Trekking / Hacking

[qwerty]

This may sound totaly stupid, but what's the difference between a trek and a hack?
:o

[muddyjumper]

I've often wondered this. In Bolton we hack but I've never seen trekking on offer. I tried to book a hack when I was on holiday on the South coast but was told " Oh, you mean a trek...."

Is this just one more demonstration of the North/South divide?!

[Yann]

Not a stupid question at all, one that has crossed my mind more than once - off the top of my head I'd say a trek would be mostly walking and not require much riding skill whereas a hack could be much more active and would need riding skills?

[Wally]

To hack is strictly to go from place to place on a hired horse, this is where the description of a hack horse somes from, a horse which someone could hire to get them from A-B in comfort and speedily. (historically)

Trekking is usually over long distance at slower speeds.

[KarlR]

Trekking tends to be a touristy thing - let's all go for a pony-trek up the hills: i.e. a slow walk on a ploddy horse! :) Most people I know (including me) started off by trekking!

Hacking tends to imply that it's for people who can ride better - a faster ride that will include trot and possibly canter.

[KarlR]

Look at the times of those posts - in the 5 minutes that I took to compose my answer, both Yann and Wally got in first!! :)

[ponynut]

I worked at a riding school in Galloway for two years. The best definition I got was a trek was walk (trot at a push) and a hack encompassed walk/trot/canter for more experienced riders.
A rider's experience of riding was a very big spectrum though!!
Being able to canter in a school often was a qualifier for Badmiton. (Smug types. Tended to get their come uppance!)

[Wally]

Oh yes,:D :D :D the smug types....the ones that know they can go out for a 4 hour hack having never ridden before! Well, the horse does al the work doesn't he?

The times we have put these folk off more than an hours trek!

After half an hour the men have taken up the arms locked onto to pommel position releiving their naughty bits.;) ;)

Can you ride? we ask, yes they say, HA, what they mean is they have sat on a horse once and kicked it!

Oh what lies folk tell.

[Mossy]

Hi
In our neck of the woods a trekking stable is seen by "those who know these things" as "not quite the thing" ie a cheap cheerful set up for those who cannot ride. A riding stable which offers hacks caters for the more serious rider. I have thoroughly enjoyed many treks and have introduced kids, who would never otherwise have sat of the back of a horse, to an entirely different view of Dartmoor.
In my humble opinion the difference these days is down to money. I have hacked with several people who would not deign to honour a trekking stable with their prescence - and watched them limp away cowboy style afterwards. I have also trekked with several folks who are far better riders than I will ever be- including one household name from national TV - and who are some of the most level headed people I ever hope to meet.