Never hacked in fields, only roads.....

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Title says it all really - Storm and Joe have never hacked (well not with us anyway;) ) anywhere other than road work - I know it probably sounds silly but I'm just a tad apprenehsive about hacking in the open fields - I've heard so many tales of people being "galloped off with" etc. Generally Joe is very well behaved and OH doesn't struggle with him - he's quite a confident rider. Storm and I have progressed a lot lately in the school and I can now honestly say I enjoy my cantering. However, I have a fear that she will get silly when faced with such freedom - any ideas other than to just "sit it out and go with it"????! Generally she listens in the school and after a while settles. When we were on the other yard and did road work - there was only one occasion when she cantered off (we had a run in with a footie match:eek: ). Sorry for the long post - am I worrying for nothing?
 
wait and see how she reacts. if it makes you feel safer, stick to following the field perimeter where theres a wall or a fence to act as a barrier/guide. i wouldn't let storm trot/canter in open fields just yet, stick to walk for the moment. you don't want her associating open spaces with a mad gallop.
 
well, it is totally understandable that you would feel nervous. at the end of the day, they have alot more power and stength that us. lol, i took my pony out on monday, and he loved it...couldnt stop though lmao!!.

i find that it helps if another horse and rider comes out aswell. if the rider is 100% capeable of stopping her horse, then your horse wiill most likely stop, otherwise he will be leaving the other horse and would be unhappy. try just trotting in a field in circles, then cantering in circles so you have more controll....then go for it!!!


its an oppotunity never to pass, it feels great...and i bet your horse wants a good run to.:D
 
eventerbabe said:
. i wouldn't let storm trot/canter in open fields just yet, stick to walk for the moment. you don't want her associating open spaces with a mad gallop.
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EEk:eek: ! Yes, good point!!! Tho at least I won't have to worry about coliding with HGV's or cars going too fast........:D
 
i think a lot of people have problems in open spaces because they immediately step up the pace, hence the horse soon learns to associate open spaces with canter/gallop. its much better (and safer) to get them happily plodding around and then ask for faster work. i never do much more than trot when i hack out. i like to do things at a leisurely pace, so does my horse :D
 
eventerbabe said:
i never do much more than trot when i hack out. i like to do things at a leisurely pace, so does my horse :D
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Sounds good to me:D OH is a bit of speed freak - (his TB seems to enjoy it too) but I will give strict instructions before we set off that he must not get any wild ideas and set off at a canter:p :D Storm only rushes when she thinks about food - ie, if I school just before tea time. So best if I take her out after breakfast me thinks..........:D
 
in my limited experience I've found riding around the edge of fields less predictable than right across the middle.
My horse tends to spook at things in hedges etc. but is completely fine in wide open spaces. OK the pace can be a bit on the fast side, but you've got room to sort things out.And best of all it's FUN for me and the horse :D
 
Same with me and Floss till not too long ago. We used to just hack along the roads. Took her to cross country and all I got was her prancing (but I think it was cause there was other horses and jumps around!) Having someone with you will make you and your horse more confident. Like everyone else says, don't baz off when you get there (don't think you would anyway, you don't seem that type of person) just take it easy and then maybe have a bit of a canter, it's good to canter up hills as I find it easier to stop and it gives them some good old fashioned hill work :D
 
When our cob was tense and nappy and the routes were new to him, we took him round in hand, to familiarise him to everything. We gradually went a bit further each time, so he knew what to expect.
 
Just walk for the first while then try a short trot etc.

There is a field that I ride in and Charlie goes mad in it but I think this is more because he's used to cantering in there. At the weekend we were trying to trot with another horse but he did his mental trot then canter. Lesson: don't do the same thing over and over or canter at the same bit all the time creates problems
 
eventerbabe said:
i think a lot of people have problems in open spaces because they immediately step up the pace, hence the horse soon learns to associate open spaces with canter/gallop. its much better (and safer) to get them happily plodding around and then ask for faster work. i never do much more than trot when i hack out. i like to do things at a leisurely pace, so does my horse :D
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I was going to say exactly the same, its important to make sure Storm doesnt learn to associate grass with galloping. Try to vary what you do on different parts of the ride too, a lot of the rides we do are loops so we make sure that if we canter on a stretch of grass one day, we walk it the next.
The first time you canter on grass just ask for a short canter, then bring her back to walk and big pats.
 
katieB said:
I was going to say exactly the same, its important to make sure Storm doesnt learn to associate grass with galloping. Try to vary what you do on different parts of the ride too, a lot of the rides we do are loops so we make sure that if we canter on a stretch of grass one day, we walk it the next.
The first time you canter on grass just ask for a short canter, then bring her back to walk and big pats.
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Good thinking:D I will vary it. Am more excited than nervous now - its what I've always wanted to do - hacking! I used to do a lot of hiking and dreamed that one day I'd be able to explore the countryside on horse-back. Once I'd grasped the basics of walk, trot and canter that is:D
 
Wish we had the option to go off the roads :( There is hardly any opportunity to go have a canter even if we wanted.

I agree about walking it the first time, maybe even the first few. Make her realise that is not a yee-ha moment. When Silver anticipated once I started schooling him and he soon forgot what he thought he meant to be doing! xxx
 
They definately associate certain places with fast work, if you don't vary it. If we hack out from our RS, many ponies are fairly switched off initially, plodding along in a row, "know the route without looking" attitude. Then you reach a long open track and ping! wakey wakey, heads high, gentle jog, "can we canter now?" messages from them all.
 
I am exactly the same. I have had Gordo over a year now and just avoided a lovely fun ride with my sis's cos I hadn't done open field work with him. I am so scared of falling off him as he's so big (17.2hh) and this stops me. I want to be able to see a field and just tootle on in and have fun. Hate being so woosy but you are not alone!
 
just to add couple more ideas...spend 10 minutes trotting in school first and take a slow leisurely ride to fields via the long route to use up excess energy and bung on a neck strap, which will give you more confidence, and as you know, when you feel relaxed and confident, so does your horse, so you probably won't need it. My newly backed mare hasn't done any canter work yet, so am preparing myself for the big day, when we are able to do the fun stuff !Yikes !
But think the bottom line is, if it isn't enjoyable, don't do it, until you feel ready.
 
katieB said:
Soooo...does that mean youre going to make some plans to get out soon? ;) Im sure you'll be fine, I have faith!
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Certainly does!:D Am having a few days off work soon so plan to do many hacks (ok - maybe just the one to start with:p ) Storm and Joe seem to have settled well, and I was thinking a quiet hack won't do any harm... Will keep you posted!
 
chewitmonster said:
Wish we had the option to go off the roads :( There is hardly any opportunity to go have a canter even if we wanted.
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Thats why we've moved yard - it was terrible for hacking on the previous one, right next to a busy 60mph road, the scenery wasn't too brill either. Am so looking to being out with Storm and Joe:D
 
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