Riding in the evening

[ClaireH78]

I just wondered how many people who work full time and ride in the evenings hack out still.

I wouldn't do it now as the nights are drawing in and it gets dark so quickly now. A couple of girls from the yard still do albeit covered head to toe in lights and flouresents, I personally wouldn't do it.

But I do have off road hacking around a farm. Would you do hack around that in the evenings??

 

[Claireg9]

if i had the facilities hell yeah!
She dreams.....

 

[Marquire]

Last night I hacked after work around 5.30pm but by the time we came back an hour later it was definately dusky. Admittedly we had on so many fluorescents we could be seen from outer space but I think that'll probably be the last after work hack of the year.

How sad

 

[Lucy_Ally]

We are lucky that we have a bridleway that goes straight off the yard so I feel happy riding out when it is slightly dusky so up untill around 7pm now. I wouldn't go on the roads though at that time.

 

[Scoopy]

I work full time and just still manage just to get a hack in, but the night are drawing in, and makes me very sad, soon it will be in the school with the lights on and weekend hacking aggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh !

 

[Benefice1]

I normally get to the yard around about 5 so i can still go for a quick hack but we are surrounded by fields so can go just go up round them, i wouldnt go out round the roads tho, like you said it gets dark so quickly but im luck i can cut through the woods etc to get back so can stay off of the roads!

 

[the watcher]

Can go straight out on to a bridleway and avoid roads for a 20-30 minute hack in the evenings so will do, although luckily we have an outdoor school which will be lit up and used when it gets really dark

 

[Rambo]

We have private woodlands attached to the yard, and up until last week I was hacking out until about 7.30pm. Noticed yesterday that it was getting very murky by 7pm though so won't be doing it any more I don't think

Still, the flatwork will be good again by the spring

 

[UKa]

I am making the most of the light for as long as I can - but we have just moved to a yard on a farm where you can ride on the land so no roads involved. yesterday we got back at 745 that seems to be the latest at the moment I would go - would also avoid roads at night at the moment that time of day.

 

[riotgirl]

By the time I get in from work and have my girl tacked up it is after 6 and that funny half light between sun and not. I'm sticking to schooling and hacking around the fields, just to be on the safe side.

 

[slivertonics]

only thing i can do is hack, living on my dads farm i have no area to school, dont even have a level field! so hacking is all i do, unless i box horse up and travel to a menage no busy roads by me tho but is is gettin dark, winter is on its way

 

[katiejaye]

I ride after work every day and get to the yard about 6.30pm. We are surrounded by bridle paths so it's quite safe still but it is getting increasingly darker by 7.30 now so i'll prob have to stop very soon.

 

[JoBo]

We are still hacking out, usually out by 5.15 though and back by 6.30. We go out all luminoused up though and only go on quiet country lanes.
Went out on a lovely hack last night with my sister and my Mum, it's the first time ever we have had 3 horses so we can all go out together, wonderful!!

 

[sammys ma]

I work Full time.

It's after 6pm by the time i get to yard, then nearer 6.30 once he's brought in, tacked up etc.

The yard is on a farm, so luckily don't have to go on roads. However, the nights are drawing in quickly, so it has to be a fairly short hack, as I don't want to be riding in the dark! I think we will have a maximum of a couple of weeks left to even do this before it's just too dark!

We have been waiting all year for the farmer to get the lights installed in the School, and he has promised it will be done for the dark nights....but i don't see it happening any time soon!

 

[Happy Bird]

It's horrible isn't it !!!! I think I have about 1 more week left of hacking after work before I am faced with the sandschool every single night grrrrrr !!! At least I won't be able to put off schooling (which bores me rigid) any longer

We don't have any road work but I still wouldn't hack out in the dark due to ruts and holes etc.

A couple of us at the yard have decided to try and school together/learn a dressage test/some new schooling excercises to try and spice it up. Plus I will lunge one night instead.

Those lazy hazy days of summer ..... *sighs wistfully*

 

[KatB]

Yep same here, were lucky enough to have a flood lit school, buty hacking is out of the question now because of the idiots around us, even though its only a tiny strtch of road, I wont do it after about 6ish anymore.

 

[Bex7]

I don;t get the chance in the evening so I ride in the morning albeit at 530 and it is pretty dark then aswell. We wear every bit of Hi Viz going and there is never and traffic. Once we go through the village there are plenty of fields and woods to ride in. Other than that it willbe done in the school.

x

 

[Tia]

Yes I ride in the dark and enjoy it, however I don't have to go on any roads; I just stay on my farm where there is no traffic. You wouldn't EVER catch me riding out on roads in the dark......regardless of how many lights I may have on me!

Horses have fantastic night vision and you may enjoy it - it gives a totally different aspect to riding.

 

[Kezza]

we have off road hacking adjacent to our yard and this is my first winter there so I'm wondering whether to hack in the dark or not (obviously I'd use lights to light the way ...)?? I wouldn't hack on the roads in the dark but am considering it on the farm although my boy might be very spooky, not sure!

 

[RobinHood]

I hack in the pitch black along the bridleways (wouldn't ever consider going on the roads) but I wear a flashing horseware vest and reflective gear. My horse seems to be able to see perfectly and I don't ever go in the school 2 days in a row so it's the only option.

 

[Kezza]

Do you have any lights to light the way? I was thinking of getting one of those lights which goes round your hat?

 

[Tempi]

i hacked out last night and got back around 6ish, then walked the dogs and it was getting dusky when i got back from my dog walk at 7ish.

I wouldnt ever hack in the dark, Bloss is very spooky at the best of times, and im not brave in the dark either. Also theres a puma near us in the woods (honestly!!) which ive come across once and dont want to again!

 

[Kelly1982]

I dont hack out at night anymore as i dont get down the yard til about 6.30 and even though its still light then it doesn't stay like that for long and i wouldn't wanna get caught out in the dark as it seems to creep up on you quite quickly.

I think if i had off road hacking i would hack out if it was dusky but not when it was dark as you cant see properly so would worry my horse would trip and fall or something. I am a worrier though

 

[Parkranger]

Yeah the nights are definately drawing in - we've got a a large common out the back so I'll probably go out there for 30 mins then do a bit of schooling....so depressing though - I don't want the summer to end!! x