Thoughts about the etiquette of riding in company.

Meowy Catkin

Meowy Catkin

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Since I have ridden in company for the first time in a fair while - it got me thinking about the rules that apply when you do so.

I was always taught that you should keep the route and speed to what the least capable of the group can manage. It doesn't matter if the least capable is a novice rider, young horse, unfit horse or even a 'will buck when behind in canter' horse - you always stick to what they can cope with and no more.

I was also taught that the lead rider should check with the rest of the group before trotting or cantering and that they should shout their intentions before they slow again (so you don't get a pile up when someone suddenly slows down).

Am I wrong?
 
Nope, that was what I was taught/always do too.

Although I freely admit I am quite picky who I ride with as it bugs me to keep waiting for someone, but I wouldn't dream of doing anything other than the above if I was with someone less experienced for whatever reason :)
 
So you wouldn't trot up a really, really steep hill (without asking) if the horse you were riding with was coming back into work after a year and a half off?
 
Faracat said:
So you wouldn't trot up a really, really steep hill (without asking) if the horse you were riding with was coming back into work after a year and a half off?
Click to expand...

That is the way I was taught to ride in company/in a group too, and to answer your question, no I would not :)
 
If I was bringing a horse back into work, I would "lay down the ground rules" before I hacked out with someone, so I'd say "I can only do x y z, is that going to be OK with you? Don't want to be holding you up". Having said that, I always check before changing gaits.

I hate having to wait for others when I hack out; my veteran (as did my late horse) gets very wound up standing, although the "new boy" is pretty good about it.

I will always ask "OK to trot on?" although do feel like I'm taking a riding school out for a hack with some people, as I always seem to be the one saying it :p
 
Well, I don't generally organize to ride with others unless its a plod round the roads, when I'll ask if they'd like to come but state that I only want to walk. This is if I enjoy their company and want to chat.

I will allow others to accompany me on faster hacks, but its on the understanding that I don't always have full control over speed and they'll have to go with the flow. If they don't like it then don't come with me, simple.

If I'm invited on a fast hack with someone else I'll let them know about the possibility of mine tanking off and only join them if they're happy to accept that possibility. If I need to separate mine from the group at any point, due to being too out of control, I'll tell people eg I'm waiting by the gate whilst they go for a blast round a field or that I'm going home alone via a different route. I'd expect the other rider(s) to be fine with this.
 
Faracat I can't quote on my phone but if I thought there was the possibility of my horse taking off down the other side of the hill at a gallop then yes I'd be trotting up the hill to expend some of his energy, without permission from the other rider,and the other person would be expected to do whatever they thought necessary with their own horse. I'd wait for them to catch up when it was safe for me to do so. I totally understand if people don't want to ride with me!
 
Faracat said:
So you wouldn't trot up a really, really steep hill (without asking) if the horse you were riding with was coming back into work after a year and a half off?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't do without asking full stop! I have ridden with the same person most weekends for 2 years, we still ask each other "shall we trot?"
 
Yep, still follow those rules having hacked out almost only ever with my little sister for the past 10 years...
 
Yep, those are the rules I follow :)

Just wish I could find someone to hack out with - ANYONE!!! Although it does my youngster good to go out on his own, he's quite capable of it, just need to practice :)
 
Faracat said:
So you wouldn't trot up a really, really steep hill (without asking) if the horse you were riding with was coming back into work after a year and a half off?
Click to expand...

Absolutely not! I am normally 'lead rider' when out in company and always check with people when they want to trot/canter and also ask them to shout if they want to stop before planned. Common sense really.
 
Agree with you op, but I do think its wise to discuss beforehand. Unless I've been warned beforehand I hate having to go slow for someone. When daughter was tiny, or with a green, unfit or recovering horse I always state beforehand what pace I'm going at, so people can choose. Only a few weeks ago a local lady suggested we hack together with our two young children. The route we chose has 2 good long gallops & plenty of canters. I made it quite clear beforehand my daughter would want to take advantage of those spots, & that she is more accustomed to hacking with teens & adults at a fast pace, & wouldn't want to plod. So if that would be an issue we could go elsewhere together. Lady assured me her daughter & pony were the same. Needless to say, it was not the case. Child wanted to mooch along at a slow walk, had to be bribed to trot. Then in the gallop spots insisted she would canter first, stopping after 2/3 strides. Daughter, horses & I all frustrated. Two kids ended up arguing. Daughters pony got understandably frustrated & a bit silly prancing etc. Other kid started shouting it was winding her pony up etc. Just horrid basically.
 
Agree with OP and same goes to etiquette when warming up at a show, where have these 'rules' gone? I was at dressage on saturday and was very close to giving someone a mouthful in the warm up arena!
 
I think it depends on who you ride with TBH.

A friend comes and rides out with me: she doesn't have her own so rides my boy while I ride the mare I've got on loan, and because the horses know each other, and WE know each other and virtually know how we both tick and our own riding ability, we do tend to go at our own speed.

For example, we went out this morning and the mare got into a bit of a state about meeting another horse, so friend on my boy went on ahead - knowing that that would be the very best thing to get mare going as she'd follow him. Also there are places where we'd maybe go into canter without necessarily asking the other "is that OK" simply because we're hacking with just the two of us and both horses are field-mates, so its not like a "new" herd having to bond.

But if we hack out with anyone else; then yes we would ask is it OK to trot on/canter etc. With the mare, I've frequently been in the situation where she starts to bounce around and have had to ask everyone would they please NOT go into canter (yet!!) coz I know that if that happened she'd go a bit loopy, and for that reason don't do pleasure rides (especially hunt-organised ones unfortunately) as everyone's common sense and manners seem to fly out of the window at these events, and they're simply not "pleasure" if you've got a horse that tends to hot up if people are hooning past you at 100 mph.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
Faracat I can't quote on my phone but if I thought there was the possibility of my horse taking off down the other side of the hill at a gallop then yes I'd be trotting up the hill to expend some of his energy, without permission from the other rider,and the other person would be expected to do whatever they thought necessary with their own horse. I'd wait for them to catch up when it was safe for me to do so. I totally understand if people don't want to ride with me!
Click to expand...

Sorry I should have been clearer. The lady that I rode with new full well that my horse was unfit and coming back into work. We were not in a field, we were on a country lane (marked with double chevrons on the map because it's so steep). Her horse was totally under control and calm - she just wanted to trot up the hill, so did so.

Don't mean to sound curt, just trying to explain the situation clearly. :)

Anyhoo - I think that I may just turn into a grumpy bum and try to ride on my own in future. ;)

It's weird, I never did mind waiting for folks on slower ponies to catch up, even when it made my (then fit) mare dance a bit. It was the girl galloping off, kicking her horse on shouting 'oooh, she's bolting' that peed me off. :mad: Needless to say I tried to avoid going out with her again.
 
FC - I was taught the same way as you. Simply manners really, and why anyone would not respect that your horse is not up to "the full monty", obviously, after a year off, is beyond me. very rude.
 
I always ride to the set of rules it is only manners and safety. But there used to be a woman at my old yard who was an absolute nightmare to hack out with. She would literally just canter off as and when she felt like it no matter who was with her. She was not ignorant either she knew full well what she was doing. She was just an extreemly rude and inconsiderate rider. Her husband was the same. Have to say though that I used to think she was rude and inconsiderate to her horse too. Her horse was a rude and arsy faced thing too.
 
I rarely hack out in company, and only at work but I would still check with others before doing anything.

I will admit that I have been known, upon occassion, to suddenly shoot off at the speed of light cackling as I go when, and only when, I know the other pserson with me in on a fully trustworthy horse and more than up to the job of being in a controlled shoot off! And I only do it on the racehorses as it gives them a jolly up and yeehaa before they race :D

But no, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be playing such silly games.
 
Of course - in hindsight - I should have just yelled 'No we need to walk up the hill' but I'm such a dingbat that I didn't do it. In a way I'm more cross with myself for not nipping it in the bud.
 
All of the above is why I prefer to go it alone. I love it, just me and the boy doing what we choose to do. And I don't have to talk - except to him. I am turning into the biggest, grumpiest curmudgeon ever.
 
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