Hacking alone - good or bad?

I love hacking alone - my version of therapy. Haven't hacked Orkan alone since I bought him due to his back issue and now waiting for saddle but really itching to go! In fact I can only hack with others about once or twice a week as I enjoy it solo too much
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I hack on my own mostly and I enjoy it, I enjoy having company, but horse is better behaved on his own and I like having a chance to relax on my own. I like having a choice.
 
I never had the choice! My mare wouldn't tolerate anything behind her unless it was 200 yards back - forget riding side-by-side,being a bossy old cow and since she did everything at high speed including walking, no-one wanted to try to keep up anyway. It suited me as I could talk rubbish and sing to her, go where I wanted and at the speed I wanted, and come home again when I wanted.
 
I used to love hacking alone - just me and the horse!
But then I got right royally dumped and thought I had broken my neck - I just don't have the bottle to hack alone anymore.

Nowadays, people in cars are just too ignorant. People with dogs don't seem to be able to control them. People shoot far to near to footpaths.

The last time I did hack out (with another person) a car came towards us on a single track road. We stood still, single file in the edge of the road. At the last minute my horse just took a step to the side with her hind end. I don't know how fast the car had been going but, because he had to break, he left skid marks and the car driver had horses of his own!

If I lived somewhere like Newmarket I'd be fine because all the locals know to be careful around horses.
 
I almost always hack alone - sometimes go out with a friend on a Sunday but that's about it. I feel perfectly safe, but that could be because all our hacking is off of public roads, I wouldn't take Dylan out in traffic alone (in fact, we don't go out in traffic at all) because he can be rather scatty.
 
I only hack for the horses benefit ( relaxation and a change of scene) but seem to be one of those unusual riders who gets bored hacking and prefers to school. I do feel safe alone ( and it does have the benefit of going at your chosen pace and not just plodding) but in general I think it's more sensible to hack in company.
 
I love hacking out solo - me and him, out in the world! It is slightly nerve wracking in that you think, if you pitch off, who's going to catch him?! But having said that my lad is a super safe superstar. We don't seem to hack so much now we have transport, but the last time I took him out alone I was reminded how awesome he is - man strimming behind a hedge above my head, two children running after my horse squealing, and a pony on the other side of the road charging up and down behind a hedge, squealing. Then my boy got bitten by a horsefly! Still took it all in his stride. So I am sooo lucky in that respect
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I do also love it cos I chat and sing to him and his attention is easy to get, unlike in company!
 
I do either, but Po is better behaved on our own and I can go at whatever pace and where I like light or dark, went out with 2 new ladies last week, we trotted for about 10 mins and one of them was asking to walk as she was knackered, I am more used to a faster pace
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My last 3 rides I have had to turn back 3 times in a row now, as the arseholes that be have closed off the river path (long long story) have made the diversion run a long the A6 and Raynesway, well I could pretty well do it on our own but the company that has been with me havent got sensible enough beasts so we have had to turn back, I am in th process of making a nuisance of myself with PROW officer and traffic management officer regarding the matter as it's ruining one of my regular rides for the next 3 months.
 
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