Hacking alone..

I had a bad year of falls last year and all of them in company (with the same person). I'm not for a minute saying it was her fault, as it wasn't. However with my new horse, I almost always hack alone. If I know I am going to ride with someone else, I make sure I have ridden the route alone with Harvey first, so I am aware of any issues he might have!
Ditto the bonding theory though. If Harvey is unsure about something, he stops dead and has a good look. Once I have given him a good pat and plenty of encouragement, he is always happy to carry on (he is only just 5). It is sometimes difficult to do this when riding in company, especially if it is the other horse that won't pass something and the rider is less patient than we are...
 
Actually CeeBee thinking about it the only times I have had bad falls out hacking have been with other people. My horse can be quite sharp on her own but I never have a problem controlling her. Its only when I'm out with other people that can't control their horses that Aniseed thinks its a good idea to join in!
 
I do all the time with my youngster.My last yard no one hacked out, so i moved yards and no one hacks out and its a bigger yard.Its sad and lonely at first at second yard , because this was one of the reasons i moved had someone at first but she went i hack out with someone once a month, im made a resouloution thats what its going to be like were ever i go but i do get used to doing what i want and horse is good company.I ,look at it in a positive way though because if i had hackers to go out with my youngster i might have issues hacking alone so all good ! I do wear hi viz though at all times
 
Done an awful lot of hacking on my own in the past, amazes me how many horses there are on a yard, and how few go out for a long hack, each to there own, so my hacking has been mostly on my own, I do have someone who hacks with me at weekends now which is nice :)
 
NeverSayNever said:
this was me yesterday, is the sushine;)
charlie1month014.jpg
Click to expand...

He is lurrvvvvvlly ;)
 
I love hacking alone or in company. Surely as long as your safe and confident? I am loving the luggage tag idea and reckon I will be doing that today :).

that is if ginger lets me get on him today ^o) lol....crack on with this mounting issue whoo
 
I generally hack alone as there isn't often anyone else at the yard I am on, going out. I agree with the other posters who say that your horse gains more trust in you, and also becomes less reliant on other horses. My old boy will hack for hours on his own. When he finds something a bit spooky to pass, I just let him stand and look at it and eventually when he has sussed out what it was, he will go past, but just giving it a wide berth. You just need to make sure that there is no traffic passing when you know they are going to give something a wide berth.
I bought another ex-racer in April. She had NEVER been on a road in her life and had only known about being in a string. She had however been front of string. She arrived on a Saturday and on the Sunday, I got on her and hacked her just for about 15 mins on her own with someone walking just behind her. I think it has been better for her to do things this way as I don't want her to get reliant on other horses when she hacks out. In all fairness, the roads where I am are very quiet and the cars will stop when you put your hand out. I wouldn't take a green horse on busy roads alone!
Thanks for the tips everyone re the tags for saddles and bridles. Something I will definitely be doing x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top