Opinions on hacking out with training aids...

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MizElz

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How does everyone feel about this? I have always been comfortable to hack out with Ellie wearing her bungee (only for round-the-block hacks - if we go for a proper hack then I like her to be able to relax!!! my SJ trainer always said it was fine, but I've come across some people who are horrified, who think that if she reared up, the bungee would cause her to go over backwards. I always fasten it to a loop of thin baling twine on the girth, rather than to the girth itself, so if she did panic for any reason, it would come away. I've also hacked round the fields with draw reins on, mainly due to the fact that I don't have a school, but I would be less inclined to use these when going out on the road.

Your thoughts please!
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Ive hacked regularly in a bungee/draw reins etc

At the day a gadget is only as bad as the hands using it and why shouldn't a horse work on a quick 30 mins round the block.

when i was working as a groom quite a lot of the SJers were hacked in draw reins as a 'precaution' - they were pretty silly in the school, out hacking was positively life threatening.
THB they did help keep control!


*waits to be stoned for ever using draw reins*
 
I don't see a problem with it as long as you are responsible using them. I have tried using a bungee but my girlie doesn't get on well with it. I have in the past used draw reins, although to be honest i don't need to use training aids with her anymore, i found it very effective, she was a live wire when i got her and it wasn't very easy to get any sense out of her in a school, so we used to do our work when we were out hacking and she was relaxed. on the other end of the scale i have seen someone riding a horse that used to do a lot of dressage then she bought him, she only ever hacks him out strapped down in draw reins with his head between his legs!!! This is totally barbaric and my instinct every time i see her is to drag her off the hose and let the poor thing stretch!!!

As i said i see no problem with using training aids whilst hacking, as long as it is done responsibly which is lets face it the only way a person should ride a horse.
 
We have no school, so no option but to school on hacks! Not used gadgets yet, but I can't see a horse going over backwards being any worse on a hack than in a school. I do think some people tend to feel more protected in a school, but all the serious accidents I personally know of have been caused by people falling and hitting the fence. Unless the fence is about 7' high it is yet another potential hazard.
 
I won't use anything that goes between the legs for hacking, all to easy for the horse to stumble, get caught up etc. Used to use a market harborough though and I think that would be safest.
 
The only thing I'd feel safe using on a hack is draw reins because you are in control of the tension and can loosen them completely if the horse gets panicy about something. I don't like riding in any fixed gadgets anyway but at least in the school you're going forwards, you know within reason what hazards you're going to come across and there's more chance of assistance if something did go wrong. To me restricting a horse's head carriage on a hack meaning that you cannot alter the pressure it puts on while you are riding is bloody risky, but I tend to ride quite sharp horses that are somewhat prone to explosive reactions, I suppose with more even tempered horses its not as dangerous.
 
I'm not sure either way on this as I don't use gadgets (except pessoa) but there is something in me that doesn't like the idea - I think because a horse might need to react to something out hacking or might spook unnecessarily then become more worried because he is restricted?

Also I like to think of hacking as 'fun time' - time to relax a bit and enjoy being out of the school.

That's just based on gut feeling tho - no evidence as to this being a bad idea! (especially if you don't have a school)
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ive hacked regularly in a bungee/draw reins etc

At the day a gadget is only as bad as the hands using it and why shouldn't a horse work on a quick 30 mins round the block.

when i was working as a groom quite a lot of the SJers were hacked in draw reins as a 'precaution' - they were pretty silly in the school, out hacking was positively life threatening.
THB they did help keep control!


*waits to be stoned for ever using draw reins*

[/ QUOTE ]

i ride in draw reins too!! shall i hide???
 
I used to hack my previous horse with draw-reins as all of our hacks involve roads and as a 5 year old he almost went under a low-loader with a JCB and a digger on the back. As a result he could be quite nervous in traffic particularly lorries. The draw reins were almost essential in the event of meeting large lorries, although I am reasonably strong I am no match for a 17.3 horse that wants to run the other way !
 
I tend not to use artificial aids like draw reins at all for reasons that have, judging by some of the posts here, been discussed ad infinitum
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If I did use these aids, I would be reluctant to use them on a hack simply because I feel the horse is less likely to concentrate on any schooling going on when out and about and thus the effectiveness of the aid is lessened
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Probably controversially, I personally feel that by relying on aids like draw reins for control, one is not doing anything to solve the underlying problem, it is merely addressing the symptom and, in some cases, one can actually be exacerbating the initiating factor.

I hope that the above merely proves food for thought and doesn't make anyone too angry with me! Apologies if it does
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