I put music on my phone and put in my pocket so me and horse can hear it

 

[J_sarahd]

Has anyone mentioned singing yet? If really works!
.

Me and my friend probably annoy anyone we pass on our hacks because we quite often just sing 00s bangers. But I agree that this has really helped my confidence

 

[exracehorse]

To be fair, she’s not a spooky horse and even when she saw some hay bales in a field and was properly scared, she didn’t really do anything other than freeze. I’m not actually really sure what I’m scared of. I think it’s just the whole thing of going from hacking a horse I knew like the back of my hand to one I am having to learn. Things like cantering in stubble fields - before, would actually seek them out whereas now, part of me wants to but part of me is worried about what she will do.

Sorry to hear this OP. There are lots of great suggestions from other forum users on your post. But .. I know how you feel. I had an ex racer and especially in the winter, I was really nervous about riding him out alone. I too stuck to the same route. It’s hard when you don’t quite trust the horse. When there isn’t that confidence. Thst bond. I have three. But I don’t take one out solo as I don’t enjoy it. The other two .. I hack them for miles by myself.

 

[Jellymoon]

When I get the fear, I get someone safe to ride out with me, or walk with me. And I break things into tiny pieces and tell myself I don’t have to if I don’t want to eg, ‘today I’m going to walk along one side of the stubble field, if I feel like it, once we get there’. If I don’t feel like it, I’ll leave it, and invariably I’ll have another go the next day. I have even been known to rebel against myself, and actually trot or even canter round the whole stubble field when I said I was only going to walk!
The other thing that helps me with hacking fear, is actually booking clinics and lessons, especially xc ones. Bizarrely, I can be less scared of xc training than I can be of hacking certain horses. Weird.

Also, don’t beat yourself up, hacking a lively sporty horse on its own, when it would quite like to be back in its field with its mates, takes a good bit of bravery. I know plenty of pro yards who stick to the same 2/3 hacks day in/day out and usually in pairs or small groups. If you prefer to stick to the routes you know for now, then that’s fine, the exploring will come when you get totally bored of the same routes and you really know your horse.

 

[MummyEms]

I'm not a nervous rider myself and love hacking all of the horses out. However when my daughter was nervous and scared we found playing music she loved really helped. We would sing together too xx