Hacking out a young horse.

[whisper10]

My horse has just turned 5 and been in full work since February being ridden 3-4 times a week he has been to a few shows (showjumping) but we have never hacked out.

Was wondering where do I start?? should I walk him out in hand first or ride out with another horse?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[AmyMay]

Get yourself a 100% reliable equine babysitter.

 

[TheCurlyPony]

From a safety point of view I would go with another horse. A real steady eddie that has been there and done it, that will give both you and your horse some confidence. I would get him used to a lot of different situations before you start thinking of going out alone. Good Luck

 

[Theresa_F]

I started my lad being led out off our old clydie from the age of two so he got to see everything. I also did a lot of long reining and taking him for walks by himself so he trusted me and not to rely on another horse. If I say it is ok, then he is to go forward and I have been careful never to put him in a situation he was scared or I was not able to reassure him.

Our first hack was with old Cairo but he led all the way, sniffing at everything and very happy and was ahead by a couple of minutes on the way back and was very confident. It really was no different for him than being led other than he had someone on his back.

I then started with 5 min hacks on a route he knew by himself and until he was doing short hacks by himself, up to 20 minutes, he did not go out with another horse. We did no road work, stuck to routes he knew, and he is a sensible sort.

I now hack out with others or alone but on the roads I do prefer to be with someone else, purely as two horses are easier to spot by traffic. He is happy to leave the yard by himself and does not rush back.

However, in your case, as your horse is older I would be doing ground work and trust work, long reining etc and then go out with another horse, but not to be close or clinging to it. If I could, I would prefer to go out solo with someone on the ground walking just in case I needed support.

Only my view, but I think if they start out with a horse and depend on them, then solo hacking can be more difficult. Richard Maxwell's view on this is the same - start them solo so they depend on you, and this is what I have done with my youngster.

Obviously not all horses can cope like this so you will have to see what works for you.

 

[Shysmum]

Agree with taking a babysitter if you can. I had no-one to ride with, as the peeps that did ride had horses that weren't sane enough to take the boy out with. I used to lead him everywhere along roads and stuff - then I had to use my long suffering hubby as a replacement horse to ride out with - he got fit, and the boy got used to everything very quickly. We then progressed to him driving up the road, and us meeting him, and went on from there.

It must depend on the type of horse you have too, but my boy has become 95% traffic proof and good as gold to hack out alone, tho I dooooooo have a pony in a million

Good luck ! sm x

 

[scribble]

I broke my 3 yr old and she has been ridden now about 6 weeks every couple of days. she does one day schooling and then one day hacking out. she was quite bold and hacked out with another horse for 3-4 times then walked out on her own but with someone on foot behind and me riding and now we ride out on her own. Yes it takes time and we take it slowly but if i get any probs then as yesterday my YO comes out with us and wlaks behind for 5 mins then we go off and she walks bck with us. yesterday we had a scooter, helicopter really low, aeroplane land on the airfield in the next field 100yrds away, BIG lorry come past, she had to wait behind a parked car while loads of traffic came past then she had to lead the way through the narrow roads to our turn off past a primary school and home. she was SOOO good and i wa soo proud of her (sorry gushing mum) but given she has only been backed 6 weeks and had 2 weeks off in total in that time due to really bad weather and hacked out on her own with loads of stuff going on. she does get a little nervous but we stop and have a look. she has to wlak when i say, yes she does question me sometimes but we have a little battle then she walks. so it can be done without another horse as we dont have a grown up horse to hack with.

 

[monkeybum13]

Get a babysitter to go with you.

Hope you don't mind me asking, how come he is 5 and has been out to shows but not been hacking?

 

[Shysmum]

I agree with you Scribble..... when we come across something scary, it's important to remember that this thing IS scary to the horse, and gentle coaxing is needed. We had this with a long thin drain cover across a bridle path the other day, he just would not go near it. After much gentle chatting to him, it was obvious he was too scared to try, so I got off, and lead him over it, back and forwards about ten times, and he soon realised that it wasn't a big deal. I also had to get off and lead him thru a wide gap of an electric fence - took me a few seconds to click on that he wasn't being cheeky, he was scared.

I kind of like the fact that most things he trusts me with, just the scary bits, mum has to be by his side - sad but true

 

[ecrozier]

We started hacking our boy as soon as he was backed really as we were keen not to do too much schoolwork. He is a fairly sensible type anyway and we took him out with my older horse (OH rode youngster!). Round us there are a LOT of roads so I haven't taken him out from our yard alone yet, but have done one hack from my parents place where I can go off road and he was OK. He called a bit and bounced but nothing awful. Ideally I would like to be going alone but I don't have anyone to walk with me and at 16.2hh he's quite big for me to deal with if alone! So hacking with equine nanny at the moment and building up. He does go in front very happily now.

 

[mystiandsunny]

Go with another horse that you trust, to start with. Then when your horse is confident with them, get him to take the lead, gradually walking further and further away. Once your horse will walk off with the other out of sight, have a go at a small loop on the hack on your own, then back to the other horse. If that's ok, try on your own. It depends on the horse entirely. Most that I've backed have been fine on their own within a week or so of beginning to hack out, but I tend to choose independent horses! With the scary stuff, if it doesn't bother you, and the 'antics' don't bother you, the horse will settle soon enough. I love that phase, makes each hack entertaining lol!

 

[NeedNewHorse]

As eveyone else has said really!

See if you can lead him from another for a few short hacks (if you don't have a circular hack, then do not turn around the same place) and then hop on board and go out with a trusted well behaved nanny horse. Once he is following behind well (and that's once he is, no matter how long it takes) then try and get him to go in front for a bit and then back behind and so on and increase his confidence.

x

 

[Passtheshampoo]

I've just started hacking out my recently backed 4yr old RID mare. First time I took her out on her own I had to jump off a couple of times to lead her past a group of nosey horses in a field and a big road sign. I made sure I hacked out in the evening when the traffic was lighter. Ideally I prefer to have someone (usually OH) to walk out with me on foot so they can give me and her confidence in "scary" situations. I personally think each horse is an individual and some need to hack out in company initially whilst in my case I prefer my horse not to rely on another horse as I will be riding on my own most days. Having said that my youngster is homebred, a sensible sort and she trusts me.

My advice to you would be to concentrate on a local route that includes a bit of roadwork, ride when the traffic is quieter and either go with another sensible horse or a person on foot. If you have problems with your horse napping in the road don't worry if you have to jump off and lead past the scary monster. It's much better to keep things calm than have a battle in the middle of the road where your nerves and temper will increase. Remember to give your horse lots of praise where due. The main thing is to build up confidence so hack the same route a few times before moving onto a new route, perhaps changing the start and end points of the ride so the ride is familiar yet different going in the opposite direction. Please wear hi vis preferably with the wording Please Pass Wide & Slow, hopefully the majority of drivers will take note.

I'm sure your horse will enjoy hacking out, good luck!

 

[Shysmum]

Good point!!! Hi - viz. we also donned L plates......and don't laugh, we couldn't afford a saddle for a few months

 

[AmyMay]

See if you can lead him from another for a few short hacks

Please don't do this.......

 

[Firewell]

Go for a short hack, say 10 mins with another rock steady older horse. Put your horse behind. Gradually increase the length of time you ride out for and then practise going in front as well. Only when he can hack out confidently in front wherever you want to go would I take him alone. Its better to never encourage an issue then to rush it and have to sit tight through napping ect.

 

[AmyMay]

Put your horse behind.

Put your horse on the INSIDE.

 

[whisper10]

Just to update:

I have just taken him out in hand to have a look at the traffic and have a wonder up the road. He seem to take it all in his stride and was more concerned about the white lines then the traffic it self.

I will ask someone to ride my other horse who is rock solid in traffic and go for a few short hacks.

Thank you for all you suggestions & advice.

 

[joeanne]

We always use two nanny horses when hacking a baby for the 1st few times. One to lead, and one to follow up the rear.
Once the youngster is a bit more confident, you can ask him (where it is safe to do so) to lead.

 

[whisper10]

Get a babysitter to go with you.

Hope you don't mind me asking, how come he is 5 and has been out to shows but not been hacking?

The reason he has not been hacking sooner is that he has been quite highly sprung coming back into work and I was unable to give him any consistancy of work so was never confident enough to take him on the roads but now he is in more work and has settled down he seems more relaxed about things.

I also did not have any one else to go out with up and till now, now I have I would like to get him out and about so he can enjoy a bit more variety in his work.

 

[Cliqmo]

I walked my boy out in hand for months before I backed him, so hacking was an easy transition once he was backed... oddly now if I mount on the block in the yard he is much more exciteable than if I mount in the school... me thinks my horse doesn't like circles

OP depending on how spooky your horse is and how steady they are to your aids (ie whether they would be nudged in the ribs and prompted to go forward passed something terrifying) then I would consider going back a step and walking your horse out a few times before getting on (I find dismounting once you have got into a tricky situation only teaches bad habits, and you are better off starting out on the ground and building their confidence before trying it in the saddle). However if your horse is fairly bold and established with the aids then I would find a steady friend and go have some fun

Sorry OP just saw your later post- get on and go

 

[ladyt25]

To be honest, hacking would have been the first thing i would have done, or at least before being backed i would have been leading out, long reining out etc etc. As this does not seem to have been done then i would suggest as others have done to justtake him out with another sensible horse. Have the youngster on the inside but still so he can see what is ahead of him. Slowly you can start to encourage him to be the lead once he starts getting confident - but only start doing this on safer quieter roads (if indeed you are on roads).

Personally I do not see the problem with leading a youngster out from another horse but that does depend on the other horse and how competent you are as a handler. This was the way it often used to be done before the youngster was backed and riding away and we still see the hunt yard doing this round us and all their horses have always hacked out fine. It depends on you I guess and your individual circumstances.

I am looking at getting an unbacked youngster and i can tell you it will be lead out in hand and then lead from horseback out for short hacks prior to it being backed. Each to their own I guess.

 

[Passtheshampoo]

Good point!!! Hi - viz. we also donned L plates......and don't laugh, we couldn't afford a saddle for a few months

Unfortunately the wearing of L Plates means should you have an accident on the road you are admitting some form of liability. Bl**dy crazy world we live in as L plates do mean something to drivers but insurers won't want you to wear them. BHS advice is to just use the please pass wide & slow wording. Thought I'd mention it as I checked with the BHS and my insurers before riding out my youngster.

 

[ladyt25]

FPErin - I am not convinced by that to be honest. I worked in horse insurance for nearly 7 years (just left a couple of months ago) and there is nothing stating you HAVE to wear hi viz for a start and neither does it stipulate what you can and can't (or shouldn't have) written on any clothing/hi viz you are wearing. That 'L' could relate to anything even though it appears to be a learner plate I don't actually think it would be applicable to a horse in the same way as it does to a learner driver and i don't think having an 'L' plate on a car as a learner sees you as 'admitting liability' so why would it apply to a horse?

Insurer's cannot really stipulate what you can or cannot wear clothing wise unless it is a requirement by law but some do go further than just stating you should be wearing a hard hat / wearing a back protector for XC. I don't think anyone could say because you wear wearing an 'L' sign you were effectively admitting liability for anything that may happen.