Does anybody do fun rides on their own?

[HelenBack]

As per the title really, I was just wondering if anybody does fun rides on their own, and how you find it if so?

I've always been a bit of a loner and tend to do things on my own a lot. I often go and hire arenas by myself and have done a lot of competing alone too.

I really like fun rides but have never been on one on my own. Trouble is I don't always have anyone to go with though and I just had this mentality that you should do them with somebody else. I started wondering this morning why I actually feel that way though.

So for anyone that does go alone, do you find it OK and do you take any special precautions in case of an accident?

 

[9tails]

I have. I really enjoyed it. My horse was more relaxed because there was nobody to keep up with and those that passed her weren't mates so she didn't care. She's a fabulous solo hacker though, not nappy at all and went around with a happy expression all the way. I told people where I was going but didn't make any special arrangements.

 

[ycbm]

I go on my own. The route is usually marshalled and people will always stop and help if you get into trouble.

If you aim to go after the start time and well before the end you'll be absolutely fine.

 

[Tarragon]

Most of the people who do EGB (endurance) rides will be riding on their own, and a fun ride is just like an informal EGB ride. I would say go for it!

 

[HelenBack]

Thanks everyone for all the encouragement. I d know why it never occurred to me that I could do this until now!

My horse is pretty good on his own, he hasn't got much choice really! And I do also worry about him either losing his cool in a group or getting frustrated because he's got such an active walk that he leaves most other horses behind.

I'm not a complete miserable and antisocial git but it just occurs to me that if I go on my own I can do the ride at the speed I want to rather than being dependent on what others want to do.

 

[Afon_34]

Yep, I've done them on my own- majority of the time I hack on my own at home so doesn't feel any different tbh, go & have fun

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I have gone on my own and done them totally alone and also gone alone and paired up with somebody soon after the start just by asking if they mined if I tagged alone. I have done 3 so far this year and they have all been with friends but there have been many unaccompanied riders doing them too. The last one we did the lady parked next to us was on her own and wanted to tell us where she had left her car keys in case something happened to her on the ride. I thought this was probably a good precaution. If you went alone, I would probably let the organisers know at the start of the ride but you should have to give an emergency number when you enter

 

[irishdraft]

Lots of people do rides of all sorts of their own including myself .

 

[Surbie]

I have done one on my own, but my horse hated it. I prefer hacking in company and to me a fun ride is just a hack somewhere new. But that's just my preference - nothing to stop you going on your own, and if your horse hacks well on its own you should have a blast.

 

[spacefaer]

I frequently do fun rides by myself. I like being able to please myself in terms of speed and what I jump.
Sometimes I meet up with people travelling at a similar speed - some are good, but some I'd rather leave behind!

 

[Birker2020]

As per the title really, I was just wondering if anybody does fun rides on their own, and how you find it if so?

I've always been a bit of a loner and tend to do things on my own a lot. I often go and hire arenas by myself and have done a lot of competing alone too.

I really like fun rides but have never been on one on my own. Trouble is I don't always have anyone to go with though and I just had this mentality that you should do them with somebody else. I started wondering this morning why I actually feel that way though.

So for anyone that does go alone, do you find it OK and do you take any special precautions in case of an accident?

I always did fun rides on my own from around 1998 - 2019. You can go at your own pace and do what you want. Then I started going on them with a friend. Our horses were both very similar in temperament and could knock into each other without a hissy fit and we as riders had such a laugh together.

I was very much like you, super independent always going off to compete or going on fun rides on my own. Much preferred just me and my horse. Even hacks from the yard, loved my own company. But then as an only child it's something I'm used to anyway. In fact the idea of a fun ride with loads of others makes me feel very nervous. And having an entourage of people with me at a show would drive me nuts!! Lol

 

[outinthefens88]

I ride Endurance under EGB mainly on my own.... Would suggest if looking at EGB rides, do your first few as ones that are 'pleasure ride only'. Super friendly bunch but competitive rides can be busy and fast. Fine if your horse is unphased but can be unsettling if it decides to take off and follow those riding the competitive class as they will be riding a 12-13 km p/h average and will be trotting or cantering 5-6 8ths of the ride.

Don't let it put you off, I spend most weekends riding endurance somewhere and usually on my own....Mostly hack on my own too as there's not many want to hack out for 2-3hrs at a time at the speeds we train at!

 

[Fransurrey]

I'm in a similar situation. There's a ride which my usual buddies don't want to do and it occurred to me that I should just go to it alone. He travels alone anyway and is fine with strange horses. Like you, I just never considered it, before!

 

[Snapshot2016]

This post could have been written by me! Im a loner and tend to go everywhere on my own and im planning on doing some fun rides this year, just think of it like a hack with a few people dotted around on the same route

 

[HelenBack]

Well that's a pretty clear steer from everyone then! I'm going to get some entries in and go off and have some fun.

I might get a medical armband as a precaution just in case something does happen. I did that when I used to event alone and it did reassure me a bit.

Thanks for all the words of encouragement and good to hear I'm not alone in being a loner!

 

[MereChristmas]

If you go alone as well as leaving your contact details leave your vehicle reg number and description. If the worst happens at least they’ll know which vehicle to put your horse in.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I mostly did them on my own. Sometimes I, or rather my pony, would pal up with another rider. I did non-competitive endurance on my own too and found other riders’ crews endlessly helpful and generous. There’s something about just you and your horse enjoying your partnership together.

 

[Landcruiser]

Loads of people do them on their own, me included. I always preferred it because my lad can sometimes be a bit of a dick, particularly in a group, and I like to be able to just deal with it myself without him trying to keep up with others. We did start going with a friend who had a horse mine really got on with, and that made a lovely change - but the majority of the time I've been solo.

 

[Julia0803]

I’m going for my first solo EGB ride this weekend!

I was struggling for someone to go with from the yard/friends as their horses are either not fit enough or not got transport. The last EGB ride I met up with a lovely lady I’d connected with over one of the endurance FB pages. She was so so nice and I would have loved to continue riding with her but her horse was much speedier than mine, in every pace. So sadly it didn’t really work as my boy couldn’t settle in his natural rhythm and was constantly rushing, trying to keep up. Such a shame.

So this time we’re on our own. Bit nervous tbh but I figure it’s one of these things that I’ve got to push through (and might be scary and maybe a bit difficult), but will make life much easier long term once we’ve got the hang of it.

Up until a few weeks ago, I didn’t even hack him alone, further than the local residential roads at least. He’s done so well, pushing both of us out of our comfort zone with the solo hacking, I think/hope we can do this!

 

[Jambarissa]

Do it, I happily would but really can't go anywhere without someone asking to come too.

My horse is a loaner and we tend to ride a few lengths behind whoever we're with so may as well be alone.

Only issue is safety, so long as you're not at the back someone will be along to help so I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[millitiger]

I posted on a local Facebook page for fun rides and found a fabulous 'fun friend' and we now meet up at all of the fun rides we want to do.
It works really well, I do think most horses prefer a companion on fun rides but just my opinion

 

[paddy555]

So for anyone that does go alone, do you find it OK and do you take any special precautions in case of an accident?

I used to do lots similar on my own. Much preferred riding alone. I felt much safer. At home (no mobile signal) I was doing training rides for miles alone and usually well away from farms and roads. On an organised ride there were lots of other riders and marshals if anything went wrong. If anything had gone wrong I'm sure the organisers would have had contacts to get the horse sorted

 

[marmalade76]

Yes, many a time.

 

[outinthefens88]

I’m going for my first solo EGB ride this weekend!

I was struggling for someone to go with from the yard/friends as their horses are either not fit enough or not got transport. The last EGB ride I met up with a lovely lady I’d connected with over one of the endurance FB pages. She was so so nice and I would have loved to continue riding with her but her horse was much speedier than mine, in every pace. So sadly it didn’t really work as my boy couldn’t settle in his natural rhythm and was constantly rushing, trying to keep up. Such a shame.

So this time we’re on our own. Bit nervous tbh but I figure it’s one of these things that I’ve got to push through (and might be scary and maybe a bit difficult), but will make life much easier long term once we’ve got the hang of it.

Up until a few weeks ago, I didn’t even hack him alone, further than the local residential roads at least. He’s done so well, pushing both of us out of our comfort zone with the solo hacking, I think/hope we can do this!

Not sure which EGB group you are under - by saying your are out this weekend I'm guessing you are either North or South based (Derby group or South/South East - possibly Cromwell group?)

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I like to go on my own. Set my own pace and meet new friends

 

[Julia0803]

Not sure which EGB group you are under - by saying your are out this weekend I'm guessing you are either North or South based (Derby group or South/South East - possibly Cromwell group?)

Hiya!

Yes, we were at Shuckburgh yesterday.

We started off with someone who had parked near us but was doing a different distance and then parted ways after the first section of the course.

Pony was blooming marvellous. So so incredibly proud of him. Yes, I was scared in the run up (and I was driving up there alone too, so no helper on the ground), but it was so worth it. He rose to every single challenge, with only the occasional ear flick of uncertainty just to check in with me.


OP, in terms of safety, even if you’re riding alone there will be others on course coming up behind you if there was an accident or something. If it’s a EGB one you have a tag on you and the horse with emergency number for ride organisers in case you part company. The other thing I will say about EGB events are people are SO nice. As I said above, I was on my own and people were so helpful and kind. My box got stuck in the mud and needed a tow out and several people offered to help. When pony was then having a moment about loading again (more!) people came over and offered to help.

Go and have a lovely time OP.

 

[Red-1]

I did Le Trec alone. We just did it in our own time, sometimes I had to backtrack a few hundred yards when people went bursting past and my horse wanted to join them. As soon as he became unyielding, I turned back, got his head together and turned the right way again. No issues and by the end, he had stopped wanting to follow.

I also evented alone, SJ alone and Dressage alone. I keep my horse at home so helpers are in short supply! I would leave a laminated sheet in the lorry windscreen with my name, contact details and Mr Red's details too. The horse had a little pouch (from @cremedemonthe on here) with my details in (and Mr Red's). It is bright yellow but we still used it for BD with never a comment.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I did Le Trec alone. We just did it in our own time, sometimes I had to backtrack a few hundred yards when people went bursting past and my horse wanted to join them. As soon as he became unyielding, I turned back, got his head together and turned the right way again. No issues and by the end, he had stopped wanting to follow.

I also evented alone, SJ alone and Dressage alone. I keep my horse at home so helpers are in short supply! I would leave a laminated sheet in the lorry windscreen with my name, contact details and Mr Red's details too. The horse had a little pouch (from @cremedemonthe on here) with my details in (and Mr Red's). It is bright yellow but we still used it for BD with never a comment.

Yes, been selling those for not only the horse but also one for the rider too, seem to have a little flurry now and again and sell loads!
It's called a Locata

 

[spotty_pony]

As per the title really, I was just wondering if anybody does fun rides on their own, and how you find it if so?

I've always been a bit of a loner and tend to do things on my own a lot. I often go and hire arenas by myself and have done a lot of competing alone too.

I really like fun rides but have never been on one on my own. Trouble is I don't always have anyone to go with though and I just had this mentality that you should do them with somebody else. I started wondering this morning why I actually feel that way though.

So for anyone that does go alone, do you find it OK and do you take any special precautions in case of an accident?

Yes I have done, and would do it again. I have also been cross country schooling on my own many times. I think as long as you can trust your horse and you are confident it’s fine. There are plenty of other people on the ride anyway so you won’t really be ‘alone’ as you may end up tagging on in a group and even if not there will be plenty of people riding along there should anything happen.

 

[Identityincrisis]

Yes, been selling those for not only the horse but also one for the rider too, seem to have a little flurry now and again and sell loads!
It's called a Locata

I have one of these for my horse and I, they’re great and give me peace of mind