How many miles would you hack in a day?

[Jinx94]

Evening all!

Currently isolating due to the dratted covid. Symptoms are gone and I'm out on Saturday, just going a little stir crazy!

So. Best way to handle being stuck inside with no horses? Plan the rest of your year!

BC, Tris and I were hacking on most of my days off and we've made a lot of progress! He's still spooky and daft (light shining through railings, traffic cones and puffy hi viz jackets are clearly the stuff of nightmares - I'm pretty sure we've cracked teleportation!!) but he's so much better with traffic. All of this has been done solo as my hacking buddies left a few months ago, and I'm convinced that it's been the making of us.

I really want to continue with this, find some new routes and have a tonne of adventures!

To get started, I downloaded Just Draw It and started mapping out a few routes to learn them. It tracks the mileage and I now have 8, 10 and 20 mile routes. We were regularly doing 3 - 5 mile rides and would finish with him ready to go again.

Obviously I'll be building him up over time, we won't be out doing the 20 mile track next week! I'm wondering how you get your horses fit enough to do longer distances and how quickly you do it?

How feasible is it to do 20 miles in a day? How many miles/hours are you usually out for??

Really excited to get out and about, especially when some sections look really good for some faster work!

 

[Gloi]

I've never had a regularly hacked pony struggle with 20 miles at a steady speed. In my younger days I'd do that at least once a week once the weather was decent, occasionally did 30-35. These days 15 is plenty for my knees.

 

[Jinx94]

Thanks Gloi!

We're stuck with once/twice a week atm due to the light, hoping to increase this when the mornings are lighter.

Really glad that 20 miles or further doesn't sound completely bonkers as I've just found a really long section of off road riding that'll result in a loop of at least that!

 

[J&S]

The Level 2 Trec routes used to be 20 miles, we would do this no trouble, you just need to build up your fitness with lots of walk and hill work to start with.

 

[scruffyponies]

Our regular hacks are around 15 miles. That's with young beginners sometimes, and often includes a Shetland pony.
20 miles should be no problem.

 

[Polos Mum]

Google thinks average horse walk is 4 mph and trot 8 mph, assuming an average of 5-6 ish (not mad racing round) a three to four hour hack doesn't sound unusual at all.

I am enjoying the free riding tracking app that lets me see what I have done when and really know how much fitness I'm building up and how long routes are. Regular routes I'm then marching round at a more forward walk and I can see that make a difference to how long they take vs. an end of buckle plod

 

[SpeedyPony]

Definitely doesn't sound too far! I've hacked 6/7 miles, done half a day's hunting then hacked back with no problems. Obviously he was pretty fit by then, but even when he was still getting fit we did some long distances, I just kept it to a walk for most of the way.

 

[crazyandme]

Agree with Gloi. A horse that is worked 3-4 times a week properly for around an hour or so should be fit enough to manage 20 miles no problem! So no real additional work to get to the fitness for that aside from what is required to regain "normal" fitness anyway.
Only difference is if the route is a lot more hilly than your normal hacking routes, in which case take it a bit slower to allow for the difference

Time wise, unless you are really plodding, expect it to take around 3-4 hours. Min speed for novice endurance is 8kmh, but to get that speed requires a lot of walking!

I would often be out with Reg for 2-3 hours doing 15-20 mile loops and only riding him 2-3 times a week as he would keep ticking over in the field and I didn't need him any fitter! My sister when she was competing 75 mile endurance didn't do loads of fitness work with him, most of it was done up and down the big hill that was a 20 minute hack away, and she didn't hammer him to save his legs as much as possible.
Most people wouldn't want to do 20 mile loops too often as it is so time consuming, but for most horses, 25 miles is no issue when they are in reasonable work (aka not slobbing around in the school for 20 minutes)

 

[Frumpoon]

I’m dying to know where around Coventry you’ve found that you can hack for 20 miles relatively safely

 

[windand rain]

We took the ponies straight out of the field and did level 2 TREC 20 miles or so orienteering bit. Think most field fit horses would manage that if their tack fit well and the rider was balanced

 

[Jinx94]

Thanks all, really glad to hear that!

I’m dying to know where around Coventry you’ve found that you can hack for 20 miles relatively safely

I'm at a yard near Stretton on Dunsmore. There are a few miles of road work (split up) and parts of the route involve crossing busy roads. One of these is a bit of a dog leg that I'm a little concerned about, but if I get my timing right it and we kick on, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. We'll also be crossing under the M45 which will be an experience...



I've driven most of the roads that I'll be riding on, and each section is <1 mile. I'm nervous, no way would I say otherwise, but Tris is more competent and trustworthy than I think he is, as am I. I think our biggest issue will be getting through a very busy farm yard!

If you're any where near and ever want a hacking buddy, I'm definitely up for it!

 

[Bernster]

Blue cos we have limited hacking at my hard and obv not trucking out with lock down. Would love to do that! You could try OS maps or ViewRanger apps to look for bridleways and check access. Not 100% successful for me as it didn’t show the one bridlepath we do have but could be useful for those with better hacking/access.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Jinx94, be aware of the building work going on round the Sainsburys/Ashlawn Rd area. I assume you are taking the bridle path that comes up from Onley. That goes straight through the middle of the building site. Currently big machines creating a new road junction. I live near Sainsburys so drive through these road works every day.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I've done quite a few all-day rides and three-day rides through late spring, summer and early autumn.

We do three to four hours in the morning, a break at midday of an hour and a half to two hours, then two to three hours in the afternoon. I don't have the routes to hand, but guessing at about half of that in walk, and the rest mostly in trot with some cantering, must put us at an average speed somewhere around 7mph would make the whole journey somewhere in the region of 40 - 50 miles.

We carry a litre of water per rider, but out route takes us past points where we can water the horses every couple of hours or so, and we have a support vehicle that carries feed for the horses (hard food and straw) and provisions for the riders, so the horses are not carrying any extra weight.

 

[Jinx94]

Jinx94, be aware of the building work going on round the Sainsburys/Ashlawn Rd area. I assume you are taking the bridle path that comes up from Onley. That goes straight through the middle of the building site. Currently big machines creating a new road junction. I live near Sainsburys so drive through these road works every day.

Thank you, that's really handy to know! I'll be checking the routes again before riding them - just to be safe and double check access etc.

The section near to Sainsbury's is coming from Thurlaston. The loop at the end goes from Cawston Lane to Alwyn Road and back again a bit further down

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'm sure you'll be fine and love it

I'm definitely in the 'happy hacker' category rather than 'endurance rider' and comfortably managed almost 20 miles in a day.

I'd recommend upping the length of hacks gradually so you can double check tack doesn't rub (and your riding gear) - I did have to trial a few girth set ups to prevent mild chafing.

Saddle cloths with pockets, saddle bags and drink holders that attach to your saddle were a huge help to me too

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Jinx94, I read your post before rushing out to do my animals. Had a better look at the map just now and see I was way off with where I thought you were going. The very straight stretch from Alwyn Road is pretty straight forward but the next stretch from Cawston Lane goes over a short wooden bridge with a gate either side and a step down at each end. Both are proper bridleway gates but there isn't much room, you might need to get off depending on how handy your horse is. All that first stretch is fenced at legal width. Quite often used by dog walkers including me (in good weather).
Sounds like a fun ride, one I would have enjoyed a good few years back. You will be passing by the end of my road.

 

[PeterNatt]

I have always hacked for miles and miles and all my horses have happily coped with it - it is just a matter of getting them used to it by doing a little more each week until you are up to the distance you want to travel at.

 

[Jinx94]

@Errin Paddywack, thats really good to know, thank you!

If you spot us, please do say hi! We'll be easily recognised in Tris' slightly too big, bright orange exercise sheet, if the spots don't give it away first!!

I'm more than happy to share routes with anyone in the area, if they don't have them already

 

[Errin Paddywack]

If you spot us, please do say hi! We'll be easily recognised in Tris' slightly too big, bright orange exercise sheet, if the spots don't give it away first!!

Will do.

 

[Cazza525]

Between 3-6 miles a day, 5/6 days a week. Longer sometimes x