First proper hack at new yard . . . bit apprehensive . . . positive vibes pls?

PolarSkye

PolarSkye

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We moved to our new yard two weeks tomorrow. Kal and I have had some issues hacking . . . he was fine to start with and then we had a disastrous hack and have had a rather patchy hacking history since.

New yard has no roadwork - we can hack straight onto Forestry Commission land (with which I am familiar b/c I walk my dogs in there) and the horse and rider we are going with are both sensible and sane.

I am sure we will be fine . . . I am very much looking forward to going out tomorrow morning - it's very beautiful farmland/woodland to be hacking in - but I would appreciate some friendly HHO vibes to accompany me. I do plan on putting his martingale on - for me, more than for him.

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The Fuzzy Furry said:
You have a great ride tomorrow :)

Good idea about martingale as gives you a neckstrap if needed & as long as its not too restricting for Kal, I think its sensible.

Am sure all will be fine - please post up & let us know what a great time you have had! :D
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Thanks Fuzzy . . . it's a running martingale and, no, not too restrictive for Kal . . . I really was thinking about it being a useful neckstrap.

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Have you been yet??? :D

Not long back home from my early Saturday hack & had a lovely one in the sunshine, not a cold toe or finger either. As big Fuzzy has just been re-clipped yesterday I was waiting for high-jinks to set in on random occasions, but no - a perfectly honest little horse this morning :cool: despite 2 out of control dogs trying to chase us :rolleyes:

Off out with DH now, will check in here after putting Fuzzies to bed this evening - hope you are out enjoying yourself :)
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Have you been yet??? :D

Not long back home from my early Saturday hack & had a lovely one in the sunshine, not a cold toe or finger either. As big Fuzzy has just been re-clipped yesterday I was waiting for high-jinks to set in on random occasions, but no - a perfectly honest little horse this morning :cool: despite 2 out of control dogs trying to chase us :rolleyes:

Off out with DH now, will check in here after putting Fuzzies to bed this evening - hope you are out enjoying yourself :)
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Hey . . . thanks so much for checking on us . . . since we had to put up new electric fencing in the field, we're going tomorrow . . . I PROMISE I will put up an update. :).

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Thank you both :). Two bottles of wine and some cheese straws in the bar with your names on them as compensation/gratitude x

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Well - we did it! He was a little superstar and apart from one spooky/cantering sideways moment didn't put a hoof wrong :D!

I was sick with nerves beforehand, and really faffed about with stirrups/girth, etc. - I'm sure the other liveries were wondering what on earth I was doing . . . but once we got out there, we were both fine. We stayed in walk (he's only been back in work for two weeks) but did a fair amount of hill work. We met plenty of dog walkers, huuuuuuuge forestry machinery, piles of logs, other riders . . . all without incident.

And, yes, my feet are like little ice blocks, but it was all worth it . . . what a very clever boy he is :D :D :D.

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Merry Crisis said:
We told you, we bleddy told you!!!! So pleased for you well done the pair of you, next time you will know what to expect and the nerves will soon be a thing of the past. Now I think Fuzzy and I should have another bottle of your lovely wine!!
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Brilliant, so glad you enjoyed it PolarSkye & that he was good :cool:

But I told you about the cold feet comment :p

Merry Crisis - yep, a tot would go down well right now - just finished cleaning tack after a great bimble out, yard all done & now ready to sit down for the afternoon :)
 
Thanks both :). Big steaming vat of hot buttered rum on the bar . . . help yourselves xx

I've got to go back out into the cold . . . Em has a lesson and I haven't mucked out yet . . . will join you for some hot rum later though.

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Okeydoke . . . off to make some more . . . want anything in particular to go with that (foodwise)? Snossage rolls perhaps?

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Glad to hear you had a good hack out Polarskye :)
I was going to say relax and think positive before you go riding ( but you already have lol).
Maybe even some stretching exercises or mucking out listening to your favourite tunes before you go is a help as I find when I am tense in mind my body soon follows lol.
I always think that once you have got past the 'what if....' moment then it all relaxes and you can smile, breathe and say yippee :)
Speaking as someone who did lose their confidence in riding in the past. I have found that having supportive people around you helps. Even if they say just get on and stop fretting lol.
The worse part I always find is getting on a horse. Not worried if horse went off with me but more worried about if the saddle moved.
This stems from some eejit at a riding school when I was 16 helping to do up my girth and she let go! Leg was up on one side, saddle completely went and I fell smack down on concrete and it bloody hurt!
Have never forgot it, or the pain.
Even though I had ridden well before that age and for years afterwards it still goes through my mind when getting on especially when riding the big beast as usually have to reach up to get on as don't always have something tall to stand on. Getting a mounting block made this year though for that purpose so I have my own thing to get on with lol.
I never mount from the ground, always stand on something to get on.
 
Alright, alright . . . heaves another vat up onto the bar . . . it's good and hot so don't burn yourselves . . . 'k?

Also made some 'tater skins (it's an American thing . . . stuffed with cheese and bacon and topped with sour cream and chives) . . . enjoy!

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Well done OP and glad to hear you enjoyed your hack out!

Fantasy World I know what you mean about remembering things. My horse (BIG 16.3 hunter type) fell in canter with me in the school. Thankfully I stayed on and was ok, although she had a small cut on her leg. I have to admit I struggle to get it out of my mind when I canter in the school now, particularly on corners. :o
 
Fantasy_World said:
Glad to hear you had a good hack out Polarskye :)
I was going to say relax and think positive before you go riding ( but you already have lol).
Maybe even some stretching exercises or mucking out listening to your favourite tunes before you go is a help as I find when I am tense in mind my body soon follows lol.
I always think that once you have got past the 'what if....' moment then it all relaxes and you can smile, breathe and say yippee :)
Speaking as someone who did lose their confidence in riding in the past. I have found that having supportive people around you helps. Even if they say just get on and stop fretting lol.
The worse part I always find is getting on a horse. Not worried if horse went off with me but more worried about if the saddle moved.
This stems from some eejit at a riding school when I was 16 helping to do up my girth and she let go! Leg was up on one side, saddle completely went and I fell smack down on concrete and it bloody hurt!
Have never forgot it, or the pain.
Even though I had ridden well before that age and for years afterwards it still goes through my mind when getting on especially when riding the big beast as usually have to reach up to get on as don't always have something tall to stand on. Getting a mounting block made this year though for that purpose so I have my own thing to get on with lol.
I never mount from the ground, always stand on something to get on.
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Thanks Sweets . . . you're absolutely right about the doing something calming first . . . I wish I had done this today, but as it happened the person I went out with was so calming that we were fine. I never mount from the ground either . . . and oddly I'm with you about the worrying about the saddle moving.

I was especially pleased that when both Kali and Sevi decided to shoot sideways and threaten to bog off that I sat up, talked to him and didn't panic . . . he came straight back to me (might have been different if Sev had chosen to bog off, but I refuse to borrow trouble) . . . I heaved a big sigh, gave him a pat and we walked on . . . I am learning with him that I really do have to live in the moment and trust him . . . we spent most of the hack on the buckle (a biiiiig deal for me).

Just got to say I am so grateful for all the support on HHO . . . you guys helped so much.

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Aw it sounds like a move in a positive direction for you both :)
I agree on the trust issue though because I think for the perfect partnership there has to be a two way trust between horse and rider.
I do trust both the ones I ride when out riding except where a jump is concerned as I don't trust my cob to go through with it and expect him to refuse. As I have a back issue I can't afford falls so I would like at some point to get someone to get him jumping for me so that I can try and feel confident about it.
I have jumped my big lad in the past but he isn't up to it now due to old age and spavins.
When I say jumped I mean the odd small log or low jump, anything else and I would need a large stiff drink first lol.
I know both can spook and they react differently, big lad will try and run away and the cob will nap, spin or just do the splits.
However I suppose it is a confidence issue but I don't do any fast work when hacking on a section where there is something that could spook and make them jink. Like cantering past haylage bales in a field as they react to any loose bits flapping and although I have a good seat I dare not risk falls due to my back.
If they take the ps though when out hacking I get assertive with them with growling, kicking on or the whip. But only in situations where they are not really scared, ie reacting a to a hedge they have ridden past numerous times etc.
If they were really scared of something I would try and push on and then smother with rewards and pats afterwards when they go past whatever is bothering them.
This has been learned through riding though and gaining confidence because before I got my horses I had never hacked out alone, it was always with at least one other person.
Hacking alone really changed me, it made me self aware. Both mine are different alone to being with others. I am just more conscious of things when alone, not for my safety but their's as I get worried about coming off and them running into traffic as I would simply never forgive myself.
Sorry not trying to put a dampener on your positive post :( Just explaining how I feel when out riding.
I do prefer riding in company though as I tend to be more relaxed and enjoy the ride more.
I hope when the weather improves you can get out and about more and I don't know if you already do but why not consider some fun rides in your area? I don't know your equestrian background with your horse, so please don't be offended by that x It's just that I have found that by doing rides it has improved my confidence especially with how mine react to other horses or events that get them a bit buzzy. Having to hold back a horse that literally wanted to take off when others went past gave me a warm feeling when I knew I could do it as my first horse psd off with me on our first ever fun ride. So getting over that and knowing I could hold him and knowing how he would react and how stroppy he could get helped a lot :) x
 
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