Help with hacking youngster out first time and alone

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Muddy Wellies

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What tips do people have? Roads are pretty empty but single and sometimes fast round here. I have nobody to hack out with but would like to start hacking my youngster out. He has built a lot of confidence with me and I don't want him to get too comfy in the same old place all the time so he needs to grow up and see some things.

Just not sure how to tackle it all by myself? My partner can walk with me but I want to make sure it's a good first experience.

Thanks for any help in advance :)
 
Go as early in the morning as possible to avoid any traffic. Partner on foot is definitely a good idea. It will give your horse confidence and they can help with any scary potential 'monsters' you may find. Put OH between 'monster' and your horse.
 
If you have no other horse to go with you I would start by going for a short walk up the road and back with someone on foot to assist if required, ideally walking behind so the horse is not following them, do some usual work then cool off by going for a walk. Once he can do this happily a few days in a row pick a quiet time and a short route and set off again with someone following if this goes well you should then be fine to venture out further, if you are still unsure the person walking could go the opposite way and meet you, I sometimes do this with another horse and rider we meet halfway and ride back together along the busier part of the ride.
 
I would be long reining first, teaches them to go forward in comparative safety for you and they don't rely on someone else with them. The times I had someone on foot with me at first was always far worse than long reining alone to start with as it's like a double weaning; you still have to go on your own at some point, might just as well get it over and done with.
 
Totally agree on the long reining, I have always done this first. It's great for confidence. If you haven't long reined before make sure you practise off road first! I walk mine out in-hand, then move on to long reining with someone else on foot at the front, then long reining on our own. Then riding! I don't have anyone to hack out with either but this has always worked.
 
I led mine out for a month wearing a bright orange high viz tabard with L plates on (most drivers seemed to appreciate what they meant). We have a single track lane, but it's a cut through so people do tend to come through there quite fast. I put myself between me and the vehicle. After a month, I rode out with one or 2 very quiet horses - infact, they walk so slowly, I ended up going in front - the first time I hacked him out though, a friend came on foot (after a month's traffic proofing). also, I used to lead him up to the T junction where there is a very busy road with buses, lorries etc. (though it's a steep hill so they can't go more than about 40-50mph) - the junction there is quite wide, so I would stand there feeding him bits of bread/carrot as the traffic whizzed past. We also led past wheelie bins and stuff like that - gave him plenty of chance to sniff everything and so on. (When I was doing all this stuff, he was broken, but unschooled and had never been hacked out). He's now pretty much traffic proof (though he will take a look at lorries and very high vehicles, but doesn't do anything) and very laid back about potentially scary things. Good luck!
 
I was lucky and had others to go out with and then one evening there was a problem with one of the horses and I had to go ahead alone to get back to the yard and seek help. I sang to Lula all the way back and she was great! Then I just cracked on and took her out alone and she's been a star, really enjoys herself! I think if you've done the groundwork (inhand walking out and long reining) then the ridden stuff is just the next step.
 
I agree leading out or long reining out the route you will be going and doing it quite a lot is good prep.

I dont see the 'alone' bit as a problem as I think a lot of horses who wont hack alone were left too long only hacking in company before going out by themselves. The earlier you do it, the easier it is for it to be a normal part of their life. It only needs to be a short pootle.

You dont need to go far at all, and dont worry if you can only do a route which involves coming back the same route, the more important thing is that the expedition goes smoothly and without incident. And remember, if you are brave they will be too. And you can always hop off if things get hairy (if you think you can, you wont need to but having the mental option helps!)
 
Is he safe around traffic when you're on the ground? I've never had a problem introducing mine to hacking out alone and I think it's because they all get used to going for walks before they are even starting 'real work'.
I've also found it works even better to teach them alone first and then with friends around as they don't even get to start worrying when going alone is 'the normal thing'.
 
Agree with the long-reining, I do hours and hours, as I only have my daughter to hack with in school holidays really. Never had a problem yet, and it also makes them much more independent.
 
I'm in your possition currently. I started by leading mine around and am now riding up the lane and around the fields. I don't go on the road as he panics at things around him and roads are fairly busy here! I didnt long rein purely because he is a panicker and I don't want Tarmac skiing lessons ;-)
 
I have the hi-viz tabard and hat band that have blue checks and a message on the back asking for motorists to slow down. All the people I have hacked out with are surprised how effective it is in slowing the traffic down. I think it is worth the higher price. :)
 
A gentle introduction has got to be good. Can you graze your horse next to a busy road before venturing onto it? Leading my Anglo-Arab out for the first time, a huge distillery lorry came around the corner and did not even slow down as the horse did a dance on hind legs.:eek: But a couple of weeks later in a field beside the same road, he was reaching through the fence to get at grass on the verge as the same lorries thundered past just inches away!;)
 
i've no busy roads to graze him near.
I would worry about him freaking long reining. I long rein him on a weekly basis and he is fab but i wouldnt dream of taking him out in long lines on the road. he has to be very tired to stand with the long reins on him, he likes to keep moving. He is totally used to them and I make a big deal out of moving them about on him and not being shy about what I want but if something worries him, the 2 lines are just another thing in the way to irritate him.

I am leading him over the road to hire a school at the weekend, so will start leading him places in my high vis, but I was thinking about taking my partner on foot as I find his useful to slow traffic down and walk near middle of road and make them pass wide, as the roads are quiet but are single roads and sometimes the cars ignore the speed limit.

thanks for advice though, I will see how leading goes and play it from there
 
I started off by leading my horse out for a walk down the road in all her tack. I had enlisted the help of a friend who was going to lead me down the road when it came to riding.

My friend took her for a walk down the road in all her tack, and I followed behind/alongsides walking; mainly as friend wasnt overly experienced with horses, but knew enough basic handling to be able to deal with her.

Did this for a few weekends in a row, the I hopped on and we went for a walk down the road with friend leading. Worked a treat
 
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