do you treat hacking as 'work'?

[the watcher]

A thought that occurred to me as I was mooching about on PinkJava's ponies at the weekend while out on a hack..I found myself asking for collection and engagement on one that is still finding its balance, and idly leg yielding using the straight edges of the redways on another. The reason being that hacking , for mine, is work..they are being constantly schooled and have the mentality that when the saddle goes on it is schooling..they can relax in their stables or when turned out.
Not that this is in any way a criticism of PJ's ponies (in case it sounds that way), they were all fab, but I realised that I have lost the concept of just going out for a ride for fun..and maybe ought to be doing it more often, instead of treating each ride as a learning and training exercise.

Is hacking just fun and chilling out for you, or is it work?

 

[Nic]

It's the only way I can work mine, we have no school & the field is a quagmire now. Aside from lessons(at the most fortnightly) and schooling in trainers arena (15 min hack) all their work is hacking.

 

[Tempi]

hacking is chilling but also fittening!! i dont ask bloss to go in an outline when out hacking because shes constantly working in an outline on the school so i like to give her a break. however im always trotting or cantering her, we dont do much walking as i use hill work to help keep her fit.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Is hacking just fun and chilling out for you, or is it work?

[/ QUOTE ]
Bit of both for me tbh. I really enjoy going out for a lovely hack - however, the horse is always worked correctly, and is not allowed to slop along.

All the horses I ride at this time of year are hunters - so now are all pretty fit and are worked accordingly.

 

[johnsongreyhorse]

I do both, usually on the same hack, will leg yield/shoulder-in etc along lanes, collect and extend etc, and also have a blast along a grassy bit

.
On my old horse I just used to go out and have fun, but since I bought and broke my youngster I have worked him whilst out to keep his mind occupied

 

[PaddyMonty]

Both.
Horse is either on the buckle to relax but still has to move or on a contact and must work in outline.

 

[KatB]

It depends to be honest. It is always fittening work, but with my boy being a baby, it is also a chance to unwind and relax. I always expect him to move away from my leg, and I will ask him to work into a contact, but he is also allowed to look around, and be a horse. So yes he works, but in alot more relaxed way than in the school when I want all attention on me.

 

[Sags_Deer]

yeah same as pg

 

[riotgirl]

I have to with my girl else she switches off and then gets freaked out when the smallest noise occurs! If I constantly ask her to do things she has to listen and is conseqently more aware of what is going on around her. Also, with the fields being too muddy during the winter it is the only chance I get to do any schooling.

 

[WelshRareBit]

Oh yes. We have sand dunes and a beach where I am so when me and Murphy go out its certainly work!

I mix and match though, depending on what he's been doing in the week - sometimes its just for fun and nothing more - good gallops and jumping, and other times I am trying to achieve something - get him moving forward nicely etc.

 

[Dogbetty141]

Dont work my horse of have him in an outline whilst hacking through sumeer he is allowed to relax but in winter I ride and keep hold of him due to him being V spooky when rode out in winter! Sometimes ride him in draw reins as this tends to stop him from looking around and also allows me to keep him in an outline!! instead of him going OMG its a leaf

 

[Macha]

Bit of both some work and some slopping along, my uncle has some silage bales left out in the field so we have been using those for circles and serpintines very good practice!

 

[sojeph]

Fun - always fun LOL!! I don't do work and neither do my nags

I generally amble along holding the buckle and let the pick horse his/her way along unless on the road of course, but then mine have done their working days and if (very rarely) I want anything more out of them it's usually still all there.

 

[Iestyn]

Always work. I am very nervous hacking on my own and find it better to concentrate on doing something - the horse is far better behaved as well as he is concentrating on me and not what is going on around him. I do think I need to maybe relax a little - I'm ok in company when I have someone to talk to though.

 

[_April_]

I'm a bit of both really...

I need obedience and safety whilst hacking and I do practice things like leg yielding and lengthening etc

Also went out on Saturday went to one of our grassy areas and just let her have her head and go, it was great!!
But I wouldn't do that until I got to know her and I know that she's not going to run off with me at the same spot next time or start acting like an idiot when we touch grass. I totally understand why people on more excitable horses don't do this!

 

[cosmo_sam]

Work, I'm exactly like you.

The only time I suppose I just "ride" is on the beach, but even then I'll have hacked up and down to make sure the surface is consistent etc

I think I'm the Monica of the horse world!!!

 

[Rambo]

I always ask my horses to go in an outline whenever i'm on top of them (unless i'm asking them to stretch or cooling off obviously). I will also do basic schooling exercises like leg yielding whilst out on a hack. It's breaks up the monotony for both of us lol!

 

[PapaFrita]

A bit of both for me

 

[the watcher]

[ QUOTE ]
Work, I'm exactly like you.

The only time I suppose I just "ride" is on the beach, but even then I'll have hacked up and down to make sure the surface is consistent etc

I think I'm the Monica of the horse world!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Like it! No you're not the only one, the high cost of turning a leg is enough to make me very careful about the ground we work over. Mine never get to go completely flat out except on a surface/groomed gallops, and even then half way along they will have to slow and collect before being pushed on again.

 

[burtie]

I am the worlds laziest hacker and a true cowgirl type rider when out, I hold the buckle and little else other than I may take a slight contact when cantering/galloping out the saddle.

 

[_April_]

[ QUOTE ]

and even then half way along they will have to slow and collect before being pushed on again.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do that too!
Also our ground can be boggy in certain areas so I just pull up and go on a long rein before going off again.
It lets her know that I'm still the boss lol and I like to be able to go from a fairly fast blast to walking calmly.

 

[BBs]

Bit of both, work and fun. I dont like horses to slop along the roads, equally if you have them in some sort of outline they are less likely to spook and be silly.
I like to have a bit of fun, popping up and down banks, over little ditches and through fields and over sticks and logs - as long as the braking system hasnt completely failed lol

 

[Bex7]

bit of both but mainly just fun.

I do try a bit of leg yielding and also some stirrupless work, also trotting cantering and galloping. Quite often we mooch and amble but also I now use it to work on me and the school to work on him. (if that makes sense)

 

[Chex]

All fun for me. Me and Chex don't do working lol, we're only in it for the relaxing and the fun. I ride cowboyish as well, reins at the buckle and rarely use my legs.

 

[MissDeMeena]

mine are always asked to work.. am quite happy for nose to be poked out slightly/head carrage not to be 'perfect' but they are always working up to/into the bridle and listening to me!! moving away from my leg.. transitions etc.!!!
There's so much dressage you can do on the roads, you don't have to do it all in a circle (she says dreaming of her own school).

 

[pottamus]

I have to do all my schooling out hacking as I have no school or field to use. Whilst we only school when I feel it necessary to brush up on something, he is not allowed to slop along as we are usually trotting everywhere! So it is work really as that is how I keep him fit.

 

[tashyisaudrey]

bit of both for me - keeps them fit but its fun too

 

[Alibear]

first and foremost on my new horse shopping list is must be fun to hack alone and in company. after that anything else is a bonus. I want some fun back

 

[magic104]

Depends ours are schooled as they are hacked out. They are asked for leg yeilds, they are asked to work from behind, but I dont insist they work on the contact except on the road they are given a longer rein when ridden on uneven ground. A baby would still have the contact but wont be expected to work "on the bit" though they would be expected to work off the leg.

 

[Mid]

I don't treat riding as work full stop! x)