Have you ever been taught how to hack ?

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itsmyparty

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On a recent riding holiday on Exmoor I was chatting to the ride leader and she was bemoaning the fact the people don't get taught how to hack - just expect to sit on the horse and let it do the work. Has anyone here ever been "taught" how to hack, and if so, what have you been taught to do ? Hacking in groups or alone ? On/off road ? Anything else ?
 
Oh, yes...I've taken many hacks out and there are a few rules, aside from the obvious of wearing hat, gloves etc.
Firstly, you ride with your stirrups shorter so you can take a light seat for faster paces.
Secondly, you need to work out an order that suits all the horses so no one gets kicked (kickers at the back), no one gets left behind, you don't have geldings behind mares in season etc.
Thirdly, you need to keep that order where possible....it is not a race to overtake the ride leader...who is often controlling the pace esp canter etc, to ensure that weaker riders remain safe.
Fourthly, you need to ride the horse positively past spooky objects, basically school it as though you were riding dressage, and work it on an outline...though not for the whole hack.
Fifth, if, God forbid, someone falls off, everyone should halt, and remain mounted except for the ride leader and one other...ride leader goes to the casualty whilst the other holds the three horses...if safe.
Lastly, you should always walk the horses the last mile or so home to cool them off...it's even better if you're game to hop off and lead the last few hundred yards...
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My old RS used to take people out on hacks once they were competent in the school.

The rules were basically what Shilasdair has posted, and as most of the horses weren't 'typical' riding school horses it meant you had to ride them.
They were either cheap from the sales with issues, or used for showing so sharp, and were always very excited to be going out for a hack rather than in the school.

We would go out for either an hour or 2 hours, and went on and off the roads in a big group... Galloping was fun, as there was always at least one runaway
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I also did the BHS riding and road safety course, which has been invaluable
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Another safety rule is that you always ride at the pace of the slowest/least experienced. Always wear hi-viz, always carry a mobile, always tell someone where you're going, always carry a lead rope. In Best Hacking Horse classes, you would also need to carry basic stuff like first aid, hoofpick, food for horse and rider, spare reins etc etc. In my experience though, the best hacking lesson is to get out there with a trusted companion and JUST DO IT! (Thank you Nursey!!!)
 
I was taught to be well mannered and safe on a hack, with rules much like the above. Plus things like; always say thank you to somebody slowing down in a car/bike/stepping aside for you on a path; thank people who open gates&wait for that person to get on before moving on (these are also important on the hunting field); if you are cantering and somebody appears on the path in front of you slow down; never canter past a stranger, especially if they're riding, always ask if you can pass; defensive riding - very important to control traffic when riding/driving horses! I know that the girls on my previous yard where never taught rules about hacking and haven't a clue when it comes to manners/safety.
 
Fifth, if, God forbid, someone falls off, everyone should halt, and remain mounted except for the ride leader and one other...ride leader goes to the casualty whilst the other holds the three horses...if safe.

'unless escorting rides at certain American summer camps where the key principle then becomes the 'emergency dismount' whereby if one bails, all do
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on occasion this also includes letting go of your mount at the same time '
 
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'unless escorting rides at certain American summer camps where the key principle then becomes the 'emergency dismount' whereby if one bails, all do
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on occasion this also includes letting go of your mount at the same time '

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I did once have an a**ehole who gave me a lengthy lecture about why the BHS exam system was c**p, then fell off a sensible horse in a gentle canter on a straight line, shouting 'I've been hunting - I know how to fall!' to which I replied 'I've done BHS exams, I know how to stay on!'
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i feel most of the 'rules' mentioned for me are just common sense!

apart from the order of the group 1 which only really came into play when taking clients out, we had a member of staff @ the front & back with less experienced riders nearer them.

i did my BHS exam when i was just 12 (minimum age!), i always say thank-you & wear floures/reflectives
 
my friend had ten little darlings fling themselves off screaming when one pony up front took a small spook and lost its rider, cue all riders letting go of ponies, and ponies disappearing into the distance down the trail... it was more than enough to put me off signing up!
 
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I was taught, in addition, that if you are trotting any distance you should change diagonal regularly - about every 50 strides.
 
I worked at a trail riding centre for a while....great fun...but there are some nutters in the world...
We used to make them fill in forms with their riding experience...you'd be amazed how many wrote 'Expert'
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Thanks for all of these. Most of them are commom sense, as someone said, but I'd not heard the one about changing trot diagonals - makes sense though. The place I went to made us all fill in a form with our riding experience. One guy had written "Novice" and when asked what sort of horses he liked to ride had put "white ones"!!! Needless to say he wanted to ride in trainers and had once ridden a donkey on the beach.....
 
its just common sense. I was never taught how to hack out, but ive been hacking out in groups since i was 8 years old you just pick it up.

One thing is ALWAYS thank nice mr land owner when useing a bridle path if you see him. doesnt cost anything and make nice mr land owner happier so that when it comes time to replace gates etc he puts in nice easy ones for riders to open and close. You never know if you stop and chat a while he might grant you access to more of his land (has happened several times to me) a smile and a good morning dont hurt.

And always close gates! we had one land owner round us who had a whole herd of cattle let out of the field and onto the road because one rider didnt shut the gate. he was not a happy bunny and has since removed the right for most riders to use the rest of his land (there is one field with a bridle path on it but at the top of the hill the bridle path turns right at a wall, if you go left there is a lovely ride, but you can only go left if you ask the farmer nicely).
 
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I worked at a trail riding centre for a while....great fun...but there are some nutters in the world...
We used to make them fill in forms with their riding experience...you'd be amazed how many wrote 'Expert'
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You are so right about that, I used to do the same. We stipulated everyone had to be able to walk, trot and canter before coming as we didnt have enough staff to split the rides. The number of people that turned up and had never even sat on a horse before was crazy, what can they actually gain by lying?! 9 times out of 10 we had to collect them at lunch time and ride their horses home for them because they couldnt cope!
 
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its just common sense. I was never taught how to hack out, but ive been hacking out in groups since i was 8 years old you just pick it up.


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You'd think so, wouldn't you? (Not picking on you in particular, Conniegirl, yours was the last post to say this). The girls on my last yard were in their early-mid teens and they had no idea about how to hack out in company. It should be common sense but it depends on the way people you hack out with act and how much CS you have in the first place!
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Far too much time is spent teaching horses and riders the finer art of dressage and not enough time is spent hacking out and being trained to be safe on and off the roads.
 
yes, i think this is all common sense. although i like the bit about taking food for horse and rider- I've got images of haynets and picnics in tow!! haha!

With regard to courtesy, another one that hasn't been mentioned is respect the bridleways we have- ie don't go galloping across a bridleway in an open field when the ground is wet. Otherwise grumpy landowner, and potentially removal of bridleway/access to land!!!!

And, if in a group, make sure everyone knows that you are about to trot or canter. It's not much fun when you're trundling along on a long free rein and the rest take off!!
 
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my friend had ten little darlings fling themselves off screaming when one pony up front took a small spook and lost its rider, cue all riders letting go of ponies, and ponies disappearing into the distance down the trail... it was more than enough to put me off signing up!

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What is that all about? Is it actually policy that everyone get off if someone falls off, or is it paranoia that all the ponies are about to bolt, or what?? Seems entirely bonkers to me !
 
not completely sure why this is done (general idea was it was something to do with kids not being particularly experienced and the sue-happy culture at the moment), but the first days of camp lessons were devoted to 'emergency dismounting' . Seems like a ridiculous idea to me, I can't imagine anything worse to happen on a ride out have every small child fling themselves off on purpose. Either way, if one fell off, everyone else was meant to emergency dismount straight away...it is barmy as they are meant to do it at any pace, incident mentioned above was at canter. Can you imagine being half way through a days trail ride with up to 10 injured kiddies, no ponies and being a good few hours away from base?!!
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Many years ago in Pony Club, we had a fab old guy who taught us Riding and Road Safety. We were taught how to hack, shoulder in past spooky things and generally look after ourselves and our mounts on the road and in the countryside. I do think a lot of people are oblivious to the dangers of riding on the road.
 
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