How to build my Ponys and my confidence when hacking alone

[horse2016]

I would like to start hacking alone so I can hack to a menage. To get here I must go on roads. Mainly quite but some busyish/traffic lights. My Pony is much more likely to spook when alone and has never really been hacked out much alone due to me being a safe freak and her being a little nervous when alone.. How can I build up our confidence? Do you think it'll ever be safe for me to do this or would you just not take a chance? ..

 

[Birker2020]

Maybe do the route a couple of times with another horse so she is familiar with the route and gains confidence from the other pony. Then go out on your own. Make sure you have your mobile on you (not attached to the horse) and tell someone where you have gone. Wear as much high viz as possible, and put some on your horse and make sure you are clear with your hand signals and know how to use them. Stay alert but relaxed. Sing a song, or say a rhyme to keep calm.

I am sure you will be okay - its a case of having to if you need to get to a ménage and the more times you go out on your own the better you will be.

Maybe a bit of 'despooking' at home with unbrellas, cars, coats left on fence posts, plastic bags, etc would be beneficial.

 

[scats]

I expect all mine to hack alone, even the spooky ones. My youngsters have all hacked out alone as soon as possible. Ride the route with an experienced horse first, then start taking the lead once your horse is familiar with the route.
Next step is to rope a friend into walking with you, possibly a little further back, so your horae is technically on his own, but your friend is there to assist in case of any issues.

Then you build to rising the familiar route alone. Have a phone with you and tell a friend on the yard where you are going and how long you expect to be. Choose a quiet time, ie a Sunday morning early-ish. Then you can start changing the times you go, to slightly busier times. Then start trying new routes. Again, you may have to build up to this by help of a friend walking with you.

You do need to have confidence however, be sure that you feel that you can affectively deal with any spooks as a rider.