Hacking - who has the best and who has the worst?

[BabyBear]

And let's see your pics!

I'd say I've got ok hacking at my current yard and really good hacking at my new yard (still got to explore it properly:p)

What about everyone else -who has the best hacking and who's is rubbish - or worse, non existent?

[Clava]

Well most of my immediate lanes off my field look like this and a lot worse now...

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn267/Pidham/P1030030.jpg

and this...in the summer!!!

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn267/Pidham/P1030042-1.jpg

but the council is working on them so some look like this...

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn267/Pidham/DSCN19552008-11-21.jpg

and this was the firs time I was brave enough to take a pic while riding Belle

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn267/Pidham/DSCN19492008-11-16.jpg

So my hacking will be good again, parts are amazing especially as I have permission to ride around the local estate (last pic) but the rest is a challenge.

[9tails]

Normally, my hacking is great. Right now, it's a tad muddy. But it's still nice to get out and about. It's amazing what terrains a horse can cover easily.

[ginny!]

i have really bad hacking, mostly all road, about 2 different rides to choose from (they both hack through 1 field each, and 1 you have to turn around as you cant go all the way round):rolleyes:

Sicklinghall, where i go riding , has amazing hacking:D see if i can get pics....:)

ETA - cant see an pics:( sorry

[x-Marmite-x]

...

[CER1389]

Well i don't have to do any road work at all :D

Farm the horses are on is 360 acres. All the fields have wide verges, plenty of places for a nice canter etc.
If we cross the small country road then we're onto next doors farm with a really nice hour and a half loop (including alongside a forest up a hill for a good blast).
If we cross a slightly busier road (30mph) but with greens on either side we can walk along or wait on then we're into a National Park, with some fab routes through it.
If we cross the busiest road (don't have to go on it, only across) then the farm over there has a great gallop hill, and lots of nice fields to have a good trot and canter around.
If we want to see what a horse is like around cars, then we can go over a little foot bridge and into a cul-de-sac estate. All dead end roads aside from the entrance road, but you generally see about 6 cars in the 20 min route, all travelling slowly. So perfect for making sure a horse is ok before taking it across any of the roads.

It's no wonder I got my confidence back hacking :D

[Ruskii]

I've got all of the New Forest from my horses doorstep :D

Only teeny tiny areas are un ccessable to horses, but you could go all day for as long as you liked without restrictions to bridleways etc from heath to woodland, streams and rivers all the way down to a few horses beaches as well if you liked :D

Will try and find some pics .. granted they may be a little old.

Photobucket is being a pain in the backside at the moment so will do it tmw :)

[Lacetti]

I keep Lexi on a 200 acre farm, and when the farmer is feeling generous, he'll let us hack round it!! LOL

If we hack up the road for about 10mins, we have fabulous hacking with LOADS of well kept bridle ways......

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll342/Lacetti/113_2661.jpg

and

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll342/Lacetti/113_2501.jpg

[xJenniferx]

we do have some amazing hacking at our end.

Two forests - one that has some good natural XC training and a new one that is jsut growing which allows you to canter/gallop all around. We can go to a river (MrKia+Me has been I havent yet) and we have a disused railway line which is staight and great for letting the horses go.

Nik - longreining Kia down the railway line after a mini flood. Excellent for puddle training thought lol

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/jenmac_85/Nik-N-Kia/NikinPuddle.jpg

Railway line when it is dry - Sooo straight
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/jenmac_85/Random%20Tyler/Railwayline-Friday12thOct2007.jpg

New Forest
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/jenmac_85/Random%20Tyler/Inthescaryforest.jpg

Roadwork
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/jenmac_85/Random%20Tyler/Onwaytowardscows-Friday12thOct2007.jpg

[BabyBear]

Tell me Nik didn't walk though that puddle??:eek::eek::eek::eek:

[Snowyboy]

we have NO hacking - roads only :(

rubbish around here - and the council just won't do a thing about it :mad:

[teddypony]

Where I am now is mainly roads, but we have a few tracks that we can ride down, and the bridleway is about a 30min ride, if a little more to get to. If i decide to join char&George at a new yard (which i probs will) then it will be mainly quiet roads, a bridleway right next to the yard, can ride around the land in summer, and a 15min ride up onto the ridgeway :)

[never again]

Looking at this, I think mine is the worst so far.

Basically, hacking consists of walking in a block, all roadwork - no where to canter or anything fun. The only good thing is a ford. No where else to go :(

[titch_]

I keep Lexi on a 200 acre farm, and when the farmer is feeling generous, he'll let us hack round it!! LOL

If we hack up the road for about 10mins, we have fabulous hacking with LOADS of well kept bridle ways......

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll342/Lacetti/113_2661.jpg

and

http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll342/Lacetti/113_2501.jpg

some of the bridle ways,

The grange (Not actually a bridle path :))
http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/Titch_/Candy/Hacking/112_0121.jpg

Mill lane
http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/Titch_/Candy/Hacking/110_0014.jpg

Hunts farm (the water is meant to be there :)
http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/Titch_/Candy/Hacking/106_0673.jpg

[Twigletz7]

I may be a bit biased but I think our hacking is absolutely brilliant:D

Misti is kept on the edge of Dartmoor and after a 5 min hack up a v.quiet lane you are out onto the moor. Whats best is where we are is quite low down on the moor so you don't get hit by the weather so hard and the ground isn't so dodgy:)

We have moors, woodland, rivers, quiet lanes and a couple of bridle ways - not that you ever really need them. I don't think I could ever keep a horse anywhere with no decent hacking :o

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r248/totallytwiggy/253.jpg

with my old loan pone
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r248/totallytwiggy/IMG_4176.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r248/totallytwiggy/128-2815_IMG.jpg

Oh and we have v.cute dartmoor hill ponios:p

[never again]

Im so jealous. Someone take me for a non concrete hack!

[mogadoga]

My hacking is pretty picturesque (sp?) where i am but mostly bridle ways. Where i moved from was better i think. It was mostly in housing estates etc but there was always a grassy area so not alot of roadwork, we could hack down to the banks of the river tyne and play jumping over some small bushes, ride to 'the dean' which was a nature reserve, and even up to where i am now. You always hit a road, but it wasnt so much 'roadwork'. I loved it.

[gb050573]

really good hacking at my new yard (still got to explore it properly:p)


Ever-so-slightly intrigued..

Hacking at mine is fantastic (as I think you know!), Pentland hills, disused and well maintained railway line, loads of routes and horse friendly (horse gates etc)...all on our doorstep!

[EmmaArr]

Mine is ok... Got a wee dirt track to go on but not sure of 'letting them go' on it as it isnt very wide and used by walkers and cyclists too. But quite a bit of road work and am going to ask local farmer if can use empty fields too.

[Clava]

we have NO hacking - roads only :(

rubbish around here - and the council just won't do a thing about it :mad:

What do you mean the Council wont do anything about it - are routes blocked?

[Skippys Mum]

So so at mine. I can go for miles on very quiet roads but you tend to have to turn and come back again. Hardly anywhere for a canter though.

Recently I've been going to Lucyads and she's got good hacking - mainly roads but loads of bits to get off road and go for (short controlled:o) canters.

I'm also only 15 minutes from the beach by trailer so I can do that a fair bit in the summer (once I get Arnie beach proofed!).

[sancho]

Well I hate to say mine is great given that so many of you have no where to ride!

We have quiet lanes to hack around but you do get a fair few drivers who go a bit fast. There are numerous miscanthus fields we can ride around, a great farm that gives riders permissive use and the Quantocks just 20 mins hack away max.

As for boxing up and traveling we are on the verge of Exmoor too!

Its really sad that so many of you only have roads etc and dont get to canter. How do you make it different for you and your horse, do you box up and travel?

[BeachRiding]

Beach - 5 minute trailer ride, rocky, sandy, beautiful, cliffs, flat 10 mile run, you name it I have it.

Redwoods- 5 minute horseback ride up the hill.

Plains-fields- out the door.

Trail rider? not me sorry... :p I much prefer the arena......

[Yann]

Ours is brilliant considering we're right on the edge of a big city, we can go out for hours on end with minimal proper roadwork to join up various bits of bridleway, track, or quiet lane. We also have a local woodland with permissive routes through it, a lovely series of field margins to gallop and a cross country course on the farm itself which is a lovely hack in itself. Only downside is the state a lot of it gets into after a prolonged wet spell, some of it hasn't really dried out properly for 2 years now, but other bits have been improved and two terrible trouble spots on steep slopes will be sorted out next spring. We've also lost a few unofficial routes for various reasons in recent times but I can't really complain about those ;)

Map indicates what we've got to play with although some of the routes have been lost like I said.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/YMatthews/mossvalleytracks.jpg

Some pics
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/YMatthews/000_0005.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/YMatthews/000_0015.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/YMatthews/000_0014.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/YMatthews/Hackingpic010.jpg

[Joyscarer]

I wouldn't say I have the best hacking in the country but I did make the decision to keep Joy 13 miles away from where I live so that I could be in the best available hacking in my area.

I have loads of quiet country roads for winter hacking and in summer there are numerous bridle paths and tracks to use.

The hacking is varied too. I have Corhampton gallops 20mins away, a river ride, woods, open country, tracks and plenty of hills.

Now all I need to do is pimp my hubby out so we have enough money to move out to be nearer to the ponies.

[Tatooed Lady]

I've got to admit that we board in a PRIME location for trails. I have no pictures of them (yet), but here's the DNR's description of what we're situated on:
Equestrians enjoy 39 miles of bridle trail which are traditionally open late April through mid November depending on trail conditions. The main bridle trail winds the linear length of the forest of 33 miles. Two loop trails, Crooked and Forest Lake, provide shorter routes totaling 6 miles.

Lots of hills (plenty are rocky :mad: ), open areas to canter, forested areas, edges of planted fields, twisty turny areas, etc. We're smack dab in the middle of the system, right by the two loops. The trail is about 20' off the back of the yard, and in that area we can see half a mile in pretty much any direction. Someday I'll take the YO up on her offer to ride all the way to the end and back....

[Liz1949]

we have NO hacking - roads only :(

rubbish around here - and the council just won't do a thing about it :mad:

What do you expect, and what have you asked, the council to do about it? What status do any existing paths have? If you want to give more details (PM me if you like) including the specific area you are in, I will be happy to have a look and see if there are any constructive suggestions I can offer.

[laceyfreckle]

Im so jealous. Someone take me for a non concrete hack!

me too!

We have some bridlepaths but not many and you have to hack 20mins on roads to get to them really. Ours is mainly roads. /i'm lucky I have some farmers permission to us their empty fields though without that I wouldn't have hardly any hacking at all

[twigs]

mine is rubbish
roads too busy, and the bridle paths that we used to use are gone!!
my RS is too close to the city and the roads are used as short cuts from the carriagway:confused:

[Dees-unpaidgroom]

Our hacking sucks big style :mad:. And what annoys me is that there is so so so many unused footpaths which would make for excellent bridle ways but the coucil wont do anything about it so were suck on the roads. its gutting.
Unless we box up and hit the road we dont have any off road hacking its all on the roads. But luckily i have some very loverly friends who have a yard about 10-12 miles away which we box up to and go off exploring through the woods and fields. :)

[xloopylozzax]

ours is all road based, but we have a few tracks and woods to explore aswell on the way and we pop into stubble fields for a good canter when we can (providing ground is fairly good, and no crops etc) we can canter a good few miles like this.

i think its pretty good, strengthens their tendons and they see new things and you can chat to people aswell.

i like the fact we can go on hardly any traffic country roads then straight onto the A63 or over the M1!

[Tiy]

I'm pretty lucky. I have recently moved my girls to a field at the edge of the New Forest. So I have a ten minute ride down a bridlepath before I hit an enclosure then open forest for miles....this is the first time ever I have not had to do roadwork.

Mind you all the wildlife and strange things (Cows, sheep, donkeys) that come along with the forest are all scary and pony eating....my girls are definately urban ponies....they'll happily squeeze past a screaching, rumbling noisy refuse lorry and won't bat an eyelid at rush hour traffic but show them a donkey and it's the most frightning thing ever!! Hehe!

[volcy]

We have two fields to go around in the winter, so one day we go one way round and the next we go the opposite way round. :( If we fancy an early start to avoid the Asda lorries it's a five minute ride up a busy A road to some quiet country lanes. It wouldn't be so bad if the back drop wasn't the South Downs with no way to get to them!!

[Liz1949]

We have two fields to go around in the winter, so one day we go one way round and the next we go the opposite way round. :( If we fancy an early start to avoid the Asda lorries it's a five minute ride up a busy A road to some quiet country lanes. It wouldn't be so bad if the back drop wasn't the South Downs with no way to get to them!!

Where in West Sussex are you? West Sussex seems to have a fairly good record of bridleway provision and there are some permissive paths, too, both council-run and DEFRA.

PS did you give any input to the draft Rights-of-Way improvement Plan (RoWIP) for West Sussex?

[blues mum]

sorry, but I just have the best hacking.
no road work (unless you want it )
all of the south downs,
plus any where i want on the farms 700 plus acres:D
only trouble is, one of my boys is retired, the other off with long term lameness, but its nice to walk the dogs!

[volcy]

Where in West Sussex are you? West Sussex seems to have a fairly good record of bridleway provision and there are some permissive paths, too, both council-run and DEFRA.

PS did you give any input to the draft Rights-of-Way improvement Plan (RoWIP) for West Sussex?

Just realised that I am being a little misleading, I am in West Sussex but the horse is in East Sussex!! The lack of bridlepaths once you leave the farmers fields is something I have only just started realising as I have started to want to hack further so any advice on where to start gratefully received!!

[Liz1949]

Just realised that I am being a little misleading, I am in West Sussex but the horse is in East Sussex!! Just north of Lewes. The lack of bridlepaths once you leave the farmers fields is something I have only just started realising as I have started to want to hack further so any advice on where to start gratefully received!!

Depending on where you are, you might want to contact the Mid-Sussex Area Bridleways Group (http://www.midsussexbridleways.org.uk) and/or the High Weald Bridleways Group (http://www.highwealdbridlewaysgroup.org.uk)

From north of Lewes, you should be able to access the South Downs Way via lanes to Offham then an almost-direct crossing of the A275 and onto miles and miles of bridleway ... let me know where you are (PM if you like) and I can email you map copies.

[Demii]

My hacking is well good :D:D

5 min walk on a quite country road to the BEACH :p


Absolutely awesome :)

Several other routes as well, a ride that's famous in our area called 'The Cross-Country' no jumps involved but still totally awesome :D

And a 45min ride across beautiful farm land with gorg. sea views :P


LOl

[Ruskii]

Righto photobucket is playing ball again, so here's a few from over the years

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Horse/IMG_1064.jpg

(In case anyone on here owns the latest Ordnance Survey Map for the New Forest, my hubby is the rider on the cover :D :D )

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Horse/IMG_1075.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Horse/IMG_1073.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Levi/IMG_1160.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Levi/IMG_1170.jpg

And the most recent ones

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Levi/Hacking%20out%20NF/IMG_1419.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Levi/Hacking%20out%20NF/IMG_1417.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/Ruskii/Levi/Hacking%20out%20NF/IMG_1414.jpg

Sorry there is loads, I dont have any good landscape ones.

[chickyd444]

we just have roads :( unless you want to hack for hours on end to get to woods or beach

[vimto92]

I'm not riding at the moment and I don't have my own horse either, but most yards round my end (midlands) have FANTASTIC hacking.

Some places are obv further out then others but well worth visiting if you have a trailer.

I don't have many hacking pics at all, but I do have a couple;

This picture is hilarious of me (my face is a picture and look how shortbodied I look:p
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a147/Vimto92/riding2-1.jpg

Down a country lane. What am I like?!?!
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a147/Vimto92/riding-1.jpg

Down a shaded path in the country park.
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a147/Vimto92/meandsnickers-1.jpg

And finally, quite possibly, one of my favourite photos...
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a147/Vimto92/mollysnickersandme-1.jpg

[horseygal90]

Stop it! You're all making me want to go and steal a horse from a field and just hack...

I don't know what the hacking is like around here, but back at home it varies - My current home stable has alright hacking, but you have to walk alongside a very very busy road to get to it (only for about a minute, but it's still really busy, lorries, coaches, everything!) but one of my old stables is situated about a 3 minute walk from the bottom of the Chilterns - Anyone who's been on the Vale of Aylesbury/Halton ride will have ridden in them and can vouch for their beauty. Only thing is you're not allowed to jump the jumps if it's not the day of the ride (I've done a couple of them anyway :p)

[MrKia+Me]

Tell me Nik didn't walk though that puddle??:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Yup Nik did walk through that puddle!!!

Thats why if you look at my legs they are wet up to the knees lol!!!

Jen was buckled sitting high and dry on Mr T lol!!1

We hve great hacking. I am willing to go anywhere TBH and love a good rummage lol!!!!

Here is me cantering round the forest lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBSdQOSoR-c

Nikki xxx

[x-Marmite-x]

The RS i'm visiting tomorrow (oh dearie me it's today now - i really should get to bed :o!) has 100 acres of land of it's own and is situated in a nice rural area (could hack to next village easily but only one major road nearby) - hopefully it will be as good as all of the things i've heard about it!

[horseygal90]

The RS i'm visiting tomorrow (oh dearie me it's today now - i really should get to bed :o!) has 100 acres of land of it's own and is situated in a nice rural area (could hack to next village easily but only one major road nearby) - hopefully it will be as good as all of the things i've heard about it!

Ohhh, which one is it?!

[Razzledazzle]

Pretty lucky here....the moor is about 500 yards away down a private road and most of the roadwork we have is not too bad, alot of single track roads and not too many buses..! Plenty of tractors and holidaymakers in the summer though :rolleyes:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/DSC00794.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/DSC00697.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/happyhackers009.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/happyhackers006.jpg
Appologies if you have seen the pics before..;)

[Ashlea]

I must agree with RazzleDazzle - Ive not found any better riding than on the moors where she lives! I used to live just down the road from Razzle - and I miss it ssssoooooo much - Im trying my hardest to move back! Theres woods, lakes and moors I could get to whilst on horse back, and if I had a horse box just 30 mins (on a good day) and theres a beautiful 3mile long golden sanded beach with to gallop accross! (Theres even a bar on the water front!).

Wales has pretty good riding - but its really wet there.....Scotland is too cold, and although the Yorkshire Dales are beautiful too, its cold and wet there!

Down south is definately the best to be!

Im now living "ooop nerth"....got a few level crossings to negotiate, people drive WAAAAAAYYYYY too fast - beeping as they whizz past, its cold and wet, and hardly any off road riding (unless I get hold of a horsebox...and a driving licence)....! Got to go down a few miles of road before I get to a farm...then Im stuck to a track for 1/2 mile before Im back on the road again....there are a few huuuuge fields around me - most of them I can get to without going along a road....but its gets boring riding 1min away from field where I can still hear my other horse racing around and neighing....and I cant ride on the fields when they have crops etc!


Poor me:rolleyes:

[x-Marmite-x]

Ohhh, which one is it?!

Plum Park - it's just across the Northants border :)

[Clava]

I must agree with RazzleDazzle - Ive not found any better riding than on the moors where she lives! I used to live just down the road from Razzle - and I miss it ssssoooooo much - Im trying my hardest to move back! Theres woods, lakes and moors I could get to whilst on horse back, and if I had a horse box just 30 mins (on a good day) and theres a beautiful 3mile long golden sanded beach with to gallop accross! (Theres even a bar on the water front!).

Wales has pretty good riding - but its really wet there.....Scotland is too cold, and although the Yorkshire Dales are beautiful too, its cold and wet there!

Down south is definately the best to be!

Im now living "ooop nerth"....got a few level crossings to negotiate, people drive WAAAAAAYYYYY too fast - beeping as they whizz past, its cold and wet, and hardly any off road riding (unless I get hold of a horsebox...and a driving licence)....! Got to go down a few miles of road before I get to a farm...then Im stuck to a track for 1/2 mile before Im back on the road again....there are a few huuuuge fields around me - most of them I can get to without going along a road....but its gets boring riding 1min away from field where I can still hear my other horse racing around and neighing....and I cant ride on the fields when they have crops etc!


Poor me:rolleyes:

I agree, I have an ambition to ride the whole of The South Downs one day (maybe when I'm old), rather than just a bit of it.

[Hero]

...not my own hacking, but it was a ride i went on near beachy head.

riding my one of the horses i normally only compete, so was nice to get her out.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00319.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00317.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00321.jpg

beachy head cliff....straight ahead

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00325.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00330.jpg

galloping,free

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00339.jpg

[Twigletz7]

Pretty lucky here....the moor is about 500 yards away down a private road and most of the roadwork we have is not too bad, alot of single track roads and not too many buses..! Plenty of tractors and holidaymakers in the summer though :rolleyes:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/DSC00794.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/DSC00697.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/happyhackers009.jpg
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/razzledazzlebaz/happyhackers006.jpg
Appologies if you have seen the pics before..;)

Where abouts are you? It looks v.similar to a lot of my hacking;)

[Ashlea]

Where abouts are you? It looks v.similar to a lot of my hacking;)
Bodmin moor

[Twigletz7]

oh I'm dartmoor, kind of close:p

[Showjumper]

My hacking is brilliant :D I have 17 acres of woodland directly behind my yard to play in, plus I can ride the outskirts of the golf course behind that. There are some very good hacks across the main road (round farmland, woodland, quiet country lanes and countryside) and if I don't mind a bit of roadwork I can get to tons of other good hacking :D

This is one of my favourite bridlepaths in the woods - it goes on for miles :D
http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/pp207/KaiPonyPics/2Nov08022.jpg

[icegirl]

I agree, I have an ambition to ride the whole of The South Downs one day (maybe when I'm old), rather than just a bit of it.

Thats one of my dreams too. Shall we agree to meet in the middle somewhere? :D

[RRA]

I am close to great hacking with a mix of bridleways, byways, woodland and open common land to use. The main bridleway strings quite a few country pubs together too...something for next summer hopefully! There is one main A road that you have to cross on some routes but we can stay 'off road' most of the time....our local woods are well used by riders so there's lots of well placed logs for jumping too and the open common areas are great for schooling too. :) When I can finally operate a camera whilst riding I'll post some pics!!:p

[suzanne7575]

we have really good hacking with practicaly no roadwork, we can have a short hack just round the fields and tracks of the yard, or we can go up to the yard up the hill and into the woods and then you can hack for hours and hours around forests and fields.

shame my pony is a useless hacker so i can only go out with others and still have to be careful he doesn't tank off

[puzzles]

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm59/splash_11/varios2008007.jpg

I think I'm very lucky to have great off and on-road hacking in the early villages.

[Lot1983]

Hacking round where I ride is lovely, plus I have a fab tour guide that knows all the bridlepaths etc that I never would have found on my own.

There is road work but it's all very quiet and there are some lovely spots to canter, I love the Cotswolds it's so beautiful.

But, having hacked in the Brecon Beacons and New Forest I would kill for a massive common to gallop up!

[Brychen]

I used to live in Great Barr, west Midlands, Hacking was awful/non existent. In the 12 years I was there with pony all our hacking areas got blocked of or built on. Used to hack round an ex country house com mental hospital now 500m houses which had bridle pathways (not on the maps ) dating back to 1920's )and also used to ride across junction6 of M6 (one down from spaghetti junction!) to get to only decent area. cant even do that now due to 'traffic calming measures' which block horse riders from getting across the slip road. rang BHS to ask about bridle way access and re-opening rides was told no bridle ways so no officer so no interest:confused:. Gave up hacking when hit by truck...:eek:

despite this got to advance ER as did much more sucsefull riders in the area such as Babara Elwell.

Have moved now and have this to hack on! I am a v happy hacker!!!:)

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/PennineBridleway/

Forgot to add, no worry now about traffic= relexed rider = better at dressage how wierd is that!!!

[haylekins]

.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/JaydsHero/DSC00339.jpg

how did you get that pic lol?

[cluckyduck]

The area around my RS is scrubby desert with a few gravel tracks as well as a few paved roads (I live in Dubai, and the RS is out towards the sticks). It's a fab area to hack in, used to be really quiet but recently theres loads of construction traffic from all the new mansion size villa's that are being built in the area :-(

I'm told that if you head out for an hour from the RS your're literally in the desert, huge dunes an all! Not been out that far yet though cos of the hot summer and also the fact that I'm still a novice (only been riding since April) and am having confidence issues at the moment :-( One day once I've sorted my confidence problems I hope to check out the proper desert...

[Hero]

how did you get that pic lol?

One hand on the reins one hand on the camera :D

[horsemadness199]

I have craking hacking at my yard forestry commision at the back of my yard and plenty of tracks just a 10 minute walk away