Horses that hate hacking?

[ironhorse]

Does anyone else have a horse that does not find hacking relaxing? Haven't hacked out much from our new yard as in the week the traffic is terrible and we're mainly competing at weekends.
We took the mare for a wander up to the local ag college yesterday as some of our friends were showing - it's about 10 mins road work and then a 20 min walk up a farm drive. There's no-one to hack with so I walk while OH rides - the mare will follow me anywhere and I can stop any traffic passing too close. But she continually spooked and at one point when OH told her off put in a huge buck. She refused to relax, walking at top speed. Once we got to the college, she let out this big sigh (we go there to school quite often) and was totally happy and content when I rode her in their outdoor arena for a few minutes.
She was just as bad on the way back and almost flattened me by whipping round - which she would never do at home.
I'm not that bothered about hacking, but worry about her getting stir crazy in the school. She will wander round our fields in a reasonably relaxed way, although we can rarely do this because there are usually horses turned out. I used to ride around the farm at our previous yard, but even there she was always snorting and spooking.
We do go to lots of shows and clinics so she does get variety, and in the winter I lunge her and work in hand. In the show ring she is one of the quietest and most chilled horses you could hope to ride.
Do I just accept that she is happier not hacking?
Sorry for the long post!

 

[AmyMay]

I've never met a horse that doesn't enjoy hacking. However, met plenty that were genuinly worried on the roads through lack of confidence.

 

[katie_and_toto]

My pony is not a particulary happy hacker, but then again neither am I. He's ok if there's another pony, but he can be quite spooky on his own. But, he's getting a lot better now as we're hacking him out more

 

[jumpthemoon]

If the traffic is really bad it sounds like a recipe for stressful hacking tbh! I would imagine you and your OH would be quite stressed about it too which would easily transmit to the horse - it is pretty scary riding down busy roads, especially when you are expecting the horse to be a bit spooky.

One of the hazards of being on a yard on a busy road, I guess...

 

[ironhorse]

OH is a very calm rider which is why I let him do the riding on the roads! There was hardly any traffic yesterday thank goodness.
She probably would be better with a calm horse and the YM's mare is bombproof, but because like us he competes a lot the only time he has to hack is mid week when we'd be tangling with buses, lorries and tractors so not conducive to her state of mind improving, so I'm a bit stuck at the mo...

 

[Pep12]

Can you not box her somewhere traffic free to hack? Like local forestry or beach or toll ride. Bridle path networks near -by. I have to do this at this time of year cause of heavy farm machinery over harvest time.`

 

[cptrayes]

"I've never met a horse that doesn't enjoy hacking."

I'd never met one either and I didn't believe they existed - only riders that cause spooky horses - until I bought one.

I've had him three years and he would never hack out if he had his choice. I'm a VERY strong (physically and mentally) rider. I take on other peoples behavioural "failures" and sort them out. But I bought this one newly broken and he is an incredible, dangerous napper. Only three days ago it took me an hour to get him past a house where there was some scaffolding being erected. He can take exception to anything - a flower which has grown on a verge when it was not there last week, a stone fallen out of a wall, a parked motorcyle with no rider on it. I'm not sure why I keep doing it really, except it doesn't seem right to only ever ride him in the arena.

Yes, they exist, and maybe your mare is one of them. I think she would probably let you know soon enough if she didn't like being ridden only in an arena.

 

[TarrSteps]

There are horses in the world that don't enjoy hacking, even under perfect conditions. Never say "never" or "always" with horses.

I started a half dozen horses for the same breeder, so they all had exactly (as much as you can say) upbringing, handling and circumstances. The hacking on the farm was lovely, quiet and private on their own 165 acres. Five of the horses hacked out fine, seemed to enjoy it and were safe from the get go.

The sixth was tense, spooky and obviously stressed every time he left the ring. He also went happily and calmly to large national dressage shows with 5 rings running, golf carts, tractors, water trucks and general mayhem so you can't say he was underexposed or naturally timid. He didn't hack any better at a boarding stable he stayed at for the winter, even in the company of calm, older horses. Even getting to the dressage ring, which was a good five minute walk and out in a stand of trees, could be a production, although he was fine when he got there. He went because he was told but he was clearly never enjoying himself.

He was bred to be a dressage horse and he wasn't interested in being anything else, thanks. Don't underestimate the power of specialised breeding.

Not every horse enjoys jumping, and many don't enjoy cross country. Not everyone loves chocolate or watching football, or having a drink although clearly lots of people do. Why should hacking be different? I fail to see why forcing a horse to do something it clearly finds unpleasant is "good for it".

If it's important to you to hack then you can keep trying up to whatever point you feel is reasonable and see how you get on, or, if it's a deal breaker, find another horse.

Never teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

 

[Nari]

[ QUOTE ]
Never teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

[/ QUOTE ]

Never heard that one before - I love it

One of mine seems to find hacking very stressful & it doesn't seem to make any difference if it's an off-road track, quiet lane or busy village. He's happy & relaxed in the school though. I periodically try very short hacks out, usually with a person on foot as that gives him a little more confidence, but don't really know why I bother.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
But I bought this one newly broken and he is an incredible, dangerous napper

[/ QUOTE ]

Could that have been the problem - newly broken????

 

[cptrayes]

I doubt it, I've broken loads of others and done exactly the same things with him and he's a law unto himself.