VERY happy Hackers!!

Super_Kat said:
I always think of the 'what if's'. Having seen the aftermath of a yard friend going out for a canter on a hack, horse spooked, she came off, horse was loose and ran across a busy road and got taken out by a car doing 60mph. The canter was not worth the dead horse or the injured driver.
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:) I can see your point, and you have my sympathy, that event was undeniably tragic and traumatic for you all but it was a worst case scenario. Look at Tim Stockdale he's got a broken neck and he was in an arena just tightening a girth from what I read :(
If we allowed the what ifs, the buts, and the maybes to rule our lives we would wrap ourselves in a bubble and board ourselves in our homes. Life is a risk, there are infinite variables, if people choose to minimise those risks then that's fine, how they choose to minimise them is a personal choice don't you think?

I saw a horse snap his leg when he was playing about in the paddock, perhaps that could have been prevented if we had never let him out. I have also seen a horse die from injuries caused by getting cast in a huge stable, maybe he'd have lived if we'd put him out in the field.

What I am getting at is that some risks are acceptable, some are downright stupid, but they are mainly of our own choosing.

I don't choose to ride my stallion off my own property, not because he is dangerous in anyway, or that I cannot handle him but because I am very aware that if I were to come off him and he got away, he could, by the very nature of him being entire, cause carnage, not to mention the obvious road hazard. To me, riding him out, alone, when I have others to ride is an unacceptable and foolhardy risk.

Don't even get me started on being a parent...you'll know just what I mean if you have your own children.
Every day when my daughter goes to school I have to take the risk that the bus won't crash, or she won't get into fights, or drugs, or abducted, or raped, or knocked over etc, etc,etc...I have to take those risks because I have to let her live her own life.
 
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Leskaneen - that sounds like fun.

I do not compete or hunt and I never have. I enjoy my horse by exploring the countryside. I don't take risks with either my health or my horse's but we do both enjoy what we do. I waited a long time before I bought him and I want to enjoy him for as long as possible.

(Not so)SuperKat - One man's meat is another man's poison. There is no need for unpleasant comments. I can't believe what I am reading.
 
Right - original point of the post..... Don't look down on others if they don't want to have fast hacks on their competition horses, that makes you just as bad as those looking down on you for being a happy hacker. My personal reason - the roads are too damn dangerous to be worth the risk!

darkhorse - yes there are risks but only to those who knowingly take them, not some poor unsuspecting road user! Yes I travel in a lorry and it worries me because people drive around you like crazy people (but horses in a lorry is totally different to a loose horse on the road ;)
 
leskaneen said:
So off we went.Hacked fairly sedately round the roads-lots of people on "posh" horses doing the same-then we went on the tracks/gallops for some fun-had 2 good canters jumped a log,had an interesting moment when a deer ran across our path,then had a bloody good gallop on rubber track-(well,as fast as a welsh & fell can gallop!!)
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If you can't have a canter/gallop on the "tracks/gallps" or the "rubber track" then where on earth can you?
 
So what happens if a horse spooks whilst in walk or trot and the rider falls off, the horse can still run into a road. Should no one hack out now just 'incase' something happens?!!! :D
 
Super_Kat said:
Right, now YOU sound totally up your own arse!!!!!
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Rude much? Ignorant obviously :rolleyes: TBH I don't care how many pretty rosettes/wonderful rider awards you have.

Do I ride on the roads? Yes, although would rather stick to bridleways if I have the opportunity. Have I been involved in an accident hacking? Yes, although the driver was completely at fault and luckily horse was uninjured.

You choose not to hack your horses out and I don't think anyone has a problem with that. However, to say that somehow that means you 'take a bit more care of your horses wellbeing' is laughable.

ETA my happy hack is a 'posh' warmblood :eek: :eek:
 
Super_Kat said:
Right - original point of the post..... Don't look down on others if they don't want to have fast hacks on their competition horses, that makes you just as bad as those looking down on you for being a happy hacker. My personal reason - the roads are too damn dangerous to be worth the risk!

darkhorse - yes there are risks but only to those who knowingly take them, not some poor unsuspecting road user! Yes I travel in a lorry and it worries me because people drive around you like crazy people (but horses in a lorry is totally different to a loose horse on the road ;)[/Q

Us poor unsuspecting road users take risks every time we turn the key and move - from other idiots driving like loonies, drunks, uninsured boyracers etc etc - thats life!
As someone else said you minimise the risk as much as you can as a pedestrian, car driver or as a rider - ensure you can ride well, your horse is well schooled and safe enough to take out. You and horse wear hi viz, avoid heavy traffic, the busiest roads etc etc - its all common sense.
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I'm experiencing a new emotion on this forum - shock. I am genuinely surprised to see a post like Super_Kat's.

I'm not surprised that if you have a very valuable horse, you might choose not to risk injury by hooning around on a bridlepath which you don't know terribly well, or be concerned that the horse might sod off for home across the roads. My horses aren't especially valuable (other than being extremely so to me), but I do entertain similar thoughts - "what if he gets loose on the road?".

However, I also entertain those thoughts when competing, schooling, training, travelling or even just leaving my horses in the field - they could break the fencing and head for the road, could they not? If I wasn't prepared to put those thoughts to one side, I couldn't have horses.

We all assess risk differently. You clearly are OK with the risks associated with polocrosse - and they're not inconsiderable. I was talking about horseball (which I've recently started playing) with a friend, who said she could never do it with her horse for fear of damaging his legs. For me, the greatest risks are those related to obesity and lack of exercise (probably because I have natives), so any sport that motivates me to keep them fit is a good thing.

Fast hacking is one of those sports for me - I love it and it keeps my horses fit, so I do it. I make sure the horse has hi vis (whether I do or not) in case he ends up on the road. He wears a name tag with my number and his address (my yard). I teach my horses to stand still when separated, where possible - yes he could bolt anyway, but every little helps. And most of all, I try to stay on and keep hold of the reins. Maybe I'll fail one day and regret my decision - but I could just as easily see my horse injured show jumping, cross countrying, playing horseball or schooling.

Or my other horse could fracture his leg by kicking him in the field again. You never know the minute.
 
rhino said:
Rude much? Ignorant obviously :rolleyes: TBH I don't care how many pretty rosettes/wonderful rider awards you have.

Do I ride on the roads? Yes, although would rather stick to bridleways if I have the opportunity. Have I been involved in an accident hacking? Yes, although the driver was completely at fault and luckily horse was uninjured.

You choose not to hack your horses out and I don't think anyone has a problem with that. However, to say that somehow that means you 'take a bit more care of your horses wellbeing' is laughable.

ETA my happy hack is a 'posh' warmblood :eek: :eek:
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It annoys me then people who just hack (for whatever reason) slate people who choose not to go for a canter/gallop because they're scared/they think their horse is too precious etc.
My post was saying I'm competant and confident, I don't hack off the farm because it's a stupid risk, not because I'm scared or because I think my horses are 'too valuable', I don't want to risk them or anybody else.
Getting really nit picky with 'why step out of your front door, thats a risk', thats a risk that needs taking as I need to work and thats fine, I'm not unpredictable, I'm careful, horses arent. I don't HAVE to hack my horses off the fram so I don't, it's a risk I don't often take, if I do I usually go explore the tracks around my yard but I just walk, going fast you're more likely to come unstuck.

You're horse is a posh warmblood......What does then have to do with anything?
 
Rhino I echo your post that we d all rather not go on roads-obviously-but they re an unfortunate fact of life!!Think this thread has kinda gone off at a tangent from original post which was basically saying that old women on cobs can have fun(I meant no offence by refering to "posh" horses-I was simply differentiating between comp horses and hairy cobs!!)-Enfys -as you say-don t get me started on kids-should I confiscate my son s car keys,bring my daughter home from uni &stop youngest from going out with her mates??I could-and I d worry a lot less-but there s no point being alive if you don t LIVE!!
 
JFTD said:
I'm experiencing a new emotion on this forum - shock. I am genuinely surprised to see a post like Super_Kat's.
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Totally agree with all you have posted :) But then, we don't have numerous national titles so what do we know? :rolleyes: (or maybe we do but just don't feel the need to shout about it on the internet ;) )

I think all the happy hackers should move to my yard; 46,000 acre private estate! Best hacking ever :)

Why is HHO turning into a 'I love my horse/pony more than you do because...' competition at the moment?
 
Super_Kat said:
You're horse is a posh warmblood......What does then have to do with anything?
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Absolutely no idea :confused: but going by the tone/theme of the thread I thought it may somehow be important ;) :D

Actually I was just wondering what the 'posh' horses were in the OP! :) and what constitutes a 'posh' horse.
 
OMG I think I may go out and wrap myself and my horse in bubblewrap!!! Is this what the world is coming to? I can understand courteous and safe riding but jeeeez Super_Kat I think Health and Safety would have had umpteen coronaries if they saw WBA we used to get up to on our ponies as kids. Shall we ban hunting, team chasing, eventing etc "just in case a horsey gets injured? :eek: :eek:
 
JFTD said:
I'm experiencing a new emotion on this forum - shock. I am genuinely surprised to see a post like Super_Kat's.

I'm not surprised that if you have a very valuable horse, you might choose not to risk injury by hooning around on a bridlepath which you don't know terribly well, or be concerned that the horse might sod off for home across the roads. My horses aren't especially valuable (other than being extremely so to me), but I do entertain similar thoughts - "what if he gets loose on the road?".

However, I also entertain those thoughts when competing, schooling, training, travelling or even just leaving my horses in the field - they could break the fencing and head for the road, could they not? If I wasn't prepared to put those thoughts to one side, I couldn't have horses.

We all assess risk differently. You clearly are OK with the risks associated with polocrosse - and they're not inconsiderable. I was talking about horseball (which I've recently started playing) with a friend, who said she could never do it with her horse for fear of damaging his legs. For me, the greatest risks are those related to obesity and lack of exercise (probably because I have natives), so any sport that motivates me to keep them fit is a good thing.

Fast hacking is one of those sports for me - I love it and it keeps my horses fit, so I do it. I make sure the horse has hi vis (whether I do or not) in case he ends up on the road. He wears a name tag with my number and his address (my yard). I teach my horses to stand still when separated, where possible - yes he could bolt anyway, but every little helps. And most of all, I try to stay on and keep hold of the reins. Maybe I'll fail one day and regret my decision - but I could just as easily see my horse injured show jumping, cross countrying, playing horseball or schooling.

Or my other horse could fracture his leg by kicking him in the field again. You never know the minute.
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totally agree with this - my lad is a cob, not super valuable moneywise but ultra valuable to me cos i love him to bits. My confidence is terrible and ive really really had to battle myself toget him out - to get anywhere we have to cross main leeds ring road. Whenmy confidence was zero and i couldnt do it i felt terrible, so so cruel just schooling him and never taking him off the yard. I worked so dammed hard to get him out - for his good. I didnt want him going round and round in a school for the rest of his life.
Now we are out - I know its not 100% safe but as someone else said neither is he 100% in his field or stable.
Life is a risk.
All you can do is be aware of the risks and minimise them as much as you can - no need to get nasty and say hackers dont love their horses or care for other road users .
Thats unfair and untrue.
 
I came off Dolly out hacking a couple of years ago. We were only trotting, couple of guys came out of bushes carrying a huge umbrella, massive spook and spin, and I was on the floor. She always stops when I come off, as she did this time, but idiots with umbrella, instead of waiting, carried on towards her and she took flight, straight across a busy main road, back to the yard.

Last winter, turned horses out in morning as usual. My friends 2 went out with Mac and Bren and she turned hers out after me. Gate didn't get locked properly, and that evening, before I got there, the 4 of them got out of the field and made their way back up to the back gate at the yard. Mac and Bren, fed up with waiting, then decided to take themselves out of the back entrance to the yard, walk along the road, and wait at the front entrance for someone to let them in.

I was lucky that in both instances, no horse or humans were hurt!

I am a happy hacker, and enjoy nothing better than a good blast now and again.
 
WELL SAID!! Soooo understand where your coming from-my lad is my sanity in this mad life-he was a total loon when i got him -he trusts me & I wouldn t hurt him for the world
 
rhino said:
Absolutely no idea :confused: but going by the tone/theme of the thread I thought it may somehow be important ;) :D

.
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No, I only chucked that in about my horse to make a good point about something but I'm gobsmacked so I've totally forgotton the point of putting it in! Probably that I've got what the op would describe as a 'posh horse', but despite that I still wouldn't risk them, even if they were 3 legged donkeys, not worth it.
I'm glad it's quiet in my office today!
 
You could not pay me enough to hack out on the roads around here, not because of the horses (they're all fine in traffic, etc), but because the drivers are all insane! We'll stick to our lovely fields and arena, thank you very much.
 
Cortez said:
You could not pay me enough to hack out on the roads around here, not because of the horses (they're all fine in traffic, etc), but because the drivers are all insane! We'll stick to our lovely fields and arena, thank you very much.
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Thank you!
Non horse friendly road users are an arse! (to add to my point of loose horse, bad accident)
 
I think an important point to this post is - some horses HAVE to go on some roads to get to any off road hacking -
I live in leeds and have to go on roads to reach the outer countryside. Obviously we dont bomb about on the roads, are ultra careful and courteous.
Also - dont forget the horses training.
My horse was broke in Leeds, to ride on main roads from a very early age.
He is therefore fine in traffic - wagons, air-brakes, motorbikes - hes seen and isnt flinched by it
Its trees, birds and leaves he hates!!!!
Hes much much more spooky on tree lined bridle paths than the busy ring road!
Horses for courses as they say - all horses and riders are different :D
 
I think what it all comes down to really is experience. Hacking can be very dangerous for somone like myself who is inexperienced. I've been going out on supervised hacks with a hacking school over the ashdown forest which is helping to build my confidence whilst hacking on a horse who's hacked out daily and used to a variety surroundings.

I like to think of it a little like taking the dog for a walk. It would be VERY irresponsible to take out a dog into a public open area with a dog that you have no control over and letting it off the lead. It could run off, get into a fight, hurt itself, become afriad or over excited! So your train the dog first in an enclosed safe area and once your both confident you can go out safely.

Hacking out is a LITTLE similar in that if i were to go out alone it could be very dangerous as i have little experience and would struggle to control a hores who may become excitable or spook etc.

I think its perfectly acceptable for riders to go out into beautiful open spaces and have a good fun gallop as long as theyre condfident! I look frwd to being one of these such riders myself one day. Till then i'll keep going out with the school till i find my feet.

Happy hacking all!! :):D:):D
 
darkhorse123 said:
I think an important point to this post is - some horses HAVE to go on some roads to get to any off road hacking -
I live in leeds and have to go on roads to reach the outer countryside. Obviously we dont bomb about on the roads, are ultra careful and courteous.
Also - dont forget the horses training.
My horse was broke in Leeds, to ride on main roads from a very early age.
He is therefore fine in traffic - wagons, air-brakes, motorbikes - hes seen and isnt flinched by it
Its trees, birds and leaves he hates!!!!
Hes much much more spooky on tree lined bridle paths than the busy ring road!
Horses for courses as they say - all horses and riders are different :D
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VERY good point-we are in the same boat though probs quite not so busy.During the week I have to ride on a main(ish)rd with fast traffic-at 7.30 in a morning-I don t CHOOSE to do it-its either that or horse doesn t get ridden(worse option).Im obvs V careful -wits about me Hi Vis everything -courteous-but it is quite scary-THATS why I so enjoy my fun sundays!!!
 
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