Tips on Hacking

[Talesofthehorse]

Hi guys

Just thought I would share something that happened to me on Good Friday which may helps others!

I was on a 3 hr hack on Dartmoor on a lovely sunny day! My RS horse chester was very sweaty due to the heat and he needs his coat clipping, we were at the back and he stopped a few times on the ride but I thought nothing of it! We started going down hill in long dry grass and he picks up his pace, then just stops and starts to sit down! I was like arrrrrrrrrh! hes gonna roll! I jumped off sharpish so was fine but that had never happened to me before and I didn't have a clue what to do! (apart from get off)

Once I was off the other riders were shouting at me to get hold of his reins to get him up and not break his saddle, I managed it eventually but was quite scared at the time because his legs were everywhere (I'm fine riding but can be a bit nervous when on the ground with horses!) I thought I was gonna get kicked!

Afterwards I was given the advice to not let them stop, and if you thing they are gonna do that squeeze/kick them on so they don't!

If your new to hacking, bear this in mind because there is a long hot summer ahead and it was quite scary at the time

Any other suggestions on what to do to stop this happening again, would be muchly appreciated

Thanks

[magicalmac]

Years ago I used to ride a RS pony called Benji - will never forget him - he used to do the same thing with very little notice. It didnt matter what the condition were wet/dry hot/cold. I just had to do the same as you, kick him on and not let him stop and if all else failed exit sharpish. Trouble with him though was that he would go down even if you stopped for a few seconds at a road junction. We always would know who was going to ride Benji by the wail of OH NO that was heard as the hacking list was read .

[Lot1983]

I'd worry about your school, why didn't they warn you about this before the ride, it could have been very dangerours if you had got a leg caught under the horse.

It sounds harsh but if you ride him again, I would carry a whip with you so you can push him forward it he shows the first sign of going down (usually pawing with a front leg)

[Talesofthehorse]

Hi Lot1983 and Magicalmac,

my school is pretty good and I had a whip with me, I just had no idea that kinda thought would cross his mind but thanks for the tip about him pawing with his front leg because he has done that before when we were in the school and after he had rolled on the hack (and I always wondered why!)

The school should have said something to me as I have never come across that before so was completely unaware that his stopping was the hint that he was going to do this and I was a the back of the ride so no where near the instructor!

I will know what to do in future though!

[appaloosahoney]

Personally I think it sucks that nobody told you that this may happen! At the end of the day, you were bright enough to jump off once you had reached the point of no return, however not everybody might have had the same sense. Obviously now you know, you wont let this horse ever stop, but its simply bad management not to keep you informed, and I feel you have a valid grieviance against the RS that didnt tell you, and potentially put you in a very dangerous situtation. At the very least you deserve an apology! Things like this drive me mad, not least because breaking a leg (yours) on the middle of the moors is far more serious than in an urban area where an ambulance etc can be with you in a very short space of time. The fact that you were shouted at by the leaders is pretty inexcusable too, as reallly if they new there was even a chance of it happening they should have been a) with you not with you at the front, and b) off their horses sorting the situation out, not relying on you who was obviously quite shocked to save their saddle. Sorry, rant over, I'm sure you are very happy riding with this school, and should congratulate yourself on dealing with it so well. You can always chalk it up to experience - I'm sure you wont let it happen again.

Best of luck for future rides

Kim