When are you ready to hack out alone?

[Echo24]

I've been having regular riding lessons for a couple of years now and I'm looking into a horse share to get more experience. There might be opportunities for me to go out for hacks on my own, although I've never done this before! I've been on hacks with my instructor in the past and I've had a couple of lessons where she's walked beside me on a hack and asked me to trot around a field by myself on a horse before heading back to her. When do people feel that they are ready to go out on a hack by themselves? I should think I'd probably need someone to show me the routes for hacking, but I'm really looking forward to getting a horse share as I've just moved to a new area and the new yard I'm at is quite difficult to squeeze lessons in. I'm desperate to keep up with my riding as I'm used to riding twice a week and at the new yard I can only really ride about once a month!

 

[kombikids]

just make sure the horse is happy to hack alone- thats the most important thing. then if you can walk trot and canter and know how to be sensible on the roads/have hi vis go for it! its lovely to get out alone in the countryside!

 

[Ziggy_]

When you know the hacking routes obviously, when you know the horse and any little quirks it may have out hacking, you know the rules of the road and feel confident. If you happilly hack out in company with yourself at the front of the ride, and therefore 'in charge' so to speak, you are probably ready to venture out alone.

 

[Murphy3]

Second Kombikids - start on a horse that is happy to go out alone, has no problems with traffic/lorries/rattly trailers etc.. I was a riding school rider for years before I moved to the country and used to bring up the rear on the Saturday morning ride-out. When I moved down here I was going to a small local school and the instructor started sending me out on my own on a bombproof cob who took me up the forest and back with no drama.

Now I have my own horse and I was able to work him through some issues he had with going out alone. We have built up a lovely bond and he's gone from being spooky and jumpy to taking on everything he meets. The main advice I would say is start small - just give yourself a goal of going up the road to a certain point and back again then build on this. You can build up your confidence without being heroic.

I love hacking on my own after years of riding out in a group where I always had to ride to other people's agenda. If you want to get off on a summers day and sit on a wall while your horse grazes beside you, well then you just do it. Its all ahead of you - enjoy it.

 

[myhorsefred]

Agree with all the other posts above.

Would also add, make sure your horse will move away from your leg. You may need to move his quarters over, towards a hedge maybe, if on a narrow lane and a car needs to pass.

 

[Tharg]

Read up on the high way code.

Go with some one at first

Wear high viz

If you come across any other road user make every effort possible to acknowledge them. Bad behavior of some reflects on all.

Have fun!

 

[NeilM]

Added to all the good advice above. Remember, you don't have to go miles.

When I started hacking out alone, I had not long returned to riding and was on a safe but young horse. We started just walking around the block, not travelling a huge distance, but just building up confidence. Ride by ride I extended the distances, always taking a circular route, so that we never got to a point where we always turned back.

I will now take him out on long rides, quite often on routes or in directions we have not used when in company and as I have just got a trailer, we will soon be going even further afield.

Take it a little at a time, to build up you confidence and allow you to feel as relaxed as possible.

 

[parsley]

Presuming that you have a horse that is safe and confident on its own and that you are confident and competent in all paces I would say that you could try short hacks. You don't have to go out for hours or do more than walk if you don't want to.