hacking - alone or in company?

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Dancing Queen

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I have noticed alot of comments about hacking out with other people which got me thinking.

I actually prefer to hack out on my own with my horse, I like the company of my horses more.

so which do you prefer

a) on your lonesome
b) with company
 
Depends what I'm doing, but I'd rather be alone than with someone who I don't like! Love hacking out for hours on my old boy alone (hence I do individuals in trec with him), but if I'm with certain mates you can't beat that racing feeling either :D My youngster I like short hacks alone but it's less relaxing and often more fun to go out with someone else and have a blast on a much more chilled out pony! But I hope his confidence will grow as he matures and then we'll be off on our own too ;)
 
Hi - I enjoy going out with people but also love going out on my own (well not on my own - with horse and dog) we have a lovely chat on the way round and can do our own thing and take in the countryside. Its also much easier to try and get fat pony fitter if on own as can go at own speed and dont get distracted chatting. We box up on our own too - this is a great achievement for someone who once had to ride/walk 10 miles home as couldnt get horse in box !
 
I prefer company on a hack. When alone I talk to my horse, and don't get an answer, the ears just flick back and forth! :D
On a serious note though, I just don't really like going out very far on my own, I am happy to do a short 40 min hack, where there are no roads to cross etc and it is really quiet, gentle stroll, but other than that, I generally would not venture very far. This may change as I trust my horse more, he really is very good on roads etc, but he has had his spooky moments, which is fine, but when alone I am not sure if this would blow up more as he has no horsey support. At the moment all he does is jump, but alone would he more likely spin or run off? I guess I need to take him out more alone and get him to be more confident with me that I won't let the skip and wheelie bin monsters get him!
 
I am not allowed to ride out on my own, due to various health reasons, and any way, where i live to get any where you have to ride out on the road, so very few people ride out on their own locally to me. This is due to the fact that its less sociable for the rider and horse as well as the fact that out on the roads it just is not very safe. If you fell off riding on your own in the school its not so much of a problem but out on the roads full of country related traffic and tourists without a clue how to drive down our roads, it is. There are some places where it could be great fun to ride out on your own, just you and the horse but where i live its best to be on the safe side. Hope this has been of use. Enjoy your riding :)
 
AbbeyandApache1 said:
If you fell off riding on your own in the school its not so much of a problem but out on the roads full of country related traffic and tourists without a clue how to drive down our roads, it is.
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Not a problem for some of us... See Devonshire dumpling's recent thread "following on from pony bit my daughter" about crazy things forumers have done and realised afterwards that it wasn't very smart :D

In my case, I think I missed the selfish gene and am an evolutionary throwback, since I seem intent on doing stupid things repeatedly. One of my most stupid was probably hacking (alone) down an big A road to a local venue for evening jumping, staying to late and having to belt it back up the verge in the dark - good thing my horse is a saint and didn't bat an eyelid at the ambulance with sirens blazing hurtling up the wrong side of the road! Oh the glorious bravery of youth. (This was only about 2-3 years ago?!)

I'm glad to hear you're more sensible. :)
 
I like both but sometimes it's easier on my own because I know my horse is brilliant out hacking and will go past anything, if you're with another horse who is a bit of a nutter it can be a pain. Equally when my mum borrows a friend's lovely cob hacking out in company is lovely.
 
With my old hyper but safe but HAS TO GO IN FRONT!! Tb then on my own. With young welsh, I would LIKE to go on my own, but hes a tit, so prefer company.
 
On my own. I have an ex-racehorse, and though a saint out, he can't stand waiting. I like going with company, but he just gets annoyed when we stand still.

Yet saying that I can put my OH on him (whose only had a handful of lessons) and can trust my horse 100% to look after him. It's amazing, think I have my own that likes the OH more then me.
 
Depends who it is. If it's a napper or one who plants and the owner insists on going in front, I'd prefer we were alone every time.
 
Company usually cos he's a spooky monster and has ears up my nose if hacking alone!! That said the fact that I actually can hack alone if necessary is a miracle after all the 'issues' is something I enjoy so I do make an effort to go out alone every now and again to remind us what we've achieved!!
 
I enjoy both equally. Now that I'm antique I do tend to ride with friends, especially if we're going on out-of-the-way bridle tracks, as my mare is quite flighty, and is a bit of a 'tanker' if she gets a fright. But for quiet hacks round the local lanes and villages I love it just being me and Madam. I know a lot of people locally, so there's often a stop for a chat, and I admire the wild flowers etc. and watch the bird life (if I knew the names of the flowers and birds it would be even better!!).

I'm very spoilt in that I have 3 lovely riding companions in my liveries, and so then I catch up on all the gossip as well.

I posted a bit ago on the advisability - or not - of hacking alone on a youngster, as I'd found an acquaintance lying in a field just near us, with what appeared to be a broken leg, and her horse trotting about with half a bridle (admittedly a passing dog-walker had called the ambulance). And once two of my liveries went for a short hack and the old pony collapsed with a heart attack on a local lane, injuring the rider, so it was brilliant that there was another person to ring me etc. But horse and rider - and possibly dog - solitude is a wonderful treat. Hope you enjoy your rides, whichever you do.
 
meesha said:
Hi - I enjoy going out with people but also love going out on my own (well not on my own - with horse and dog) we have a lovely chat on the way round and can do our own thing and take in the countryside. Its also much easier to try and get fat pony fitter if on own as can go at own speed and dont get distracted chatting.
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Similar to this. I am happy to have a mix of both- having company and a good blether with folk is fine, but pace does tend to be slower, so I do like to make sure there are more hacks where I am solo and can do more trot/canter work as/when I choose to.

Hacking out with mismatched abilities and paces can be a lot of hard work... I've done it a few times to be nice to nervous or novice riders but both me and horse can end up quite frustrated as she has a naturally fast walk and I have to spend the whole ride asking her to "whoa". ;)
 
I lost my confidence after a bad fall (I'd also had one previously) and both falls were when I was on my own so now I just ride out with Company. I'm rebuilding my confidence and enjoying my girl again. It's working a treat and I'm really enjoying hacking out again. Still a little nervous although getting better every time out. :D
 
on my own :D probably due to all those years of leading treks and having to make conversation with strangers and pretend to be interested in their replies lol;) Hacking is 'my time' away from all the house/mum stuff that fills the rest of my life, it's just nice to go at my pace , where i want and not worry if i'm going too fast too slow etc etc:)
plus if i hack out with other people when i do try and go alone the big girl acts like a..... big girls blouse and tries to refuse to leave the farm:rolleyes:
 
Most of the time we hack on our own; there's nothing quite like just being on your own with your horse and the wind in your hair IMO, you just can't beat it. Call me anti-social, but I'd generally much prefer going on my own. I've dealt with the solo hacking issues my horse had, so now its the time when I can just chill and relax - love it!

Its nice sometimes to go with company tho' - friends and I will box up and go up to the nearest wild space sometimes which makes a nice change; tho' I do have to raise my game considerably as they like to go faster than I'm used to going! A bit of a challenge, but it does us good I guess.
 
I like hacking in company as I talk alot and it helps my nervous friend. It can annoy other people...often it's a running commentary on what my horse is doing! :rolleyes:
However, sometimes it's nice to go and have a blast with just me and my pony! Though having a hacking partner who also likes to blast their horse sets up a mini race which is great me and my girl love it :D

Also, when I'm alone I talk EVEN MORE which doesn't annoy anyone and my horsey loves it. I can tell, her ears flop back and forward whilst she listens :D
 
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