How far do you hack?

Nickijem

Nickijem

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What do you consider to be a long hack?
I usually go about 8 - 9 miles on a long hack but have a friend who is about 8 miles away and would love to hack over to her. I know that's not far for you endurance people but I can only ride 2 - 3 times a week so could I get my horse fit enough to do a 16 mile round trip?
 
Im summer I have been out for 4 hours before now. I tend to do 1 hour plus but then have the odd day where I have a quick hack. depends what mood me and the horse is in and what the weather is like.
 
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Not too far. Yard is surrounded by housing estates now and I'm scared the natives will steel the shoes of horses feet and leave him on bricks.

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LOL!

I do avoid hacking out in one particular direction from my yard to avoid the 'natives' - or not natives to be more accurate as they claim to 'travel' around the country. If you get my drift (don't want to be shouted down for being racist or anti-pikey!)
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My usual hack is about 40mins and it's about 4 miles. I would go further but I rarely ride with my mum and I'm not aloud on the roads on my own, so I can't go out of the woods. When I do hack with my mum we usually go for about 1hour30, so it's probably about 7/8 miles for a long hack for me.
 
On an average hack we do 12 - 15 miles but I have done up to 20. I'd say you'd be fine to go over to your friends if you built up to it gradually to see how your horse copes with the distance and give him a break when you get to your friends before you start coming back
 
I dont ever plan our mileage, but a couple of weeks ago we went out on an epic, and when I looked on the map I found we'd done about 21 miles! (in about 3 hours!) Ellie isnt particularly fit - not competition fit, anyway - but I never ask her to do anything she isnt willing to do. If she wants to trot, I let her, if she wants to gallop, she can! And I always get off and walk the last 20 mins!

A 'normal' long hack for us would be about 10 miles
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Thanks for the replies everyone.
dwi - thanks, that makes perfect sense to build up gradually and see how he does!
I do a lot of my hacking in walk and only trot short distances so I don't ask a lot of him. We do have a canter when the conditions are good - which is why I want to go over to my friends because there is a large area of woodland there where we can ride through. (and a pub so we will give ourselves and the horses a break).
 
Of course you can! Why don't you meet up around half way and ride together then go home separately, or measure a few rides and go say 6,8, 10 mile round trips and build it up? Best in the summer when the weather is on your side. Always good to meet friends out riding. Just think most fun rides are around 10 miles with assorted paces, don't underestimate yourself! If you want to do it badly enough, you will, and enjoy the satisfaction of doing it - Big big smiles!! Good luck! If I lived closer I would come with you
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..... Is your horse nappy? You may not get very far if it is! Only joking X
 
Thanks Follychops - we could meet halfway but the point of going to her's is the woodland area where we want to ride so I'd still need to do the 8 or 9 miles to her place.
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I did think about the fact that pleasure rides are usually more than 10 miles but I'm just concerned as to how fit the horse needs to be in order to do 16 - 18 miles. Hopefully now the days are geting longer, I will be able to ride a little more often and get him fit enough. It will be good to have a goal to work towards I suppose!
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Luckily Jerry is not really nappy!
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He does enjoy hacking, he does a little whinny of delight when I approach him with the bridle!
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Longest ride I've done in the last few years with a friend was a 6hr one. No idea how many miles that equated to, but we did lots of trot and canter!

We got lost on the Ashdown Forest!

We met some walkers and looked at their map - great we thought! Except they were lost too!!!
 
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