I have only been riding for 9months, 1st 4 at a riding school and there after on my loan mare, and I feel as if i've come on quite well. Obviously i have countless bad habits that need to be ironed out but on the whole I don't think I do too bad. I hack out on my days off in company, have had my fair share of spooky moments & come out the other side in one piece. I would love to be able to hack out alone instead of planning around other people's schedules, just not sure if I'll be able to transfer the confidence/ calm I have when riding in company to riding solo! Anyone else been in this situation & have any tips?
Riding solo...
- Thread starter Ruby.27
- Start date
Its the most amazing feeling to go out riding solo - it really makes me feel like a proper rider, independent and at one (cheesy!) with my horse!
It took a while for me to get to that point. Firstly, is your horse ok with solo riding - what does the owner say about this? Does she nap at all?
She may look for reassurance from you, so its important that you remember you're the herd leader and you need to be trustworthy. There's been a couple of times when my horse has correctly worked out that I was a little hesitant. With that hesitancy, he took charge and turned and fled with me on his back. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle (now), as I was able to pull him up, but when I reviewed the situation, I hadn't been so confident with my aids to encourage him on. You've got to be brave (even if you might not feel it!)
I did alot of walking out in hand to see how my horse reacted to things when he was alone. I then grabbed a foot soldier and had them walking beside his head, then gradually got them to them walk further back. This helped his confidence and mine as we took the lead. My foot soldier and I became increasingly antisocial as I would make her walk on the other side of the hedge, or behind us at a fair distance so that we felt like we were alone. This all helped.
Its a bit daunting at first. It might be worth just having someone on the yard nearby, and you go for a ride around a big field at first - where you can be seen, but still far enough away that you feel like you are riding alone. Then gradually extend out further and further. I've done this, we have a rabbit warren of tracks behind our field and I have increased the distance we go in little bits, each time I'm out, if I feel we're comfortable and confident that day, we'll go a little further afield.
It took a while for me to get to that point. Firstly, is your horse ok with solo riding - what does the owner say about this? Does she nap at all?
She may look for reassurance from you, so its important that you remember you're the herd leader and you need to be trustworthy. There's been a couple of times when my horse has correctly worked out that I was a little hesitant. With that hesitancy, he took charge and turned and fled with me on his back. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle (now), as I was able to pull him up, but when I reviewed the situation, I hadn't been so confident with my aids to encourage him on. You've got to be brave (even if you might not feel it!)
I did alot of walking out in hand to see how my horse reacted to things when he was alone. I then grabbed a foot soldier and had them walking beside his head, then gradually got them to them walk further back. This helped his confidence and mine as we took the lead. My foot soldier and I became increasingly antisocial as I would make her walk on the other side of the hedge, or behind us at a fair distance so that we felt like we were alone. This all helped.
Its a bit daunting at first. It might be worth just having someone on the yard nearby, and you go for a ride around a big field at first - where you can be seen, but still far enough away that you feel like you are riding alone. Then gradually extend out further and further. I've done this, we have a rabbit warren of tracks behind our field and I have increased the distance we go in little bits, each time I'm out, if I feel we're comfortable and confident that day, we'll go a little further afield.
It sounds as if you are doing well. Do you know if/how your loan mare goes when she's out alone? If she is used to hacking alone then you won't know until you try. Just as short trip on familiar territory to start. Have you asked her owner about her solo hacking history? If they are happy for you to ride her in company and solo then you should be on safe ground. No owner wants their horse or its rider to be exposed to danger or risk of injury.
You are bound to be nervous about hacking solo. Personally I didn't try it until I was 100% percent confident of the mount I was on, and after having ridden him lots in the school first. (That's him on my pic.) He was solid in traffic and very reliable and non-spooky. I can be prone to nerves. I made the mistake of trying a share of a young green Fell pony prior who I knew was shaky with anything bigger than a car. I got nervous, he got nervous - it didn't work.
I would say if you know the mare and her history, and she is reliable out then give it a go. Allow extra time to take it easy, once under way a good businesslike trot is good for shaking off nerves and settling you both down. Going slow and carefully all the way can give extra time for horsey to spot things to spook at if she can tell you are bit twitchy, and plodding with give you more time to worry too!
If in doubt leave it for a bit longer to concrete your confidence.
You are bound to be nervous about hacking solo. Personally I didn't try it until I was 100% percent confident of the mount I was on, and after having ridden him lots in the school first. (That's him on my pic.) He was solid in traffic and very reliable and non-spooky. I can be prone to nerves. I made the mistake of trying a share of a young green Fell pony prior who I knew was shaky with anything bigger than a car. I got nervous, he got nervous - it didn't work.
I would say if you know the mare and her history, and she is reliable out then give it a go. Allow extra time to take it easy, once under way a good businesslike trot is good for shaking off nerves and settling you both down. Going slow and carefully all the way can give extra time for horsey to spot things to spook at if she can tell you are bit twitchy, and plodding with give you more time to worry too!
If in doubt leave it for a bit longer to concrete your confidence.
Best preparation for hacking solo, is to go out with someone else (as you do now) but to ride first. That includes all paces plus passing any spooky objects.
For years I and my trusty mare went first and it never occurred to me that this felt quite like riding solo.
I think it is no good hoping for the best when riding -(see my Diary lesson report). Things have to be learned, by a rider.
Next step in hacking solo is to get someone to keep an eye on you while you go a short way solo, in view of that person and then back again. We have a suitable track just 400 yards or so. Go up and down that length in walk, trot and canter, just you and the horse with someone keeping an eye on you. Then use the same length of track to do it on your own.
After that go further and further, though you might start by riding a clover leaf pattern, (as recommended on NR long ago by HarryHobbes, taking a short hack out and back from your yard, then another loop and then a third route. That teaches a horse not to make a dash for home, since reaching the yard does not mean that the hack is yet over.
For years I and my trusty mare went first and it never occurred to me that this felt quite like riding solo.
I think it is no good hoping for the best when riding -(see my Diary lesson report). Things have to be learned, by a rider.
Next step in hacking solo is to get someone to keep an eye on you while you go a short way solo, in view of that person and then back again. We have a suitable track just 400 yards or so. Go up and down that length in walk, trot and canter, just you and the horse with someone keeping an eye on you. Then use the same length of track to do it on your own.
After that go further and further, though you might start by riding a clover leaf pattern, (as recommended on NR long ago by HarryHobbes, taking a short hack out and back from your yard, then another loop and then a third route. That teaches a horse not to make a dash for home, since reaching the yard does not mean that the hack is yet over.
Totally agree with the trotting. I trot my mare as much as possible when out hacking to keep us both calm!
I've bitten the bullet and just hacked out my new horse solo (I've had her nearly 3 weeks now and hacked her out alone 3 times). I definitely prefer company and we're both more relaxed then but it's not always an option as everyone else on the yard works full-time so do most of their riding at the weekends whereas I work from home Weds-Fri so those are my best days to ride as I don't want to completely abandon my kids at weekends! I try not to think too much about it first but just get on with it. At the moment, I'm just doing short hacks - I don't actually know the terrain that well yet anyway. She's been fine - we had a dodgy moment yesterday when she spooked at a rabbit and I nearly impaled myself on a low branch, but I circled her and she was fine. That's my advice - trot and if you feel like you're losing control, circle!
I've bitten the bullet and just hacked out my new horse solo (I've had her nearly 3 weeks now and hacked her out alone 3 times). I definitely prefer company and we're both more relaxed then but it's not always an option as everyone else on the yard works full-time so do most of their riding at the weekends whereas I work from home Weds-Fri so those are my best days to ride as I don't want to completely abandon my kids at weekends! I try not to think too much about it first but just get on with it. At the moment, I'm just doing short hacks - I don't actually know the terrain that well yet anyway. She's been fine - we had a dodgy moment yesterday when she spooked at a rabbit and I nearly impaled myself on a low branch, but I circled her and she was fine. That's my advice - trot and if you feel like you're losing control, circle!
once under way a good businesslike trot is good for shaking off nerves and settling you both down. Going slow and carefully all the way can give extra time for horsey to spot things to spook at if she can tell you are bit twitchy, and plodding with give you more time to worry too!
Think you have hit the nail on the head with this one!
The mare is actually as close to bombproof as you'll get, any spooks we have had have probably been more my fault (her feeding off of my nerves!) but on the whole nothing phases her. As desperate as I am to bring my riding on this summer a part of me just thinks that I've waited till my mid 20's to even sit on a horse so I shouldn't be getting impatient about wanting to hack alone. If it takes another few months then so be it. The only thing with the mare is, she is as clever as the day is long & I think when she realises we are alone she'll take the p#%€ out of me :| (her owner is the YO & friend & i'm not as strict as her although i probably should be!) I do like the idea of a foot soldier though.... I may have to drag a friend along & see how we go
On the plus side I started hacking along a few relatively busy ish roads recently & put the theory of bhs riding & roadcraft into practice
In hindsight I had no idea what I was letting myself in for when I started riding last year!
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