Solo hacking- with a bike?!

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HensPens

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Right, I seem to have inadvertently arranged to take my horse on our first solo hack! Got a few days off work so was trying to drag OH out on a hack on a nice sensible cob, he's decided to take a mountain bike instead!

Anyway, how are your horses hacking with bikes?

I'm pretty sure he should be fine to solo hack as he's fine to lead hacks and we go in the field on our own but I just wondered if having the OH on a bike might help if he gets worried?? He's an ex-racer so I'm not sure if he's ever been out alone before and in the school on our own we do have to watch (over a 7ft fence) what everyone else is doing.

What I'm saying is that I want a nice enjoyable ride with the OH (lol) and not to be worrying about having a leaping TB to deal with aswell.

What are my chances?!
 
I have a 4 year old cob, and my OH comes out on his bike. I find that if you think something will happen it will so you need to tell yourself "we're fine nothings goign to happen" worked with us on first time. Now he just plods as side of bike.
 
He should be ok with the bike as there is a BMX parked outside his stable at the moment (YO's son's) so he's seen them and never seems worried by them when we've seen them out.

Wondered if I just stuffed OH's pockets full of carrots he'd be fine!

We'll be fine won't we, he'll enjoy it, I'll enjoy it and poor OH will realise how hilly it round the yard lol! (should have taken me up on the offer of a horse then!)
 
Done this wil my horses & they have not objected. Make sure he is armed with plenty of polos for bribery past scary objects. My mum, dad & OH have all cycled with me & i have cycled with friends. If there is not good safe horsey company i think this is next best thing. Never had a problem in over 20 years.
 
My Welshie is a complete div out hacking, he is scared of everything, hears voices, and is not exactly traffic proof but completely fine with people accompanying us on a bike!!

I would definitely make sure he is happy with it before you hit the roads though!!

Have fun! x
 
My OH sometimes comes out with me on his bike, if we meet something scary George is much more confident with the bike to follow!

But as others have said do get horsey used to the bike on the yard first!
 
Agree with trying it in school first. I'm sure everything will be fine if he's seen it outside his stable and has seen them out and about. He sounds quite confident so can't really see it bothering him much but best to be safe and try it a safe environment first.

My OH hasn't tried it yet but he's planning to come out on a bike with me and I know with my mare that he'll be comfort for her if anything scary comes along as she reponds better to people on the ground than riding so would give me some confidence too.
 
Basically I just wanted to see if other peoples horses were happy to follow a man on a bike if there wasn't another horse to follow.

Sounds like it should be fine.

For a 5 year old ex racehorse he IS a VERY good boy, I'm not the bravest of people but he really looks after me.
 
We took my mare along Tissington Trail with my OH on his bike - she was a bit spooky at first, partly because it was windy but as we went along she was looking to him for confidence and kept trying to catch up when he went ahead, even following him through scary tunnels etc. By the time we got back to the trailer it was just like she was out with another horse, so very successful!
 
It's how I cured my nappy mare. She used to however sometimes try and trot after random people-LOL!
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My pony prefers the bike to hacking out with other horses, altough I still hack out with other horses too. I have the same problem as Madam_Max though if I want him to just walk and so tell the OH to slow down he'll just latch on to anyone cycling past instead!!!
 
I just got my oh to bioke out with me and i have a very flightly horse, decided it was best not to introduce in school, although he does keep a distance so we dont bump into him
 
Brilliant, I'm looking forward to it a bit more now.

OH is one of those annoying people horses seem to warm to (my old share horse, notorious man eater stood there and fell asleep when OH was stroking him, never seen him like that with someone new before ever!)
 
Aw, I think it's really nice that OHs can get involved like that. My last horse loved my OH too and would follow him everywhere. It annoys me sometimes as my OH will watch me struggling to do something with current horse, i.e. picking feet up or similar, and will then just come along and say do it like this and she'll behave perfectly! My current horse is lovely with him too but recently she wouldn't catch for him, which upset him quite a bit!
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I think we'll definitely try biking too, sounds like good fun and a good way to spend some time with OH and horsey at same time. And keep OH fit
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My ponio is a nervous wreck out hacking (he is even scared of man-hole covers!!)

But he's great with a bike... mum always comes out with me on hers and it makes him so much more confident having someone with him
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So im sure yours will be fine!!
 
Yay, thanks guys!

Yeah OH is pretty good about the whole horse thing, he clearly has no interest in them but he knows I love them so asks the right questions, I was stressing about the days off and seeing the horse but he actually offered to come down do we could spend time together.

I did once go to a football match so I suppose he does owe me!
 
Donkey LOVES following husband on his bike, if he zig zags she does
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if he gets too far ahead she has a paddy and has to catch up, however he says it is really quite scary hearing us thundering behind if we are cantering!
 
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