Happy hackers/ low level competers, do you ever……

I've got the money time and horses but I'm honest with my self and KNOW I don't have the ability!
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....maybe in my next life....
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I love my hacking, in my dreams I would love to have just one go on a really well schooled horse and do a little dressage test. But I don't have the ability, I need a new body too at the age of 46 I don't bounce well either!

I wonder why do some people hate hacking?

I have a lorry and go out every week to hack somewhere; my favourite is Rockingham Forest, some of the tracks and bridleways are fantastic
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Yes, I'd love to. I have my own trailer and manage to get out and do a some unaffiliate SJ, HT and the occassional ODE.
However my budget for competing is limited and between that and my horse being lame on and off for a couple of summers (got through last summer ok so have fingers crossed for this year) we just never seem to get going.
I'd love to get out more often and build on what we've done up til now, but try to look at it that I'm lucky to be able to do anything at all.
 
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I wonder why do some people hate hacking?

I have a lorry and go out every week to hack somewhere; my favourite is Rockingham Forest, some of the tracks and bridleways are fantastic
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I don't think people associate hacking with riding like this - I think they associate hacking with riding straight off the yard, round the local roads (struggling to find off road bridlepaths etc) Not much fun if you've got a traffic shy horse.
Kate x
 
I spent 12 years competeting SJ/Eventing mainly with my TB mare, and it was great fun at the time. Most of my friends during this time were from the `circuit' and my life evolved around this way of life. The downside was that I put the starting of a family on hold, and now I think Ive left it all too late, but I live in hope.

Happy at the moment to just hack out, going to a few sponsored rides each year and a couple of hunts. A lot less pressure, but still as exciting! However, Im getting the bug to get a youngster again - thanks to HHO and making contact with my old competition friends via Facebook!
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I dislike competing, I get nervous and sick, my horse get stressed and is unhappy not to mention the travelling to and from. I also do not like to see the way some horses/ponies are ridden/treated.

We have beautiful scenery in the UK and to me, riding a horse in all sorts of situations and conditions on a hack is more rewarding. Having that bond of you depending and trusting the horse and he depending and trusting in you is better than any red rosette.
 
Have any of you guys who love hacking, have transport and time, but dislike the stress/hassle that goes with competing ever thought of trying endurance? Unless you take part in race rides, you don't compete against others - instead you try to achieve certain fixed targets, such as speed over the set distance, finishing with a heart rate (horse's!) under a certain level etc.

I've done most other disciplines in my time and only turned to endurance when it dawned on me that the sick feeling I got when waiting my turn in the SJ arena actually wasn't fun. Now I wish I'd found endurance far earlier in my riding career. It's a great way to enjoy the countryside and develop a bond with your horse, as you're in the saddle for a minimum of 2 hours (10 mile pleasure ride) and a maximum that depends how far you want to progress.

And the best thing is that because it's substantially 'uncompetitive', it's very friendly and free of the bitching you sometimes get in the dressage/SJ world.
 
I actually really like competing. When I chose a yard, I realised that the thought of only hacking really made me feel bored, and that at the very least I needed to have facilities for schooling. And from there, I decided that if I were going to school, I wanted something to compare myself again, so I decided to compete at dressage.

I'm not very good, but I do like having something to aim towards, and this has spilled over into my jumping. I don't do things on a big scale, but someday I hope to be good enough to affiliate at something
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Isabelle
 
I don't know really, I often think I want to compete to make others happy.. ie; People at my yard putting pressure on me all the time to go and compete.
When deep down I am just happy with doing fun things, like hacking, xc and jumping little courses.
I'm not really someone to compete although if I had the right horse I probably would..
 
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Would love to compete more but could never manage serious competig with working shifts. Plus I would need to add confidence to that list (and talent!)

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Same here, I have enjoyed doing RC prelim dressage (I think) - If only someone knew of a good website where you could order supplements for talent and confidence. I would have my credit card out pronto
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