Hacking Alone - Need Some Success Stories!

kerilli said:
i think it's best if you have a walker, someone on foot wearing hi-viz (even 2 people the first time, one ahead and 1 behind, for the busy stretch of road), as they're far more reliable than another horse, less likely to spook! your walker can grab a handful of grass to give him if he gets wound up, since eating chills them out and the distraction can be just what you need.
this has worked to get every one of mine hacking alone, even the very wussy flighty ones.
good luck!
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This is good advice.

I think if you have access to a real solid spook-free horse then this can be the best education of all though - hack out a few times with said horse with your horse taking the lead and you can gradually increase the distance between your horse & the other and if you have good routes you can even try (once you and your horse are more confident) taking your horse home a different way (make sure it's only a short distance to begin with & have someone on foot). This has worked for any of ours that have been less confident.

Good luck :)
 
If I am expecting trouble then I go out early Sunday morning (having first studied the traffic at that time) round a short block. That way you have a bit of breathing space if you need to suddenly go forward, sideways, backwards, whatever. Plus I stick great big L plates on both sides of my Hi Viz.

Dustbin day :o - a wet day - a low sun day would not be my first choices to attempt any heroics!
 
Yes!

Harvey used to not hack alone, i can now get to the majority of the local hacking places.

He used to be in a riding school so was used to trailing along behind other horses and he is quite spooky anyway.

He will now hack alone although he is still quite nervy and spooky and there is a fair amount of snorting but he does "go."

I found best way of getting him used to it would be to only go for short hacks to start with and turning back before he starts being difficult then gradually increasing the distance with lots of praise.

If he refused to move/ tried to go backwards i would get off and lead him for a bit just to keep him going and so he kept going. I would then get back on. However this was only on a fairly quiet country lane and i wouldnt want to be doing this on a busy road- is there a quiet route you can do to start with?

Also, someone coming out on foot to start with is good as they are there and can give you confidence if needed and also gives him something to follow.

One day when he had been going well i just bit the bullet and went all the way to the fields.

It is very rewarding :D and also useful if like at my yard you are one of the few people that likes hacking. :(

Also edited to add- dont forget to take a mobile phone and tell someone where you're going!!
 
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Nah said:
Even past some new 'scary steps' that had just been put in. I'll give it a go this monday :)
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excellent advice from K, NS etc. I only have one thing to add. Ditch the "scary xxx" mentality. They're steps, they're not scary, if you even entertain the thought they are, you encourage him to piss about at them.

The same goes for literally anything you meet... Even if you meet Jack the Ripper, the Kray twins and the Mass Murderers Society Annual Outing...

Now, to take my own advice?... :rolleyes:
 
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Is it you thats scared or him thats scared? Do you know what hes been like on his own before? If so what does he do?
 
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Also forgot to add- i find keeping to a very active walk helps as hes thinking "forward" rather than letting him just drift along.

Also if you go out with others to start with how about going in front on the way back?
 
Mine would not hack alone, plant, spin basically a struggle getting him past the gates was an issue. He is the safest hack in company and all other horses get such good vibes off him. People beg me to ride with them.

I was always at yards where to dangerous to try and had people to hack with so wasn't an issue. Then one day realise if I don't get him out on his own then when he is retired I'll have to teach him and it'll be harder to teach. So at 12years old and never going out I started to try a fresh.

I tried getting him to take lead but his makes him more nappy. So after a schooling session I took him for a walk to end I drive and back, every time building an extra min. He got to the point where he started to settle so then tried starting just down the drive and back as the only exercise for a few weeks.

I had sometimes where he would go and others where I had to spend ten plus mins waiting for him to calm before we could get past something.

With my horses if he doesn't like something he plants and refuses to move, I found with him if I stopped, encouraged him with voice let him look then gave him time before I asked to move on this really helped him.

From a year ago he now goes out once a week on his own, nowhere far max 45mins, bit of trot but only had one or two canters. When him I have to have the time and in a good mood otherwise we get nowhere.

It can be done but takes lots of patience. Good luck.
 
So, want to see my good news? :D

Me and my friend went for a hack today, she went on Ned first (as she's ridden him before) and I rode Charlie, a lovely big chestnut lad!
We intended to swap so she could have a go on Charlie too and I could go on my Neddy!
Anyway, we swapped and I thought "I wonder..." and I asked my friend to let me try and go first. After a few pony kicks, he took his first steps in front! It was a little tricky to keep him moving at first, but after a snorting and fussing, he was going very very nicely!

Here's the really good bit...he went the rest of the ride infront! Even on the canters :D He had one little spook, but apart from that he was excellent! Even when we met vans and cyclists :D

Here's proof :)
NedAlone013.jpg

NedAlone010.jpg

NedAlone007.jpg
 
18months ago I bought a project, 18months on shes still very much a work in progress but coming on soooo lovely.


1st time I hacked her she reared and we both went over, she wouldnt cross road markings or go up the kerb (onto the bridle way).

Took her out in hand a few times and decided to do some further schooling about going forwards.

Then she just spooked at things like windows, drains, lines of road but she went forwards.

We had about a 4month break due to weather and me moving. And then she started hacking regulary with others, started to become very bombproof stopped spooking, was used as the lead horse past scary things and finally got the hang of gates.

Recently we started hacking on our own (December we went for our first solo) she neighed and neighed but didnt spook really the odd napping incident but our groundwork (long lining mainly) had really helped her understand forwards means forwards even if we kick start every step. If she got really wound up I got off walked her on and got back on again, not making a fuss, not really praising her until I was back on board.

Now I can get on and go where ever I want in walk, trot and canter. Roads, tracks, bridges, rivers (although not on our own yet but she can get her precious feet wet if her friends do).

Has taken about a year though, but I had a lot of issues to deal with on the way as I think she had a few issues with the bit and refused to canter and despite being "broken to ride and drive" had no idea what leg meant.
 
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