Hacking to a show????

[FullThrottle]

Would you do it?? I'm hoping to go to a local show on the 21st of this month at a big livery yard which is a 15-20 min hack from my yard, Pony is a bit of a hyper lunatic so the upside of hacking to the show is he will have settled down by the time i get their, but i would rather go in a trailer or lorry if i can sort it out, did have transport sorted out, but another livery on our yard has stuck her oar in and convinced the lady with the trailer to take her instead of me!!!!

 

[Dobby]

I did this with a friend a few weeks ago. It's fine! It gives you both a chance to settle. I would say it also gives them a chance to get the tickle out of their toes, but as it happened we went round the 2ft class at 90mph. Nothing wrong with it though, go for it.

 

[Kizzy2004]

I used to do it all the time when i was a kid as that was the only way of getting to local show. Unfortunately don't have any local to me anymore but i would still do it if there were!!

 

[Snowysadude]

I have many times, just depends on how much you will be doing as its the hack home as well!! I have gone on a 1.5 hour hack there a and a 1.5 hour hack back on a very fit horse before and he was just fine. Having said that i just walked and did small bits of trot to warm up/cool down on the way and then only did 2 rounds. My current horse has hack 1h10mins there and the same back to a local show again just walked and he was fine! He wasnt really fit though, just had a good level of fitness

 

[maxapple]

I do it all the time. I hack to a venue an hour away, do a couple of jumping classes then hack back. I just stick my coat / hi-viz suff on over show gear and then take it all off & leave it in a little pile somewhere while I do my classes!

There's always someone around willing to hold on to my horse for a few mins so I can pop to the loo when I'm there - and I can usually beg a bucket so I can give my boy a drink.

 

[zoelouisem]

I used to do this regulary when i was younger even when i was competing BSJA, it wasnt unknown for me to ride and lead 2 to a show either, funny thing was i always won when i hacked too. Ive also taken my young daughter and lead her on her pony to local shows. Gets them out then and saves on deisel bills and better than sitting at home not been able to get there. Go for it!!

 

[rubysmum]

do it at least once a month - 7 mile round trip & my horse is nearly 21- we usually manage to stay reasonably clean
see below

& yes - i do know i'm sitting like a mad dwarf

if i'm going totally solo i take a little rucksac & pack headcollar & baling twine so i can the bemoth up - if i've managed to bully some ground support they take a hay net & i blag a tie up on someone elses' box
the only real problem i find is making sure i have class times that allow me to hack there in daylight & hack back before it gets dark....
enjoy your show

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

in years past, as a child, i would think nothing of riding 15 miles to a show!!! and doing several classes then riding home .. tho in the summer! you will be fine your horse worked in and settled when you get there. have you got a friend who can meet you there with a grooming kit(if req for show classes!) a clean fresh numnah (in case you got sweaty on the way) some water and a hay net? just remember to get off your horse, remove his saddle and brush off and give him a break before you go in a class. good luck and have fun!!!

 

[Honey08]

We used to hack for hours to shows when I was a kid, and the ponies never bothered!

15-20 mins is the perfect warm up/cool down period anyway. At our local RC show, someone always ties a horse up on the other side of our trailer!
(They ask!)

 

[FullThrottle]

Cool, other people i know are going and i also have a few friends on livery at the yard that is holding the show, so i will have somewhere to put him, we have a lorry owned by a girl on our yard but know one to drive it as her dad usually drives us but he is unwell and my dad would normal step in but is also still in hospital following a stroke, My pony is super super fit, so that wont be a problem.

 

[JessPickle]

I regularly hack an hour to a local show! we walk the whole way to conserve energy, but has never done us any harm! even have to cross a motorway bridge and the horses are fine! I always nab someone to come and hold onto Pickle while I walk the course etc though, whether that be my dad, my sister or one of the kids from the yard who I give a ride on Pickle on in return