Is it ok just to walk and trot on hacks?

[Gorgeous George]

I am still a bit nervous about cantering on a hack, especially where I am now. The hacking is great, but it is big open mown farm tracks and I'm scared to canter along them (much as I'd love to) - George will happily walk and trot, but I worry that he will get bored, or that the day I ask him to canter he will go mad with the excitement! I will canter at little uphill spots with maybe a hedge at the top - never had a problem George just canters up and stops at the top, I just can't control my nerves

 

[Cop-Pop]

Of course it's ok!!! The whole point of hacking is to have fun and do whatever you're comfortable with

 

[piebaldsparkle]

It's fine, do what you are happy doing.

 

[PennyJ]

Yes, if that's all you want to do. I think it's still more fun for the horse than going round and round a school umpteen times. And the more you hack him out, the more likely you are to feel safe in yourself to canter on him. Believe me - I've been there myself (September/October this year actually).

 

[molehill]

Do what you are comfy with.As long as you change the places where you trot everytime your horse shouldnt get bored.Just have fun!!

 

[shadowboy]

Its all I do with my new mare to teach her that it is normal to just be steady in open places so she has good manners for the rest of her life- and only canters when asked unlike some people's horses i have met.

 

[chestnut cob]

Just do whatever you like. We haven't got anywhere by us that we can canter on, so all my hacks are just walk and trot. I used to be terrified of cantering on open spaces, in company, all sorts. As you get to know George and you realise that he won't do anything, you'll get more confident.

If I get really nervous then I usually get someone else on my horse to do what I'm nervous of - that way I can prove to myself that the horse won't do anything "naughty".

This time next year you'll be wondering what you were worrying about as you get more confident

 

[Dougie]

its absolutly fine, our pair know theres two hacks, the sensible plod along...or the mad yee ha. they love each, relaxing plod when we need to blther, or the sppedy cantering alot when cold.

uup until a few months ago i was the same as u. totally lost confidence with kala, she has no brakes. however rode another mare in a school, improved my balance. Then went on a kala with the mind set of "get a grip douglas your only cantering, she wills top when tired all u have to do is sit tall" it worked wonders. tonight we were at the front and had a beutiful canter

 

[lucylemon]

it will be fine! a hack is meant to be a break, a change of scenery, a bit of fun! as long as you dont follow the same route every time, then he will enjoy it just as much as you will!

 

[Starbucks]

Yep!! Do what ever you want!

I think it would probably make him steadier - I only hack my horse out once a week (if that) at the moment (other people ride him though) and try to fit as much galloping around as I can - it just makes him want to gallop around more!

 

[Iestyn]

I only ever walk out on hacks.

 

[the watcher]

I really don't think you need to worry, if you are comfortable with what you are doing now. On one of your short canter stretches, you could try asking George to slow to a trot, then pick up the canter again, just to prove to yourself that you really do have control of the paces.

 

[Dreckly]

Hi Trish. Of course it is absolutely fine to walk and trot. But remember, often fear of what he may do is far greater than what he will actually do.

When you are ready, is there an experienced person you trust who could hack George out for you and give him a couple of little canters to see his reaction. The liklihood is that with his sane sensible attitude he will be as good as gold. Then, with an experienced friend and sensible horse for company, you may well be ready to give it a go. I am 100% sure once you do it you will love it and George, will as always, be an angel.

 

[Hemirjtm]

It's all my mum wants to do until she is confident with her mare

 

[Patches]

[ QUOTE ]
I only ever walk out on hacks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too s_v, unless I'm getting out of the way of something on a narrow lane to avoid frustrating the driver.

Then again, most of my hacking is on the roads and I hack for three hours or more at a time.

 

[Iestyn]

It's not a confidence thing with me - I dressage - don't event or showjump, and so all my trot and canter work is done in the arena. Some may disagree but I prefer it. Not mad keen on hacking at the best of times. Plus where I am roads are a little busy and nowhere really to canter.

 

[madmav]

I agree with all. It's good for horse not to think, ooh, grass, way hey, it's time to tank off. If we dictate pace, hopefully, they will listen.

 

[YorksG]

I don't think that there are right and wrong in this, what ever you are happy with. It is difficult to find canter stretches on hacks for me, but it isn't a huge problem, just enjoy getting out and about.

 

[Seahorse]

Oh dear, I hate it if I don't have a canter out on a hack, I feel like the ride has been wasted

But that's me, if I go out on my own I rarely walk but trot and canter everywhere, but I'm very lucky that we go staight up onto the Downs and have no roads at all

If I go out with other people I do loads of walking as we tend to natter a lot, but too much walking gives me backache!

I think if that's what you want to do then that's fine, he is your horse after all

 

[only_me]

we mainly walk and trot, as our hacking is roads and lanes.but there is two spots where i can canter, a little grassy lane and across a right of way through a field!

but if i can get a lift, we go to a forest park and go cantering and jump in and out if the river and jump fallen logs/big ditches!

If you just want to walk and trot, that is fine! lol as long as the horse is happy you are happy

 

[ClaireT]

I mainly walk and trot on hacks.
- most of my hacking is done on a racecourse, so the last thing I want is for my horses to get used to cantering/galloping every time they set foot on it.
I like to keep them quiet, so that they will work in a nice outline, especially through the depths of winter, when other horses can only buck and canter sideways!!

 

[YorkshireLass]

Only walking an trotting is a GOOD thing. You see lots of posts on here from people who have inadvertantly 'trained' their horses to canter or gallop at certain points... and now they will do nothing else!

As for the horse getting bored... he won't! Some of my horses only drive, so that is 99% in walk and trot... they don't get bored. We only have a canter when making up time coming out of a hazard. Logging or ploughing horses only ever walk, and they don't get bored with their work.

Just enjoy the things that you do and don't put pressure on yourself, one day you will just canter away without thinking about it!

 

[Taboo1968]

Of course its ok...... you've obviously already had a few little canters where you have felt safe (with a hedge along the top) so why not start the canter a little bit earlier instead and build it up...... but in the mean time, if your happy in your comfort zone, dont push yourself too hard...... its still early days for you and George from what I can remember, so just enjoy the things you do now instead of letting your nerves ruin something you obviously enjoy so much!
Alternatively you might find it helpful to get an experienced rider who you trust to take him out and canter him along those bits so that you can actually see what he does, once you've seen how he behaves, you might feel a bit more positive about actually doing it!

 

[BeckyD]

I hope so - sometimes I only walk

 

[Chumsmum]

Of course walk and trot is okay, when I first had Chum my hacking wasn't great and no where to canter anyway.

Good idea about canter for a short bit and then bringing back to trot for a few strides to test your brakes and to give you confidence and good training for horse too.

Personally, I do like to fit in a canter where I can..

 

[mickey]

I wouldn't worry about this. I only walk on hacks now after an accident! I've never considered this to be unfair to my horse.
Just do what you feel comfortable with. Doing small bits of canter uphill (like you are doing) seems a perfect way to start - If you want to that is! Only do what you are happy with!

 

[zigzag]

Hacking to me is just walking and trotting!

 

[Pidge]

absolutely! I have come off Pidge 3 times now

when cantering in the front out hacking. He sees something in the hedge and jumps to side and then slams the brakes on and I just plop over his head

So it got to the stage where I'd either not canter, or do a very short slow one with one hand firmly on the breastplate. It was what I felt happy doing. However I then started to feel more confident and have progressed gradually and will now happily canter in front with no problems, the other day a pheasant flew out in front of us when cantering and he didn't even notice it

So moral of the story is to take things at your own pace that you feel comfortable with and you will suddenly one day just pop him into canter

 

[Twiglet]

I reckon George appreciates a confident comfortable rider far more than he does a canter on a hack!

A lot of my hacking is walk and trot, especially in company. Twiglet isn't the best canterer in company - he tends to race and get strong, especially if not in front - which whilst it doesn't bother me as much as it used to, I don't want to be responsible for winding someone else's horse up.

He does love to canter on a hack, but then I think that's his breeding and his history and his personality - he doesn't throw a strop if he doesn't get one!

On our own, we'll normally have at least one canter if the ground's ok. I used to be the biggest bag of nerves though with him - the first time I cantered him on a hack, I literally cried with happiness.........pathetic isn't it? But it was such a barrier I had to overcome with him, and it felt so good to finally do it.

You'll get there with George and by next summer I think you'll be taking full advantage of all those stubble fields with some nice fast canters

 

[Seahorse]

Oh dear looks like I've been well and truely out numbered!

But Axey isn't strong when we canter and I do pick my spots well, uphill and on good going. We have 2 sets of gallops and some lovely hill fields so I guess I'm just lucky!
Also has improved his canter work in the school no end