Hacking out alone

[shadowboy]

Sorry for the barrage of posts..... but last week I took my little mare out for a hack on our own for the first time. She was fine- tense and very looky but she was very well bahaved- Unfortuately our hack route involves turning round at the end during the winter as the farmer only allows us hacking round his 400acres in the summer months. She now knows how to get home- is she likely to be silly the second time we hack out alone- or do they tend to continue to be good? If she may be silly can anyone think of ways to keep her attention on me once we turn back round etc?

Thanks in advance

 

[Persephone]

I would say she would have known the first time. They seem to pick things like that up instantly. I think if you stay calm and expect her not to play up then she won't. You could always sing to her too, that helps with my mare!

 

[mememe]

i think it really depends on the mentality of your horse. if i did it on buster i suspect hed be fine, however if i did it on joe he would probably keep trying to tear of. if you think she may be silly perhaps take a very slightly route on the way back, even if its just leaving the track you are on and rejoining it a couple of minutes later?

hope this helps!

 

[Patches]

I never normally turn around ever when I'm hacking. However, once or twice we've had to for various reasons (roads blocked or school ringing to say a child is ill and I need to pick them up ASAP).

On those occasions Patches always jogs home, never does it when I'm on a loop. If your mare was that type, I really believe she'd have done it the first time.

 

[Law]

Hmm I was thinking about this today when I was out hacking alone too

I was totally relaxed and chilled and Mr D was making a fuss about everything as usual despite being on a new route we'd not done before ... I was sitting there telling him that in a little while when we made a turn off and on to one side of a rectangle the penny might drop that we were vaguely headed home (we wouldn't be but I sensed that he'd think we were) and sure as fate his steps got quicker and he tried to power walk! It really was mad how despite still sort of facing the wrong way he worked out that we were headed home. (he went from slugish walk to speed walking) I know most people would say that I was inadvertantly giving him signals with my body language but I totally wasn't!

I haven't answered your question but yes, i think some horses will be sillier once the route becomes more established/they work out where to turn around

 

[flyingfeet]

If possible try not going in straight lines. Go round and round fields if possible (not sure what the hacking is like).

As babies I made mine go round and round fields so they are very boring and don't even get excited in the middle of a grass field!

 

[Fahrenheit]

I think horses do get to know different routes and I think they can sense when they are heading towards home.

My horse use to know all the hacking routes where we used to live, he knew where all the canter spots were and would tantrum if you made him wait

and when we were getting near the stream or the river we used to paddle in (he loved water) he would start bouncing up and down and prancing along, then going sideways

until I couldn't hold him anymore and he'd take a flier into the stream or river and then proceed to splash anyone who would happen to be in his splash zone!! The horse is barmy but I love him!!

I think other people were happy when I retired him, tho I am tempted to bring him out of retirement because I miss riding the nutter....

and my pony, well he would go out like an old slug and as soon as you turned towards home, it was like coming back sat on the washing machine on spin cycle

of course I don't encourage such behaviour now I am older

 

[RachelB]

I always avoid turning around on a hack, especially on my less-than-sensible rides. The horse I'm riding at the moment has learnt to bolt with her novice owner and I'm meant to be getting her out of the habit as far as I can. She doesn't need to be turned around, just vaguely facing home and she'll do a bunny-hop rear and try to canter off. Getting her out of the habit involves lots of hacks where I do a twisty loop round the local woods, turning for home where Kit jogs, then turning back away from home and she gives in. Eventually I'm hoping she'll realise that even though she's heading for home she may not be going home, so there's no point in being silly. I would certainly never, ever, ever turn around on a hack with her unless I absolutely had to. My horse on the other hand is very sensible and although she gets joggy sometimes, wouldn't do anything bad. The thing is I want to keep her that way and therefore would never turn her round on a hack either!
If that's the only way you can hack, then you'll have to do it and hope for the best. If there's another hack you can go on that goes in a loop then I'd stick to that until you can hack around the fields again.

 

[RachelB]

[ QUOTE ]
and my pony, well he would go out like an old slug and as soon as you turned towards home, it was like coming back sat on the washing machine on spin cycle

[/ QUOTE ]
haha, that sounds like a couple I know - in fact one felt more like a sewing machine!!

 

[Hornby]

It could happen but I think only if your horse is very fresh (or encouraged). So long as YOU control the hack it should be ok, you don't have to go straight home you could come half way home then turn back to the end again and repeat till she is not aniticipating.

 

[FinellaGlen]

We only have one hacking route and it involves turning around at some point and heading back along exactly the same track. Sometimes my mare is quite keen to get home and she jogs but at other times she is as calm on the homeward bound leg of the journey as the outward one. She is actually better behaved when we hack alone than when we go out in company.

 

[Fahrenheit]

[ QUOTE ]
haha, that sounds like a couple I know - in fact one felt more like a sewing machine!!

[/ QUOTE ]

hmmm I have to say I have not experienced sitting on a sewing machine!!

 

[Ravenwood]

Instead of going right to the end and turning around each time, perhaps you could turn at different times and then turn back again. When you are heading for home, ride right past the yard drive and continue on if thats possible.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

My mare gets silly if you turn round and go back exactly the same way, that said she would have been silly the 1st time too!!!

 

[reddie]

My old mare used to be like a donkey on the way out and a race horse on the way back, and i always did circular hacks but she'd always know when she was her way back home. I still avoid turning back but my horse is pretty placid and doesn't alter his speed if we do have to turn back so hopefully yours might be of the same temprament.