Hack fun and games - what would you have done??

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Flicker

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Just a general canvas of opinions really. I was hacking with friends on their horses, riding a horse I have only ridden once before. There were three of us, all fairly competent riders. The hack starts with a longish lane from the yard to the road, which is a very quiet road. At the end of the lane, the other two horses spooked at a quad bike and cantered down the road, looking quite out of control. Although my horse did not try to follow them, she did get quite upset and started doing little mini-rears when she saw them disappear down the road.

I turned her back to home and started walking her back up the lane, my reasoning being:
1. I knew that if she did hoof off, she would only go a short way back to the yard and safety;
2. Turning her homeward would mean she was more confident, move forward, and be less likely to rear proper;
3. If she did chuck me off, the lane would be a better place for a loose horse than a road
4. My two friends had enough to deal with without a third horse in the mix.

BUT when my friends came back for me, I realised that they had been very worried and thought I had been chucked off in the river! Seems I couldn't do right for doing wrong :(

I did what I did and we are all fine and had a lovely ride in the end, but I'm just wondering what others would have done in the same situation - would be really useful as a learning exercise to hear some other viewpoints.
 
TBH I wouldn't be hacking with people who allow their horses to canter off because they happen to have seen a quad bike.

In your position, I'd have text them to say that I was safely back at the yard and would see them later.
 
I would have followed them, quietly as I could. That's not saying what you did was wrong, but that's just what I would have done :)
ETA: That is assuming that they were able to regain control in a reasonable amount of time, ergo it wouldn't have taken long to catch up?
If they were gone quite far I would have done the same and wouldn't go out with them again. It's not that hard to stop horses which judging by your post were just a bit frightened and not bolting in any sense.
 
I don't think you did wrong with what you done. If you'd carried on she may have tried to canter after the others. If that was what you thought the safest thing to do at the time was then trust your own judgement.

Agree with Pearlsasinger re the other horses. A spook at a quad bike, fine. Horses all spook at things. But most i'd expect would be a few paces of canter before they were brought back under control, not cantering off out of control down the road.
 
I think you do the exact right and sensible thing to do, baring in mind this is a horse you have only ridden once before.Quad bikes can be nasty things sometimes, they tend to be upon you before you know where your at.
 
Thanks all - good thoughts. Yes, I was a little surprised by the reaction. Pearlsasinger, I was wondering if I should text or call and then I heard them frantically calling for me...

Boolavogue, that was the other possible course of action, and would probably also have been quite safe. If I had been on my horse, who I know and trust with my life, that is definitely what I would have done.
 
It happened to me with a friend of mine. Her horse didnt like a big truck, she took of down the lane (road) and she turned onto a quiter lane. I composed my mare, before following her in walk even though she did want to run after her. I think alot of it is whether its your own, you've borrowed one or its on loan. Ive had mare since she was a 5 year old so knew what she would do, but a borrowed or loan one you have to air on the side of caution i.e. think of the consequence if anthing should happen.
So being you've only rode this horse once and a presume its not yours i believe you done the right thing but i would have told them where i was so they didnt worry.

Glad you had a good ride in the end :)
 
i think you did the right thing. if you weren't used to the horse he could have gotten more worked up following the others.
 
Flicker said:
Boolavogue, that was the other possible course of action, and would probably also have been quite safe. If I had been on my horse, who I know and trust with my life, that is definitely what I would have done.
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There's too many variables for anyone to tell you what you should and shouldn't do, I grew up riding horses I didn't know so that part would have been much of a muchness to me, but TBH you are safe, the horse is safe - that's a winning situation for me :)
 
i think what you did was quite sensible

if i was on my "special" colored i would have had to turn away from them or he would go up and then if i was still on,he would proceed to buck/bronk me off and go with them with out me

the welsh one is a little more polite ,on him i would have just followed them at a distance to make sure they were ok :)
 
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