Hacking alone- pony better in built up/busy areas?

[Julia0803]

Is anyone else’s horse better off in a busy environment?

Currently teaching lovely pony to hack alone. He’s a v good boy but it’s just not something we’ve ever really done. On our old yard there we’d go on lovely long hacks of a few hours with a friend or a group. When my son was riding he’d either go with a friend plus adult riding or I’d walk with him. He’s always been fine with a walker.

I’d only hacked him alone three times in nearly four years at our old yard just as it’s not something I’d ever really done or enjoyed and had no need as my best friend was there at the same time with me so we had lovely social hacks, usually stopping off at a pub! On the few occasions we went alone he was fine, but more on his toes- keeping an eye out for pony eating tigers. I noticed he was much more ‘looky’ on the very quiet country lanes vs through the village where there would be the usual cars/people/ buses etc etc.

We’ve moved yards now and it’s much much quieter and smaller. Five ridden horses and a three retirees vs old yard of 50+ where there was always something going on and people milling about from 6am-8pm. So prior to 10 months ago he’s spent the last 8years (with us and old owners) on busy yards/environments.

Where we are now the immediate hacking is a bit pants, all residential roadwork. However, if you go for 30-40min of roadwork you come to some lovely quiet bridleways.

Being a much quieter yard I need to get over myself and start hacking alone- just as much if not more my issue than his. I need to shut down the ‘what if??!’ Fairy in my head!

So we’ve been doing lots of local hacking for 30/40 min in the residential area with walker dropping further and further back and he’s been completely fine, trundled along without a care in the world. Due to a slight miscommunication with my son he ended up going off alone this week for the first time since we moved yards. Didn’t put a foot wrong and felt chilled and happy.

This is all in a fairly built up area, lots of things going on (including fairly crazy drivers that leave 30cm of room as they pass at 30...) I’m really pleased with him and feel we’re moving in the right direction. So once we’ve got the hang of local hacks I’m hoping we’ll be able to go further, to more exciting places.


I know when I’ve read stuff on teaching hacking alone, people talk about going out at quiet times/places etc.

So I was just wondering if anyone else’s horse is better in a busy environment hacking?

Did you ever teach them to be just as relaxed in quiet areas? Anything other than just repetition help?

Thanks!

 

[scats]

I think that in a quiet environment, they become very aware of every noise so something like a bird twitching in a bush can set them off, whereas a busy environment there is so much going on that they generally only spook at the bigger things because they don’t even notice the rest!

We have private tracks around the land and we tend to hack around here mostly in order to avoid roads, but the horses get quite easily spooked by pheasants and birds because it’s so peaceful and quiet and suddenly these flapping things appear.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Slightly similar, we have a horse who is scared of fast oncoming traffic, unless your on a busy road!