I have never understood the word 'just' in that phrase! Hacking is terrifying and a true test of horsemanship. If you can cope with the 1001 unexpected hazards on a hack then as far as I am concerned you can ride!
This made me think of this;
She's "JUST" a Trail Horse**
I can't count the number of times that I have heard the words "Oh you just trail ride" or "It's just a trail horse", especially from other riders who focus on only one discipline. And each time I have to smirk a little. To be JUST a Trail Rider you need a very special talented kind of steed for which many folks don't realize the expertise required:
- She needs to be as maneuverable as a Dressage Horse...to be able to place each foot exactly where and when you need because there is a steep cliff drop-off on one side and a wall of solid mountainside on the other. A sure-footed horse is a must to be a good Trail horse.
-She needs to be as bold as a Foxhunter....to go willingly where she is pointed, whether that is over a log, up a steep hill, down a gully, through rushing water, boot-sucking mud or bushwhacking through thick scrub.
-She needs to be as agile as a Show Jumper....able to easily twist and turn around trees and bushes, boulders and hop over fallen logs.
-She needs to have the stamina of an Endurance Horse....because a 7 mile ride can easily turn into a 20 mile ride if her "on-board GPS" (aka rider) takes a wrong turn.
-She needs to have the calm mind of a Rodeo Pick-Up Horse....because many horses can not hold it together under stress. But a good Trail Horse must be able to cope with the high emotional energy often coming from other horses in front, behind and either side of her. She needs to always be level-headed and sensible.
-She needs to manage being squashed against others like a Polo Pony....because on some trails her nose might be pushed against a tail in front, or flanks pressed side-by-side with rider's knees banging against other rider's knees, or another horse breathing down her back. She needs to have patience and get along well with others.
-She needs to cope with bursts of speed like a Racehorse.....because if that "on-board GPS" (aka rider), stated above, turns the short ride into 20 miles you won't get home till dark if walking that whole distance.
-She needs to be a clever problem-solver with her mind and feet like a Cutting Horse....sometimes her rider is gonna get her stuck in places that seem impossible to get out of!
-She needs to be brave like a Cow Horse because not only will she have to deal with protective mama cows and bulls out on the trails, but she'll also be faced with mountain bikes, ATVs, motorcycles, strollers, tractors, logging equipment, chainsaws, horse-drawn carts, dumped appliances, floating plastic bags and balloons, booming thunder and pouring rain with flapping slickers, loose wild horses and burros, and all forms of wildlife.
-And she needs to be cuddly and sweet like a Child's Pony....because she will spend countless hours exploring trails with her rider.
But hey.....she's "JUST" a Trail Horse!~*~
Author Unknown