Hacking in company

[katie_southwest]

I went out with a friend the other day and we were doing quite a fast ride (quite a few canters) and at one point I thought hang on a minute and tried to pull up a bit and just couldnt slow up! The ground was a bit uneven so I wanted to slow a bit, but she was so busy trying to keep up with friends horse I had no chance. Do you expect to be able to pull your horses up when behind others on a hack? Or do you not go behind if you know they get excited? We were somewhere we hadnt been before so she was forward more than usual anyway, but it just made me think god she really isnt listening to me. Fine when we are alone as shes not following anyone!

 

[JessPickle]

Yes I do expect pickle to slow down when I ask whatever is going on in front, its taken a lot of work but he will now do that. I am just much happier when I am certain I could suddenly stop if I needed to

 

[katie_southwest]

Yes I suppose I should try and go out in company more often and practise stopping! Most of the time we are on our own

 

[BackInBlack]

i have that problem too!! my mate thought it was great last winter because me being so close behind her meant i got covered in mud from muddy puddles and all the branches she flew past pinged straight back into my face!! we had a right laugh about it at the time but in all seriousness they do need to learn to stop or at least slow down when you want them to. my lads off work at the minute but he is getting more obedient, i've had to trial out a few different bits mind.

 

[jen1]

Just ride behind me my horse has a big bum so you can use it as a battering ram!!!

That wasn't very useful was it??!!!!!

 

[katie_southwest]

[ QUOTE ]
Just ride behind me my horse has a big bum so you can use it as a battering ram!!!

That wasn't very useful was it??!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Haha well as a last resort...

 

[frb]

Can't canter behind at all, no brakes, thats if i manage to sit the bucking frenzy which comes initially. He can be like this alone when cantering, let alone behind someone!

 

[Madasmaz]

I had a similar experience to you, only not such a happy ending. Was out with 2 ex-race horses and an SJ. Mine is normally a very well behaved new forrest. Any how, long story short....SJ came up my mares bum whilst in canter, I asked her to slow, but she had no room, high kicked out at SJ behind, belted past 17hh racer who tried to block, but not quick enough so we ended up flat out through the rough, with fallen trees everywhere, whilst other racer was also unknown to me was out of control. We skidded to a stop at the same gate that halted racer with a tree trunk running between the legs from front to back. My pony is now off with a suspensory ligament injury. Wonder why!!!! Have also bought a NS Universal for hacking out now, there will be no next time!

Also never going out with them again, I did not find it funny at all

 

[YorksG]

I worry about not being able to stop my mare if she gets carried away, that is one reason I am careful who I hack out with. If they are likely to race then I don't go with them. My mare is usually good in company, but I am careful about who we go fast with

 

[Bess]

I'm the same as you, I'm careful about who I go out with. Where my horse is there are galloping tracks for training ptp'ers so I only go on these tracks with a friend who'se horse goes side by side with mine (my horse likes his nose in front but that's ok).

 

[ladyt25]

Never experienced the problem. My horse can be strong but he will always stop. Even my pony who's a little crackers would NEVER actually run off in any way I couldn't stop. I think it's extremely dangerous for someone not to have control over their horse when out. A friend of mines horse was out being ridden by someone else when it got spooked, bolted, threw its rider and galloped out of the bridleway onto a main road and colided with a car. Horse was killed outright but the elderly passengers in the car had to be cut out.

My mum's old horse also bolted many years ago following 2 other bolting horses. My mum was thrown and her horse made it across the main road somehow. One of the other horses was not so lucky and collided with a caravan. Seeing the dead horse in the road makes me feel very lucky that (a) I have never been in a situation where a horse has bolted and (b) I know my current horse just never will (I have had him 14 years now and trust him 100%).

 

[stencilface]

I have always been able to stop them fortunately. And actually, I don't care (makes me sound very bad this) how much I pull on them, if they are not listening I will continue until they pay attention and come back to me. Whether I have to cross the reins over their neck, which was very useful on the ponies, or just sit back, put some leg on and push them forwards into the bridle I will always stop them. Can fix a sore mouth, can't fix a broken horse if it runs onto a road.

Not that I am out of control, just every so often they get too excitable. In fact, I used to make my old TB stop mid gallop when the others went on just to practise this. He hated me for it (hated to lose a 'race'!) but at least I knew I could always bring him back with little trouble.