Hacking on the Road

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JK Soph

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Hi Everyone :)

I am going on a hack tomorrow on the road which isn't that busy but the people who come along that go very fast. I am very nervous because its a new yard and i have never hacked there before and at my old yard we just went in fields and in the woods. If the horse freaks out what should i do ? And how do i move my legs on my horses stomach to keep her bum in because she tends to stick it out when she's excited???

Thank you for the Tips and Advice x :D x
 
JK Soph said:
Hi Everyone :)

I am going on a hack tomorrow on the road which isn't that busy but the people who come along that go very fast. I am very nervous because its a new yard and i have never hacked there before and at my old yard we just went in fields and in the woods. If the horse freaks out what should i do ? And how do i move my legs on my horses stomach to keep her bum in because she tends to stick it out when she's excited???

Thank you for the Tips and Advice x :D x
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Basically you just need to make sure the horse is awake and listening to you! If she spooks or doesn't like something, then turn her head slightly away from it her her blind side is facing towards it and push on with your leg, riding positively. If she sticks her bum out into the road, ask for a little bit of flexion from the pole onto the inside of the road, and use your inside leg behind the girth to push her out, while your outside leg is on the girth to keep her moving forward. Imagine you're almost doing a shoulder in!! Have fun! :p xx
 
Firstly go out decked out like a christmas tree in reflective gear, quarter sheet waistcoat martingale leg wraps . Borrow it if you have to I have found that if I wear full reflective gear on my youngster drivers tend to be a bit more careful.
Wear a body protector.
I would put a headcollar under the bridle and fix a longline coiled up on the saddle then if you are forced to get off you have a long line to handle him on.
I know a lot of peole will say don't get off but in traffic naughty or panicky behaviour is plain dangerous so if things get very hairy I would get off and lead.You must protect yourself you do not want to land on the ground on the road or under a car.
If it is all road can you drive it first to check it out for scarry stuff (balloons tied to gates flappy tarpaulins road cones and tin road signs ) just to see if there is anything to watch out for.
Is there any chance you could ask someone with a sensible schoolmaster type horse or pony to go with you for the first time.
Better be safe than sorry.
Good luck tell yourself you will be fine and remember to breathe!
 
Do you have a reflective tabbard you could wear? I have one which says 'Young Horse, pls pass slowly' and another one which I find really effective at slowing people down which just has the red L symbol for learner drivers on it. I find it makes drivers particularly cautious to pass me. Also, before riding young horses on the road I practise making them listen to my leg in the school for 15-20 mins first. eg flexing them on both sides, some leg yielding and also halts. This just tunes them into the aids before we go out. If you don't feel ready to go on the road yet and need more time for your both to settle at the new yard then don't feel pressured to go out hacking straight away. Take things nice and slowly in your own time, maybe see if someone will come out on foot with you the first time on the new road and help to slow the traffic until you feel fully confident. Good luck and have fun!
 
WandaMare said:
Do you have a reflective tabbard you could wear? I have one which says 'Young Horse, pls pass slowly' and another one which I find really effective at slowing people down which just has the red L symbol for learner drivers on it. I find it makes drivers particularly cautious to pass me.
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I believe there is a school of thought that the rider is admitting that the horse isn't safe on the road by wearing a tabbard with this on it and in the case of an accident would have difficulty proving any fault by the driver .
When I went to buy a new tabbard the riding store I went to said they only stocked blank reflective waistcoats and tabbards because of this.
 
horselib said:
I believe there is a school of thought that the rider is admitting that the horse isn't safe on the road by wearing a tabbard with this on it and in the case of an accident would have difficulty proving any fault by the driver .
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No, that is not the case.
 
I would also say (as my daughter knows it's like a stuck record with me and her) : 'Be Positive' - assume that your pony will behave and be calm yourself, and he'll pick up on your confidence there's nothing to be frightened of. The minute you start thinking it might go wrong (daughter gets wobbly over silly things) then the pony gets wobbly too.
 
Donkeymad said:
No, that is not the case.
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It was mentioned actually when we were doing our Riding and Road safety training/test....advising NOT to wear 'Caution young horse'/'inexperienced horse' tabards as you've then implied that you may not be in 100% control of the animal out and if a formal claim came out of it, it has/can be used against you....
Only what we were told anyway and what was in the manual!
 
Binky01 said:
It was mentioned actually when we were doing our Riding and Road safety training/test....advising NOT to wear 'Caution young horse'/'inexperienced horse' tabards as you've then implied that you may not be in 100% control of the animal out and if a formal claim came out of it, it has/can be used against you....
Only what we were told anyway and what was in the manual!
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I would be interested to know why the other poster thinks that it is not the case as like this poster I had heard it from a very reliable source
 
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