Thanks Sweethearts and Mrs Mozart! Big day (v long and gushing post!)

Trish C

Trish C

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So inspired by Sweethearts's trials with her youngster and Mrs Mozart's regaining confidence on hacking, I decided to take my boy out for the first time by ourselves today. I'm very confident on the ground and when riding in the school, but owing to my last horse napping very very badly, which resulted in us having a very severe accident, I lost all my confidence for hacking. So since I've had Monty, we've only hacked out in company - be it equine or someone on foot. Now I knew when I bought him that he was bombproof (on our first hack out in our new home, he turned out to be nanny horse to our minders when we had to pass a flat-bed lorry) and the company was always more for me rather than him. But he's a big, strong horse, and I worried that if he did decide to bomb off or nap, I wouldn't have a hope of stopping him. When we went out with people on foot he would always be on his toes and spent the whole time with his head in the air, neighing the whole way round (but never did anything more than this!), so this had me a bit worried about what he'd be like by himself.

Well I don't know what I was fussing about...!!! There wasn't a nap nor a spook, not even a neigh :D

Today our usual wednesday company was away looking at unbroken two year olds (!!!). Because of my work committments, we can only hack out two or three times a week at the moment, and today the sun was shining. So, inspired by other HHOers, I sucked it up, told myself it was stupid to waste an opportunity and reminded myself that I have an extremely chilled out but brilliant horse.

So we went out for over an hour and he was unbelievable. First of all there was no-one at all at the yard which meant me getting on by myself (his biggest problem) - we've been clicker training this and, after a few build-ups and a few more side-steps today, I was up all by myself. He was lazy enough heading out of the drive but didn't attempt to nap or even stop at all.

Got a few hundred yards down the road and met two loose ponies. Great, first time out alone and we meet loose ponies. However, he was an absolute legend... they came over and sniffed and snorted, he just ignored them and did exactly as I asked - we turned back the way we'd come and I decided to go the other way round the loop so they might not follow. This meant turning back on ourselves AND passing the yard gate again... he had a look and a couple of side-steps passing the gate but didn't even stop let alone nap. The ponies still followed us but he was good as gold and when we trotted on down the road they eventually lost interest and found a nice green garden to graze on.

We also had to squeeze past a noisy diesel van, pass a field full of lunatic horses and a barn full of loud, restless cows and he was fantastic. We did lots of trotwork and he worked brilliantly, no star-gazing or pulling, just the lovely soft contact and responsiveness to my leg that he has in the school. By the time we got round towards the end of the loop I was feeling relaxed and confident enough for a canter. So we had a little canter up a grass verge, he was keen but as soon as I asked him to come back to me, he did.

Got back to the yard and was so overwhelmed I just burst into tears!! This was a seriously huge milestone for me, though obviously nothing at all to him! If I wasn't quite sure that I'd bought a superstar before, I am now. :)

Seems such a stupid thing to get so worked up about now that we've done it!

Celebratory champagne and finger-food for anyone patient and nice enough to read all of this rambling!
 
That is absoluteley brilliant!!!
You sound just liek me - im fine in the school or inhand but hacking out - im not and its daft because like you, i know my boy was perfectly safe, he can be spooky but i know its me doign it!!!
My yardmates are brill and are really helpin gme but my ultimate aim is to do just what youve done - tack him up and go alone.
This post has really inspired me !!!
 
narkymare said:
That is absoluteley brilliant!!!

This post has really inspired me !!!
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Thanks, and glad, because as I say reading other people's stories really helped me. Gave me a right kick up the backside to read that people are doing it with horses a lot more difficult than mine, so why shouldn't I do it?! :)

And if you're worried about crossing that main road, why not ask someone to go with you on foot as far as there, or a bit beyond, then go off on your own for a little while and turn and come back. That way you, and your horse, have support for the really tough bit, but the opportunity to do a bit by yourself, still with the knowledge that support is close by if you need it? Also you're returning to having company for the last little bit, which will help you and your horse to relax and be like a little reward if your horse is a bit unsure by himself :) may help to teach him (and you!) that even if it's scary for a little while, it's nothing to worry about because support is never too far away. Or maybe get someone to walk out with you but stay a good way back, again so that if you need support it's there, but otherwise you're as good as on your own :)
 
Fantastic, a big pat on the back for you!
I think I need to pull my finger out and take some inspiration from you lot!
 
well done you... I would love to be able to do this once again once I have found the right horse, as I too have lost confidence hacking out alone, I really want to conquer it again so reading your story will inspire me to do it...

Congrats :D and hope to hear of many more happy days hacking out alone :D
 
That is fantastic news! And very inspiring :)

I have just managed 2 little walks out with very steady company. I think it will be a very long while before I go on my own (ever??), but it is heartening to hear that you managed so well. I, too am fine in the school now (couldn't even do that for a while) and these 2 little walks have given me such hope for a good summer out and about! :D:D

Good luck for your next expedition!
 
:)

May sound a bit airy-fairy but I feel like Wednesday's trip out has done a lot for our bond too... afterwards, I let him loose in the sand arena for a roll and sat for a good cry (out of overwhelmedness and happiness, nothing bad!) and he came over and stood and nuzzled, which he hasn't done before. He's been more affectionate in the stable as well... he's very independent and not very luvvy, but there's still a difference just in these last two days. And this morning we had our best schooling session yet, got some really lovely work together, got him shortening and picking up over poles AND some nice bending on his weak left rein, all for the first time. Our schooling buddy said that we looked more of a partnership today :)

Maybe because I've given him the trust he deserves now? :) whatever, whether it's in my head or not, I don't care cos we've had a fantastic two days :D
 
Totally :) He's a complete vandal (had to remove all buckets/grooming kit from within his reach earlier because he was making such a racket with them, so then he stole my car keys and when I wrestled them back from him he took all of the headcollars off their hooks and threw them across the yard), he doesn't have a halt yet, knocks over anything that can be knocked over just for fun (can't wait to start jumping!), won't stand still beside my mounting bucket... he's a complete character, but he IS an absolute saint where it matters the most for me (on the roads). I wanted a horse that was bombproof and genuine on the roads but needed work in the school - since that's what I enjoy the most and is where my confidence lies - and that's totally what I got. Even his schoolwork is coming on quickly though... and no horse I've ever met before would have just ignored being followed by two loose ponies!

I got seriously lucky - first horse I saw, below budget! Long may it continue, please god, or whoever you look to :)
 
Ahh brilliant, really well done!! So glad to hear good news. Your horse sounds like an absolute angel! :)
Also I know what you mean about the feeling closer to them; I thought maybe it was just me imagining it with Charlie horse but we have definatley been getting on alot better on the ground since our hack on Tuesday. He's a really lovey horse anyway (loves his kisses and cuddles) but has a very defiant streak when he wants to and has been attempting to push the boundries with everything at every opportunity at the mo!! Little darling, good job I love him so much!!:rolleyes:
 
I can totally relate to you. Jasper is great in company, but a wet-lettuce on his own (he never does anything dangerous, just makes me nervous, which makes him more nervous and the cycle continues!). I'm building our confidence to go out on our own, and even short rides down the lane and back seem like a huge achievement.
Really well done, your horse sounds like an angel! xx
 
Sometimes it is the smallest steps that give us the biggest feeling of achievement. Well done to you! Hope it keeps on being onwards and upwards, but even if you get a small setback just remember that you CAN do it and this proves it.
 
MrsMozart said:
What happened re. the loose ponies?
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Well I went trotting off and ignored them... would've hopped off and put them into a field somewhere but wouldn't have been able to get back on!! They followed for a while but then got bored and spotted a nice green garden to eat. As I was driving back home from the yard, they were still in the garden. Sent a few texts out to see if anyone knew to whom they might belong, but all just came back saying "oh yeah, little grey and skewbald? Yeah they drove [insert horse's name] mad the other day".

Went for a three hour hack (with company!) today and passed an incredibly similar looking grey and skewbald in a field a few miles up from where they'd been hanging out. Skewbald had a headcollar on (which it hadn't the other day, but I'm 99% certain they were the same ponies) so looks like they're back home and happy ending... not sure for how long though, since they tried to climb out of their field as we rode past :rolleyes:
 
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