Hacking debate

Not really a fan of hacking either, its ok at home if its a nice day and the views are good and there are some fun places to go, but really it is just something I have to do to keep horses fit enough to hunt/tc/compete. I usually get so bored of hacking I end up taking short cuts back through dad's fields and finding things to jump. I have to hack in some pretty crap weather conditions at home because living on the side of the moor, when its grim its disgusting.
Down here we have an all weather track, and I enjoy just getting on that and having a play.
 
i hack out my sjers at least once or twice a week it keeps them fit keeps them interested in their work and i think it does make them braver i think its good for me and the horses as we cam mentally relax as well as keeping fit and i often incorperated schooling exercises such as leg yielding along the way
 
TBH hacking bores me senseless, after spending most of last year hacking upto 10 horses a day round a village all road work it put me off for life.
However i hack mine out for fitness work but it is only a brisk walk on the roads, as it is all i have round here.
 
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I used to love hacking/live for hacking - until we got hit by a car 18mnths ago. Now to be honest my horses just seem to veg out in the field :-(

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OMG
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how awful!! that is understandable in a way though
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hope you and your horses were okay though
 
Honestly .... most of the time hacking bores me. There is the odd time when I will really fancy a hack, and a god fun/fast hack I usually enjoy, but at least 50% of the time hacking is a necessary evil.

All my horses are good to hack alone and in company and they get hacked regularly because I appreciate it is good for them and they enjoy it at least!
 
See we are lucky, we have 365acres of prepared boundries across farm land and on the coast! We are really close to beaches the lane work we have is minimal and if you really dont want to go on the roads then you dont have too! Where i am we are spoilt rotten, there is nothing like hacking across the headlands looking out at the sea sun on your back! But its also bloody good fun when its windy lol i love watching the sea when its rough so im a happy bunny!
 
I only hack. I have no schooling facilities and 2000ha of unspoilt nature reserve and 4kms of beach rides to do. I love it and will hack mostly on my own or with one other person. Horse gets a bit silly with a large group and tends to show off !
 
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does anyone on here hate hacking?

I was shocked when a friend and i were talking about our horses and what we like to do with them and she said she couldnt stand how people just hack there horses and she wouldnt bother having one if all she did was hack.



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Horses for courses I guess.

I wouldn't have horses if I couldn't hack.
 
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... to me, it's what having a horse is all about
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[/ QUOTE ] - exactly my thinking! I love hacking even though where we are it is not at all perfect for that but still. It is what I mainly enjoy. I school mine on weekdays as I can't venture out (got to take my toddler to the yard) but on weekends I go out with her, used to go for hours on end exploring the countryside, what better way to enjoy the horse? Competitions can be fun but I can't do them for serious as not competitive ...
 
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I was shocked when a friend and i were talking about our horses and what we like to do with them and she said she couldnt stand how people just hack there horses and she wouldnt bother having one if all she did was hack.



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I love hacking but I appreciate that it's not everyone cup of tea especially riders that aren't overly confident or if they own horse's that aren't easily controlled
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You're friends comment sounds like she might be too scared to hack given how nasty she is being about people who only hack.
 
I don't hack. I value my life
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Actually, more than that I don't want to be sued because my horse has done something insane again
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I walk the pony out in hand though - does that count?
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I love hacking but appreciate that I have a nice pony to hack, I wouldn't fancy hacking anything too lively...

I would want a horse to be a good allrounder but being a good hack would be top of the list.
 
josie gets quite upset out on a hack on her own so I generally don't bother as i don't want her to be stressed. I'd only really go hacking if my mums horse (her field mate) was coming too. Plus, the hacking here is terrible. i's just busy roads so I don't want to risk it with Josie as she is already nervous.

I did take her to the south downs to visit her old owner and we hacked out together with her old owners other horse. That was lovely, I wish, i could do that every day!
 
The yard I'm at has one hack, down to the beach on boggy land. My sharp and spooky girl bounces her way merrily, and will go first or last. However, I've never taken her on roads as we front onto a very busy road and i'd rather not risk my life!
 
We don't have a school so hacking it is. Schooling gets done on hacks, fittening work gets done on hacks, and meeting new things and dealing with it gets done on hacks - our babies learn to jump by going over logs in the woods and to them life is fun.

They go out to do everything with their ears pricked, never get napping or sillyness and for competitions (when I can be bothered these days) they are fresh and forward. Obviously they hunt all winter so they are usually pretty fit too.

If anything, the younger ones could use some enclosed schooling, but I'd rather it this way than all schooling and a silly prat to take out. Mine are all silly tart trakehner types, and I can't tell you how often people are suprised at how well behaved they are and how much they do.
 
I've just recovered my enthusiasm for hacking, having recently moved to a yard where the hacking is amazing. I got a bit bored where we were before. Although we had decent hacking we were limited in routes and I'd got a bit bored.
However, much as I love hacking, I'm not sure I'd keep a horse just to hack. I probably know enough people I could beg rides from and save myself a lot of money. The benefit for me in having my own horse is to be able to do a mixture of school work, competing and hacking.
At the end of the day, as long as each person is doing the things they enjoy and having fun riding, I can't see why it matters to anyone else. Some people, like your friend just have too little to worry about
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I love hacking and think it’s very important for a horse education and life experience. If I couldn’t compete anymore and could only hack it wouldn’t be the end of the world for me.
 
Thats all I do and I love it. I get up at 5am and go when there is no traffic just me horsey and the dog, who has no road sense. We only met 2 cars the whole of last summer. My other horse which OH now rides doesnt like going out on her own so we only hack her in company.
 
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