Is it at all possible to do/be both?

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dark_prince

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A friend keeps constantly asking what I am doing with my horse and recently I have been doing a lot of hacking. I have only had my horse back a short amount of time and I have missed hacking just me and him. I have also booked a riding lesson from my favourite riding instructor for this weekend.

She has now asked me what I want to do with him in general... Can't I be both a happy hacker and do schooling and competing? I am planning taking him out this summer to do a bit of casual showing and dressage and maybe some SJ classes.

Anyone else a 'happy hacker' who also does a bit of everything else or can you only be one?
 
yes you can do both. Probably better for both you and your horse than doing just competing. Please dont feel pressured into doing more than you feel happy with. I "only hack" and believe me its quite an achievement. My horse has had time off since before xmas. hes having shoes on next week so am preparing him to ride again. Today I tacked him up lead him to the mounting block and mounted him. rode a circle round the yard then dismounted and thats it for the day. Hes turned out now with his companion. A 5 yr old who I may or may not get round to backing this summer. They are our horses we do with them as we wish . Try not to be influenced by others.
 
Of course you can. My regular riding is a mixture of hacking and schooling - more schooling in winter due to dark nights and floodlit school and more hacking in summer. I have the odd lesson here and there - about once a month - and compete when something takes my fancy. I do a bit of everything from Trec to BE. I have no set plan (a lot of my friends plan their year in January!) but just do what takes my fancy as it comes up. It may not be the best path to success, but I'm happy doing what I'm doing and as long as I'm happy with my performance, I don't care about rosettes. The thought of planning my leisure time months in advance and working to a programme fills me with despair!
 
Do whatever you and your horse are happy doing! Don't live by other peoples standards, I don't get why people feel that horses NEED to be doing something in particular. They are an expensive hobby and extremely time consuming, so I think you are absolutely, one million per cent right for doing what both you and horse seem to be enjoying :)

And yes you can be both. I know a lot of people that use hacking to still school, to get horses fit, to use it as downtime or a relaxing day. They still compete and school, they just mix it up to keep their horse keen and their routine full of variety.
 
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I love hacking - mostly because it's such a novelty as he wouldn't hack the first year I owned him. I didn't buy him to do one specific job/career! He has also never really been out successfully as he gets very nervy around lots of other animals no matter how much I tell him they don't even care he is there. So I had planned to take it slow and just have him on a showground for a day or two - but apparently I need to decide now what I am to do with him!

Kind of want to see how it goes rather than planning everything months in advance - I don't work that way :P
 
of course you can do both - you can do whatever you and your horse enjoy.

For example -I had a little hunter who hunted all winter and did aff. dressage to Medium in the summer - apart from the 'days out' the rest of the time we did a mix of hacks, the odd bit of school-work, and had lessons.

By the way, Carl Hester's horses hack a few times a week. If it's good enough for Carl............
 
Most amateur owners are all rounders who do a bit of everything, to a greater or lesser extent. I'm not a happy hacker (I get bored with the hacking around here and I'd rather compete) but I do different things with my two and always have done.
 
I think happy hacking is vital to a happy horse its fun and relaxing and a nice break for the horse from the intensity of schooling and competing.
I understand not everyone or every horse enjoys it but I was never one much for showing when I was younger and all the riding school horses were much happier on there sunday afternoon strolls than in class. and now am injured im a permenant happy hacker and occasional log hopper even if it is on a show potential horse :-)
 
Don't get me wrong - I do not think there is anything wrong with only hacking and being a happy hacker. As someone else said horses are an expensive hobby so you should do what makes you and your horse happy.

I think it's more the implication that if I only hack him out then I'm somehow not as good as her. I already know I'm not as skilled of a rider but I am competent enough and do plan on doing a bit of competing soon - but I want to take it slow and get it right as it will be a first for both me and my horse.

Glad you all seem to understand the importance of hacking to a horse's wellbeing.
 
whatever makes you happy and your horse is what you do with your horse and you, I started lessons after over 20yrs of not having them but still riding. at my first lesson my instructor asked 'what do you want from your horse and the lesson?' my reply 'I would like to have a horse that works properly', the fact that she is showing real flair in some areas of her flatwork is making me think I would like to get out to a few shows...maybe...
 
I hack, it's my the sole riding activity. I'm a good competent rider who has never been interested in competing for the nearly 50 years I've ridden. I loathe the terms "happy hacker" and "only hack" and find them really derogatory. I don't do round the block pony rides (well sometimes I do if there's good gossip to chat up on); I ride a sharp forward going horse on Salisbury Plain. We are fast and controlled and most importantly have an absolute blast; no stress, no bitching, just pure fun.
 
JFTD said:
Most amateur owners are all rounders who do a bit of everything, to a greater or lesser extent. I'm not a happy hacker (I get bored with the hacking around here and I'd rather compete) but I do different things with my two and always have done.
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Agreed. You don't need to be pigeon holed. "Happy hacker" is a very modern term and not one I would ever use to describe myself despite the fact I mainly hack because I have no school. I also have lots of lessons elsewhere and compete.
 
Try not to be bothered about comparing yourself with other people like that. I know it can be hard. I'm on a large livery yard with people of all levels so its difficult not to compare your ambitions/achievements etc with others. A 'happy hacker' to me is someone who only likes to hack (nothing wrong with that) so I wouldnt put you in that category anyway as you say you enjoy a bit of everything.
 
I think the term happy hacker has come about because so many people have schools to use now. I love hacking but in the past it was the only way to keep horses fit in the winter and we used to call it "exercising". Having fun is my main priority and that means a bit of everything we can to me. Our YO would far rather school but that's fine too - it's what makes her happy!
 
Of course, do whatever, or as many disciplines as you want :) you don't need to give it a name! Our horses are primarily here for us to enjoy and have fun with, so do what makes you both happy :)
 
Def do both. I would probs call myself an eventer, but I hack regularly because I enjoy it, and my horse enjoys it. Sometimes a quick leg stretch round the block, other times a multi-hour sightseeing tour, whatever we feel like :)
 
OP, I hack just about every time I jump on board - unless I am off to an RC clinic or schooling session for SJ, XC or something interesting I think I might like :)
Loading up to meet up with friends is also a favourite, going on hacks in different parts of the county etc :cool3:

These days, I couldn't give a stuff what others might think, but I go & enjoy myself :biggrin3:
 
It's exactly what I do, dabble in a little bit of everything! I also have a friend who keeps asking me why I'm not out jumping and that 'why do you go to dressage its so boring!', which annoys the hell out of me. Just because other people don't enjoy what you do doesn't mean you shouldn't :) Ignore them and do what you like!!
 
Thanks all! Think I was being a bit touchy this morning. Been out for a fabulous fast paced hack in the sun! Maybe we will go out competing this summer, maybe we won't! May decide on the day

You're all fab!!
 
Our horses hack ,do dressage ,jump and go hunting sometimes all in the same week some have pulled the carriage as well .
I think it's beneficial to the horses to hack just schooling does seem like a great life to me.
 
Yup in winter we tend to be happy hackers to keep him fit and don't do a lot of in the school outside of our weekly lessons. Come spring we start schooling more and spend most of the summer doing dressage and showing and this year will be adding jumpcross into the mix but he will still hack a couple of times a week.
 
I have never understood the derogatory term 'happy hacker' - I did a bit of everything on my first horse, but hacking was his thing - he is now retired and so flat work up and down the road is all he does...
my other horse is my dressage horse - his job is defined, we walk up to arena and back and sometimes ride around the 30 acres ...when hacked he was horrible, he jogged and spun and was determined to bite his companions...so no hacking and I don't miss it but I dont think hacking is always easy!
after being involved in a car accident, them playing chicken with my horse and a friends - any my friends horse loosing that game, I am not as relaxed on the road as I used to be....
ETA - my horses do live out and so he does spend a lot of time running up and down our land :)
 
Yes, that's what I do! I think hacking is under rated by lots of people and many people seem to think that if your horse is a happy hacker it's not much good for anything else. My horse is I guess what many people would call a 'happy hacker' , sometimes we'll go round the block for 1/2 an hour just walk and trot, other times we'll go for 2-3 hrs, probably covering about 20 or 30 miles with a nice lot of canters and gallops, jumping a few logs/bushes on the way, it keeps him very fit and we both enjoy it a lot more than riding round the school. It's a great way to to enjoy riding your horse if you're fortunate enough to have enough areas to go, which I am actually very lucky to have :)
 
Hacking a horse out is an excellent way of keeping a horse physically and mentally fit and ensuring that he sees loads of different things. It also means that if your horse ever suffers from an injury that requires gentle exercise to rehabilitate him that because your horse is used to hacking this can be easily done. Hacking a horse out forms part of a good exercise regime and will help to get and keep your horse fit.
 
So nice to hear that there are others like me - like to do a bit of everything and nothing in particular!!

Some people's attitudes annoy me! I have only had him back a month I want to enjoy him with no stresses!!
 
PeterNatt said:
Hacking a horse out is an excellent way of keeping a horse physically and mentally fit and ensuring that he sees loads of different things. It also means that if your horse ever suffers from an injury that requires gentle exercise to rehabilitate him that because your horse is used to hacking this can be easily done. Hacking a horse out forms part of a good exercise regime and will help to get and keep your horse fit.
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Something we had to do last year.. I was so grateful he was such a saint to hack the whole time.
 
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