Getting off mid hack

[Dyllymoo]

What are your thoughts?

I took J out last night on a short route (as per vets instructions). We were on our own but he was fine. Got to a point that he does sometimes worry at as there is a little tiny demon dog that barks and growls and runs up and down the fence line but you cant see it. J is not bothered by dogs generally but this "invisible" dog really worries him.

Last night he was very upset and started to spin and spook and moonwalk. We were heading down a hill on concrete and rather than risk him slipping/ falling I got off and lead him down. He was still a bit agitated but followed me. We were only 5 minutes from home so I just walked him back in hand (I'm not very athletic and there were only parked cars that I could launch myself back on with... didn't think that would go down well!).

I need to take him out again tonight for the same sort of time but I'm unsure if I should risk the same route or go another way (I cant reverse the route as there is a very steep hill down if we go the other way, whereas this way it is more graduated).

I've never got off on a hack before but I'm more concerned about him hurting himself now

 

[Meowy Catkin]

There is nothing wrong with dismounting and leading your horse if it is the safest option. Just insist that he stands nicely when you get off and leads sensibly. If you need to remount (and there's a handy low wall for example, to use as a mounting block) again ask him to stand properly while you get back on.

 

[dogatemysalad]

It isn't going to cause an issue if you hop off. Feeling, and being safe is the priority. Is it possible to ride out in company tonight, or get someone from the yard to meet you at this section ? Making the ride a bit less stressful may help to press the reset button.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have no issue at all with getting off mid ride if a situation arises where my horse, me, or other road users might be put at risk. If we were on our own on, for instance, say a wide track I might try and remain on to firmly insist on forward but this isn't always the case is it? For safety we need to pick our arguments carefully!

Personally I would repeat that route over and over until it wasn't an issue, even if it does mean dismounting and leading the first few times.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

You could try dismounting well before the spooky bit so you can lead him calmly past. Give him a good experience. Get back on after if he is calm. There is no harm in getting off and leading when close to home anyway.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Id dismount but I'd have to make sure i dismounted when his behaviour was good, ie not rewarding silliness with dismounting.

Like others have said I would be doing this route every single day if I had to. I don't like a horse dictating where I can ride and I think the act of keeping on and hopefully eventually being able to stay mounted all the way through does a lot to cement the fact in the horses head that your decisions can and should be trusted.

 

[MuddyTB]

Agree with everyone else, as long as it works for you and the horse getting off is fine. I've done it on several occasions to avert a possibly bigger problem and never had an adverse affect on my horse next time I've ridden.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Thanks all, sorry I'm just over thinking. I've always just stayed on but a combination of the situation just made me feel like the possibility of him falling/ slipping was too much.

I will see if someone will meet me just before that point tonight and go from there.

 

[Dyllymoo]

And a little add, he was stood still just stiff as a board (and about 2 hands higher) when I got off, and waited for me to take the reins over his head and ask him to walk on before walking, and we walked past calmly (hiding behind me) and he stood at the bottom of the hill whilst I decided if I could indeed hoist myself up... I decided I couldn't so we walked the rest of the route. I was concerned he may have tried to run home but he stayed with me, so that's a positive.

 

[McFluff]

Totally agree. Choose your battles and safety first. The horse doesn't think the same way, and I've never had any follow on adverse affects from a more pragmatic approach (indeed all of my horses have improved as hacks with me).

 

[dogatemysalad]

And a little add, he was stood still just stiff as a board (and about 2 hands higher) when I got off, and waited for me to take the reins over his head and ask him to walk on before walking, and we walked past calmly (hiding behind me) and he stood at the bottom of the hill whilst I decided if I could indeed hoist myself up... I decided I couldn't so we walked the rest of the route. I was concerned he may have tried to run home but he stayed with me, so that's a positive.

He sounds lovely. He trusted you to help him out there.

 

[dorsetladette]

We have a 'scary house' on our hacking route. There is no way to avoid it, we have to pass it twice on any ride we do from the yard. They always seem to be doing some kind of building works, but have high walls and hedge rows so you can't see what is going on. My older cob is a spinner, which at 17 has got a whole lot better, but still not brilliant. If there is particularly noisy stuff going on at 'scary house' and I'm on my own I will often hop off and walk him past and then hop back on again in the drive way further down the road. Its about picking your battles and I consider it a win by getting past calmly with out incident.

 

[Michen]

I'd only get off if you can be fairly sure your horse won't bugger off if spooked. So I wouldn't do it with Bear, even though he's not done anything like that for about 5 months...and I'm fairly sure he wouldn't, unless a total last resort. If he doesn't do it for another 5 months then I'd reconsider

 

[Leandy]

Agree with Michen, nothing wrong with getting off for safety purposes but it is often safer, as you may have more control, if you stay on board.

 

[Muddywellies]

I've got off numerous times. I remember 'back in the day' when it was considered wrong to get off and it was supposed to be safer if you stayed on. I still know of people who think this. Can't understand that method of thinking at all.

 

[Michen]

I've got off numerous times. I remember 'back in the day' when it was considered wrong to get off and it was supposed to be safer if you stayed on. I still know of people who think this. Can't understand that method of thinking at all.

Because it's often easier to control a horse on board. And I'd rather my horse didn't get loose on the road.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I've got off numerous times. I remember 'back in the day' when it was considered wrong to get off and it was supposed to be safer if you stayed on. I still know of people who think this. Can't understand that method of thinking at all.

I definitely feel safer on top of my horse than I do holding the beast with one hand and a measley strip of leather. Maybe its not me who feels safer but the situation feels safer. I feel at my most vulnerable when I'm at that dodgy moment of mounting when the beast could move off and fulfil her final MO which is to leave my broken soul on the roadside while she gallops off to spend her days grazing the roadside or living in her tack in her field indefinitely. I dont know what she has planned but its probably that.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Generally I do feel safer on him, then off him, i.e. I would be able to "stay with him" if he decided to "run home", lets say. He did bolt in hand twice with me within the first 6 months of owning him, so I always have that in the back of my head, I purely just don't want him falling over at the minute (or ever, but you know what I mean!). I've never done it before, but at the time it felt right and it did work out. I wont be rushing to do it again unless I feel like its the only option that wont cause issues.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Yeah I can appreciate you were in a certain situation where it warranted it. I've had a horse fall over with me on the road (my mare in her haste to escape a donkey/or a pig) and its not pleasant and then lead to her running a few miles home given the same situation I'd take getting off her rather than falling off and losing her so can appreciate how you came to that decision!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Because it's often easier to control a horse on board. And I'd rather my horse didn't get loose on the road.

This is exactly why I said if it's the safest option and that really depends on the horse and rider combo. The rider needs to judge what is best for them and the specific horse they are riding.

Slight tangent - I think my record for dismounting/remounting was when I took CM on a new hacking route once and I had to get off something ridiculous like 17 times. None were due to her being spooky but because the route had lots of gates that were impossible to open while mounted (think sheep hurdles with baler twine 'hinges'). I thought this might amuse the OP.

 

[Dyllymoo]

Yeah I can appreciate you were in a certain situation where it warranted it. I've had a horse fall over with me on the road (my mare in her haste to escape a donkey/or a pig) and its not pleasant and then lead to her running a few miles home given the same situation I'd take getting off her rather than falling off and losing her so can appreciate how you came to that decision!

Blimey that doesn't sound good at all. That's my worry, if I did fall over I think he would panic and run which is not ideal. I will go that way tonight and we can hopefully just walk calmly past it, I don't even mind if he stays the other side of the lane or stops and looks a few times.

 

[Dyllymoo]

This is exactly why I said if it's the safest option and that really depends on the horse and rider combo. The rider needs to judge what is best for them and the specific horse they are riding.

Slight tangent - I think my record for dismounting/remounting was when I took CM on a new hacking route once and I had to get off something ridiculous like 17 times. None were due to her being spooky but because the route had lots of gates that were impossible to open while mounted (think sheep hurdles with baler twine 'hinges'). I thought this might amuse the OP.

17!!! Wowser! That is very impressive. I'm annoyed I couldn't get back on last night but being fat and not very flexible is my issue.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Oh dont let me worry you, thats the only time we've ever parted company and to be fair donkey/pig attack is pretty scary if you're a 16HH 500KG beast

 

[Meowy Catkin]

17!!! Wowser! That is very impressive. I'm annoyed I couldn't get back on last night but being fat and not very flexible is my issue.

I always like to use a 'mounting block' of some kind. Thankfully I usually manage to find something to use.

 

[Rowreach]

Aside from the situation described by the OP (where yes it was very sensible to get off and I don't see it as a problem whatsoever) I think it is an important part of training any horse that you can get on and off wherever and whenever you need to, whatever the situation.

I don't think I've ever had a horse that I wouldn't have got off if necessary and have never been worried it would bog off without me. Current (young) horse is well used to me hopping off and then having to stand in random places for me to launch myself back on board (stone wall of a bridge was the last one, banks, gates, anything handy really).

On Monday, after Sunday's storms, we spent our entire (solo) hack herding random farm animals back into their fields and shutting gates. At one point a free range cow overtook us at a gallop up the road before putting itself in a field. I kind of expect my horses to be able to deal with stuff like this. I always get young horses out hacking very early on in their training, and I never worry about getting off to deal with anything new or worrying - they are far more likely to trust you from the ground because that is where they are more used to you being. So, our hacking for the last couple of decades involved going over some spooky wooden bridges, and through a couple of river fords. First time I always got off and led them back and forth, back and forth, and when they were happy hopped back on and then rode them over/through. I saw some people having major battles when they insisted on riding their young horses over these obstacles. I never had a battle (just got wet feet ).

If I had a horse that I couldn't lead without it beggaring off then I would view that as a missing part of its basic training and would be dealing with that separately

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

If I had a horse that I couldn't lead without it beggaring off then I would view that as a missing part of its basic training and would be dealing with that separately

This 100 per cent.

 

[jenniehodges2001]

We are all different but I find I have more control sat on than off my own particular horse. Leading 700KGS of horse when it could easily out strength me by turning its head and shoulders and shoot off. You would have no chance of holding a horse if it's seriously startled or spooked or when the red mist descends and anyone that thinks that basic training can combat this is ridiculous (sorry not trying to offend those who have said its down to basic training. You can change millions of years of flight instinct with 'training', even police horses have their limits!

I've always reined backwards past any sticking point and find this has served me very well.

 

[Gloi]

This is exactly why I said if it's the safest option and that really depends on the horse and rider combo. The rider needs to judge what is best for them and the specific horse they are riding.

Slight tangent - I think my record for dismounting/remounting was when I took CM on a new hacking route once and I had to get off something ridiculous like 17 times. None were due to her being spooky but because the route had lots of gates that were impossible to open while mounted (think sheep hurdles with baler twine 'hinges'). I thought this might amuse the OP.

As I've got older I've reached the stage where I get put off doing routes with gates you can't open without getting off. Too creaky to keep getting on and off

 

[jenniehodges2001]

Because it's often easier to control a horse on board. And I'd rather my horse didn't get loose on the road.

Yes it is much easier to control. But it depends on the horse/rider combo I expect. I have NEVER got off mine, although there have been the odd occasion especially a few months back mid hack when I've had to get off as said horse has suddenly and very impressively gone lame. And leading it along the road where pigeons have flown suddenly out of trees or a dog has run up to a garden gate and the horse has spooked, I can clearly remember feeling very 'out of control' and how easily the situation could escalate. Strength for strength (as anyone will know trying to hold a bolting horse) its often experience and a calm head and not pitting your strength against a horse that will win you the day.

 

[Rowreach]

We are all different but I find I have more control sat on than off my own particular horse. Leading 700KGS of horse when it could easily out strength me by turning its head and shoulders and shoot off. You would have no chance of holding a horse if it's seriously startled or spooked or when the red mist descends and anyone that thinks that basic training can combat this is ridiculous (sorry not trying to offend those who have said its down to basic training. You can change millions of years of flight instinct with 'training', even police horses have their limits!

I've always reined backwards past any sticking point and find this has served me very well.

Well equally without wishing to cause offence, I totally disagree. If you can't handle a horse in pretty much any situation from the ground, you haven't got to the point where you should be riding it. Ok there will always be exceptional circumstances when a horse may be so seriously spooked it gets away from you, but any horse should be sufficiently "with" its handler that the safest place it knows is there, and not somewhere else.

I repeat, if I thought that a horse I was riding wasn't sufficiently with me that I could get off it on a ride and know it's not going to bog off, I wouldn't be taking it out, because that sort of horse is the sort that will bog off with you on it too.

I've backed a heck of a lot of horses, and it's the ground work that is the most important thing in the whole process, and the thing that is so often skipped over and not done properly.