No hacking at new yard. What do I do?

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skewby

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After my last yard went seriously tits up, I found the perfect place. 5 mins further but I thought hey, can handle that as it's so ace.

Turns out, the second I land, I am informed that the hacking is sh|t. I was told by people recommending it, and the YO when I looked round, that hacking was great. I know I should have checked it out more but to be fair I did look at my OS map which has half of the area on, and showed no bridlepaths. But as it only showed half the area I didn't trust it.

So next to no hacking. On the plus side, I've been run away with forever so it would do me an awful lot of good to be forced to school more. Also I have transport so can box up to hack out wherever I want.

So would really appreciate your thoughts, how essential is hacking? Have always chosen yards on the basis of it, do feel a bit deceived if I'm honest. But yard is so lovely, with tons of facilities (hacking round farm, XC course, absolutely massive school, additionally indoor school plus lunge pen), am I just being a spoiled brat?

Help :(
 
Hacking around the farm sounds good - as does XC course, and you have a box!! I think sometimes you just have to compromise! My yard has OK hacking, and the facilities are a bit crap, but it's a nice relaxed place with loads of lovely people, and that keeps me there!
 
If you can hack round farm then it sounds fine to me.

I presume you can ride out on the roads, and hack to bridleways if you wish? And can have a good canter on the xc course/round the farm?

I've been on a few yards that only really have a few fields that you can hack round, and roadwork - or others that you have to do a fair bit of roadwork in order to get to any decent bridleways, so to be honest it wouldn't really bother me unless there was literally nowhere to go for a mooch round, or a good gallop.
 
Your being spoiled :rolleyes:

I only have one rubbish bridle path around here, it is about half a mile long with 5 gates, sheep and cows! :(

So, we use the lanes to keep fit and box to the beach for faster work ...lots & lots :)

At least you have the farm to ride around AND indoor & outdoor schools AND a xc course - we don't have that - your very lucky! :)
 
I haven't hacked out for over a year since losing my lovely safe hacking horse. I have a new horse but have not tried him hacking yet. Trouble is, that although we have excellent hacking just across the road (miles of off road forestry land), we have to cross a very fast and busy A road and I have no idea how my new horse is in traffic! I'm going to finally brave it out though on Sunday. Gulp! It's not that I am a nervous rider. I just am terrified of roads after seemingly loads of horrible tales lately of accidents with horses on roads. Now after a year, the fear has got worse. Anyway, what I am saying is that hacking isn't everything. It is possible to enjoy horses without it. I am only going out hacking again because I have a new livery coming who wants an accompanied hack.
 
Wagtail said:
I haven't hacked out for over a year since losing my lovely safe hacking horse. I have a new horse but have not tried him hacking yet. Trouble is, that although we have excellent hacking just across the road (miles of off road forestry land), we have to cross a very fast and busy A road and I have no idea how my new horse is in traffic! I'm going to finally brave it out though on Sunday. Gulp! It's not that I am a nervous rider. I just am terrified of roads after seemingly loads of horrible tales lately of accidents with horses on roads. Now after a year, the fear has got worse. Anyway, what I am saying is that hacking isn't everything. It is possible to enjoy horses without it. I am only going out hacking again because I have a new livery coming who wants an accompanied hack.
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As you well know, you will be fine! If you have to cross a major road, do wha I do, leg yield up to it - gets horse listening plus if it shoots forward it does it up the side of the road and not across it!

Have no idea where you've heard your horror stories but believe me, my horse saw allsorts today on our massive road hack, I wouldn't say he didn't bat an eyelid but what he did see didn't bother him. Don't let the roads stop you having fun and also remember the more major the road, the safer IMO as they are looking out and will see you and the roads will be relatively straight. Roads are ok, seriously, plus horses were the ones that created them!! :) xxx
 
alligator40 said:
and you think i need to step away from the keyboard :D :D

you seriously need to take stock of your horsemanship skewered ;)
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Sorry only just saw this. Unfortunately cannot quite make it out - can you please elaborate, and I mean this genuinely, as it is very well known that you are an incredibly knowledgeable horsewoman and therefore if you have advice for me then I am more than ready to hear it?
 
I have totally no hacking at my yard, but a jaunt down the local busy road, and i have the joy if miles of unrestricted riding, just got to get past the road bit first on just being broken youngsters lol
 
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IMO hacking is what you make it.

I used to have one route, which I varied by popping through the village. Dorey loves it because, nosey cow she is, she can peer in everyone's front windows. I enjoyed it because it was a change in scenery.

Now I'm spoiled rotten, I have several commons on my doorstep and MOD land. We rarely take the same route twice.

But it wouldn't be fun if I didn't enjoy going out on ponio. I'd have hated good stretches for canter four years ago because she was still quite spooky and prone to going disunited. Now we canter along halfway round cos we both love it so much.

Try having a hack before you panic about it being rubbish!
 
Not read all other posts, give your yard a chance, you might never want to move.
Hacking is not good, as you said you can still school and if you fancy a nice hack then get the box out, you have that choice, mybe ask another livery to join you.
Hope it works out for you and your horse.
 
I think you are jumping to conclusions too soon. I was told by a fellow livery that the hacking was none existent where I am and my heart sank, in fact the hacking is super, but there are virtually no bridlepaths, it is all quiet country lanes though of the sort where meeting a car is an event we have stunning views lots of routes and lots of hills for fitness. The only downside is that there are very few places to canter.

Reserve judgement until you have tried the hacking and have been shown routes by a few different people. There are people on our yard who don't know some of the routes despite having been there years, so hack out with as many people as possible.
 
Sorry but you sound a bit of a spoilt brat :( I think you were told the yard has good hacking because it sounds like it does.

You can hack round the farm? You have a xc course? To most people that is good hacking.

You could always, shockingly, ride on the road. Most of us probably have to.
 
skewby said:
I did, today. An hour plus of boring samely roadwork. Absolutely not what we are used to.
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If you're only 5 minutes further than your previous yard and the hacking was amazing there, surely you can hack to there?
 
With a youngster who has the attention span of a fish, we only school occassionally and school more on hacks! So.. hacking for me is absolutely vital, but hey, you have transport so it shouldn't be an issue :) x
 
lol being concerned about a potential lack of hacking doesn't make OP sound like a spoiled brat at all. He/she just wanted advice and reassurance that its not a deal breaker, which they are receiving :rolleyes:

Google Earth is a good way of seeing where your new yard fits in to the local countryside/roads.
 
I would say that there is nearly always some form of hacking, as limited as it may be. I used to live where there was no bridleways and as long as your horse isn't too bad in traffic there's nothing wrong with wandering along a few roads just to clear both of your heads?
 
I was just thinking if you are still close to your old yard then it cant be that terrible. Maybe just picking holes for pickings sake because you actually have to go look for it this time?

As pp said, google maps or google earth are a fantastic tool.
 
The yard is 5 mins further drive, in the opposite direction. So old yard was 10 mins one way, new yard is 15 mins opposite direction.

Flibble everyone I've asked on the yard has told me it's pants, maybe I'm just listening to them too much as I do like exploring. On my hack yesterday I passed a bridlepath, and a restricted byway, so am hoping both of those lead somewhere! Also realised how close Richard Chapman's is for XC course hire (and from what I saw it looks fabby!), also I haven't actually been round the farm yet!

I have been on google earth nonstop for ages lol, haven't come up with anything much. There is a big A road nearby, my horse would be good enough to cross that safely, so there may be more to get to on the other side.

What is sad is that there is tempting farmland wherever you look but you aren't allowed to ride on it, tons and tons of footpaths but no bridleways. Some footpaths are open and so tempting...but I wouldn't!

I suppose I have thought about it and the yard is SO ace, I absolutely love it, it may actually do me a lot of good if I can find a few routes to do and then just school more, which I never ever do enough of, plus of course I have the box so can get out when I want.

Does anyone know anything about that scheme with the headbands where you can get local farmers to agree to let you ride on their land? I can't remember the name of it but it's worth looking into.

I suppose also hacking is different things to different people, I've always had tons, the lady who told me first the hacking was rubbish also came from somewhere with tons of it, so it's all subjective. As long as I have some we will be ok :)
 
I have foundtwo I had thought there were more but Its the most useful resource (very hard work to use mind) you put your postcode in and then faff around a lot and select public rights of way.

http://prow.gloucestershire.gov.uk/website/ppp/viewer.htm

I am feeling guilty now cos I thought you would love it there.

Its true I suppose how good hacking is depends on what you had before.
 
The scheme with the head bands. Toll rides :). Definately worth becoming a member especially as you have transport as can box to ones further afield and get your moneys worth.
Good luck with your exploring new routes that's the fun part :).
 
Flibble said:
I am feeling guilty now cos I thought you would love it there.
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Flibble please don't at all, because I do!

Thank you very much for that it's very useful, I was looking on bridleways.co.uk.

I have thought about it more and it is still fantastic all round. If it makes sense at all, I think I was perhaps letting it bug me so I could beat myself up about having perhaps made a wrong decision - a sort of confidence thing.

The school is so fantastic and a huge improvement on the one I had before, plus the SJ paddock which we used to have at the old yard but got taken away, ditto XC course, thinking about it I have lots more to do at the new yard because of these things, so hacking is just not going to be so important as we have much more here to keep us occupied!

I am still so grateful, I absolutely adore the yard, was just having a moment of self-doubt in reality xxx
 
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