Light hack

[pinklilly]

Just interested, what's peoples definitions of "light hacking"? I was thinking mostly walking with a little trotting, for about an hour. And would you opt to lightly hack or complete retirement if it's not beneficial to the horse?

 

[flirtygerty]

My interpretation of a light hack is a circular route over the moors, walking mostly, a little trotting and possibly a short canter, it takes around two hours, once or twice a week.
If my horse was uncomfortable with that, it could quite happily spend it's life in the field or be walked out, my horses owe me nothing

 

[Littlelegs]

My definition would include w/t/c, anything up to 2hrs. But not actually working the horse on the hack. Eg lightly hacking a just backed youngster I would just want it moving forward on a loose contact. An old horse I'd do the same or leave it to dawdle if it had to. And I agree, most of it would be in walk.
I'd opt for whichever was best for the horse.

 

[pinklilly]

He has done little more than being broken in and not recently at that and I think this horse would need to be ridden most days in a consistent routine with no prospect of doing anything more than light hacking - he's 5 but very green.

It's not something I would particularly want to do as working as a groom I have done many hours of fitness work with hunters and point to pointers over the years and the slow fitness work has become rather tedious at best with no further prospects for this horse.

I don't think he is temperamentally suited though he would probably settle if in a routine.

He likes attention, being brushed and admired and just people simply talking to him and giving him a stroke, I think he is quite happy with this rather than being ridden.

My vet seems quite enthusiastic about him starting work but it's not a great time of year either and time is short.