How far would you hack for a lesson/show?

[J_sarahd]

As the title says, really.

I have no transport and I have my eye on a show in August that is in the same village, but is a bit of a hack away. Plus, my instructor is currently very pregnant (she's due end of July) so obviously, I'm going to have a few weeks of either no lessons or a different instructor - it depends on how long she's going to be not teaching for, really. And one of my favourite instructors teaches at a riding school, but it's 4.4 miles away from my yard.

So yeah, basically, how far would you hack? Pony is mid-fitness

 

[WelshD]

As a kid I'd have hacked five miles just to hire an arena and the local hunter trials was six or seven miles. But it was different in those days, roads were quieter and hacking overall less stressful. I doubt I'd want to do it today!

If I were you I think I'd be inclined to see how straightforward the hack was, maybe do the journey a few times as a hack only then see how your horse copes fitness-wise before building it up to a lesson

A hack of that distance over fields on the buckle is an awful lot less energy consuming than one that involves narrow lanes that are a local rat run for drivers

 

[J_sarahd]

That’s a good point. The show is over fields, and obviously with shows there is more waiting around, allowing him to have a rest.

I may do the trip this weekend and see how he copes!

 

[Snowfilly]

I had no transport as a kid or teenager and hacked everywhere. 4 miles there and back was my standard for going to the riding school for lessons, and their jumping shows, mostly on the road but wih one canter through some fields.

Up to 7 miles each way for a show and I used to do ridden showing, jumping and gymkhana games all day and then ride back.

If you can drop things off at the show ground the day before, that can help - I used to phone secretaries up and ask if I could leave a bundle of grooming kit, a change of clothes, and some tack wipes in the entry tent overnight and no-one ever said no.

Honestly, as long as the roads are safe and you can get back before dark, the distance won't harm a properly fit horse. People used to hack to hunt meets!

 

[SpringArising]

I would.

 

[abbijay]

I only got transport a couple of years ago. Until then I looked at venues within 4 miles ride of home. I thought nothing of riding 3 1/2 miles, doing 2 flat classes and a round of workers and hacking 3 1/2 miles home. I'd ride with a back pack of essentials and leave it with the secretary. The hardest bit was finding someone to hold my horse while I put entries in!
I also used to regularly hack 4 miles to the local farm ride, do the 7 mile ride and come home again.
Horse was used to doing 3hr + rides most weekends and 1-1.5hr rides in the week so he was already fit enough but I listened for when he needed a break.

 

[AFB]

I've always hacked about 3-4.5 miles each way to shows, I have hacked 6 miles each way to a summer hunt ride that I really wanted to do (horse was super fit and stormed home) but that killed me!

 

[Silver Clouds]

As a teenager I (and most of the other kids who had ponies in this area) would regularly hack 8-10 miles (each way) to compete at shows or take part in PC rallies, camp etc. The horses were fit and used to long rides, and the routes wold usually be about 2/3 roadwork and 1/3 common land or bridle paths. Basically if you didn't have transport then this was the only way to take part. I am far too crippled now to ride that far and then compete (and I own a horsebox now), but if I was healthy and didn't have transport then I would still consider it (as long as the horse was fit and healthy of course).

 

[J_sarahd]

Thanks everyone. You’ve made me feel not so bad about hacking my pony a few miles to a show and jumping him. Thankfully, said route is mainly through fields/forest so not too much road. I’m just itching to get him out as he loves his jumping, but I don’t know whether we are ready yet

 

[MissFliss]

I do a lot of hacking with my girl, but my longest has been around 9 miles to a farm/xc ride, then back again. 23 miles in total. She was still pretty sprightly on the way back!