Solo hackers - how long did it take you feel confident

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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Did second hack on fat boy today with someone walking with me (riding instructor) he was a very good boy, tried to plant once but moved him on again with no problems. Met a green tractor type thing with two huge fertilizer bags on a narrow country lane, nowhere for us to pull in so kept moving him towards it and he did one half hearted spin and it was only a that's a bit scary mum. Instructor grabbed his reins and he walked past it quick but fine. Further on we met a HUGE countywide lorry, this time we could pull into a drive and he was as good as gold, didn't even flinch bless him. So very pleased with him, it's more me that needs the confidence not him but I never feel scared or worried at all.

Going to hack him again with instructor next wed's and then perhaps try completely solo.

How long did it take you to feel happy? Sorry, it's probably not interesting to some but I find it helpful to write it down xx
 
Your doing well SuperTrooper - just keep it up and only go at the pace you want to. I've always hacked alone, but my confidence does also depend on the horse. I'll go anywhere with my old mare, but have yet to attempt taking my newest horse out alone.
 
For me its taking a while but you are doing the right thing. We've had our big mare since a foal and she's 7 now. Last year we started like you one riding and the other walking. Rider would then go on ahead a bit then on their own.
For us both horse and us need confidence, she is spooky on her own and likes to turn her head into the road and look behind her, not sure if this is as she is normally lead horse in a group and feels vulnerable or if she is looking for home?

Yesterday I went out for 45 mins on my own we had a bit a creating at something she wouldnt even look at in a group but we got past is after 5 mins. In the past I would have been scared silly but yesterday I was fine and perservered with her and we got it sorted.

Its just little and often to get both your confidences, I've improved loads now just waiting for my horse to show some more confidence too. Keep at it and good luck.
 
I agree that it depends on your horse. My mare, I a super confident on but from when she was backed, she had to go out alone as I could only ride at 6.30am so there was noone to go with us and I know she'll go anywhere I ask her.

A friends horse, I am a little more hesitant with as he is more spooky and he didn't do much until last year when he came out with me and my horse. His confidence is much more but I'm still more wary with him.

Juts take it as you need. Thats fantastic, how well behaved he was. Keep going and I'm sure it won't take you long to get your confidence up. x
 
My current mare haddn't seen any traffic, so it was a couple of weeks before i felt confident enough to take her out on her own, the lanes are very narrow, and their are planty of idiots on it, once a huge lorry got stuck on it, trying to turn around for some stupid reason, it was never going to make it, we had to open up the field to help it move.

At my old yard we had miles of off road hacking, and i almost always went out on my own.
 
Well done! I will be interested in your replies to this question.
I have had my horse for ages but never hack alone because he can be a handful and there is no real reason for me to force the issue as i had people to ride with, but now i have started a new job and really it would be far easier if i could just get on and go alone.
I have never had a problem myself before this horse riding alone- even though my previous horse could nap a bit it didnt bother me.
I have bought some global herbs instant calms to try out- i figure even if its just in my head it will help for a while and maybe just get us over the first few rides.

best of luck!
 
Took me a long time, I used to be terrified of hacking for no reason really and wouldn't even hack the safest pony at the riding school I learnt to ride at for a long time. When I got my own the first I had was pretty much mental to hack and didn't have him long. Second one she'd plant herself and refuse to move and this was in company think I tried once on my own in the time I had her, I ended up in tears a lot and a friend would quite often get on her instead.

Then my current pony it took a good year or two, as he was only 4 when I got him so didn't even hack in company for a while as was too scared too. Then when I started taking him out he wouldn't go in lead would plant himself. This got better, then my friend moved yards so I had no one to hack with as was at a riding school with no other liveries. I had to learn to hack on my own or not at all. Took ages and would often come back in tears as he ran off with me, planted himself a lot, could only get so far in either direction and then he started planting, rearing then spinning. I got tougher with him and now he'll hack anywhere on his own no problem, occasionly still get the planting,rearing and spinning but very rarely. Only taken 2/3 years!

So glad I kept at it though as once you manage it it's so great :)
 
Glad your getting there!

On the mare I had on loan I never felt confident to take her out by myself....but I took my 6yr old big big TB out by himself after only having him a week! For me it was all about confidence and trust.

You've got to bite the bullet and just go for it. A strong leg and voice is usually all you need in most cases! If you are coming up to a stressful situation remember to stay relaxed, he can feel when you are nervous and in turn he will worry.

I love hacking out by myself, I sing and talk to him while we're plodding along!
 
I think it's different for every horse. I have always been pretty confident hacking alone (no idea why) had my new horse coming up 6 weeks and right from the start I have hacked out alone on him.
 
Sounds like your doing really well so far. It can take time, weeks, months etc. It really depends on you keeping calm and keeping your horse calm when faced with things. Its hard to say how long it will take, but just keep doing what your doing. My confidence is coming back after months, just building things up, I am not 100% there yet but am well on the way, good luck x
 
I started riding (and was riding for 10 yrs) in a major sports centre in Latvia where hacking was a rare treat, so whenever I had an opportunity to I didn't care whether I'll be alone or not but these were school horses - so inherently rather calm. I just love hacking and would rather face any "spookies" alone than be bothered to ask anybody to come with me :)
 
When I bought my first horse I hacked him alone from the yard I bought him from to the yard I was keeping him at along a busy road and continued from there on. Hacked him quite happily through Central London.
The problem is that young horses these days are not exposed to traffic etc and this is why so few horses are good when being ridden out alone.
 
I've always been a bit of a lone ranger; simply because I'm self employed and free when other people are'nt.

The horse I have now had some real issues hacking solo to start with & I was thinking of selling him because of it - however I had some help with him and my instructor worked on my confidence rather than the horse's, as she says a confident rider makes a confident horse!

We paced ourselves; to start with it was groundwork, building up confidence in the yard and setting up some spooks just to get him used to things, then we would go for leading rein walks in hand; building up to leading him out on say a circular ride, then very inconspicuously just hopping up and riding him home!

It took a while but now I've got a sweet, lovely boy and its just so nice to go off into the great beyond with him and just spend time with him - yes its nice to ride in company sometimes but there's nothing like building up a bond like solo hacking; you and your horse both need to trust each other totally.
 
I lead my youngster out in hand tacked up along the some of the busier roads, i don't have anyone to help me at the yard and am trying to get other people to hack out with.
I find that my boy will go past something but he needs a good look first then a firm 'tell' to go forwards, obviously with traffic around this wouldn't be safe, hence the leading part!
I normally get on when I get to the bridlepaths and will ride on the roads where the visability is clearer for the cars just incase we have a sudden stop.
Just a case of slowly does it and be firm, if i get off I after my horse has stopped I find he gets more frightened, as if he thinks I am going to smack him one or something, perhaps this happened before I had him?
Just believe you are a good, brave leader for your horse and don't take unnessicary risks.
 
I've always hacked alone since i was younger as people aren't always free when i am. To be honest it's nice to have the peace and quiet all to yourself sometimes without jabbering on about things!
Saying that i've just took on a horse andoccasionally have a problem with him napping which i was just about to write a post about. It's knocked my confidence a bit as he will spin in the road and demand to do the return journey on his route. I'm sure we will get over it but takes time to build trust between you and the horse, then you can enjoy your hacking alone...just remember your mobile!
 
I used to hack out when I was a kid from about 8/9 by myself.

With my current horse, we went out lots of times with nanny horses as he was very confident. Six years on, and he still has his moments :rolleyes: he can be a real wally sometimes, but I know what his limits are behaviour wise, and really he just winds himself up. Honestly! :)
 
I can't really remember how long it took me but I started hacking out on my own when I was about 14 when I got my first pony. He was only 5, and wasn't used to hacking on his own so I think I always tried to be as confident as possible from the start to reassure him. We started off just going for a walk down the lane with my mum walking with me and then progressed to mum walking a little way with me and then me going a bit further on my own. Next I went on a short hack completely alone and gradually progressed to longer hacks as our confidence grew.

Five years later, I hack on my own regularly on a variety of different horses and ponies. I still have my first pony and we sometimes go out for up to four hours on our own now! I trust him so much now, I would feel happy hacking him anywhere on my own.

It sounds like you are doing well Supertrooper. Keep it up and you'll soon be hacking out confidently on your own. :)
 
Zero time. He used to muck about and spit his dummy out over sheep, tractors, poly bags, ethnic minorities, etc. I stayed calm, got him past it, so now his attitude is "I am not bovvered!" If you get tense, they get tense. If you don't, they don't.
 
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