Listening to music while riding

[Palindrome]

Listening to music while riding, do you do it? What device do you use?

I used to have a little ipod shuffle that I would use when I was hacking alone (off road), it doesn't work anymore and I am looking for ideas to replace it.

 

[AmyMay]

I never did, as part of the beauty for me when hacking was the sounds as well as sights.

 

[ihatework]

I used to like to when I was doing long fittening hacks that could get a bit dull. Bluetooth earpiece (single ear only not on traffic side) linked to iPhone.

 

[Kat]

I just use my phone, mainly with the speaker but I have a Bluetooth ear bud that I use if I don't want to disturb others.

I mainly listen to podcasts, audio books or audio lessons rather than music, both while schooling and hacking and while mucking out etc

My horse likes the archers, she's less keen on buck off banter because her jockey tends to get too overcome by laughter to ride properly.

 

[scats]

I listen to podcasts. Usually old episodes of Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio, or Buckoff Banter if that’s out.
My girls are used to me randomly laughing at Frank! I just listen using my phone xx

 

[blitznbobs]

I have speakers around my arena so i can listen to music while schooling and i listen to podcasts or audible on a long hack (i hate hacking but have a fat horse — its all off road) i use blue tooth headphones and my phone they are the sports ones that clip over your ears

 

[ArklePig]

I listen to music on my phone in my pocket. Sadly I have eczema in my ears that won't shift so earbuds etc are out for me. Even at that, I only used one earbud as I like to have a vague awareness of what's going on around me.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The day that I found riding so boring that I needed to listen to music to while away the time would be the day that I would know that I need to hang up my boots.

 

[twiggy2]

I used to love schooling to music, it's great for helping find rhythm in the work

 

[Prancerpoos]

I think it’s quite sad that anyone would listen to music whilst hacking, surely you are missing out on all the sounds of birds etc. plus, from a safety POV, you might not hear someone approaching before your horse reacts? I personally found it really annoying when, out riding, I would try and overtake some jogger or walker with ear plugs in who would then have a go at me for creeping up on them when I had been calling out from quite a way back! Each to their own though.

 

[Palindrome]

The music was never high enough that I couldn't ear other noises, but I am not particularly interested in birds, I ride to be with my horse and I can do that while listening to music or podcast/audibles. It gets a bit lonely when hacking or schooling alone all of the time. On top of that, I find it helps when riding a sharp or difficult horse as I don't get hung up on things and I am more relaxed.

 

[Gloi]

I would hate to be cut off from the natural world when hacking. It's bad enough riding in the school and having to listen to whatever radio station is playing in the nearby corridor as you always has it on.

 

[scats]

I think it’s quite sad that anyone would listen to music whilst hacking, surely you are missing out on all the sounds of birds etc. plus, from a safety POV, you might not hear someone approaching before your horse reacts? I personally found it really annoying when, out riding, I would try and overtake some jogger or walker with ear plugs in who would then have a go at me for creeping up on them when I had been calling out from quite a way back! Each to their own though.

With a spooky and reactive horse, I find a bit of low level noise a godsend. I have it on fairly quiet and I don’t wear ear plugs or anything, just have it playing in my pocket.
I can hear everything else perfectly well- traffic, wildlife etc.

 

[huskydamage]

I like listening to music while i do a lot of things, riding is no different tbh.
You wont hear birds on my hacks over the sound of motorbikes at 80mph, at this time of year. Struggle to hear the music at times ?
Unfortunately my ipod broke and I haven't found anything else to replace it.

 

[huskydamage]

Listening to music while riding, do you do it? What device do you use?

I used to have a little ipod shuffle that I would use when I was hacking alone (off road), it doesn't work anymore and I am looking for ideas to replace it.

Let me know if you find anything, im gutted about my dead ipod and all my music that was on it ?
I dont like using my phone for music but ipods just don't seem to be a thing anymore

 

[Pippity]

You can get a cheap mp3 player off Amazon for £20.

 

[Izzwall]

I love riding to music and have done ever since I got my first horse 16 years ago. Music does something to my soul and so does riding. With the both combined I get this massive endorphin hit and acts like an antidepressant. I'm incredibly lucky with my hacking though as I'm straight up on dartmoor with little to no people. I used to ride with headphones but pony has the same taste of music so I play it out loud to her too. I notice a difference in her when I don't play anything compared to when I do ? we love galloping to some drum and bass and then watch the sunset, coming down a tor to some progressive house.
When the weather is too yuck to ride or I'm suffering a bit with my mental health I listen to my favourite cantering/gallop songs and it takes me to my happy place and I instantly feel better. Also when I lost my horse of a lifetime tragically to a field accident, listening to all our favourite galloping songs really helped with the grief.

Edited to add, I use my phone nowadays as I've got a Spotify account which means I can make playlists depending on what sort of hack I'm doing. If I'm only walking then I have more prog house/chilled dance and if it's a fast one then there's more pumpy dance/drum and bass type music. I have to admit I do miss my little mp3 player that would clip on anywhere and the battery would last all week!

 

[July dreamer]

I use an old phone to listen to music or audio books downloaded from the library all the time while doing jobs - poo picking/mixing feeds/filling nets etc, but like peace when riding.

 

[ponynutz]

I just have it out loud on my phone - need to be able to hear traffic as well

 

[Fruitcake]

I have a Stride wrist speaker which I use to school to. I agree with the poster above about music helping with rhythm. I spent ages working out the beats per minute of each of my horse's gaits and finding music to match. I find it really helpful. I also tend to overthink and so the music helps to take attention away from obsessing over what I'm doing with my left hip or right hand and helps things to flow much better.

I don't listen to music out hacking. If I'm nervous, I do tend to sing though. ?

 

[Peglo]

My friend used to ride listening to music and I never understood it. If I ride it’s to be with my horse and want to give her my full attention. If I want to listen to music I will go a run or clean the bathrooms when I’m alone. I would never go a walk with OH and listen to music instead of him so always found it odd folk do it when walking dogs or riding. But that’s just me.

 

[spotty_pony]

Listening to music while riding, do you do it? What device do you use?

I used to have a little ipod shuffle that I would use when I was hacking alone (off road), it doesn't work anymore and I am looking for ideas to replace it.

Just my phone with the speaker on when I’m out hacking.

 

[tda]

My OH has recently purchased a motorbike helmet with built in Bluetooth so he can listen to music while riding his scooter. I wonder how long before riding hats might have the same.
Tbh I'm not that keen, I think he should be concentrating on the road!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The day that I found riding so boring that I needed to listen to music to while away the time would be the day that I would know that I need to hang up my boots.

I agree! I live in a rural area and am often amazed at the number of joggers/,runners who would rather listen to something on a device than the sounds of the wildlife and countryside around them. It would never occur to me to not have my full attention available for the horse, after all I expect the same courtesy from them.

 

[AntiPuck]

I wouldn't use earbuds whilst riding (mostly hack), just as I wouldn't when cycling on the roads etc., that seems a bit risky - I want to be able to hear if something is coming up behind us etc. I don't even like using them when walking through town, and usually only have one in with the other ear free.

I have played music or a podcast out of my phone speaker whilst it was in my pocket a few times, mostly to provide some background noise for the horse, as I thought it might make her a bit more confident going out alone.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I use my phone and BB is partial to country hits and rock ? music! ?

 

[blitznbobs]

The day that I found riding so boring that I needed to listen to music to while away the time would be the day that I would know that I need to hang up my boots.

It’s not about being bored for me… I listen to podcasts when bored and I do hate hacking but it works 2 fold when schooling

a) it stops me reacting to noises outside the arena so I actually get a lot less spooks
b) I’m always fantasising about my perfect dressage to music /kur etc… in my minds eye neither of the charlottes have a patch on me and fat cobs amazing test… and the music helps with rhythm too

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I don't use ear buds when riding but I do occasionally put on random music on my phone out loud. I hate it when people - riders, cyclists, joggers etc have ear buds in and can't hear the traffic coming. I do feel at all guilty when they get a fright at me going past them! I frequently beep at ignorant cyclists and joggers in the middle of the road, I would never beep at a horse though.

 

[RHM]

I always school to music. Like others said it’s great for mixing up rhythm. I have a set playlist as well for fittening where all the songs are 3 mins long so I don’t have to faff about with a timer when doing interval training. It has certainly made my mare less reactive to noise out competing which is a nice bonus!
I always play it on my phone on speaker, I like her to be able to hear it too!

 

[Barton Bounty]

It’s not about being bored for me… I listen to podcasts when bored and I do hate hacking but it works 2 fold when schooling

a) it stops me reacting to noises outside the arena so I actually get a lot less spooks
b) I’m always fantasising about my perfect dressage to music /kur etc… in my minds eye neither of the charlottes have a patch on me and fat cobs amazing test… and the music helps with rhythm too

Im with you on this…

i sing to bb in amongst talking and whilst others may be horrified , he seems to like it ?? and it does drown out rustling beasties in the bushes too lol