Escorting hacks

[giggles mum]

Interested in some different opinions. If you booked a hack at a BHS riding school, what kind of person would you expect to take you out? And do you think different espects of experience/qualifications are important depending on the customer's experience, age and the number of riders in the group?

 

[Christmas_Kate]

I'd expect someone to be at least 18, with a BHS stage 3 and first aid training. I always thought that this was requirement for insurance reasons??

 

[weevil]

It doesn't matter to me what qualifications they would have. I would prefer to be escorted by someone over 16. But as long as they know the route and also know the horses and the standard of the riders then I'm perfectly happy.

 

[blackcob]

BHS riding school can mean very little - I briefly worked at a BHS approved place and it was a shambles. I was 16 at the time with no qualifications and was often expected to take out hacks of up to 7 horses (of mixed ages and ability, including beginners and kids). No-one there, in fact, had any BHS qualifications - though they widely advertised as having a BHS instructor. No first aid training was required although I'd already done some on my own initiative.

Lots of clients commented on how well I managed the hacks and told the YO they'd enjoyed it, but I'm sure I wouldn't want to be led on dodgy horses by a 16 year old with no first aid training! At least not at a BHS approved centre, but as I said, it means very little nowadays. Many people have reported this centre for dangerous and neglectful practices but they sail through inspections as they are told the inspectors are coming a week before (so much for surprise inspections).

 

[alfirules]

i escourt hacks where i work and have been since i was 15 (i am 17 now) and i can tell you that alot less people fall off on my hacks and most people enjoy themselves on my hacks than on hacks taken out by some of the adults. i think it helps that my pony is kept close to the stables so before i worked there i knew all of the rides very, very well and i have always been very careful where i canter as i have experienced horses tripping and slipping and going lame due to tricky ground and i can usually tell what they are likely to spook at. i know that some of the adults that take out hacks have never owned their own horse and they tend to be the ones that canter and gallop in stupid places.

so i think if the escourt knows the rides well and the horses and has had good experience it doesnt matter how old they are.

 

[pixie]

Preferably over 18, but would accept 16 and over if they were good. Not very worried about qualifications other than first aid and road safety.
If I thought they were too young I'd probably go on the ride and see how it went. If I still wasn't happy then I would have a word with the owner when we got back.

 

[RunToEarth]

I would expext the person to be over 16, qualifications mean diddlysqat to me but a complex knowledge of area, road safety and first aid. If I was unhappy with the escort I would tell the manager of the riding school and suggest if they did not get someone more competant I should raise the matter with the BHS.

 

[rrose]

over 18, have road knowlege and the rrs exam.

 

[PeterNatt]

I would suggest that they should have their BHS trecking certificate which includes the Road Safety and First Aid Course.

 

[wench]

at the rs where I am by far the best hacks are taken out by the 16 yo girl.... she listens to what people want to do, and only goes as fast as the nervous rider (ie me) wants to go. others that take them out quite often gallop everywhere... no thanks

 

[the watcher]

My only personal requirement would be a knowledge of the area, but from the perspective of a child or very novice rider I would expect them to be over 18, first aid trained and to know the area well and if my son, for example, were to go out on a hack on a strange horse, these would be my minimum requirements

 

[lucemoose]

I used to work at a BHS RS, and we had to be over 16. We all know the area like the back of our hand, the horse and have carried mobile phones since they were invented (probably no joke!) Things do go wrong, ambulances called, loose horses caught etc and clients do sometimes have a word with the YO. This is how we learn, and how further accidents are prevented. When younger yard staff takes out the rides it is probably due to several things like a way of allowing them a free ride, exercising a livery and also of freeing up the more qualified instructors on a yard.

 

[teapot]

When I was hacking out through the RS, i was always with someone over 18.

I was 18 when I started taking the hacks out myself and these varied from the childrens' group hacks to the odd adult hack as well.