What age did you go on your first solo hack?

[iknowmyvalue]

I was 12, that was the age I got my first pony (who was a bit of a monkey to hack!) my parents were totally non-horsey so no clue. Used to hack on roads, off roads... This was about 8/9yrs ago. Looking back, I definitely should not have been allowed, but pony and me both survived

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Gosh! Dunno if I can remember. I must have been about 13 or so I reckon, when I got my first pony and he was trustworthy enough to go solo on, bless him, dear little man.

Like someone else has said, the roads were not so crowded in those days and everyone knew everyone in the countryside, so my parents never worried. In those days of course there was no such thing as a mobile phone, I was sent off with 2p pieces to put in a call-box if I needed it!!

Those were the days......... no sat-navs to take juggernauts down country roads and get stuck; no mass cycle-races; can't ever remember seeing any quad bikes on the road ever, or trials bikes, they were kept where they belong, in the fields!

 

[LHIS]

27.. partially because my first horse at 18 was nappy and I wasn't good enough a rider to get her past that by myself. Then I had a horseless few years, then lost all my confidence, and finally made it on my first solo hack aged 27 with my second horse (pony).

 

[Sags_Deer]

12, used to hack down the road about 15 mins go riding with some friends , well miles actually ruck sacks, lunch, oh and no mobile phones but hey we coped just fine had loads of fun

 

[ponies4ever]

was 13 when I got my totally green just turned 6 cob and we just went straight out olone. Have non horsey parents though..

 

[fuzzymooch]

10 in the early 90s, but wasn't allowed on the roads until 13. D could be flighty but he always took care of me and my mom trusted him to bring me back home safe .

 

[Lacuna]

28 - on my first share pony

 

[Corbie]

10. This was 1980's. What a different world children grow up in now, so much more protected. Which is right and good of course; but all of my solo childhood pursuits and adventures on my cheeky little welshie does bring a smile to my face!

 

[honetpot]

When I was about 12. It was the 70's my mum had no idea of danger, and not really interested in what I did. I walked 3miles alone across fields from school one way, and about four miles back in the dark beside a busy main , road through deserted allotments and across a playing field, twice a week in winter and hacked out in the dusk on my own. Bonkers.

 

[paddi22]

9, but that was the 80s and the roads were very quiet

 

[huskydamage]

8 or 9 i think. Was 20 years ago. I loved the freedom I had as a kid to do that stuff, I never had any problems. I had a forest to ride in back then and the only real rule was not to be there when it got late as that's when all the weirdos came out. Used to get a lot of creepers, flashers etc in the forest. That was the concern,people, more than roads etc

 

[Sophire]

Around 13 I think, would have been 2004/5.

 

[Antw23uk]

Probably about 9/10? But my mum used to follow behind me in the car I found out recently, lol (Im nearly forty, she only just told me!) A fearless age and certainly a lot less traffic on the roads which was handy as my chestnut mare used to jog everywhere sideways!

 

[MagicMelon]

About 11 I think. In those days there was a lot less traffic, but disappearing for the day with a packed lunch was normal. My parents weren't horsey so weren't worried! No mobiles either.

Not a chance baby NB will be doing the same when he gets to that age, sadly. It's a different world.

I was 9 (when I got my first pony). My parents werent very horsey so just left me to it, Id spend ours in the field with my pony and go off for hours with a packed lunch, sometimes meeting up with a friend. And this was along country roads pretty much for 3 or 4 miles before Id get to proper off-road stuff. It was different back then though. Id never let my son do that at that age - the roads are way more dangerous these days.