no such thing as a happy hacker?? rant! grrr

[CrazyCob]

well yesterday i recived a text from my cousin saying that she'd gotten 4th in her pony club combined training and i was quite pleased for her. this morining i was telling my mam about it because she's just gotten back from BETA and she said well if your jelous you have the best horse to beat her hands down(patches) so i said well i dont want to i'm quite happy hacking i only compeet for the fun of it! my reply was- well at least she pushes her self to do something!
tbh i hate jumping and i'd rather stick to easy dressarge and showing (something not too stressfull that i know me and the horse i'm riding will enjoy) and sometimes i prefer to stay out of canter

i'm not too keen on being pushed out of my comfort zone when i'm not ready but i dont mnd a firm hand now and again. althoug i'm not the most daring rider in the school i'l hack for miles to almost any where! i'll ride down a moterway by my self where as all these peopl who criticise me are arfraid to step out the yard gate on horseback unaccompanied! i can open and shut gates where i bet they cant!

does not jumping over huge heights and not compeeting and winning regularly mean i'm not a real rider??? i am so anoyed at this

sory just had to get that out! i feel a bit better now.

well i'm of to ........er.. hack with my pony now!

 

[Enfys]

Stick to your Guns! Do exactly what you want to, horses are for enjoying, so ENJOY yours.

 

[mad_egg]

If you don't like doing something, don't do it.

At my yard we call dressage 'stressage' and I find dressage much more tricky than jumping! I think it's good that you are happy for your cousin and brilliant that you take part in a hobby you enjoy.

Hope you have a nice ride!

 

[luane1]

Enjoy doing whatever makes you and your horse happy. Life is too short to keep comparing what we do with other people.

 

[katiejaye]

Of course not, you should do what makes you happy and what your comfortable with. We have all range of riders at our yard from those who go intensive competing to those who just like to hack. Competing isn't fun if you don't enjoy it! I compete dressage myself because I enjoy it but if I didn't then I wouldn't do it. If you and your horse are happy and healthy then who cares what other people think

 

[Fransurrey]

I have to be happy hacking, lol. I don't think my 12.2hh exmoor would make it at Badminton and I sure as heck ain't riding through no showjumps! I know many people who are scared to hack and can't believe that I go for more than an hour (current record, 5hrs, 15mins). I can open most gates, deal with any machine or dog...I fall to pieces in the confines of a school, though. Enjoy your horse!!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

You enjoy what you are doing & that is fine. Don't feel pressured to do something you are not happy doing. You enjoy your time with your horse in a different way to some others...so what, just carry on enjoying your horse.

 

[JessPickle]

I dont show off my own yard but I enjoy my riding SOOOOO much. Dont do anything you dont want to do if neither you or your horse will enjoy it. One day I might do a fun show or something but who knows just enjoy what you have now

 

[summertoots]

you do what you want to do honey and dont let others push you around or put you down.
I hate jumping and I dont compete. It stresses me out I fall to bits and get zero pleasure from it. I know there are others who think I am a wimp for not doing these things, but I know I am not. My horse shows a huge amount of potential for dressage and I often hear whispers that he is wasted with me tootling around on him, but that is all poo.
I very much doubt he has been out in the field talking to his mates saying how one day he wants to be a grand prix super star...no he wants a warm deep bed and a full feed bucket at night and a lovely big field by day, that is as far as any horse ambition goes if you ask me

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

we are propser riders because we hack, we can deal with anything and anyone e.g. roads, spooking horses, the un known

 

[TheresaW]

I love my hacking. I can't jump, really don't enjoy showing that much and I think dressage is boring. I do love doing sponsored rides thoogh, but to some they are just glorified hacks anyway!

 

[missshell]

When i get my horse im just wanting to hack and have a few jumps at home. i just want to have fun!

 

[pottamus]

I have to say that nowadays it takes a lot of bottle and skill to hack out...especially on the roads. You never know what you will come across next and have to deal with it...that takes good riding in my opinion.
I have the same problem with people saying I should be doing this or that with my horse, only I don't care...we carry on hacking miles upon miles and enjoying ourselves!
I got into pleasure rides and endurance last year and have not looked back...my horse loves it and so do I! But even then people are asking when I am going to do it competitvely!!! I stick by my guns and do what I and more importantly...my horse enjoy and I ride more hours than any rider round me!!!

 

[happyhack]

I'm a happyhack and proud!!!

i hate jumping and dont have the patience for dressage!

 

[Onyxia]

Unless you are being paid to do X Y Z then your horse is your hobby.Do what you both find fun!

 

[clipclop]

If you don't like watching horror films, do you watch them? No!

So if you don't like jumping and competing, why do it?

Don't take any notice. You love your horse and you do what you want.

You don't have to justify yourself to anyone

Now, can someone tell me to do the same thing!!!

 

[CrazyCob]

thanks everyone

i love my happy hacking pony to peices! in the autumn i had a spell where i was cantering all the time and jumping 2ft odd on my mams big horse (patches) not beause it was fun just because i could but the thing is he's not a hack so i started getting lessons on him to "bring us on a bit" as the lessons went on i got more pushed out my comfort zone untill the point i dreded them and 'd be crying before i even got tacked up! i ended up having a nasty fall and hurt my back and i've not had the bottle to get back on him yet

i think thats why mam gets so annoyed with me it's like sibling rivalry between her and my aunty to see who has the best daughter lol, me and my cousin arent botherd we just want to have fun!
since i fell off paches i've cannterd skittles on nice straight lines bareback (go us!!) and had a little go at prelim dresarge and a few ickle jumps but tbh he's just a hack thats all i ever want to do with him! he gets stroppy if you ride him with another horse and throws a bronking fit or constanly bolts if you try and take him to a show, but he dosnt mind fun rides............hmmmmm think he's trying to tell us something?? plus when ever mam gets on him he dose all he possibly can to dump her (eg. put his head between his knees, drop his sholder in canter andwhizz off uncontrollably, do bunny hopp bucks down the path.....) its soooo funny!

btw sorry for going on again!