Going it alone.

[sassandbells]

For one reason or another I’m currently in a situation where the majority of things I want to do with my horses, has to be alone. I’m fine for the most part, but now I can finally ride one of my mares again I want to start getting her out about and this is something I’ve never had to do on my own before.

Has anyone got any tips / tricks for travelling a horse / going places when you’re the only one going? Hoping to start by going for a hack only 15 mins away, but we will have to box there. We have travelled before but I’ve always had a helper with me.

Hoping you guys might be able to think of some things that haven’t even crossed my mind!

ETA: I use a tracking app so my family would know where I am at all times etc & would know when to expect me back.

 

[Patterdale]

Tack up. Load up. Arrive. Horse out and get on. Enjoy

Try not to overthink it. I do pretty much everything alone, sometimes with multiple horses and only small children for company. It’s fine!

You can totally do this! Soon you won’t like having help because you’ll have got into your own routine

 

[Birker2020]

For one reason or another I’m currently in a situation where the majority of things I want to do with my horses, has to be alone. I’m fine for the most part, but now I can finally ride one of my mares again I want to start getting her out about and this is something I’ve never had to do on my own before.

Has anyone got any tips / tricks for travelling a horse / going places when you’re the only one going? Hoping to start by going for a hack only 15 mins away, but we will have to box there. We have travelled before but I’ve always had a helper with me.

Hoping you guys might be able to think of some things that haven’t even crossed my mind!

ETA: I use a tracking app so my family would know where I am at all times etc & would know when to expect me back.

Take a mobile phone with you and let someone know where you are.

Learn to load on your own before you set out. Bailey would stand untied on the trailer whilst I leapt out of the jockey door round to the rear to put the ramp up. Then I go back to tie her up.

Take a fully charged phone and a map if your not sure where your going.

I used to do everything on my own, fun rides, comps, hacking away from home. Loved and preferred my own company.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I'm about to start doing stuff on my own too. I've had my other half with me just for moral support but he's literally just been there for company. So I know I can do it.
My boy loads and travels well but I like to give him a few treats once he's in and tied up and hold the haynet up for him just to make sure he's got no intention of reversing out before I get to the back to do the breach bar.


Actually, on that : would it be safer to tie him up once loaded and then go and do the breach bar up behind him , or leave him untied until I've done the breach bar up.? Just in case he might pull back before the bar us up. He's never done it though, thankfully.

 

[sassandbells]

Tack up. Load up. Arrive. Horse out and get on. Enjoy

Try not to overthink it. I do pretty much everything alone, sometimes with multiple horses and only small children for company. It’s fine!

You can totally do this! Soon you won’t like having help because you’ll have got into your own routine

Thank you! I am 100% overthinking it as I’ve gone from having a mare where everything needs to be micromanaged to stay safe, to a mare that wouldn’t bad an eyelid if a bomb went off next to her

Take a mobile phone with you and let someone know where you are.

Learn to load on your own before you set out. Bailey would stand untied on the trailer whilst I leapt out of the jockey door round to the rear to put the ramp up. Then I go back to tie her up.

Take a fully charged phone and a map if your not sure where your going.

I used to do everything on my own, fun rides, comps, hacking away from home. Loved and preferred my own company.

didn’t even think about practising loading on our own, I’ve always had someone to do the ramps for us! I think she’ll be fine as long as she has a haynet but will deffo do a few trial runs first. Thank you

 

[Barton Bounty]

Tack up. Load up. Arrive. Horse out and get on. Enjoy

Try not to overthink it. I do pretty much everything alone, sometimes with multiple horses and only small children for company. It’s fine!

You can totally do this! Soon you won’t like having help because you’ll have got into your own routine

This !!


I was nervous initially doing this… now he reacts if he has company, its so much better. We have a really strong bond and we both rely on and trust each other.

 

[SEL]

I've had to do everything on my own since I got my 3.5 and I'm another over thinker!

Organise your stuff so it's easily accessible is my best advice. Mine all lives in a plastic box which can be plonked next to baby cob and then everything just gets thrown back in it when it's time to leave. No faffing about then.

But you do just have to get on and do it and it gets easier the more you do

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Great advice above. I've been going alone for years!! Much prefer it to having company!

 

[meesha]

Leave a rope tied in trailer so when you load you clip onto it rather than tying up. Keep Allen key thing to remove breast bar if they get stuck over it in car. Take out partition (if take it out have full length front and back bars...some people don't have back one but horse could reverse out as u r putting up ramp otherwise) as makes it easier to load and can tack up n rain. I have box with stuff in strapped inside front of trailer so only horse and tack needed when loading. Make sure you have breakdown cover and spare tyre for trailer. Have a spare headcollar with you (I keep one under boot) take a drink.

 

[ycbm]

Keep a full set of kit like hat, whip, hi vis, boots, in the trailer/box so you can't get where you are going and find you've left a vital bit of kit at home.
.

 

[Ali27]

I do everything on my own! My mare self loads so as soon as she is on, I can do back ramp up and then go round to tie her up. I’ve just taught my youngster to self load too as it makes life easier when I’m on my own!

 

[Sossigpoker]

I do everything on my own! My mare self loads so as soon as she is on, I can do back ramp up and then go round to tie her up. I’ve just taught my youngster to self load too as it makes life easier when I’m on my own!

So you don't tie up before you put back breach bar on?
Just trying to work out if tying or not tying is safest /the way to go !

 

[wills_91]

I know a girl who travels regularly from the Hebrides to big shows mainland UK just her. Driver, groom, rider. I am half in awe of her and half think she's nuts! She's always commenting on how friendly and helpful other people are when they realise she is alone & I hope when the time comes again for me I can be as brave as she is. If your worried start small and build up, enjoy

 

[sportsmansB]

Make sure you have a mounting block and put it in position before you get the horse ready (!) and don't forget to bring it home again!

 

[Birker2020]

Actually, on that : would it be safer to tie him up once loaded and then go and do the breach bar up behind him , or leave him untied until I've done the breach bar up.? Just in case he might pull back before the bar us up. He's never done it though, thankfully.

No I personally wouldn't. If the horse tries to reverse back and finds itself restrained all hell could let loose.
I used to put a feed in a rubber skip on the floor and Bailey used to eat that whilst I shot round to do up the back.

Years ago some clever person made a device that fitted along the length of the trailer. It was a single bar that had a breast bar and a breach bar attached to either end. When you had just loaded your horse in the trailer you just rotated the breast bar which had the effect of also rotating the breach bar for one slick operation. What a fantastic idea. I did think about buying one but have never found it since and I'm trying to keep the weight of my trailer down anyway.

If anyone can find this let me know!

 

[Birker2020]

I know a girl who travels regularly from the Hebrides to big shows mainland UK just her. Driver, groom, rider. I am half in awe of her and half think she's nuts! She's always commenting on how friendly and helpful other people are when they realise she is alone & I hope when the time comes again for me I can be as brave as she is. If your worried start small and build up, enjoy

The thing is some people are forced to. Maybe they live alone, or maybe as in my case my partner was working nearly all the time at the local riding club at weekends so never had any time or any interest to be honest either. I'm an only child too and I think that can make you extremely independent. He was watching the 'big stars' - people doing Prix St George dressage or Foxhunter SJ and to watch me do an unaffiliated novice, trot round a ODE or jump 2ft 9 held no real interest! I can't say I blame him.

There's a young girl at my yard who is also an only child, around 19. I don't think it will be that long before she is doing the same as me, she's pretty independent too.

I just didn't have the same feeling of confidence with Lari when I started loading him in the trailer. He panicked the once and crushed me against the side and it scared me, he felt like he was one step away from totally going nuts and I felt very vulnerable. I don't honestly think even if i'd been able to ride him and compete I would have ever felt happy taking him out on my own and yet had done the same with the previous five horses over 22 years and never felt scared once.

 

[Sossigpoker]

No I personally wouldn't. If the horse tries to reverse back and finds itself restrained all hell could let loose.
I used to put a feed in a rubber skip on the floor and Bailey used to eat that whilst I shot round to do up the back.

Years ago some clever person made a device that fitted along the length of the trailer. It was a single bar that had a breast bar and a breach bar attached to either end. When you had just loaded your horse in the trailer you just rotated the breast bar which had the effect of also rotating the breach bar for one slick operation. What a fantastic idea. I did think about buying one but have never found it since and I'm trying to keep the weight of my trailer down anyway.

If anyone can find this let me know!

Thank you for confirming, I did think this could be an issue..
I'll probably get one of those over door mangers then and leave that with him while I go and put the back up , just in case . Obviously remove the manger before setting off!

 

[Birker2020]

Thank you for confirming, I did think this could be an issue..
I'll probably get one of those over door mangers then and leave that with him while I go and put the back up , just in case . Obviously remove the manger before setting off!

Or slide the partition across taking the breast bar down, feed off the floor which is probably safer while you go round and shut the back up. It depends on what you are comfortable with I guess. But yes, you could easily fit an over the door manger on the breast bar, you might have to pull the 'arms' out a bit to stretch over the breast bar depending on how wide it is.

Just practice for a few days before you go. The thought of a small feed was enough for Bails!

 

[Flame_]

Get all your stuff out and yourself ready to ride. Set up your washing off stuff ready for when you get back. Get the horse off last. I don't like boxing to hack on my own as I always envisage coming off and my little horse getting lost on his own but I do farm rides and fun rides knowing that there's support if something does go wrong.

 

[Lamehorses]

Teach your horse to self load, mine now walks in whilst I stand waiting to put up the breach bar & ramp, then go round to the front & tie her

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Some good advice above.
To add, I have a laminated sheet of A4, on one side is typed 'In case of emergency' and various numbers from husband, brother, vet, yard location to have fuzzies returned to (I use this for comps and camps etc).
The other side starts the same and has less numbers on, that's for hacking etc.
I pop it against the drivers side window or on the dashboard before I leave the box.

Cane in very useful once when my phone inexplicably died and I needed to make a call, as I had numbers to hand immediately and borrowed a phone.

Happy outings OP

 

[paddy555]

I always envisage coming off and my little horse getting lost on his own

put a luggage tag that shows up prominently on the saddle with sufficient info. that someone can phone for help for the horse.

 

[Identityincrisis]

When I bought my recent horse i was determined from the beginning I would be able to go places on my own, I finally had my own transport and a young horse to do things with. I hate being beholden to other’s timetables and whether they were able to help me. Unfortunately my horse had other ideas! It took a lot of effort to get there but we now go everywhere on our own, he ties up outside the box quietly and waits. He gets plenty of praise and rewards for being quiet. I have a 3.5 so everything is kept at the doors so easily accessible.

Definitely practice loading on your own before going anywhere. I personally, would hire an arena or something for my first couple of solo trips, that way you’re in a horsey environment so if something goes wrong there are other people around but also, you don’t have to worry about joe public being silly around your horse.

Set yourselves up for success the first few times and your confidence will soar!! I was a nervous, sick, crying wreck when it comes to travelling horses, now there’s no stopping us (except motorways, I still don’t ‘do’ them!

 

[Hallo2012]

personally, i would practice the loading and tying thing at home until you absolutely CAN walk up the ramp, clip her on, and walk away-i dont understand the obsession that they might pull back and its somehow safer to potentially have a loose horse charging around in an unknown area?

I've had a normal trailer herringbone trailer, 7.5 ton and 3.5 ton and ALWAYS walked them in and clipped them on and taught them to stand and wait. i expect to be able to put the ramp down and faff around tacking up etc and not have them trying to hang themselves reversing off-ive got a 3.5 ton currently and travel without a partition and when i pop the ramp down they always turn and stand with their bum pointing down the ramp but they NEVER try to reverse off. So i have loads of room to tack up and no worries about them trying to leg it.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Completely agree Hallo2012.

If I'm going to park in what could possibly a busy area later, I do 2 things.
Reverse in, makes for easy getaway.

Pop a spare lead rope on front seat.

Once, only once, have I been caught out by an inconsiderate eejit who parked v close to ramp side, despite room elsewhere in the car park.
I was able to access the cab, got window down, hooked on lead rope and drove box forwards so I could actually load.
The late L fuzzy was obliging enough to walk beside cab, with me holding rope through the cab window....
I really wouldn't recco this but needs must on rare occasions....

 

[sassandbells]

Get all your stuff out and yourself ready to ride. Set up your washing off stuff ready for when you get back. Get the horse off last. I don't like boxing to hack on my own as I always envisage coming off and my little horse getting lost on his own but I do farm rides and fun rides knowing that there's support if something does go wrong.

thanks & yeah I had thought about that but we’re boxing down to the farm I work on & are going to go for a mooch around the farm tracks, we’ve been down before and the farmers know our route etc so I’m hoping it’ll be ok!

personally, i would practice the loading and tying thing at home until you absolutely CAN walk up the ramp, clip her on, and walk away-i dont understand the obsession that they might pull back and its somehow safer to potentially have a loose horse charging around in an unknown area?

Yeah this is the plan! I’m hiring a 3.5t so a bit different to loading with a trailer & she’s always been good as gold when we’ve gone anywhere before, but if the run throughs at home don’t go well then I’ll just do some loading practise for the day

 

[Flowerofthefen]

So you don't tie up before you put back breach bar on?
Just trying to work out if tying or not tying is safest /the way to go !

I've always put bar up, then ramp, then tie. Reason being if horse ever did pull back he would panic less if not tied.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Just go do stuff it’s no different to doing things with someone. I’ve been going places myself for years and it can also be more peaceful as you only have yourself and your horse to worry or think about

 

[Jambarissa]

With trailer I recommend tying to a very thin bit of twine - unravel it and use a few strands- before doing back end. It must be thin enough to break practically instantly but is helpful to make them feel tied up.

Go on a farm ride for your first few trips, then you know you can get help if needed. It'll improve your confidence no end.

I think I'm going to have to start going out on my own. Need to figure out how to do the ramp I rode on my own for years on a challenging horse before mobile phones were invented and thought nothing of it! How times have changed for me.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Thank you for confirming, I did think this could be an issue..
I'll probably get one of those over door mangers then and leave that with him while I go and put the back up , just in case . Obviously remove the manger before setting off!

My boy is great to load fortunately. I walk him up the ramp. Whilst he is heading to the front I come out and put the breach bar up, then back ramp. Then round to the jockey door, I take lead rope off and attach him to the quick release rope that's always tied in the front.