Hacking problem - Did I do the right thing?

Karran

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 April 2011
Messages
1,558
Location
London
Visit site
Background.
Since Easter I have part loaned a lovely NF x TB 3 days a week. We do mostly flatwork and occasionally pop a small jump.
I do love my hacking but unfortunately there is a lot of roadwork involved to get anywhere. I've taken her out a few times in a group where she got very over excited as she'd not been out regularly hacking and I was new to the yard and perhaps unwise in my choice of hacking buddies.
A few times with one other very calm nanny horse where she took the lead and strode out for 2 hours no problems.
I wanted to get her used to hacking out alone - I'm very often unable to hack out with nanny horse and the others as mentioned are perhaps too excitable at this stage and anyway, I'm often on my own.
Horse's owner does not hack her alone as understandably worried about accidents but is happy for me to do so, provided I pick my times wisely (eg not the school run and when the half hour bus isn't due!) and that I suitably boot and Hi-Viz myself which I am happy to do so.
We've spent a few weeks pottering along the same halfhour lollipop shaped route which is all roadwork.
Today I decided to put my Brave Pants on and take her a 40 minute route to a field, have a sedate walk and trot round and head back.
So off we toddled, she was a little snorty which I put down to the excitement of a field and being on her own but I tried to keep her mind in gear by doing a few transitions and circles in suitable places.
Unfortunately on the way back to the entrance we met a lady and her dog.
Cue meltdown. There was spinning, there was bouncing, there was rapid reverse. In the end for my own safety I got off, walked her past and then tried to remount only with the same effect. I got genuinely scared and walked her back to the yard as I felt safer and had more control while she skittered about behind me.
Got back to the yard, and I jumped back on in the school and cantered her around a bit, figuring she clearly had excess energy to spare and then got her working and thinking, transitions, shapes, leg-yields etc.
I then took her back out and we did our usual lollipop roadwork route and apart from one little spook she remained responsive and listening to me.

Did I do the right thing? I do mean to check with my usual RI and Horse Owner but I took the assumption that I had pushed too much too soon and put us both in this tizzy. I will continue on our little route for a bit longer and then try and find some other short road hacks to get her used to other routes and keep the exciting field for when I can go out with Nanny Horse as she is perfect then - we only walk and trot around that field so I don't think she was anticipating a good canter, I just don't think she had enough trust in me to tackle that yet.
 
Sounds like you handled it well, well done :)

Next time you could maybe school/canter in school and then do the same route again :)
 
You sound incredibly sensible and level headed, I can't think of a better approach :) Keep going the way you're going and it should work out great - working in both of your comfort zones and just pushing a little bit every so often, but taking a low key approach to sorting things out when they go a bit wrong. Nice work :)
 
I think you did the right thing, I like that you worked her in the school then went out again on the route she knows, it sounds as if the pony has not really been exposed to much in her life so you will find at times she finds something new hard to cope with.
It also sounds as if she has far too much energy, 30 mins hacking is nothing unless there is a reason to only be doing that I would also do the same in the school some days, a bit of hard work usually works to settle them then go out and try something new.
 
Fantastic :) I quickly spoke to one of the other liveries on my way home and she said that getting off was the last thing she'd have done so I have been worrying a little if I handled it correctly.

You're both welcome to share the bottle of wine I brought on my way home to help my shattered nerves!
 
Yes she does need more work and more variety in what she does. She's 13 now and has led a fairly sedate life - not that I'm looking for anything other than that!
The few problems we had at the start with unsuitable buddies put me off a fair bit and its only in the last month that I've been taking her out and about again.
I did think that if I do that again I'll school first and burn some energy off!
 
Yes, I do think in this case you did the right thing. I've done this before because sometimes it is the safest thing. Choose your battles wisely ;)

I would school first too, have a really good schooling session then hack as a reward.
 
You did whatever it took to keep you and the mare safe.. what more can anyone ask. I used to feel safer on top, but really it's down to personal preference and safety.

Agree with the school first to take some of the wind out of her sails!
 
Agree with all ^^^ - you handled the situation well and that a bit of hard work in the school before you hack out could well settle her. As you both seem comfortable in the school, another idea would be to build a handy pony style obstacle course to de-sensitise her to any potential hacking "horrors" within the confines of four walls
 
You handled it perfectly. But I don't think you should go back to the lollipop route for too long, this is a problem which is only going to improve the more variety she gets. I'm afraid you may have to keep those big girl pants and just get on with it. If you're happy on the ground that's great, whenever there's an issue just jump off. I used to do this all the time with green horses, meant I was happy, they were happy with someone to follow and it would only be a few rides before I could stay on the whole time without horse getting anxious over things
 
You handled it well! I got off my ex racer yesterday morning as we were just coming home and at the end of the drive there is piggies! She planted and refused to go further accompanied with rearing, spinning and running backwards. Out of character for her normally a smack on the shoulder sorts her out so I just dismounted, slapped her one with my stick adn led her past the pigs and down drive back to the yard..
I could have sat there and had it out with her but it was early morning, we were on a road I had to get to work and there was a car coming!
 
Yes also agree with all, it was the sensible thing to do to keep safe. She will still see you as leader and you both got through it, you also got back on and schooled - no problem. Ignore the people who say 'I would never get off' they weren't there and it wasn't their horse.
Have many hacking adventures together.
 
Fantastic :)
My previous loan was a very green NF, if he ever got too silly he was perfectly happy for me to lead him past in either direction and then I'd hop back up and then ride him past and he was fine so I hoped it would be the same with her, it was the being unable to get back on that really concerned me as I felt like I'd quit and let her get her own way a bit. And he was only 13.3 so hopping up and down was a lot easier for a short-arse than scrabbling back onto a 15.2!!

I am trying to look up some other short routes but am limited to where I can go due to Horse Owner's wishes/busy roads and no real access to anything off-road.
I go to see her again on Sunday, I will give her a good session in the school and then we'll try another potter to somewhere a little different.

Thanks again :)
 
You where very sensible. It can take many years of regular daily riding to get a horse totally laid back in traffic. I got mine used to being ridden by itself through Central London by itself so it is possible.
 
Top