What is your definition of good hacking?

[Doublethyme]

No road work full stop is my idea of hacking. I won't do road work nowadays, too many idiots around.

luckily I keep mine on a farm on top of South Downs so have no road work. Tracks can be flinty but also canter places aplenty. Gates can be a bit of a pain but all usually in good order. Plus have access to interval training hills/fields on the farm which is fab for a intensive session.

do miss the woods though which I had access to on my last yard

 

[starryeyed]

I think of good hacking to be off-road - open moorland, hills, bridleways, woods and tracks! Dream rides would include a beach but there aren't many of those in shropshire (sadly). Although quiet country lanes are nice to hack along, I really don't enjoy riding on the roads where we are and that is the main reason I don't particularly like where we live now - I think I was spoilt where we used to be (lived on a hillside with miles of gorgeous off road hacking and plenty of scenic gallops), as where we are now, although they are technically country roads, are incredibly busy ones with a lot of fast traffic and impatient drivers. There are about two do-able circular routes but the vast majority are "there and back" rides which is a nightmare with my horse. Nowhere to do fast work, I have to either go along the same never ending road for 1hr 30 before reaching a track I can canter up, or put her in the lorry and take her to somewhere better! I know there are much worse places to be but i do miss our beautiful hacking and find myself doing lots of arena work or hiring facilities from nearby riding centres to add some interest.

 

[criso]

I like variety, routes that you don't have to turn round and go back the way you came and long enough routes that you can be out for hours. If there's a pub along the way that doesn't mind horses in the carpark even better. I quite like the right sort of roadwork, quiet country lane, lots of trees for shade in the summer, some bridlepaths and tracks through woods and the odd open space for a blast. I've been in 4 areas in Herts/North London, 2 were awful, one bridlepath where you rode along and turned back and two have been great. Lots of paths you can link together in different ways to create rides.

 

[Dizzle]

Current yard has a 40,000 acre estate we ride on, 1,000 acres of Common Land we can ride on, brilliant bridlepaths. I walk 15 mins down a quiet country road to get to all of this.

It's just a damn shame I'm having to move her! We've bought a house too far away to commute but it sounds as if hacking at the new yard is ok, PLUS I should be able to ride home!! Happy days!

 

[Ben2684]

We are very lucky, we live in quite a rural area and with only 15/20 mins quiet road work are on the new forest. Once on the forest you can pretty much choose where you want for what you want-gravel paths, sandy tracks and the odd open grassland for a good gallop, plus lots of logs/ditches and woodpiles for jumping Can go for miles, without crossing roads. Or can venture further afield and head through some of the smaller towns/villages. One thing we have to be very careful with is bogs so not too much 'off roading' from the oaths but there are so many it doesn't matter. I can ride for about 6 hours and only have the roadwork to get there at the start and cross 2/3 busy but easily passable roads. That said I used to keep a horse on the coast and within half an hour could be on the beach which I really miss.

 

[southerncomfort]

Mine! Bridleway passes the field gate. Can hack for miles and miles in any directions with little or no roadwork.

And we are in Milton Keynes.

 

[Echo24]

Good hacking to me is plenty of off road hacking with hills and tracks for a good canter and gallop. Sadly not the case where I am, you need to hack on busy roads, cross two bridges over motorways before eventually getting to any off road hacking. Not ideal for a just backed youngster!