Does anyone not hack?

[Eventing2022]

I just don't enjoy hacking. On road, off road....wherever. on roads I'm constantly expecting something to happen after friends have had accidents and incidents.
My horse will only hack in company and even then he doesn't seem to particularly enjoy it. He's a very well bred horse and it just seems to do nothing for him
At the moment I force us to go for 30/45 mins once a week. And I feel guilty if I don't. But is there any point?
We have a good varied life. Ride 5 times a week, jump once a week, trailer outings for lessons/clinics/comps once a week, poles, flat....but I really don't want him to go stale!
So does anyone else just not hack and how do you make it work?

 

[Bellaboo18]

I enjoy hacking.
It's supposed to be fun so a shame to force yourself to do anything however I wouldn't be happy if all his work is on an artificial surface. IMO that's a good way to break a horse.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

One of mine doesn't particularly like hacking so I literally do a 15 minute hack or ride round one of the crop fields behind my house, I find it's enough for him if I try longer he throws himself about and then naps his slightly better with another horse.

 

[Eventing2022]

I enjoy hacking.
It's supposed to be fun so a shame to force yourself to do anything however I wouldn't be happy if all his work is on an artificial surface. IMO that's a good way to break a horse.

I just don't know how true that can be. It's like 30/40 mins a day on a surface, and different arenas. The other 23 hours he is out on grass, or in a turnout pen, or in his stable for some of it.

 

[Fieldlife]

General advice for longevity is

1) only work on artificial surfaces 50% of the time.

2) vary the type of work, speed, terrain and gradient.

How much hacking has your horse done? Maybe he lacks confidence

 

[Fieldlife]

I just don't know how true that can be. It's like 30/40 mins a day on a surface, and different arenas. The other 23 hours he is out on grass, or in a turnout pen, or in his stable for some of it.

It’s percentage of working time not on artificial surface. Not percentage of living time.

I have access to grass school, 2 arenas, and off road hacking.

Could you use your field?

 

[Eventing2022]

Oh I should have said that yes when the ground isn't concrete we have a grass arena I also use. I lunge on that once a week anyway, walk only at the moment to make use of the terrain in there.

 

[Eventing2022]

Interestingly then, why is it acceptable to have people who hack only, and do 100% of their work on an artificial tarmac surface? Because they don't like schooling?

 

[MuddyMonster]

If you're nervous and expecting something to happen (understandable at the best of times, let alone if you've witnessed an accident) could you see a sports psychologist/NLP/hypnotherapist to help you deal with this? This might help you both enjoy hacking more.

Hacking does take a certain type of skill and confidence, which is often overlooked.

Could you try in-hand walking or long lining out hacking too?

For me, it would be the lack of varied surfaces and seeing day to day life that would be an issue. I also think for a lot of horses it's nice to have a change of scene and be out working in a different environment.

It's also likely to affect re-sell value if you ever need to move the horse on, so something to bear in mind.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Interestingly then, why is it acceptable to have people who hack only, and do 100% of their work on an artificial tarmac surface? Because they don't like schooling?

Also correct in a way, I usually only hack, my surfaces vary all the way round the hack I usually go on, from grass to cobbly just a little bit of tarmac.
We just go out and just have fun, but I can imagine it wont be much fun if you dont enjoy hacking ?

 

[SOS]

Interestingly then, why is it acceptable to have people who hack only, and do 100% of their work on an artificial tarmac surface? Because they don't like schooling?

Very few people hack to purely go on roads. They will be going on tracks, grass, sand, mud, you name it. Generally they will be going in straight lines and up and down hills… which is what horses bodies were made for.

Going round in circles on an artificial surface is not natural for horses. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it, after all riding is not natural either! But as we know it’s more likely to cause damage we must limit how much we do.

Horses and riders that don’t like hacking often lack confidence, which is fine. But I am yet to meet a horse that has been trained to hack confidently - yes trained, it shouldn’t be expected to happen by itself - that doesn’t enjoy varied hacks alongside its school work.

I don’t think a horses level of breeding comes into it, many top, professional horses hack. It’s vital for most competing leisure horses just as a fitness tool, if you don’t have gallops at home.

 

[Goldenstar]

I historically hated hacking it’s boring , I love training and schooling but my horses still hack a lot because it’s vital for them and important for developing the skills xc horses need now I am older ( and lamer ) I need to hack more so I appreciate it a bit more .

E2022 , People hack where they can and for many that means road work so yes it’s acceptable , it might not be ideal but then very few of us keep horses where it’s ideal in all respects .
I have always restricted time spent in the school, even excellent surfaces are not great for soft tissues and we have a set aside area of grass managed for riding that a great to have the best surface for a horse to train on is good turf .
The best is using all three surface ( four here if you add in sand on the beach ) horses need to be exposed to different ground conditions.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Interestingly then, why is it acceptable to have people who hack only, and do 100% of their work on an artificial tarmac surface? Because they don't like schooling?

I've never hacked anywhere where it's solely tarmac but I guess it could happen.

My thoughts would be that out hacking the horse is usually in straight lines so less pressure on their joints when compared to being on a constant turn in the sand school.

You've also got things like the camber of the road, going up hill or downhill and that changes the loading forces on the horses body.

I wouldn't want to do all my hacking on tarmac as I think it could be quite concussive - but most people have some access to another surface type out hacking even if just grass verges, a surfaced bridleways and fields so the horse's body isn't constantly under the same pressure.

Of course, not all hacking is equal just as all artificial surfaces aren't.

 

[Abacus]

I don't always love hacking alone, not because of confidence but because it can be a bit boring - other times it's good thinking time. I use the good grass fields (at the moment stubble fields) here to do fitness work and also some schooling - making sure they are listening and will always come back when asked, even from a fast canter to walk halfway down the field. This all helps their responsiveness when schooling or jumping. I love hacking in company, it's time for a good chat and the horses prefer it, ours are all good friends and seem so relaxed walking along together.

My 24 year old horse definitely benefits from a few long steady hacks a week. He never schools any more (age, arthritis, really no point when he isn't competing) and for his body I think only hacking is beneficial. He's definitely stiffer if he has a week off. This must also apply to younger horses, you just don't notice it as much.

 

[rextherobber]

I hack 5 days out of 6 a week, but I do a lot of schooling on my hacks, lateral work etc, and using different gradients and varying the tempo etc does wonders for their balance and confidence. I actively look for things to show my horses, if I hear a chainsaw/mower, whatever, we'll pop over and have a look. It's not boring at all!

 

[shortstuff99]

One of mine doesn't really like hacking and also didn't like poles/jumping, recently she has enjoyed it a bit more. This means she has spent 12 years of her ridden career 99% on a surface working up to Advanced dressage.

She is the soundest horse I know and never (touch wood) needs treatment. At 15 she still has the joints of a young horse, so who knows.

 

[sunleychops]

I think its good for them if you enjoy it, If you hate it though and are very tense I can't imagine its a very enjoyable experience for either so probably best not to

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I just don't enjoy hacking. On road, off road....wherever. on roads I'm constantly expecting something to happen after friends have had accidents and incidents.
My horse will only hack in company and even then he doesn't seem to particularly enjoy it. He's a very well bred horse and it just seems to do nothing for him
At the moment I force us to go for 30/45 mins once a week. And I feel guilty if I don't. But is there any point?
We have a good varied life. Ride 5 times a week, jump once a week, trailer outings for lessons/clinics/comps once a week, poles, flat....but I really don't want him to go stale!
So does anyone else just not hack and how do you make it work?

I generally hack twice - I don-t do schooling due to waiting knee surgery and find schooling painful on the knee.

 

[Annagain]

I'm the opposite and would hack over schooling, which I see as a bit of a chore, although when I had Monty and since having Wiggy I've enjoyed it more as they're good at it. It wasn't pleasant with Archie and Ebony as they clearly hated it too (unless poles or a jump were involved with Eb - one jump and he'd work happily around it for 15 minutes, then we'd have to pop it once or twice and we'd get another 15 minutes of good work out of him! ) and it was a bit scary with Charlie! I do tend to go in the school if I'm on my own just because I find solo hacking quite boring. Because he hated the school so much, I used to do what I called a "schooling hack" with Archie if I was on my own to make it more interesting rather than go in the school - we'd leg yield from one side of the road to the other, do shoulder in between two trees, change up the pace of trot or practice transitions and do turns on the forehand / haunches round corners etc. Could something like that focus your mind and your horse's so you're not looking for problems?

 

[soloequestrian]

It’s percentage of working time not on artificial surface. Not percentage of living time.

I'd be interested to know if the stated rule of thumb has any research behind it - it seems sensible but not necessarily gospel. I would think that a horse ridden in a way that is healthy for them with variety in their work and turnout the rest of the time would be well set up to stay sound without any hacking. Certainly much more so than a horse that had restricted turnout but spend half their working time hacking (hypothetical example, not related to anything anyone has posted!).
Edited to add: I do hack but have had to teach my last two horses how to do it and I didn't enjoy that part at all.

 

[maya2008]

Interestingly then, why is it acceptable to have people who hack only, and do 100% of their work on an artificial tarmac surface? Because they don't like schooling?

Do you know someone who only rides on the roads? I’ve never seen that personally…

Anyway, that aside, we mostly hack because we don’t have a school. Ponies are barefoot, self-trim mostly (which spaces out the farrier visits nicely) and work on a variety of surfaces from mud to stones to hardcore Forest track to grassy field margin. We do 3 minutes of roadwork at each end of the hack. I hire a school once a week so they remember how to bend (and jump). Backing, with the promise of endless hacks to see the world, cured two of mine of their iffy catching, and they are very keen to be ridden. Horses like to hack. Obviously, that’s if the rider gives them confidence and they are experienced enough with the big wide world to enjoy it.

In answer to your question, artificial surfaces aren’t great for soft tissue, so 6x a week in the school isn’t ideal from a soundness point of view. Going endlessly round in a school usually leads to behavioural consequences also. It’s fine to just hack at weekends though, and you could box to a nicer area, to meet up with friends or hack round a xc course if needed.

 

[Eventing2022]

Do you know someone who only rides on the roads? I’ve never seen that personally…

Anyway, that aside, we mostly hack because we don’t have a school. Ponies are barefoot, self-trim mostly (which spaces out the farrier visits nicely) and work on a variety of surfaces from mud to stones to hardcore Forest track to grassy field margin. We do 3 minutes of roadwork at each end of the hack. I hire a school once a week so they remember how to bend (and jump). Backing, with the promise of endless hacks to see the world, cured two of mine of their iffy catching, and they are very keen to be ridden. Horses like to hack. Obviously, that’s if the rider gives them confidence and they are experienced enough with the big wide world to enjoy it.

In answer to your question, artificial surfaces aren’t great for soft tissue, so 6x a week in the school isn’t ideal from a soundness point of view. Going endlessly round in a school usually leads to behavioural consequences also. It’s fine to just hack at weekends though, and you could box to a nicer area, to meet up with friends or hack round a xc course if needed.

Oh yes absolutely I do know people who only hack and only on roads. Here in my part of the South East there's not really many bridleways!

 

[ycbm]

Do you know someone who only rides on the roads?

I've spent the last 15 years hacking only on roads because changes in the subsidies for hill farmers meant suddenly that everyone was closing, and often locking, their gates. It made solo hacking on the hills a pain in the butt, so I stayed on the roads. On the right horses, I even cantered on the roads.

I can't tell you what bliss it is to have a 6 mile farm ride start right outside my stable now we've moved ?
.

 

[ycbm]

I never believed it until I had one, but some horses genuinely hate hacking. Those horses, imo, are better off if allowed to make that choice, after all the normal training to get them to enjoy it has failed. My gut feel is there are more highly bred WB that fit this category than other breeds.

Also, riding is supposed to be fun and if an owner simply doesn't have fun hacking, then they shouldn't feel obliged to do it, especially if their horse shows no signs of distress at "missing out on" hacking.
.

 

[Bernster]

Our local hacking is pretty much all road work with a small grass field at the yard we can ride around. I prefer to mix up the work, variety of work and terrain and avoiding too many circles in the school. I think it’s good for horses to do some straight line work and see a bit more life. Hacking has its own challenges but theyre good ones to work through as long as your horses is not a nutter!

That said, I prefer to hack in company but recognise it’s good to hack solo at times, although I’ll always go out in company if I can!

 

[smolmaus]

Zero bridleways anywhere near me, so any hacking I do is on roads and not great ones. I won't beat myself up, or judge anyone else for not hacking as often as they "should" if that's what their hacking looks like. I am starting to make myself go out on the roads a little more though, even if it is just in hand because its part of her education. And mine! I'm much worse at hacking than the just backed pony.

If I was in your shoes OP and had the option to box out regularly I would be going to country parks or forestry to hack out rather than going to just a different arena hire. No cars being involved takes a lot of the fear out of it for me. Or bloody cows hiding behind hedges and then basically yelling BOO and racing up the field trying to get me killed

 

[LEC]

I had one who hated hacking - so he didn’t hack. But he was unusual. All the others like it and I tolerate it for the pro-perception work and fitness. I box up a lot to hills, the beach etc to try and make sure that it all counts. If I could get rid of hacking in my life I wouldn’t miss it. I am too anal though so could never hand it over to someone else.
Even the worlds top sjers will do something outside an arena. They will have the facilities to make it happen. Most will have gallops or a well maintained track to ride round. The top eventers will hack their best horses because it makes them stay out the arena and not put any pressure on the horse. Carl Hester’s hack twice a week.
Personally I think it’s bad for joints if they spend 90% of their life on a small (20x40) arena turning the whole time. I think more horses hate lunging than anything I know about hacking.

 

[BBP]

As I’ve got older and more hippyish I now see riding as my opportunity that day to have a conversation with my horse. Everything is communication, therefore whether hacking or schooling it can’t be boring unless I’m saying the same stuff over and over (I.e. nagging or fiddling with my hands). If I treat it like a conversation and pay constant interest in how he is seeing the world and how he feels about it, it’s all really interesting.

That said, my horse has always been prone to panic and anxiety out alone that I never got to grips with and so his end of the conversation was ‘I’m scared and I don’t want to do this’ so I only ever hacked if I had company and just changed up other parts of his day with liberty work, in hand, using the arena or field or wherever he felt comfortable.

 

[CatInTheSaddle]

I had one who suffered through hacking (twitchy and nervous) and he sapped my love for it. In the end I took him for walks on a lunge-line like a big dog, though we were lucky to have private off-road tracks to use. Other than that, he was managed like clockwork: maximum turnout time, never ridden more than 5 times a week and then never for more than 3 days consecutively. He had one polework or groundwork session either as part of that routine or as a top-up. He wasn't jumped. He'd seen his fair share of life before he came to me so I was very pedantic about his workload and it paid off. I enjoy having one that hacks now though!

 

[Barton Bounty]

As I’ve got older and more hippyish I now see riding as my opportunity that day to have a conversation with my horse. Everything is communication, therefore whether hacking or schooling it can’t be boring unless I’m saying the same stuff over and over (I.e. nagging or fiddling with my hands). If I treat it like a conversation and pay constant interest in how he is seeing the world and how he feels about it, it’s all really interesting.

That said, my horse has always been prone to panic and anxiety out alone that I never got to grips with and so his end of the conversation was ‘I’m scared and I don’t want to do this’ so I only ever hacked if I had company and just changed up other parts of his day with liberty work, in hand, using the arena or field or wherever he felt comfortable.

My boy used to be so like this! Now we only go alone! I chat to him all the way round and we conversate about the upcoming rustle in the bushes or the fact there is a combine harvester over the hedge, hes much more relaxed now than he ever was with company.