Hacking with others... am i right to be upset?

I would put this one down to experience.

You now know who not to ride out with, and in future if you ask to go out with someone ask them what they are planning to do out on the hack.

I would presume most people would know if you aren't the most confident person and should be able to tell you if they plan to do more than you would maybe feel confident with.

You have openly admitted you aren't the most confident person so it doesn't sound as though you would be offended by someone telling you they want to do more than you would so just say that to them next time and then everyone knows where they stand and the person you are asking to join can say no with no worries of upsetting you.

The ohter girl you normally ride with, is she usually OK? If so it could well be them showing off to their other friend and for this reason I wouldn't completely write her off, just perhaps avoid them as a pair to ride with.
 
They sound like a lovely, respectful pair!

But then again, its always best to ask what their plan is, at what speed and then you can decide if your ok with that or not, being a self confessed nervous rider. I suppose they are just used to it being them two that go out together and all of a sudden they have someone wanting to tag along who isnt as confident. It doesnt excuse their attitude towards private property, I think id be having serious words with the YO about this issue.

I personally find this a pain in the backside and its always better to go out either on your own or with a genuine good friend. This way you can go at your own speed and do things your own way without worrying about anyone else.
 
I have a problem with my horse when out hacking, although all of ours if off road. My boy is fine on his own unless he meets another horse on the track, then he completely loses his head. The same goes for when being with other horses, he can be fine however when canter gets involved he just completely loses it and goes ballistic! Sadly he is a rearer so I get all the snorting, sidestepping, prancing and huge rears! :o

A few weeks ago my friend was going out on a hack with her sister in law (who was borrowing a pony!), they asked me to come and I said that I'd possibly catch up with them as I was getting my nets and stable done first. Please note that they were on two VERY safe horses who didn't have a bolt, buck or rear in them! Anyway I saw them in the big field so I decided to go and meet them with Sandy, now at this point Sandy had never had a group canter.
So I asked if we could have a canter as I wanted to see how Sandy would react, sadly he went ballistic and took off! My friend and her sister in law were fine, like I said they were on fab horses who are so chilled! When I pulled Sandy up he just did all the rears and sidesteps.
They offered to walk around with Sandy but I refused, I didn't want to ruin their ride! So I rode back to the yard and did some work by myself, they were more than happy for me to tag along however I didn't want to hold them back!! The sister in law doesn't get to ride very often so I would have hated to have ruined/interfered with her ride.

Given Sandy's nature, if I am hacking with someone then I always ask what they want to do and make my decision based on that. After all I don't want to put anyone else in danger with my horses behavior, sadly not all horses are saintly enough to keep cantering quietly when a speedy pony goes hurtling past at 100mph and then starts rearing at the top of the hill! :p
 
One of the reasons I ALWAYS hacked out on my own. I could go where I liked, when I liked and at the speed I wanted to. I've seen some spectacular accidents as a result of groups going out together (usually teenage girls it has to be said) and often doing exactly what they said they wouldn't. I went out to ride not chat anyway.
 
Oh dear.
Maybe they didn't want you to join them, but since they agreed, it would be reasonable to assume polite behaviour and that means going at the least confident persons pace (as in any sport in fact). It's definitely out of order to canter around a corner and not check everyone is ready. I often hack out with the same person and she understands that if my boy is having an off day we won't canter in the usual places. Equally as he always has to go first I will check over my shoulder to make sure she is ok behind. If the rider behind looks unhappy or out of control it's only safe to pull up and check they are ok! Very selfish to gallop off and leave them, there will always be another day for a gallop, but it can take years for a rider to rebuild confidence.

The garden gallop is out of order. These folk can ruin it for everyone, people get p d off and then don't let you use their stubble fields and tracks etc.

As for getting off, only you know your horse and where you feel safest. Don't ever feel you have to stay on board if you don't want to and you feel your horse would listen better to you from the ground (which will be the case if you are more confident there than in the saddle at that time) it's nonsense about horses thinking they have won! They just don't think like that, they just want to be safe! it's a really old fashioned lot of ...nonsense.

Anyway don't hack with them as a pair again but don't worry about it, these things happen around horses.
 
Sarah1 said:
Agreed.

OP, I know it's hard when you're frightened but you really do have more chance of controlling your horse on board than from the ground.
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Not always! With a group, yes, I am safer on board. Alone, no, I would hop off if he was really troubled, I can get him past anything when I'm by his head.
 
lastchancer said:
Yeah they just sound like muppets, there's a lot of them around horses these days, just keep away from 'em and don't let them get to you.
Once upon a time riders were expected to have common sense and manners, now it's always the horse/general public to blame when something goes wrong...
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I am amazed at some of the replies!
Regardless of the OP's abilities/nerves/requests, these riders should not have been cantering round a blind bend/ increasing speed before every-one in the ride was on the track/riding on private land and any right-minded person would not have been expecting this appalling behaviour.
OP, I think you need to find some better mannered hacking companions. Well done for controlling your horse in this difficult situation. I really don't think you have any need to be nervous, if you can cope as well as that.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I am amazed at some of the replies!
Regardless of the OP's abilities/nerves/requests, these riders should not have been cantering round a blind bend/ increasing speed before every-one in the ride was on the track/riding on private land and any right-minded person would not have been expecting this appalling behaviour.
OP, I think you need to find some better mannered hacking companions. Well done for controlling your horse in this difficult situation. I really don't think you have any need to be nervous, if you can cope as well as that.
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Agree, just to clarify - it was the ignorant riding companions I was referring to as muppets, not the OP, she just wanted to have a safe ride..
 
No its not nonsence about getting off a horse they will learn to take the piss if you do get off them when they start getting quirky! If you talk to them and pat them on the neck they generally settle specially if they are a quiet ride! Getting off them teaches them that whenever they tense and jig about you'll get off! Horses are not stupid! I've seen people get off them before and ended up being ccought in the head as the horse leaps in the air spooking because of the riders panache!
 
I would say to be telling people they are wrong to dismount in any circumstances shows a certain level of naiveity, as there are certain situations when it is safer to do so. I work with racehorses, so am not a complete idiot, yet one of the horses I have at home I will dismount, as she then calms down. No amount of stroking it on the neck and talking to it will calm it down once it loses it.
 
I'm saying making a habit of jumping off them does give them bad habits! Racehorse's deffinately! There's always different situations and I'm on about this imparticular situation! I've never said its wrong but to watch for them 2 get a habit! How can u say I'm nieve when you don't know what my level of experience is or how I ride? I've never stated that at all?
 
katiesdolphin said:
No its not nonsence about getting off a horse they will learn to take the piss if you do get off them when they start getting quirky! If you talk to them and pat them on the neck they generally settle specially if they are a quiet ride! Getting off them teaches them that whenever they tense and jig about you'll get off! Horses are not stupid! I've seen people get off them before and ended up being ccought in the head as the horse leaps in the air spooking because of the riders panache!
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No need to shout, and I don't agree with you.

It depends on the situation and the horse.
 
Omg, how am I shouting every 1 has they're own oppinions and all I'm doing is stating mine through my own experience as I'm sure every one else is lol! No need to start arguing over this like!
 
katiesdolphin said:
Getting off them teaches them that whenever they tense and jig about you'll get off! Horses are not stupid!
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I absolutely agree with you that horses are not stupid - my horse has learned to trust me as herd leader when her flight instinct is about to take over in that if I get off and calmly lead her past whatever is causing her fear she will follow. I don't think (know) she equates fear with me getting off, rather she equates me getting off and leading her past something that I can be trusted and she is safe to follow me.

That's my opinion based on my experiences with my horse - though I've never worked with racehorses and only have experience with hot headed WBs .
 
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katiesdolphin said:
No its not nonsence about getting off a horse they will learn to take the piss if you do get off them when they start getting quirky! If you talk to them and pat them on the neck they generally settle specially if they are a quiet ride! Getting off them teaches them that whenever they tense and jig about you'll get off! Horses are not stupid! I've seen people get off them before and ended up being ccought in the head as the horse leaps in the air spooking because of the riders panache!
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I respectfully invite you to come and ride my boy out . . . sometimes getting off him is the safest thing for him and for the rider. He has hurt me and himself bogging off because he is frightened (genuinely frightened, not taking the wee wee) . . . but he has never once done anything to hurt me when I've been on the ground. Not once. He has gone vertical under saddle and frightened professionals, but he has never once reared in hand. When he spins, rears, drops his shoulder, etc. on a tarmac road, I'd rather park him in a hedge and get off and reassure him from the ground than risk him bogging off and aggravating his navicular. He's bogged off in a Waterford bit with me pulling his back teeth out before now . . . once he's going, he's going. With me on the ground, he actually listens, calms down and recovers his senses. I actually value my life and his . . . so if he's really wound up, I will get off.

Please don't generalize. All horses and riders are individuals and all riders need to do whatever it takes to keep them and their horses safe.

P
 
I'm not here to argue smiley faces r there 2 show that! Every 1 is entiteled to an opinion and I feel very strong about not getting off a horse when they r spooking or tense! From my own experience I know that horses will inprove if they are shown confidence through the saddle! In your case an under lying problem like nervicular I know could only make him sore and uncomfortable if he is putting extra stress on himself when having a tizzy therefore can totaly understand why you'd get off him! I personally wouldn't b riding him but that's me
 
katiesdolphins - I don't understand why you are questioning Polar Skye about whether or not she should be riding her horse. It has been proven with many conditions in humans and in horses, that gentle exercise and strengthening the muscles around troublesome joints is the best way forwards. I think that every horse and rider are different, most owners try to do their best for the animals in their case, as Polar Skye has shown. By generalising as you are doing here, you are doing yourself and others a disservice.

With regards to the OP, I do think that their behaviour was rude and unsafe at times, although I also think that if they didn't want you to join them then they should have said. I also think that you know your horse best, so if it was better to dismount and lead from the ground,. then so be it.
 
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My point about your naivety is that you generalise that you should never get off. There are times when no you shouldn't and other times when yes you should.
 
No I never said that at all if you read what was said I said I personally wouldn't be riding a horse with nervicular! A horse with nervicular wouldn't suit me for what I do! So before saying that ive said something I havnt please read what has been said! I gave friends who have horses with navic some can be ridden some are to extreme and are companions!
 
Zaminda if you read my posts I've said they're r different cases and I'm on about the particular! Not many trainers would be too happy if u jump of the horses if they were playing up before an important piece of work with owners watching or before schooling coz they sence your windy lmao who do u ride for?
 
katiesdolphin said:
No I never said that at all if you read what was said I said I personally wouldn't be riding a horse with nervicular! A horse with nervicular wouldn't suit me for what I do! So before saying that ive said something I havnt please read what has been said! I gave friends who have horses with navic some can be ridden some are to extreme and are companions!
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Received wisdom is that the best remedy for navicular is work . . . on good ground . . . how DARE you question whether or not I should work or compete my boy. He is far from ready to be a companion.

P
 
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