Hacking alone....or not....

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So I have a real hang up about hacking alone. I just get so worried, and can't enjoy it.

I will go XC, jumping, go to competitions alone and everything and that's fine, but I cannot get over my worries hacking alone.

I also don't particularly enjoy hacking in company. I worry too much. I do try to get out once a week, and my horse is hacked out for me once a week, cos I really think getting out and seeing everything is good for him.

So my question is, why do I feel like this is something I should force myself to get over? Should I feel stupid cos I can't hack alone?
 
It took me ages to finally get the courage to hack alone. I can hack with someone till the cows come home but my sense of direction is absolutely appalling despite having done a degree in flipping geography ;) Before I hack alone I'll do the route in company first and preferably on the horse I'm going to take out alone which seems to help. Try a really short route first round the block, only 10 mins or so then build it up, if you don't feel comfortable after a couple of trys then don't push yourself, riding is meant to be enjoyable and if someone else is able to hack your horse out for you, concentrate on the things you enjoy doing like the jumping, comps etc :)
 
I have no problems with hacking alone in itself, and would go for hours on my old horse - he is retired now but is an ex polo pony loon, but as honest as they come and I felt 100% safe on him, as long as I didn;t let him get too fast.......I could cope with the jogging, jiffling, and general leaping about. 'New' horse is a different matter, nervous wreck, spooks at birds, good in traffic but bad at everything else! I have completely lost my confidence with him and have never been this way before. Compounded by the fact that we don't have a school.......

If you want to be able to hack out, I would try to find an understanding friend and go with them until you are completely happy. If you don;t want to, continue to get someone else to do it.

I do want to but am not sure I will with this horse.
 
Thanks.

I think I will ask someone to go out on foot with me, and carry on going out in company, and getting him hacked once a week for me, and try and build it up.
 
The fact that you've said you have your horse hacked out for you shows me that logically you know it's perfectly safe to be hacking out alone. So deep down you know it's an irrational fear. It's quite possible of course, to have an accident out hacking, but no less likely that jumping XC I wouldn't have thought.

I had a lot of nerves after a bad accident and this is what helped me:
*Go out as regularly as possible (every day if you can, even 10 mins after schooling or whatever)
*Try to control negative thoughts before you even get on the horse (If you have them - I did)
*Be prepared for a long haul - it took me a year to feel fully confident, but little by little I got better and better
*Remind yourself why you want to hack - it's you and your horse's chill-out time, and the best time for bonding IMHO
*For really bad occasions (for me, busy roads etc) - sing along to keep your breathing regular and distract you. Also sighing, and blowing (prffff, like a horse!) helps and this is what horses do when they relax so it shows him you're chilled out (even if you're not!)
 
trojanpony you're right, that I need to do it little and often.

The thing is that until it's light in the evenings I can only hack out at the weekends (hence why I get him hacked for me once during the week) and I'm usually competing one day at the weekends.

But even once a week on my own for 10 mins after schooling must be a good start right, and once the clocks go forwards I can do it every evening.
 
I know how hard it is getting out at this time of year, but I think once the lighter evenings arrive you'll crack it. And you'll feel so much better knowing you've overcome your fear than always having it hanging over you.
Best of luck!
:)
 
As we don't have a school of any kind our only option is to work in the field or go out for glorious hacks.. so learning to ride by hacking instead of via the local riding school was always petrifying - although the mare was 30 (16hh ex grade A show jumper and previously whipper-in for the hunt) at the time I decided to pull her out of retirement and learn to ride, she was elated at the fact she had a novice who she could take the crap out of - on my very first hack I was carted to say the least (she's really rather strong) she galloped flat out, she cantered along the road... and I didn't have a clue where I was going - the only advice I got from my grandfather was hold on tight and don't worry because she knows the way! It took me several of these to begin to find hacking alone fun! :D
 
polopony said:
As we don't have a school of any kind our only option is to work in the field or go out for glorious hacks.. so learning to ride by hacking instead of via the local riding school was always petrifying - although the mare was 30 (16hh ex grade A show jumper and previously whipper-in for the hunt) at the time I decided to pull her out of retirement and learn to ride, she was elated at the fact she had a novice who she could take the crap out of - on my very first hack I was carted to say the least (she's really rather strong) she galloped flat out, she cantered along the road... and I didn't have a clue where I was going - the only advice I got from my grandfather was hold on tight and don't worry because she knows the way! It took me several of these to begin to find hacking alone fun! :D
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EEEEEEK! :eek::eek:

This is what I'm afraid of! I know we'll be ok in the end - I'm going to (eventually) do little 10 minutes - but I feel your fear OP! :)

Everyone has the same advice - slowly, slowly, one step at a time and it will all be ok in the end. I will be better off too, once the evenings get longer - if I have managed to venture out by then.

I can't believe I used to go out totally alone in the evenings last spring/summer!
 
Horse riding is meant to be enjoyable - if you don't enjoy it, don't do it! Let me tell you I very much doubt your horse is wishing you did it more - I'm sure they are just wishing you rode less and there was more grass!! :D
Let yourself off the hook - expensive hobby to be worried about things like that! x
 
Start out in baby steps. Hack to the end of the driveway in back. Then the next day go a little further. And then a little further. The more you do it, the more confident you'll feel. Singing and talking to your horse really helps. You can have someone go along on foot if you like. Try to relax. Each time you feel yourself tensing up, take a deep breath. When I do this, my mare ends up taking a deep breath with me, dropping her head, and chilling out. :)

Good luck! The more confident you feel, the more you'll enjoy it. Once you get your confidence, you might discover that hacking is the best thing ever. You really get to see stuff instead of just going round and round the arena and your horse will become more confident over time, too.
 
You really need a cruel friend like me. My friend loves hacking and due to her losing her confidence on a horse that took off with her about 5 years ago is still nervous going out on her own.

I cycle next to her, but as she mentioned how frustrating it was for her not having the guts to tack up to go hacking if she knew she was on her own, but hating missing out on the quality time with her horse, I listened.

After this I started to cycle to the end of the first lane with her, then cycling 100m in front of her. She could always see me so knew she wasn't alone, but also knew she was independent of me.

The next hack I went on with her I got a "phonecall" (totally set up) which meant I had to stop cycling and chatter, telling my friend it was about her birthday present so she couldn't listen. She therefore rode off for about 2 mins on her own until I caught up with her.

The one after that my chain "fell off" and as my friend had a tight schedule she watched me flip the bike before carrying on along the hack. 5 mins later I caught up.

After another few hacks with incidents which meant she had to carry on without me and hack on her own I finally confessed. She said she had an inkling of what was going on and actually enjoyed riding along talking to her horse so took it really well.

Now I tend to tack up with her, then cycle down the lane with her. Then tell her where I will meet her and cycle off. I then wait where I said I would until she catches up. We both have phones and I am never more than 1 mile from her.

This is still a work in progress but she has been talking about meeting me and my pony to hack together after making her way to the meeting point solo! Hopefully she will eventually be happy to take her horse out alone in the near future!
 
Absolutely not,my lad is an angel in all traffic etc,I used to hack alone ALL the time,moved to a different yard,got older and then realised riding out in company is far safer :D No it isnt always possible to ride in company,and yes now and again it is nice to ride in your own company,but I for one am all for people hacking in company for safety reasons :) x
 
I'm the complete opposite, but then i normally am. I love hacking out on my own, no matter what horse, but turn into a complete freak when hacking with others. have to be in front, dont do this , dont do that, my sister is very patient,(spelled wrong), but she shouts at me sometimes. It's all about control for me, I hate not being in control. Have to bite my lip at the moment, as riding really young horse, so need him to get used to being infront, in the middle and behind. Jez, I'll swap a bit of me for a bit of you,and then we'll both be able to ride out on our own and in company!! Haha!! If only!!
 
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