Does anybody not hack at all in the winter?

[Tilda]

As title really and does it bother a horse to not hack out for months at a time?

My mare has become a real handful to hack since the colder weather came and because my confidence is a bit fragile I have stopped hacking her and decided to put her up for sale as she is too much for me.

However since making that decision I have started jumping her again (not really sure why I stopped think it was the 'get your flatwork sorted before you jump' mindset) and she has so far been fab. It's almost as if she gets all happy (not excited she is really very focussed) and seems to enjoy life so much more after the jumping sessions.

I enjoy jumping too so I have plans to get her out to a few clear rounds and clinics over the next couple of months. So I am wondering now whether I can keep her and just not hack in the winter? We do have a short village ride we can do that takes 20 mins as she is fab on the roads it's just when her hooves hit grass we have problems! My YM would hack her occasionally for me but I don't like to impose to much.

So what do people think could I get away with no hacking until she goes back on 24/7 turnout and calms down?

Cadbury's snowballs for all xx

 

[Dogstar]

I agree, hacking can be tedious in the deep cold, wet, Winter. My retired hunter was deeply unpleasant to hack anyway (violently spooky and nappy). So I didn't. Just do what you enjoy, the horse will be fine. It's meant to be fun

 

[Tilda]

Thanks Dogstar I am really not that bothered about the not hacking in the grotty winter weather!

 

[Supertrooper]

Don't ride at all in winter, I'm a fair weather rider I guess and am looking forward to march.

 

[Honey08]

I don't ride if the weather is foggy, icy or snowy as we live on a steep road and I don't have an arena.

Could you jump her - have a good fun session, then try hacking out right after that when you have taken the edge off her - it may do the trick and boost your confidence, getting rid of the problems. I'd also let your YO hack her once a week or so.

I think its not good for a horse to not hack out at all (I know some people manage and say their horses don't like it, but I'm not convinced - thats just my opinion). I like the horse to have a good mixture of types of work. But first of all you need to be safe and confident - thats the most important thing.

 

[Tilda]

Thanks hoho honey I did wonder whether to try a jumping session and then a short hack as she does seem to be listening to me much more after popping a few jumps. The only problem is the only shortish hack we have is the one she gets most excited and starts bucking on. Well I guess I can try it and get off if she starts getting wound up. I might even get my YM to come on her steady horse and then we can swap if it gets too much

 

[Honey08]

Getting YM to go with you on a steadier horse is the way forward, ideally just as a companion. Don't worry in advance about the hack. Just have a good session in the school, do some hard work, and go off straight away..

We've just done the opposite with my mare, she hadn't jumped for two years, and we were expecting fireworks, so we did a four hour hack the day before to wear her out a bit. It worked a treat!

 

[Alphamare]

Seems like only winter hacking is a problem and I don't see the problem with not hacking in the winter if you don't want too. Horses are supposed to be fun

 

[YellowHorse]

I don't see any point to doing things that you will be frightenned and will lose your confidence and your horse will lose its confidence.

I will only hack when the weather is right and I feel like it. Therefore not hacking in the winter. I am lucky someone now hacks my boy every so often as she rides him twice a week, but I've had him 4 years and hes never been hacked in the winter before that and hes just fine.

I do vary the work I do with him to keep it interesting, but why would I put myself under pressure to do something I don't want to do? Riding should be enjoyable, not a chore.

 

[Tilda]

Thanks all it's good to know horses can get by without hacking I just feel guilty as I've always been taught they will get bored only being in the school.

I will try a hack straight after schooling without the pressure of Having to do it and if she still scares me I will just leave it and try again in the spring.

I will also make sure I put lots of variety into our school work and also include a village hack and a ground work session once a week to try and build our confidence and trust in each other.

Thanks again xx

 

[jesterfaerie]

As I don't have an arena I have to hack to one so if I don't hack I don't ride. Unfortinatley I haven't managed to get out as much as I would have liked because of ice but I will keep hacking out as much as possible this winter, weather permitting. I do agree with what another poster said, take your YM and another horse with you after you have already worked her. Is hacking the only issue you are having with her? As from your post you sound very confident riding her other than hacking her so hopefully the suggestions others have come up with may help build your confidence back up and avoid the sale of her. Good Luck.

 

[Megibo]

i have no arena and currently in the v.early stages of getting horse fit so hacking is all i'm doing. i have no hacking companions though so my horse is going to be interesting!

 

[Winklepoker]

I dont hack any of the year ha ha ha! My horse is happy and LOVES work!

 

[burtie]

I hack more in the winter, no flies, few tourists and the going is suburb with lots of sandy tracks. The school is not much above the river level so tend to be very soggy in winter so far more fun to fly along on the open forest with the dog!

 

[JFTDWS]

if I didn't hack I wouldn't ride I'd be a psychopathic nightmare by spring if I didn't ride!

So hacking it is

 

[NOISYGIRL]

As title really and does it bother a horse to not hack out for months at a time?

My mare has become a real handful to hack since the colder weather came and because my confidence is a bit fragile I have stopped hacking her and decided to put her up for sale as she is too much for me.

However since making that decision I have started jumping her again (not really sure why I stopped think it was the 'get your flatwork sorted before you jump' mindset) and she has so far been fab. It's almost as if she gets all happy (not excited she is really very focussed) and seems to enjoy life so much more after the jumping sessions.

I enjoy jumping too so I have plans to get her out to a few clear rounds and clinics over the next couple of months. So I am wondering now whether I can keep her and just not hack in the winter? We do have a short village ride we can do that takes 20 mins as she is fab on the roads it's just when her hooves hit grass we have problems! My YM would hack her occasionally for me but I don't like to impose to much.

So what do people think could I get away with no hacking until she goes back on 24/7 turnout and calms down?

Cadbury's snowballs for all xx

My friends mare WON'T hack out, she'd love to take her on a nice hack but she just won't go. Last time she tried she nearly killed her, she's a fab jumper so she just gets ridden in school and taken to shows, boring in the school I know but that's what she wants, very strange.

 

[jendie]

I think you should do what makes you happiest!! If you and your horse enjoy jumping then concentrate on that. I think most horses thrive on variety but they are individuals just the same as us. Do what suits you best and stop feeling guilty about it.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Thanks hoho honey I did wonder whether to try a jumping session and then a short hack as she does seem to be listening to me much more after popping a few jumps. The only problem is the only shortish hack we have is the one she gets most excited and starts bucking on. Well I guess I can try it and get off if she starts getting wound up. I might even get my YM to come on her steady horse and then we can swap if it gets too much

What are you feeding her ? Unfortunately they have good memories, my horse is 33 in Jan but if I take him to the woods where his old owner used to gallop him from one end to the other he gets excited, I used to get scared but just laugh at him now (think it helps me to try and keep calm myself lol) I call him a silly old codger. I've owned him since 1996 but knew him a long time before that and used to ride him for the old owner, who used to pump him full of mix, NOT good with an arab cross lol, even at his age still doesn't take much to wind him up, he thinks he's 3 sometimes and he's just on high fibre diet due to having mild lami few years back

 

[sleepykitten]

I'm a fair weather rider and happy to admit it!

 

[Tickles]

Why is your horse different to hack in winter?

Lack of turn-out/hard feed/clipping can be fixed by management change/feed change/not clipping or using an exersice rug if you have to clip.

Hacking should be fun for both of you.

As others have said go (just a little way so you don't feel too much pressure) after a good schooling session.

Enjoy!

 

[Tilda]

The only thing that has changed in winter is that we have gone from 24/7 turnout to in at night. We aren't allowed 24/7 turnout in the winter at our yard but they are out for 8 hours a day and everything else about the yard is fab and it's took me a year and 4 yard moves to find somewhere Tilly and I are happy.

The cold air has definitely made her fresher and all she wants to do is canter everywhere and when we do canter she bucks about 3 times as we set off and if I don't let her canter she has a paddy and bucks because I won't let her. She does the same with my YM but she thinks it's fun and because of a bad accident I had 18months ago the bucking really frightens me and although I can deal with it at the time it makes me nervous for the next time! I am pretty confident riding her in enclosed spaces although she used to be really spooky in the school (evasion technique as flatwork is boring!) I have worked her through this and the jumping has really helped with this too.

I will try the schooling before hacking and hopefully that will work. I have tried lunging to take the edge off but that just wound her up more!

Thanks for the advice x

 

[Firewell]

If it's destroying your confidence and hers then I can understand why you don't want to do it. Loads of dressage horses and showjumpers don't (won't?) hack.
I think as long as you keep the work varied e.g school, free school, lunge, jump, pole work then they aren't going to get bored. Besides when the weathers nicer you could always school in a field or long rein out.
I like hacking mainly because sometimes I am just not in the mood for the school! Although when I had an oil tanker flying round a blind bend along a single track country lane yesterday, unable to stop in time he had to keep coming and I had to throw my horse into a hedge and prayed he stayed stock still as it flew past his nose missing him by and inch I did wonder!
Do what makes you happy, lifes just to short. Personally I love hacking but if I didn't want to do it I wouldn't, just the same as if I don't want to go to a show I won't or if I don't want to school and would rather go for a canter round the field that's what I do!
Do what makes you happy, it's meant to be a pleasurable hobby .