How do you create a solid hacking horse?

[AntiPuck]

I've been thinking about this a lot, as it's my long/med-term goal for my new horse, to get her much more comfortable (in herself), safe, and enjoyable to hack out - but how do you best go about doing that?

We are overcoming issues with napping, and also excitement when coming across other ridden horses out and about, but I do wonder if there are things I could be doing proactively rather than just waiting to come across these situations in the wild. I'd like to eventually start boxing her up to hack in new places, but I'd like to be a bit more on top of her current issues first, although that could take quite some time!

Obviously repetition is part of it, but I'd love to hear any other tips or tricks that you might use to train your horse to be a better ride out hacking.

 

[Tarragon]

I have two tactics I like to use.
One, is to go out long enough to tire out your horse and far enough to cover new ground regularly. That way, they might be spooky to start with, but if you go far enough they begin to take it in their stride. It gets you over the "spooky corner" syndrome, as in it is all new.
The other, is plenty of in hand work in the early days. Just you and the horse going out exploring together. It builds confidence in both directions.
I am not a believer in necessarily riding out with other horses. One pony I owned was much better on his own. He was happy to look for me for leadership when we were on our own, but switched allegiance to whatever horse we were riding with when out in company!
Some other good advice was to remember that the horse is not riding out on his own, he has you

 

[White Horse2]

Find your local endurance group, will be happy to help, peeps in front and behind, maybe a mate to come alongside, loads of room to tantrum, etc,

 

[asmp]

I personally think a good wingman (I probably should say wingpony) is worth their weight in gold. My oldie is great in traffic and is/was a great help riding out with our other horse. Same with water, go with one who is happy to go through it.

 

[ponynutz]

I did it very slowly with my very spooky mare.
Also getting them used to the idea that even if they're spooking - your leg means go (I did this by only asking after she'd had time to have a little look so she trusted I would only ask if it was safe).
Other than that it's just building a route they know well and then slowly adding bits to it so there's a security net for them there.

 

[Hallo2012]

lots of in hand walking out as a youngster

a SOLID wingman-honestly think this is most important and its so hard without it

 

[spacefaer]

A lot of it is down to temperament. We've had some that will march out regardless and others who are perpetually on guard.

I had a young Dutch warmblood who I hacked from the first day I had him. He'd been ridden away for 6 weeks. He never batted an eye at anything and he's now 21 and still doesn't. We've got an ID in his late teens who is still untrustworthy when the chips are down ?

 

[ponynutz]

Agree a good wingman - I did it without and took me AGES

 

[Michen]

Took both mine hunting.

 

[TPO]

A good foundation

Solid groundwork with no holes and taken into ridden work.

A horse thst is in front of the leg and releases to pressure will be a go anywhere do anything trustworthy type

 

[Miss_Millie]

I think I've had my horse for a similar amount of time to you, hacking is my main 'thing' so I also want to achieve this with her. I think that consistency is key - I try to ride my horse out hacking x number of times per week, to get her into the routine of it. I tried hacking her out alone too quickly which didn't help her confidence, so now we're doing lots of rides in company. Also make sure that the tack fits really well - might seem obvious but anything pinching or irritating will set your horse on edge and make them more likely to trigger stack.

I agree with everyone saying in hand work too - I'm trying to get her really responsive and tuned into me on the ground, which I think is helping her confidence when I'm riding her. Also, if anything really spooks her then I just get off and walk past in hand - it doesn't happen often but for my horse personally, she calms down much more quickly and then I just hop back on again.

I think it's all about building a strong bond/connection, which will take time, regardless of your discipline as a rider

 

[MuddyMonster]

Don't be afraid to have lessons out hacking - I did for a while & it was a game changer.

In-hand hacks also really helped my nappy native.

I did/do a lot of Trec style obstacle training too, first on the ground and then ridden.

Go out at busy times & letting them see stuff, in-hand at first if necessary. Ditto windy, rainy or other incemental weather.

Mine could barely leave the car park, he's the happiest hacker going now, he positively bounces along on his own or in company in any weather.

It takes time, consistency and setting the horse and rider up for success but totally worth it

 

[stangs]

All the above, but also introducing them to potential problems or spooky stuff in controlled environments. Aim of the game is to ideally establish in their minds that weird things might be fun (and/or treat dispensers), and that they can trust your judgement on whether something’s dangerous or not.

 

[maya2008]

Time, a calm rider, a ton of experiences and miles out and about. That said, some horses never make great hacking horses - depends what their past experiences have been like.

 

[AntiPuck]

Thank you so much for the suggestions, everyone.

Unfortunately, I don't have a reliable, regular ridden hacking buddy, I have to rely on others at the yard being occasionally up for it, and because my horse is young and also new to me - so I can't reliably predict her behaviour yet - I don't want to inflict her on anyone too much! She took a disliking to a horse on a group hack once, and I was mortified as she kept swinging her bum and pulling faces at it almost the entire time forcing us all to spread out a lot.

I can drag my partner out about once per week on foot, which does have a noticeable impact on her, though. I had an instructor come out with us a few times as well, which was useful in getting her over the worst of the napping, it's now quite half-hearted most of the time.

I haven't been confident enough to try a completely in-hand hack yet, just occasionally dismounting for rusty gates/planting, but probably should - i'm a bit wary about being on the ground with her when she's very upset, as rearing is her go-to move when over-threshold, and she's a big girl. We had someone rudely canter straight past us whilst I was on the ground the other day, and I was glad to get back on, although she didn't rear at that point, but did spin around for a while. I fear her rearing up and then getting away from me.

I recently bought a control headcollar, though, so perhaps need to just suck it up, use a long rope, and crack on with the in-hand hacks!!

Like the idea of sending her off hunting, but ideally with someone else on board for now!

I'm making her sound worse than she is, though - she's only been here 2 months and is improving all of the time, really pleased with her overall, but always good to get some tips.

 

[Northern Hare]

All of the above, but I think the area / location also makes a huge difference. Over the 20 years I had my horse we moved from one end of the country to the other quite a few times for work, so several yard moves.

I loved hacking out on our own and finding new routes and some yards were much better for this than others. Any yards that had a long stretch on the road to get to/from the off road hacking were ruled out as I feel that "petal" routes are better for the horse's mindset - I became quite picky, but I appreciate if your horse is on your own land that it's more difficult.

 

[TPO]

Look at Joe Midgley's website and his Good Horsemanship Channel videos.

Lots to do in hand and on the ground to build foundations while you get to know each other.

 

[minesadouble]

You can watch as many instructional videos and take as many hints as you like but in my experience a confident rider makes a confident hacking horse.
Conversely I've seen established good hacking horses turn into nervous hacking horses when ridden regularly by a nervous rider.
I know this is probably not very helpful but it's unfortunately true.

 

[PeterNatt]

My advice would be to ride your horse out each and every day for several hours so that it gets exposed to everything. Some horses can cope and some can't cope as they just don't have the temprement. My horse could be ridden by himself through central London and did not react to anything.

 

[sport horse]

A lot of it is down to temperament. We've had some that will march out regardless and others who are perpetually on guard.

I had a young Dutch warmblood who I hacked from the first day I had him. He'd been ridden away for 6 weeks. He never batted an eye at anything and he's now 21 and still doesn't. We've got an ID in his late teens who is still untrustworthy when the chips are down ?

I could not agree more. I breed and produce sport horses. They are all out of top class competition mares and by top class competition stallions. They are all backed at three years old and they go out for a short hack before being turned away until they are 4 when they come into proper work. They go out hacking with an older horse to start with but they are soon quite reliable on their own. That is ALL of them.

I often smile when I see people saying how expensive horses are and they only want a very average horse to do low level competitions. Remember those horses are bred from average stock. Why are they average and not better at their job? Quite possibly due to their temperament rather than ability.

The other point is that my riders are all reasonably competent and above all they are calm and do not anticipate any problems.

 

[SEL]

I think it's interesting to see how they are in the field. My mare that clings to anything with 4 legs hates hacking on her own and the tantrums are spectacular. The microcob will happily take herself off on her own in the field to explore / find a gap in the fence and she's an excellent hack. The Ardennes when he was in work was the same - he loved exploring.

My newbie hunted not long after he was backed and has hacked around farmland on his own but is very wobbly on the roads (not helped by some idiot practically sitting on his back legs first time out). I'm preparing to pop the leadrope on and get some blisters walking in hand on the roads to build up his confidence

 

[tristar]

get the O H a lovely bike

 

[ihatework]

You can watch as many instructional videos and take as many hints as you like but in my experience a confident rider makes a confident hacking horse.
Conversely I've seen established good hacking horses turn into nervous hacking horses when ridden regularly by a nervous rider.
I know this is probably not very helpful but it's unfortunately true.

This. For 99% of horses at any rate.
They either trust the rider or they don’t.

 

[chaps89]

It doesn’t help you I’m afraid, but I bought my last one on the basis of she was green and wobbly, yet hacked straight down an a road with skip lorries going past without batting an eyelid. It was just how she was.
In your situation practice practice practice and a super calm just gonna get on with it attitude.

 

[Identityincrisis]

I haven't read other replies but I love hacking and my horse must hack in company and alone. I bought my young arab who had barely been backed, he was very backward thinking, scared of everything and would plant/spin/rear but I preserved. I have to say, seeing other people hacking and the issues they have,a lot stems from the rider's lack of confidence. I'm very confident and comfortable out hacking and my horses sense that and gain confidence from me.

My horse is now a real happy hacker and even nannies other horses now (although I hate doing that!)

 

[Identityincrisis]

The other point is that my riders are all reasonably competent and above all they are calm and do not anticipate any problems.

So many riders anticipate things and create a problem before it even enters the horse's head! Absolutely , be prepared but don't tense up and tell the horse there is something to be scared of.

I get sick of hearing 'oh Prince doesn't like this/that/other' turn his head away from it, ride a lateral movement to engage the brain on you and don't make a big deal!

 

[Identityincrisis]

You can watch as many instructional videos and take as many hints as you like but in my experience a confident rider makes a confident hacking horse.
Conversely I've seen established good hacking horses turn into nervous hacking horses when ridden regularly by a nervous rider.
I know this is probably not very helpful but it's unfortunately true.

This!

 

[Laurac13]

Great advice from everyone so far, just to add don’t be afraid to dismount to get past any spooky areas to give the horse a comfort blanket it worked for my boy when he was younger and my old horse who ended up being a horse I could hack for hours on his own I just got off if they genuinely got stuck / worried and hopped back on after. After time I didn’t need to ever dismount. Also do a circular hack not up to a point and turn for home ?

 

[Bob notacob]

`BOB IS A NIGHTMARE OUT HACKING! If a car stops for us ,he tries to mug the driver for anything remotely edible. Unfortunately most of the cars are driven by the staff of next doors equestrian centre and always have mints. . We met a JCB working on a track , He was licking the dirt off of it. Bicycles , he hasn't been the same since we went to watch the Olympic men's road race as they went round Tot hill umpteen times .His best day out ever! Oh and he thinks electric bikes are rather sad. Pigeons however give him the heeby jeebys.I have been told that horses cant see grey very well so a pigeon is a sinister being that appears out of nowhere! Who Knew! Bob also needs to meet his public . Small kids seem to appear out of nowhere wanting their picture taken with Bob . I take a certain vindictive pleasure in encouraging their love of horses ,knowing exactly how much it will eventually cost their doting parents.
I confess , hacking is a two way street for us. At the moment Hazel and cow parsley are at their peak of perfection .Who am I to stand in the way of Bob having a gourmet snackette . This may sound a bit slack and ill disciplined ,but I know that he will instantly forgoe these treats if work intervenes .

 

[Bob notacob]

I have always found doing a rein back to be a very good way to get past a spookey location. Well worth a try !