hacking out solo all the time pros and cons ?

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northernsoul

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Havent posted for ages really had to re register last year as well anyway - my horse and i hack out solo really due to times i can ride sometimes just quickies sometimes longer i am a single parent and working so ride as often as i can so we tend to hack out solo have done for years we hack on roads, tracks etc and all good, i often wonder hes rising 7 had him since he was three if i should spend time hacking with others times an issue when others all hack out together i often wonder what he would be like out hacking with naughty horses he has in past and been good i enjoy doing my own thing and route and doing what i want my chill out time ive had a tough personal life who hacks out solo mostly ? I think sometimes i think id be worried about other horses teaching my horse bad habits ie bolting etc if the y did , spooking etc,,
 
I much prefer riding out on my own (with Shy obviously). We can go at our own pace, he has little legs, and I hate playing "catch up" with big horses. We can go as fast or as slow as we like, we can go where we like, and we can stop and gaze at views (he loves his views). And i don't have to make chit chat - although I talk to Shy a lot.

God I am anti-social :eek:
 
I don't ever think it is a problem to be able to hack alone. It teaches your horse to be brave and confident. I've found those that hack alone better in the company of 'naughties'. When me and boy go out with something spooky instead of feeding off it and getting himself into herd mentality "it obviously is going to kill us, lets all be frightened!" He just looks at the other as if to say "what? I've been past that loads of time on my own!"

ETA; I know what you mean about chill out time. I love it when it's just me and my boy. I will except company if someone wants to come along but I hack a lot on my own too.
 
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I keep mine at home so for the last 2 years I've hacked alone constantly, I've been to a fun ride and some folks have been here for a hack and my haffy was a total star, but before we moved here we always hacked in company. I miss having my friends around to go out with I think it's more fun for me and more fun for my horse as we all feed off one and other. I tend to be so much more cautious these days, always worried about what if's, I don't do that at all when I've got back up. I wouldn't worry about it though, you do what you can when you can and that's all any of us can do, as long as your enjoying yourself and your horse is happy that's all that matters.
 
I almost always hack alone, I share a horse that is kept at home so rarely anyone else to ride with unless it's the weekend and his owner is about to ride her other one.

I like going on my own as I can explore places, go at my own speed, talk to myself and generally relax. I like riding with the horses owner as we can chat and it's nice for a change but generally I prefer my own company. But I do every day as well as riding.

My boy is very good out on his own, he's better on his own than with company. He gets excited, jogs and can be hard to stop with company. So although going for a canter with his mate is fun when you're going, trying to stop the pair of them (both ex racers) can be a real issue! Much less hassle on my own!
 
I haven't hacked out with anyone for a long time. My horse used to be so spooky and bolshy that a solo hack without any drama was the one thing I wanted to have a few years ago! Now he barely puts a foot wrong and we have no issues. A friend tried to hack him out with his 2 field mates the other day and apparently he was very badly behaved - whether it was being in their company or something else I don't know.

Sometimes my hubby comes out on foot with us but I enjoy going out on my own, especially after a day at work when its my job to talk to people all day (I'm a therapist). I am on a private yard too with just the YO so its always nice and quiet. Now that spring has (sort of) sprung then we can get out much more!
 
Prefer hacking alone like people have said you can go at your own pace, however when i loaned me and owner used to ride out togethor and we had a laugh :)) i do miss riding :( i only hack out with people i trust (also horses) as i have confidence issues! Xxl
 
if I hack alone, I have fun. if I hack in company my horse appears to want to kill me! so hacking alone is what I've done for the last 13 yrs!

its hard coz the more she gets used to go out alone the harder it is to go with another horse, shes a massive stress head, has to be in front, but jogs the whole time, bolts if you go faster than walk! has chucked me on the floor, trampled me and bolted for 5 miles down country lanes! so I can only assume something horrible happened in her past to make her like that!
 
I've hacked alone most of the time for the past 12 years, and have just moved to a yard where I ride with others once or twice a week with my new boy.

It's nice to go with someone else and have a bit of a natter, but I do love going alone. I can decide to ride or not ride at the last minute, change my mind about where I'm going half way through the ride without upsetting anyone else, stop to talk to friends I see for as long as I like and go at whatever speed I want without having to consider anyone else.

Think I may just be selfish actually........
 
I hack alone by choice because both of my mares are so much faster than the QH owners who are content to amble on the trails. I hate being miles infront and having to pull up or turn all the time and it winds the girls up, it just doesn't work.
So my riding companions are others with faster horses, we have quite a group of us now, mainly with arabs and gaited horses.
 
I am envious of your hacking alone it sounds relaxing! I have always done it on other horses due to no buddies around but my latest horse is quite spooky so needs company for new routes at the mo, and we have enough companions to make that possible! I certainly don't see it as a bad thing, if you ever sell your horse it is the one thing that seems hardest to find, a horse that genuinely doesn't mind hacking alone.

My horse doesn't really react to what others are doing as much as some, that depends how confident and independent your horse is I think. Most horses I've ridden would want to canter if the others went off ahead, mine is like 'nah, effort' when I'm like 'come on they're going without us!'
 
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