Any ideas welcomed - nervous about hacking out on my own

[Ladymoon]

Hi all,

Little bit of background information.
Lost my previous horse of 14 years last Christmas. Decided I still wanted to continue riding, and circumstances are that I now have another horse. He is lovely, but he is more anxious when hacking alone than in company - nothing particularly unusual there. I have had this horse nearly 3 months, so it is still relatively early days.

Now to be honest, I have always preferred to hack in company, but as I knew my old horse inside out, I had gained confidence hacking him out on his own.

Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations for improving our confidence to hack out alone?
At the moment I have been doing fairly shortish rides, trying my best to remain calm ... easier said than done.
His main ''fault'' is that he rushes towards home - nothing nasty , just walks like there is no tomorrow!

Any ideas or suggestions welcomed.
Thankyou

 

[Flipo's Mum]

Hiya ladymoon welcome to the forum!
Sorry to hear of you losing your old companion, it's so difficult to build a new relationship when you're comparing it to the bond you had with one you rode for so long. I struggled with my new horse (although not so new now!) and we had mega confidence wibbles - he was nervous and I didn't help matters.
I guess there are many different approaches you can take, just finding the best one that suits the pair of you. I tried all of the ones I'm about to list lol - and they all worked together to get me happily solo hacking - so much so that I now prefer it to riding out with others.
Anyway, enough rambling.
First off, maybe just get your horse happy with riding out in the lead, with the other horse kept back a bit - trotting on on your own.
Foot soldiers are worth their weight in gold - I had 3 or 4 different folk helping me on different days and we reciprocated - I'd video their lessons or spot them while they were jumping etc. I had them walk at my horse's head, then when I felt we were more confident, they'd walk at my leg, and gradually get back further behind over a period of weeks until I was leading with no help. Then my foot solider would take a different route and meet me at various points to reassure me and boost my confidence to go further.
I know all of this might sound like I could take ages but I had a really severe case of nerves after some bad experiences. I didn't trust my horse. Either way, I've realised that the more baby steps you put in a process towards your goal, breaking it down as far as you can, will help you achieve things so much quicker and your expectations are constantly exceeded.
My number one aid for solo hacking was walking out in hand. I took Flipo out around all of our hacks on foot first to gauge his reaction to things and build our confidence in each other and that the area had no nasty surprises for us.

As for the speed demon walk home, it may improve as you gain confidence in each other, but maybe have an old stirrup leather around his neck to help - sometimes you can train them to slow with a pull on that rather than on the reins and pulling at their mouth too much.
Don't do there and back hacks - make them circular. There's another thread on the go at the moment by dizzywoo that some folk have given advice on speeding home. Should be worth a look.

 

[Mary Poppins]

I think that it takes at least a year for the trust to form between horse and rider and for that special bond to form. I have owned my horse for almost 3 years and it's only now that I can really say that I know him inside out and that I trust him completely.

I would say that you just need to get out there and do it. The more successful hacks you have, the easier it will become.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Welcome to the forum Ladymoon!

I am not a nervous hacker but I almost became one when I got Ziggy. The panicky sewing machine walk home did it for me every time.

There's another thread here at the moment from Dizzy Woo about her homeward bound problems with her strong Haffie mare. My suggestion is to practice your brakes. I have perfected an emergency Whoa brake with Ziggy so he will ALWAYS stop to a Whoa. If he starts hurrying home I stop him and make him back up a couple of steps, then wait until I let him walk on. 3 or 4 reps of this usually reminds him of his manners.

I think, though, that with a new horse I would first lead them out around all your usual hacking routes. Ignore any puzzled queries from fellow equestrians, you are building your own confidence and your horse's confidence in you. Once you have led around all the walks, you could try long reining if you like to do it - it's great for building the horse's courage as he has to go first. Otherwise hop on, ride for a bit, get off and lead for a bit, hop on again - whatever it takes for both of you to feel comfortable. I have no pride whatsoever when it comes to getting off.

I am sure you'll get lots more helpful suggestions.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Everything that Flipo's Mum and Jane&Ziggy have said, fab advice from both. MP advice is great if you have the balls to get on and do it... I know I don't. Oh and Hi and welcome to NR *waves*

 

[Cortrasna]

Everything everyone else has said with knobs on! But in particular I found the foot soldier the most invaluable help when my confidence hit rock bottom hacking alone. And the neck strap or the neck part of the martingale to ask for a slower pace......I started doing this on my mare as I really didnt want to be jabbing her mouth as she came to me with some sort of nerve damage or stress related habit of flapping her lower lip, especially when she felt under pressure. The neck strap has been a godsend, it gives me security, it slows her without any interference on her mouth, she now actually respons quicker to that than any other aids I give. Good luck with it, and welcome to the forum.

 

[newforest]

Welcome to the forum.

I enlisted in my instructor as a foot soldier to get my nervous Nellie cob off the yard.
Keeping the routes short is great as you can build on it, mine used to head home quicker but the more we do the less she does it.
How many routes have you got? For us I did two until she was
so settled she was sleepy bored, then it was time to ask a bit more of her.
I use my voice for my half halt aid before my body and rein so you could add that in. Speaking means you breathe out, nerves tend mean you don't breathe at all. I say sslloooowww, as its a longer deeper sigh type word. Your body picks up the relaxed tones and so does the horse.


Patience, it has taken me about 18 months to encourage mine to hack, we only set off from the yard outward solo in March. We did ride and lead, foot soldier, twice in company, gradually she just went.

 

[Jessey]

Hi It's so hard not to compare with your old faithful, (I lost my boy in October so understand that loss) but you will grow faith in your new boy over time. Totally agree with all the above but I think the most important thing is to give yourself achievable goals and plenty of time. If the walk home makes you nervous there is nothing wrong with riding out and walking home to start with, each time you can go a tiny bit further on board until one day you've done the whole thing, what ever you decide to do I think quitting while your ahead is important to overcome nerves, positive rides will mount into looking forward to The next one.

 

[Helen and Oggs]

Hello Ladymoon, I had a break from riding for 10yrs and concentrated on my daughter and her ponies. Then 18months ago I got my chap, boy was I petrified riding out on my own with him, as I didn't know him at all. I remember my first hack with him, where he piaffed and pranced and farted and jogged and napped by walking backwards, and did all manner of other things, I remember thinking sh!t this was not what I signed up for. I had tried out a calm sedated horse, where the hell had that one gone ?
So I took a deep breath and with a pocket full of treats I tried again, everytime he took off I would ask him to stand and reward him with a treat(I know people are going to say that is totally wrong and its a bad habit but it worked for me and at the day of the my horse is staying with me for life and I can live with having a horse that will do anything for a treat) I also use to get off if I ever felt unsure and lead him, whilst chatting or singing to him, especially as he wasn't good with heavy traffic.
Jump forward to the present day and I love my chap loads, we going hacking everywhere to the woods, hacking down A roads you name it we will give it a go. My daughter can't believe we are the same pair 18mths ago, we trust each other and I know what makes him tick and he looks to me when he is ever unsure of anything and even now in a mid spook(which is very rare, mainly if we see cows) if I say stand he does and turns his head for his treat. He hacks alone or we go with my daughter and her pony or I might meet a friend mid hack, walk with them for a while then leave them and go off on our own with absolutely no qualms or napping. He will occasionally jog home and I just keep asking him to walk or stand and he gets the message. So basically I would say time, perseverance and build that bond with your friend. My horse is definitely my friend and I hope I am his, after his treats of course!!!!!!!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

[QUOTE="my horse is staying with me for life and I can live with having a horse that will do anything for a treat...So basically I would say time, perseverance and build that bond with your friend. My horse is definitely my friend and I hope I am his, after his treats of course!!!!!!! [/QUOTE]
You and me both, Helen&Oggs!

 

[Ladymoon]

Hi all

first thankyou so much for your replies and encouragement - lets be honest - I am having a rough day and you all made me cry - but in a good way!

All your suggestions make lots of sense and I have been trying most of them (honest)

Don't know what went 'wrong' if anything today - but I was left feeling more than useless - I really have to learn not to care what others think!

I schooled for a short while, then decided to just hack a little way down road and back. I have wonderful access to forest and numerous rides, but unfortunately have to ride along the same road to get there - and back.... its a quiet road - although there do seem to be a lot tractors.

Anyway, decided to head out - he napped a bit - not too much - and I told myself we would just ride to the field entrance. By the time we got there he had settled and he was a saint - so much so I ended up riding most of the mile to the end of the road where forest starts. Didn't want to overdo it, so turned back at this point - and this is where it started to go awry.

He tenses and rushes as we turn to home - I tense - vicious circle.
Next we see BIG tractor - I tense further. Made decision to dismount, well before tractor got to us, as I feel safer on ground and should be giving him extra confidence.... tractor approaches - all is well - then Joey decides to leap out infront of tractor and canter down road.
No way I am letting him get away with that -- guess my arm will hurt tomorrow as it got pulled hard and I had to run with him, turn him and lead him past tractor.

Led him quite a way towards home, calmly, and then remounted close (very close) to home.
However of course others had seen me walking and think there must be a problem.
I was annoyed, mostly with myself, for allowing him to make me feel so scared -- this is supposed to be enjoyable.

Now to look at the positives ---
we went out calmly and he was very relaxed heading away from home
I led him back calmly and remounted when we were both ready
I rode him home the final few yards ( and then schooled him again )


Action plan -
have got to use the foot soldiers more --- then I wont panic if we see a tractor on way home

and is it ''wrong'' to ride out and lead home if that works for us in the shortterm ?

 

[Flipo's Mum]

I feel happier on the ground aswell, so you've got no argument coming from me anyway. Only thing I struggle with, is getting off fast enough (I had a bad experience trying to get off before the problem escalated and ended up landing on my head with concussion) its put me off bailing out these days, but I have no judgement on those who can move quickly enough.

Its good that you're able to sit back and analyse what happened and focus on what you can do to improve on things next time. Its the only way, no point in moping about wasting time worrying about what went wrong. Focus on what you can learn from it. And sod the rest of them. They may judge you, but that's their business, not yours. It has no bearing on you, unless you make it your business, and why go looking for bad feeling?

The only thing I'm not too keen on in your situation is the turning back especially if the horse is nappy. I know you say its one track out, but can you even find a tiny little loop at the end that takes your round and back onto that track so that its not simply getting to a point in the road and turning straight back round?

 

[newforest]

I led out rode home, that was because she was more forward homeward bound. I was just better off on board and allowing her the rein. Leading back as she got fitter, uphills, I was getting in her way confidence wise. She was ready for riding.

I also got comments about "taking her for a walk" Hell no, I was running! I invited them to jog with me, trust me she trotted. They didn't join me for a run either.

The only thing I would do is stick to what you are doing, if you are going to the gate, go to it and come back. Its so tempting to carry on. I personally led to a gate, got on and came back everyday for a week, then moved on to a ten minute loop.
I agree with the not simply turning, I make a pattern of a figure of a 8-pick a decent gateway or layby.
There is my hacking diary where I sat her out for half an hour when she decided, we were not hacking that day. We were, I just took supplies.

 

[Ladymoon]

yes thanks newfodest and flipposmum.

I can do a shorter loop along road and back by track, or vice versa, but I don't like him to think we will always loop home again there.
Alternatively I can go further and easily make loop to then come back to road for home.

Do like the suggestion of riding figure of 8 in road.


There are lots of passing places along road so we could do that at each one.
am going to have to be strict with myself though.... Ride short way, do figure of 8, ride back and do it again.
I simply will not tolerate him deciding how fast we walk home!

 

[juliecwuk]

I always find turning on the spot for home can really first some horses up (my retired horse Rosie turns into a nightmare if turned on the spot, though my other two don't!). Actually every single ride I do is a loop, never a turn around on spot.

I think you need to learn to ignore what others think. I am not as traditional as other people on my yard, I do things differently, though others like to comment I usually just smile and ignore. If it's someone I don't like and what they said is out of order I am not afraid to tell them that it's none of their business what I do!

 

[newforest]

All hacks are a loop else you wouldn't ever come back. You will always head back somewhere.

As your confidence grows the heading home walking quicker will lessen. Mine walks faster on a downhill sometimes, that's her balance.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Of course it's not wrong to get off and walk for a while, I used to do this a lot and I mean literally every time I got a bit tense, firstly because I felt safer on the ground and secondly I thought what is the point in me being worried and making my horse even more worried when if I get off and calm down we can just carry on. Ignore anyone who tells you what you are doing is wrong, if you want to get off it's probably the safest thing for you to do, no shame in that.
One thing I always did though if she got worried and I got off I always carried on with our 'hack' what I wouldn't do is get off and turn for home straight away but that's just me, I always thought if I do that she'd very quickly learn that all she has to do is tit about a bit and we go home.

 

[Ladymoon]

Awe thanks,
you guys make me smile.
had to have some dental work done yesterday , so planning to school him tomorrow, and sunday and we will be back out hacking (in company) next week,
Not going to make a big issue of this hacking on my own - I have got so many goals to be working on with him at the moment - it will come as and when it does.