do you hack?
- Thread starter charlie76
- Start date
caramel
Well-Known Member
We hack. It's all we do!
However we only hack in company as gets very spooky/nappy/upset alone.
We are hoping to go on some rides next year and go exploring! He loves it and much prefers it to schooling. He's a wonderful horse to take out.
However we only hack in company as gets very spooky/nappy/upset alone.
We are hoping to go on some rides next year and go exploring! He loves it and much prefers it to schooling. He's a wonderful horse to take out.
bushbaby28
Well-Known Member
very rarely (once or twice a month) and only if i'm feeling brave.
No my horse is not spooky but he is a numpty
sometimes flips out for no reason and don't really want to risk me falling off either on the road or in the middle of a field somewhere.
He does enjoy hacking though, so I feel mean for not doing it more. Saying that, even if he was better behaved I would probably only hack out once a week (Sunday mornings before 8am when the roads are dead). I just don't trust drivers any more.
No my horse is not spooky but he is a numpty
sometimes flips out for no reason and don't really want to risk me falling off either on the road or in the middle of a field somewhere. He does enjoy hacking though, so I feel mean for not doing it more. Saying that, even if he was better behaved I would probably only hack out once a week (Sunday mornings before 8am when the roads are dead). I just don't trust drivers any more.
charlie76
Well-Known Member
Wow. Lots of replies! Thanks. Going To give it another chance tommorow but if I almost get Run over again I quit!
TarrSteps
Well-Known Member
There are lots of horses in the world that don't hack and they survive. 
Hacking on the roads is not a done (or safe!) thing in the more built up areas of Canada, so many people are limited to the property they're on or what they can trailer to, and for much of the winter it's not an option anyway.
I do think it's good for a horse to get out, IF it enjoys it and it's safe, and I think eventers NEED to work outside of manicured footing, but then I never really consider fitness work "hacking" as in a nice relaxing jaunt, anyway.
This is a GROSS generalisation but I do find some people here seem to think of the "school" (the clue is in the name) as a place where all one does is grind on the horse, making it suffer some sort of rote lecture every time.
When we were stuck in indoor arenas for months on end, the horses did a variety of work - it was merely an area to ride in, however seriously or not on any give day. Plus, it's an hour out of a horse's day. I can see why horses can get "ring sour" but it's just not been my experience.
Hacking on the roads is not a done (or safe!) thing in the more built up areas of Canada, so many people are limited to the property they're on or what they can trailer to, and for much of the winter it's not an option anyway.
I do think it's good for a horse to get out, IF it enjoys it and it's safe, and I think eventers NEED to work outside of manicured footing, but then I never really consider fitness work "hacking" as in a nice relaxing jaunt, anyway.
This is a GROSS generalisation but I do find some people here seem to think of the "school" (the clue is in the name) as a place where all one does is grind on the horse, making it suffer some sort of rote lecture every time.
When we were stuck in indoor arenas for months on end, the horses did a variety of work - it was merely an area to ride in, however seriously or not on any give day. Plus, it's an hour out of a horse's day. I can see why horses can get "ring sour" but it's just not been my experience.
measles
Well-Known Member
All of ours hack for variety and all round experience as I like them to be as educated hacking as in the arena.
JenTaz
Well-Known Member
I don't think I would ride if I couldn't hack at least twice a week I'm lucky being liveried in a small village where the drivers are used to horses because there is a riding school a mile away I try make every hack different slightly for my benifit try the beach at least once a week as it takes twenty minutes to hack to, the rest of the week we are in the school whether it be flat work or jumping unfortunately I have a trailer just no way to tow it at the moment so can't get out and about which is really frustrating as would love to do arena eventing over the winter
Marydoll
Well-Known Member
Yep i hack 2-3 times a week, im the same as Rhino in that ive got lots of off road hacking around me, and also very quiet country roads if i choose to use them.
LittleGreyMare
Well-Known Member
You are making me all feel bad, I hack probably 4 times a week in the summer, have a lesson and then either hack, compete or school on the other day! Sounds like I should be schooling more!
In winter I normally have a lesson at the weekend and then compete or hack on the other day. He also gets hacked out twice in the week by someone else.
We are competiting at BE 90/100.
In winter I normally have a lesson at the weekend and then compete or hack on the other day. He also gets hacked out twice in the week by someone else.
We are competiting at BE 90/100.
burtie
Well-Known Member
I love hacking any generally go out twice a week sometimes more, but then I have no roads and the whole of the New Forest to ride in:
This our yard out for a group hack last summer, I'm on the bay!
This our yard out for a group hack last summer, I'm on the bay!
MillionDollar
Well-Known Member
Yes I do again now, once or twice per week. The roads aren't too bad (and horse is 200% in traffic anyway) and we have over 6 miles private off-road riding. I did stop for a while as like you I and horse wasn't enjoying it. But we've built it back up and now enjoying it again.
Gamebird
Well-Known Member
I'm not a great hacker (easily bored!) and am conscious that in the eventing season particularly I need to put the work in in the school. However I do hack more in winter, even if it's just a quick spin round the block (~25 mins). Our yard is in a small village and I have miles of single track back roads with wide verges but also a main A-road which connects the villages. Everything I've had will hack along the A road on a long rein and I make a conscious effort to do most of the young horses' education by tootling round the village on them, stopping and chatting with people, stopping at the pub for a (mounted) pint and even riding them to the shop. I have to sell horses and I need to sell them as hackable and safe as it is very high on purchasers' lists of priorities.
I can go out in the gloom if necessary and this time of year I often ride and lead to get two exercised at once. Most of my horses hunt and I can't see how they can hunt if they won't hack.
I can go out in the gloom if necessary and this time of year I often ride and lead to get two exercised at once. Most of my horses hunt and I can't see how they can hunt if they won't hack.