How often do you hack out?

[Seahorse]

I ride Axel nearly every day and mostly go in the school (I love schooling!) today I hacked out and he was fine just a bit spooky and then I realised I haven't hacked him for almost 3 weeks!
I went out on my own then but before that I hacked with a friend and that was about a month ago.

Am I alone in this? I'd seriously rather go in the school than hack and it's not because I'm nervous of hacking or anything. We have the best hacking too, straight onto the south downs, no road work at all. We also have some gallops with 4 xc jumps on them and I've only been round them twice, it just doesn't interest me at all.
I don't like hacking on my own I find it boring and would rather go out in company and have a good natter at the same time.

Anyone else like me?

 

[lynsey1808]

I would like to hack out more but unfortunately have just lost my hacking buddy. I do small amounts on my own but I have all road work and horse is a bit nappy. I do like schooling but it's the hacking we need to work on.
I'm so jealous, if I had the South Downs on my doorstep you'd never see me

Moving to a new yard soon so hopefully it'll change

 

[katie_southwest]

I only hack out because we dont have a school!
I do prefer company though, else I just talk to my mare and she definately gets bored by the time we get back he he

 

[hellybelly6]

I hack out as much as possible, cant hack out enough, horse likes it and I like it. Once Jake's feet are ok, we will go back to hacking again.

I gently school about once a week on average, but only 'cos I feel we should.

 

[FAB_FERN]

I prefer to hack out by myself as I can canter, gallop off whenever I want. She's brill in traffic and hacks better on her own otherwise she laggs behind letting other horses take the lead and do the work. Then I have to kick her on constantly which is annoying. I have ridden 3 days this week, not riding on monday, with a friend on tuesday, schooled wednesday and hacked out byself today. Riding out with two friends tomorrow then hopefully next week I can get some schooling done if the weather improves. We have no school just grass arena so no good in the wet. I hate to school to much. I get bored....

 

[Tinker_Belle]

I'm not very good when it comes to schooling. I really wouldn't say it was my strongest point.....

Bad! My old instructor would go crazy!

I'm more likely to school every week/2 weeks & hack every time I ride. Naughty girl

Pony-less & still no riding at mo so I have to make do with dreaming of balmy summer evening rides

 

[Wilbur_Force]

I'm not the greatest fan of hacking as I lost my confidence from a bad fall. My chap is very green and when I bought him at 7 years old, he had only ever hacked about 5 times. He is a bit nappy on his own now but fine in company. However, I am the same as you, it doesnt really interest me regardless of the confidence issue. Some people treat hacking as a horses day off and my chap needs real graft to keep his weight down! A plod round the lanes just wouldnt do it

 

[lozxox]

I don't really hack out. If I do it's a 2/3 hour hack round the bridle paths. Although I don't really enjoy hacking would rather stick a course up in the field and jump it! Me and pony have just as much fun if not more!
We haven't hacked for a good 3 months because he was off work and he WAS foot sore on hard ground, so a bit worried what he's going to be like on the roads

 

[JessPickle]

it depends really, minimum of twice a week. Allthough if I get some escort rides when working in the week I normally take pickle which would mean 4 times a week! oh and other people somtimes hack him out on working livery so he normally hacks up to 5 times a week

 

[BlackDiamond]

I love hacking out, I like to go about 4/5 times a week.

 

[Sunny_Star]

I get mine hacked for me, so whenever me/my mum aren't riding him he's hacked (3/4 times a week) but I often hack him myself too.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

A few times a week, I'm such a big fan of hacking it just does the horses such alot of good. It allows the horse just to chillax, think foward, and see the scary world. I quite enjoy some stress free time too. I don't think you can aruge there is nothing better for getting a horse fit but hacking especialy hillwork. I also think for youngsters, backwards or argumentive ones it's a good way of sneakly schooling. I really make a point to keep things varied and try to do different things each day either lunging, loose schooling, hacking, flat work, schooling over jumps, gallops, competiting etc.
Oh and at least a weekly blast keeps mine sane enough to school

 

[Banjo]

most days if i can. Depends on the work load and weather. My cob much prefers hacking to schooling.

 

[jellyshake]

normally 3 or 4 times a week but the last 2 weeks i haven't even sat on the beast

weather and other commitments have invaded my horsey time and i'm not impressed!
i prefer hacking to schooling, i get bored going in pretty circles

I do school out hacking , surprising how much leg yielding we can do on some bits of scary road

 

[Ebenezer_Scrooge]

Just brought my horse back into work as I had an accident [not horse related]. I school 3x a week and hack out about 3x a week and we have one day off a week. I alternate between the two. I could never not school as I do enjoy bringing him on and improving our riding. I love hacking on my own and I rarely hack out with others. He is far better behaved and relaxed and I can go where I like and at what speed I like. It is my therapy time and I love having a natter with him.

 

[KatB]

Mine gets hacked minimum 2x a week, normally 3 or 4 times. Is good for his fitness and he much prefers it to being in the school!!

 

[Nickijem]

I hack whenever I can. I know I should do more schooling but I prefer to hack out. I don't mind going out on my own or wit company although I prefer to be on my own as I can go at my pace.
I can never understand how anyone can say hacking is boring! Maybe because I waited 30 years before I had a horse of my own, I really appreciate it and I could never be bored when I am with my horse enjoying the countryside.

 

[Ellies_mum2]

Hack out every time I ride as neither me nor Ellie are keen on being in the school. You can see her head droop when she realizes we are going in the school and drags her feet lol
As soon as we head up the track to the fields her head comes back up and ears forward and goes forward willingly

 

[jesterfaerie]

Roughly 3 times a week (none at the moment due to both being barefoot) and schooled 2-3 times a week. I do not like hacking anymore though as I used to hack almost every time I rode and went off for hours but not I am too scared to due to the amount of idiots on the roads

 

[Seahorse]

I used to hack out all the time and never go in the school, I have recently lost my hacking buddy tho and this is probably why I haven't been out for ages.

Also Axel is going so well in the school now it's a pleasure to go in there

 

[RachelB]

I hacked this evening and remembered that I have only hacked out three times now since April 16th

He does get hacked by his owner regularly though so I don't think that counts!

With my own I would aim to hack twice a week and school four times, depending on what I felt like doing, whether the horse wanted to play along schooling, depending on weather etc. I am about to embark upon a year's worth of hacking with my horse though as she can be ridden in about a month's time and isn't allowed to be schooled again. I don't mind going on my own though, I tend to chat to the horse and sing to myself

 

[burtondog]

I try to alternate between schooling and hacking just to give my horse some variety. I find he's a little calmer on a hack the day after a workout in the school and he's more forward going in the school the day after a hack.