Do you think a horse should hack alone?

arwenplusone

arwenplusone

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I am currently psyching myself up to hack my mare alone tomorrow
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When I first got her I hacked her alone a few times and, although she was nappy at the start she was generally ok. However, after about two months ago she started being really difficult generally and when I hacked her alone she would bronc and rear and we would have a real fight. At the time the hacking was on the road so I gave up going alone for safety reasons.

We have now moved yards and my mare is also behaving better. We have hacking we can get to without going on roads so that has at least removed that element of safety for myself and other road users. I have been hacking out with a friend, twice a week for about a month so my mare knows the area.

Now I actually think it is good for a horse to hack out alone and (call me silly) that it re-enforces the bond between horse and rider, an that there is something wonderful about being able to go off, just you and your horse, so I am determined to get her doing it again, even though I know it is going to be awful - I am sitting here dreading it!
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So, what do you all think - is it worth the hassle or should I just hack her out with others all the time?

ETA - I have just had to type this with my flippin' ginger moggy walking over the keyboard and sticking his head infront of the screen..
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I think it's really important. My mare used to be terrible nappy, and this reflected at competitions as she couldn't think for herself (including jumping out of the clear round). It wasn'u until she hacked alone that her behaviour inmproved at competitions. Nowadays people would laugh and can'y believe she was ever so naughty. I always try to hack her on her own once a week.
 
I can totally sympathise as I am in the same situation. Romeo is very good in company but on own is so spooky and gets dangerous.

I would go on your own for short rides often and then increase it and see how it goes.....well this was the idea I had with Ro and he dumped me on the road and is 17.2hh I so had lots of air time on my way down!!!
 
I think hacking on your own is great. I love spending time with just me and my horse. When you do decide to take this step though make sure you are in the right frame of mind. You have to be thinking possitively and not thinking - last time we did this she did that. Maybe start by getting her to lead the rides out with your friends and gradually getting them to drop further and further behind you until they are no longer riding with you. Then gradually get them to actually leave you.
 
I do think horses should hack on there own in an ideal world, however one of mine is so sharp and spooky on his own that i mostly hack in company, mainly because it's more relaxing for me, he's great at shows etc so it doesn't really worry me.

Is she really settled when hacking in company? If not then i would leave it til she is, otherwise give it a go, but most importantly be safe!!
 
My horse used to be quite nappy for the first mile when hacked out on his own and I didn't really enjoy going out without company but then circumstances meant I had to hack out on my own or not at all so we persevered and today we went out on our own with no problems at all! Hooray!
I have a friend who lives a couple of miles away so I got him used to meeting her on her horse then I knew I only had to get him that couple of miles. That gave me confidence and it inspired Jerry to keep going forward cos he thought he might meet up with his friend!
Is there anyone you could meet up with after say a mile - it helped us?
 
I hacked K, mostly alone, 6 days a week for the first year or more I had him. After we'd been at our present yard for a few months he became nappy Somedays he'll go out alone, others it's a total battle. It's not the best yard to ride a nappy horse out of though: past all the others coming over to the fence, whinnying etc etc
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It's easier for me to get him across the road into the estate
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I agree that its a lovely thing for the human to be out just with their horse, but its not really natural for them to leave home without the herd is it? So as for it being good for them. I don't think it is, its just nice for us if it can be done!
 
I hack alone and think its important to have the choice as sometimes there is just no one to go with!!! Also it enhances the horses value if they will go out alone as no one really wants to have to put up with a napping horse if they have a choice!!
 
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I hacked K, mostly alone, 6 days a week for the first year or more I had him. After we'd been at our present yard for a few months he became nappy Somedays he'll go out alone, others it's a total battle. It's not the best yard to ride a nappy horse out of though: past all the others coming over to the fence, whinnying etc etc
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It's easier for me to get him across the road into the estate
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This is what I was thinking - should I take her into the estate? My worry here is if I come off and she runs away it would take me forever to find her. Or worse, it would take someone forever to find me!
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What is she like in-hand without others? This is one way to introduce them to going on their own safely, then lead a bit and ride a bit. I hack Amber out on her own and would have had an awful year if she didn't do it as my sister who is my main hacking partner has been out of action since Spring Bank 07, we have had a few group hacks with the neighbours, but she wouldn't have been fit to go on any of the riding club do's if she didn't go out alone.
 
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I hacked K, mostly alone, 6 days a week for the first year or more I had him. After we'd been at our present yard for a few months he became nappy Somedays he'll go out alone, others it's a total battle. It's not the best yard to ride a nappy horse out of though: past all the others coming over to the fence, whinnying etc etc
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It's easier for me to get him across the road into the estate
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This is what I was thinking - should I take her into the estate? My worry here is if I come off and she runs away it would take me forever to find her. Or worse, it would take someone forever to find me!
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Why don't you try taking her up the track, but plan to have someone on the ground lurking just in case, to gaurentee you will make it out of the yard i.e. set up to succeed not fail
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I'm unlikley to come off K (am more likely to be glued to the ground if there's a problem!) so don't mind going across the road, but know what you mean. Personaly I hate crossing the road on my own.... don't really know why as he's 110% with the traffic, it's just a bit of a mental barrier
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What is she like in-hand without others? This is one way to introduce them to going on their own safely, then lead a bit and ride a bit. I hack Amber out on her own and would have had an awful year if she didn't do it as my sister who is my main hacking partner has been out of action since Spring Bank 07, we have had a few group hacks with the neighbours, but she wouldn't have been fit to go on any of the riding club do's if she didn't go out alone.

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That's a good point. What I might do now there are no roads is long rein her out. that way I gan get her going forward!

Meanwhile - my friend has just called to say she wants to hack tomorrow.
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so I am off the hook for this weekend...

Still want to do it though.
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Make sure that you always have a mobile phone on you in case of emergencies, and preferably that somebody knows where you are going and how long you expect to be, so that they can come looking if necessary.

FHC would and did hack out alone but was never really relaxed/happy and was always much braver in company and enjoyed it far more. Howevever it's a pain if you can only ride out in company. Luckily FHC never napped leaving the yard, though he had a tendency to head for home rather faster than normal if anything upset him - like the post box that he'd seen regularly for five years being very scarey some days.
 
I think it's important for a horse to be able to go it alone, that's not to say I think it's all that safe! What I've been doing with Cat is taking him round our little block with a friend on foot. She brings a lunge line just in case and we're getting braver but she comes to hold my hand not his hoof. Try this or long lining if it's quiet and just do what feels ok, a bit at a time
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I agree with you that horses should hack alone and I think you're doing the right thing in not giving up. It was something that I considered very carefully when I backed my youngest horse at 3.5yrs because I didn't want to end up with problems later on. I longlined him out on hacks and whenever we took all the horses up to the field I made sure he was at the front and not hiding behind the other. For his first ever hack I took him out with my old horse but had the youngster at the front all the time and I was lucky in that he liked being the leader. After about 2 weeks I started taking him on his own and after a few whinnies he was fine. He's 5 this year and I have him at uni with me so we don;t ever hack with anyone else and it's so nice going out just the 2 of us.

I don't really know what Im trying to say really, I think you've got a challenge because she was already nappy when you bought her, what a shame you didn't have her from the beginning. It's so much harder to solve a problem than preventing it happening in the first place isn't it. Good luck xx
 
'Now I actually think it is good for a horse to hack out alone'

Why?

If hacking alone is something that you particularly want to do, then yes, it's important that your horse should do it. I wouldn't make an issue of it just for the sake of it though. A lot of top competion horses are right nappy b***ggers. One of Lucinda Green's Badminton horses (ok so I'm showing my age!) had to be followed up to the gallops by a land rover with someone waving a lunge whip out of the window!

If you are dreading hacking on your own and there is plenty of opportunity to hack with others then personally I'd just stick to going in company. There will come a nice sunny day when it will just suddenly feel like the right time to go for an amble on your own. until then, don't stress about it.
 
Thanks guys for all your comments!
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RobinHood - I agree absolutely and I wish more people with youngsters took the time to do this.

Kanter - My mare was 'brought up' in Holland on a comp yard and she was never even hacked out, let alone on her own.

I think a horse should hack alone for a number of reasons, not least because it is increasing his trust in you and cementing your relationship, thus making you more of a secure team. Also, I like to hack alone every now and then and I would rather it isn't a problem.
I see what you are saying but I think avoiding the situation makes it more of an issue! (even if that is just in my head!)
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i personally wouldn't have a horse i couldn't hack alone, had 2 that after a lot of hard work finally where happy to do it.

if mine didn't hack alone i would never hack out as i am not up to ride the same time as altia that often
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Yes if at all possible. i enjoy hacking out alone and in company. its not always practical to hack out with other people especially when you work. its good for your realtionship with your horse as well.
 
I have no choice, I hack alone as I have no friends
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I think it is important to do both actually. I would love for my girl to go out in company but as I keep her at home, with others but can only ride one at a time unfortunately
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- (I'm good... but not that good
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It would be a real problem for me if i had a horse who wouldnt go out alone. But maybe I dont have a problem with any of mine because they are so used to it and I dont expect to have an issue. So therefore they get on with it. Dunno!!!
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I longlined him out on hacks and whenever we took all the horses up to the field I made sure he was at the front and not hiding behind the other. For his first ever hack I took him out with my old horse but had the youngster at the front all the time and I was lucky in that he liked being the leader. After about 2 weeks I started taking him on his own and after a few whinnies he was fine.

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Couldn't agree more. We don't longline our youngsters when they go out for the first time because we have 700 acres of forestry and bridlepaths opposite our gate which is invaluable. Their first hack they start side by side with a sensible 'babysitter' and as quickly as possible they're taken to the front! Once they're confident, they go out solo.

BUT - the OP has a problem in that the horse is a known napper and she is worried about the situation. Nappers ALWAYS revert to napping if they sense their rider is unsure/lacking confidence - but you can't get confident without going out alone - so it's a difficult one. I would suggest persuading a friend to accompany you on foot or a bicycle for the first couple of times to help build YOUR confidence.
 
I think its important that horses do hack alone as you never know when you might need to. Just always remember to take ID and/or a phone.
However whether or not you enjoy hacking alone is another matter.
I love it!
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