What's the furthest you'd hack to a lesson?

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DirectorFury

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Assuming the hacking is moderately hilly but all off road.
Horse does 12-15 mile hacks at a decent speed (mostly trot and canter) 3-4x a week and shorter 5-6 mile hacks (80% canter) 1-2x a week.
 
Depends solely on daylight at this time of year! Three miles easily, probably 5 if the horse was good and fit. Routinely did 1.5 each way for an hour's jumping lesson, on a variety of horses over years.

Done up to 8 each way for shows, and the old fashioned sort of show at that where you started off showing, then jumping and after lunch was gymkhana games.

I like hacking to lessons as it means you get your warming up and cooling down done on the way.
 
About 3.5 miles for me, both for lessons and later on for the regular Riding Clubs shows that we attended. Just right for a warm up/loosen up on the way there, and a cool down on the way back.

When I first got a trailer and starting towing to events instead, our performances initially dipped quite sharply as I had to learn how to warm up a fresh horse away from home.
 
As a child and a teenager most people always hacked to the shows and lessons. It was probably more normal than having transport. We rode around 6/8 miles then competed all day gymkana events and jumping classes. Our horses got a Monday off then probably ridden by all various family then through the week.
 
Yes, as a child I would do an hour to and then from a lesson or show. It was that or not go!

Interestingly, my best years eventing were when we had a 3 mile hack to and then from our schooling area. 40 minutes warm up and 40 minutes could down, plus the schooling area was a large, well drained field, on a slight slope. Did schooling and canter work there. Would do some dressage, then do a couple of intervals of canter then back to dressage.

Not only was it my most successful time, we also had no serious injuries up to Intermediate BE! Sadly, I am a bit of an arena person now, but have had 2 soft tissue injuries in horses since!
 
I hacked 10 miles to a lesson on my very spritely pony, had a 1 hour lesson then hacked 10 miles home. I did it because I thought it would wear her out a bit so she would be calm for the lesson. It didn’t work, she was still wild. I was tired though!
 
Follysmum said:
As a child and a teenager most people always hacked to the shows and lessons. It was probably more normal than having transport. We rode around 6/8 miles then competed all day gymkana events and jumping classes. Our horses got a Monday off then probably ridden by all various family then through the week.
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I just found a schedule from a show in the late 90s, I was 9 and hacked there on my Shetland. We did, according to the notes, 5 showing classes - tack and turnout, veteran and m and m ridden, m and m in hand, child handler, followed by two clear rounds and the under 10 jumping, and then a run through the 6 gymkhana races in the under 10s classes. Then hacked home - it was 4 miles each way, and with my mum who I think was riding her welsh D at the time so a brisk pace!

We used to go to loads of all day shows like that! Oh to be young again.
 
I remember when I was a kid you HAD to hack to get anywhere, or else not do anything!

I would quite happily hop up and hack 8 miles to a Pony Club Rally, Meet, or Show, and back again afterwards. It was what you had to do back then.

Now, as an "older rider", I'd probably say I'd be happy to hack to an event but only if it was less than an hour's ride away.

Though having said what I've said, I've just bought a little trailer and for the first time in my life won't need to have the debate!! Ahhh bliss!
 
In the summer before I broke my leg, I’d hack to next yard which took me an hour. An hour clinic then an hour home. Think it’s about 3.5 miles each way. Took my time getting there so we weren’t both knackered.
 
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