To all you happy hackers out there........

T

thebarn1

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As above really. I feel sometimes really pathetic with all you talented lot. I am in my late 40s, have ridden a fair old bit and done a few unaffiliated things and have hunted, but me and my boy, who is now 17 are content to hack. I have a demanding job and its a great chiller outer, plus my horse loves it. If I want to school, its great fun leg yielding down the lanes and its fun to school in the field - we can go for a gallop afterwards. My boy is a safe, bombproof hack, and I am dead lucky. He is not bored in the slightest, in fact I feel he loves his life - he was a riding school horse for most of his life. Most of our yard compete at affiliated disciplines (most eventing) and none of them look down on me - we all get on fine. However, i do sometimes detect an element of looking down from all you pros out there, even though I am sure its unintentional. I would also add I own a cob, for my sins ......... Come on, there must be a hell of a lot more happy hackers out there,
 
Yep! I may aswell be a happy-hacker to be honest!

I hack about 3-4 days a week and will school/lunge the rest and take him to the odd sponsored ride/ local dressage but nothing fancy
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I'm quite content to "happy-hack" at my age.
Done the Affiliated SJ, Hunting, Showing etc.
As you say, it's nice to take it easy though.
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well... i am not a "happy hacker", i do showing and dressage. but it takes a lot of skill and experience to deal with things that sometimes pop up on a hack. the odd spook, or road works, ect. you use just as much skill out hacking as any person would use in the school, our horses are competition horses, but they hack at least twice a week to stop them getting bored. like you say, you can do just as much on a hack as you can in a school. not everyone has the desire to go and compete, but that does not make you any less of a horserider. good for you, and carry on enjoying your horse...x
 
I'm not even a happy hacker! I would love to hack out my horse safely - Nothing wrong with hacking... The only difference is nothing you do is being marked with a score!

Takes alot to ride your horse out solo or even well behaved in company when going at speed, so riding wise I wouldn't say it's a copout at all.

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What a refreshing reply
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We tend to be a group of happy hackers, with fun competitions thrown in
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(The over 30 classes at our RC gymkhana day were the fullest, and the most competative!)
We are finding new and interesting competitions to spice up our riding, as well as new hacking ideas, the last one being a decorated bra ride for a breast cancer charity
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So the happy hackers can find alsorts to do
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I'm a happy hacker, and proud of it
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I've done all the PC stuff when I was younger, and although I never rated myself as a rider, I was fortunate enough to find a horse who had the potential to be a superstar. We never quite realised that potential together - we did a lot of affiliated SJ and won a couple of decent classes in the first couple of years we were together - but my nerves got the better of me after a nasty fall and since then (2004) I have done very little other than hack. Suits me just fine - I'm proud of the fact that I have a horse who will happily and safely take me for a 25 mile hack alone; we may not compete any longer, but the bond we have is as good (if not better) than it was when we were jumping
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I do have visions of one day doing some local showjumping again, but nothing big at all. I'm talking 2'6 max - we are mere happy hackers now, after all!
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I would still class myself as a happy hacker even though we do go out competing at RC and local unaffiliated level because we hack 2-3 times a week and are often out for at least 2 hours.

Hacking certainly isn't a cop out. I know plenty of people who will compete but would never go for a fast hack in company for fear they couldn't control their horse outside of an arena.

I've certainly fallen off more times out hacking than I ever have schooling or doing dressage!
 
My job is very competitive - I am a Director of a very large property company, I dont need to compete with my horse. He is my horsey soul mate and worth the huge cost of the full livery he is on. He may be the cheapest horse on our yard (which has its share of 50-100K eventers on it), but to me he is utterly beyond price.
 
I am a happy hacker - I am simply not a good enough rider to compete, so I stick to hacking and loive it - my horse's sharer competes him so he gets best of both!!
 

Although I do go to shows for showing/dressage when my horse is sound (!), and I have a lesson once a week, but I also hack out 4 times a week when she is in work.

I would therefore consider myself to be a happy hacker above anything else, and have also noticed in RL as well as on here that some people do seem to consider us to be the poor, as well as uneducated and talentless relations of the horsey world.

I also own a cob, and far from being the leg at each corner plod who won't blink an eyelid at anything, I find that it actually takes more of my experience and ability to go for an hour long hack around our spooky rivers and bridlepaths than it does to have a lesson, which is equally as demanding on me, but more on my stamina and strength!
 
I am definitely a happy hacker (or would be if I could get Che off the yard!! Damn snow) Also in late forties and never been competitive or particularly brave. I love being out on my own with my horse, definitely a stress buster and chance to appreciate the countryside from a different angle. Che is an 11 year old ex racer and fortunately for me seems to enjoy his new, quiet life, quite happy to pootle about with me. I keep him DIY and actually get as much enjoyment from looking after him as I do from riding, we have a great relationship although Ive only owned him for 18 months. Im sure you're right, there must be a lot more like us!
 
I went to gymkhanas as a child, and had some lessons then, then had a gap and then just happy hacked for a while before my horse had to be retired. Now that I have a new horse (in my sig), I'm hoping to get some lessons on her so that I can get the hang of schooling and do some other bits and pieces. I have hacked her out a bit (before the snow) and I feel pleased that I can ride this big horse down the street and even though she might spook at something, I don't panic or fret. I think that's an accomplishment in itself (though I've yet to ride her out without someone coming with me).

I always feel weird as someone that has kept horses or ponies all my life... because I don't understand most of the technical stuff!! I can care for them, get on them, walk, trot, canter and cling on and jump over something if necessary but ask me something technical and I have absolutely no clue. Nor do I understand a lot of pieces of tack, which completely baffle me, or what people are talking about half the time. I also can't really tell whether a horse has a nice confirmation or anything like that - I can just tell if it looks healthy and is a good looking horse (though looks don't bother me so much). I seem to know a lot of horsie people and I do feel that they look down on me sometimes, though it's not always intentional, but then I ask myself... why should I feel ashamed? My horses are happy and the fact is that I haven't had a lot of expensive lessons or the need for complicated accessories and so on. I can't be expected to know something if I haven't experienced it.

I do hope to learn more in the future (am only 22) and to get the hang of schooling, some dressage moves and a little bit of jumping. The new horse is a bit green but I hope that we can learn together and that we can just have some all round fun whilst enjoying some lovely hacks too.
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Yay, I am the happiest hacker out there, just love it. My old boy is the safest horse ever and has never frightened me once in the 18 plus years I have ridden 1000's of miles with him
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Well, Im 46 and was a happy hacker, as I just bought Mick to hunt. that was until I met alwaysbroke 2 years ago and she encouraged me to compete again. I did it all as a kid and wasn't particularly bothered about competing again - but..

I have had 2 good seasons competing - last year being amazing. We will compete this season and next and then after that, who knows. If we are still enjoying it then yes, if not we will become full time happy hackers again.

There are people on here who look down on you especially one who always goes on about 'teeny weeny jumps' but who cares. I have the money to BE and the horse, but we enjoy doing the unaffiliated stuff around us, we are out together with the dog, we only ever take one horse at a time to a comp so its a nice chilled day, and we have a lot more spare money to spoil ourselves.
 
I am a happy hacker and a cob owner, not really into anything else. The one thing that does interest me in terms of me actually taking part is in hand showing. I love watching dressage, show jumping and eventing but its not something I really take part in.

I have not noticed it on here people being snooty about only being a happy hacker, perhaps I have not looked in the other parts of the forum which I do not tend to use/read.
However, it is in real life, being on yards where I have noticed sometimes people look their nose down a little at happy hackers on cobs/smaller horses. In fact, what it is, is not the hacking but the owning a pony as an adult and riding it.

My girl is 14.2hh so on the cusp, she is a cob so takes up all my leg, but I have often noted people looking down a bit at me not opting for a larger horse.
 
To MoggyinManolos. My thoughts precisely. I've not seen much snobbery on this forum re happy hackers, but have come across it in many forms in my horsey life. I too ride a 14.3hh cob, I am only 5 foot 5, so no great issues. He is not a dope on a rope, although he is totally safe and trustworthy. He will look after a total novice, but will give a more experienced rider a good ride, he is not ploddy but quite off the leg and he has great brakes. He is also a most handsom lad as well, even though his character is pretty much that of Phil Mitchell (hard as nails, but loves his mum). My daughter rides a stunning 15.2hh wb/tb eventer and we get looked at. She will still ride my cob though, as he loves him. Here's to the happy hackers among us, I am glad there at loads
 
As I'm getting older (I'm 35 this year) and my body is getting stiffer and hurtier with arthritis, I'm becoming more of a happy hacker too. I used to jump all the time as a youngster but even doing dressage now for me is becoming too painful to do long periods of schooling.

TBH, I can't afford riding lessons or to rent the local menage to school in and with work, I don't have time to school as much as I'd like to either. This is why I'm considering even giving up doing dressage this year too.

Hattie is so idol anyways and finds schooling boring that she is quite content to stay in her field all week and just go out on the weekends. I like just walking and trotting down the lane side saddle and having a horse for a big pet anyways.
 
I'm a happy hacker! I live near Ashdown Forest so have miles of beautiful countryside to make the most of. I do enjoy jumping, especially cross country but haven't competed for years. Perhaps it's something i'll get back into. I do get bored easily in the school, just feel restrained! I also have always stuck to ponies/small horses
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QR.

Until this time last year I was a happy hacker. Then I came across TREC competitions. To me it's not actually a competition - I go for fun but it's an excellent way to prove to people that "Happy Hack" horses are good at things that other horses wouldn't be able to do.

This is the first time I have competed at anything without going green and forgetting to breathe!

You should give it a little go. It's fun. .....and Jasper and I have our first red rosette.

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I'm a happy hacker! Never had ponies when I was young, so by the time I got Harley at 28, I wasn't bold or brave at all! We've done some showing every year (two last year) but just in hand as he's an idiot ridden at shows, and we've done a fair few pleasure rides, but these days, weather and my duff knee depending, we hack. We also bred a foal a couple of years ago, who will become my next happy hacker, and the foal in my siggie will also be a happy hacker.

If we had a school, I would use it, but we don't we have a field, and Harley doesn't feel it's acceptable to school in a field - so we don't!
 
I'm an over 40's happy hacker with a cob
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If anyone looks down on me then THEY have a problem.Equally, I don't look up to those just because they compete or have anything other than a cob.

I choose what I want to do just as they do..
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I'm a happy hacker for the most part and i love it
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Hopefully when Ronnie and I get some time in the summer with no snow we can get going together and maybe do some local dressage and jumping when i get my arse in gear again
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I'm proud to say i enjoy hacking and generally applaud anyone who gets on a horse to ride. I am just as satisfied with myself and my abilities as i am to watch and admire others who take it further
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see my username! I a a Happyhack-er and proud!! TBH I CBA with anything else! I ride for pleasure and hacking is what I enjoy.
I know exactly what you mean when you say [ QUOTE ]
i do sometimes detect an element of looking down from all you pros out there, even though I am sure its unintentional

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I'm a happy hacker and proud of it. At the end of the day it's about doing what you and your horse enjoys. Sod what anyone else thinks!
 
I'm a happy hacker heading rapidly towards 50 with a 14'3 cob. We hack for miles either on our own or with oh. I will go round a minimus xc course but only when its a have a go so no competition involved and if the fence looks scary we dont have to do it.
 
Another happy hacker here! I do (in theory) compete, but only at the occasional local dressage or show for fun. I can't remember the last one we did - maybe a year ago?

There are some riders, mainly competing at dressage or SJ, who won't leave the arena - and what sort of a life is that for a horse?
 
Myself and ned are also happy hackers, I would like to have a stab at doing some endurance with him, but as I don't have transport it isn't that easy.
I am very happy to just hack out and as I live and keep my lad on Dartmoor we have miles of brilliant riding.
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i'm a happy hacker and proud of it! i've never been into competing. maybe the odd gymkhana at the local stables when i was young. i've waited 25 yrs to hve my own horse, and he is really more a family pet. he's now 13 and has done his fair share of dressage and jumping and pony clubbing. he really is the perfect gent to handle, which means my kids can do anything with him. he's happy to plod around the school on a lead rein, with a kid on board. jst as happy to canter numerous circuits with my eldest son on board, giggling his head off! and equally happy to turn into a 17hh event horse on the Downs, with me on board!! i dont feel the need to compete and never will :-)
 
I compete in the summer (as in local shows / dressage etc) - but am a happy hacker in the winter and loving it!

We got a short respite from the snow last week and I managed to get my pony out on a 3 hour hack! Just me and him and the crisp sunshine - bliss!!

We're going to have a go at Trec this summer too.
 
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