# Help - how do I get confident hacking alone?



## SMIS (12 September 2013)

I have had my TB just over a year. He is my first horse. He is 8 and is seriously lazy/laid back in the school. He enjoys SJ in the school or anywhere he is familiar with - he puts in the least effort required to jump a fence - no sillyness no rushing he is perfect in the school for a beginner or someone getting back into riding like me.

Sadly the calmness ebbs away when it comes to hacking. We spent the first 4 months whinnying on hacks alone and jogging but then he relaxed once he learnt the routes and we could trot and do a short quiet canter on the way out. Some days we would ride out with others and he would feel most comfortable following and once a week we would hack alone where he would ride out slowly then rush home.

4 weeks ago we moved to a new yard and no-one hacks out. So we have been hacking alone twice a week and once a week with my boyfriend on his bike and my horse follows him. We don't go far on our own, no more than 30 mins, and mostly walk as he is looking at everything and quite spooky. 

The problem for me is that there is a cycle path which we have to cross and sometimes a speed cyclist will shoot across infront of us as we are approaching to cross. There are bushes on either side so I cannot see the cyclist coming and they cannot see me approaching to cross. There is no other way onto the bridlepaths - you have to cross the cycle path. When a cyclist suprises him he spooks and turns to run home. I have been able to stop him by circling him each time it happens but have been so so close to coming off and have only just recovered from breaking my wrist falling off so am nervous of falling. The more times a cyclist suprises us (prob 4 out of 10 crossings) the more nervous we are getting. I try to stay calm but am not calm in my head and he stops now about 6 foot away and trys to walk backwards, he snorts like a dragon and shakes - he is scared of the crossing now.

I want to make things better and not loose my confidence but do not know how. In the past anything seemingly scary has been conquered by quiet repetition i.e. crossing over a stream 10 times and nothing bad happening so he realises it is fine. But when I try do repetitions with the cycle path it endorses that it is scary as we are getting speed cyclists flying past so often! I guess that is why no-one else hacks out! Should I just avoid the route or should I tackle it? If so HOW?! Please help.


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## Circe (12 September 2013)

Are you able to get off and lead in over the cycle path? Is he ok to get on from the ground the other side? or is your boy friend able to come a couple of extra times with you and make sure the way is clear for you, so you can cross a few times, without your horse getting a fright?
If you can't do that for whatever reason, I would avoid that ride for a little while, until you are both a little more confident in getting out generally. 
i have to say, it doesn't sound very safe if you have to cross this path, and cyclists are coming through at speed and you can't see each other until you are on the crossing. 
Kx


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## SMIS (12 September 2013)

Circe said:



			Are you able to get off and lead in over the cycle path? Is he ok to get on from the ground the other side? or is your boy friend able to come a couple of extra times with you and make sure the way is clear for you, so you can cross a few times, without your horse getting a fright?
If you can't do that for whatever reason, I would avoid that ride for a little while, until you are both a little more confident in getting out generally. 
i have to say, it doesn't sound very safe if you have to cross this path, and cyclists are coming through at speed and you can't see each other until you are on the crossing. 
Kx
		
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Hi thanks for responding.

Yes I can get off and lead him over - my Dad who rides suggested I try that as if I lower my stirrup I can get back on once on the path.

I think I am having confidence issues about it as it has become this big thing to cross over the path or to join it so I am tempted to avoid it for a bit although this makes me feel like a massive wimp/rubbish rider/giving up. My boyfriend can only do Sunday so its a tricky one!

Once on the path he is fine with the cyclists and dog walkers. If anything he finds comfort in them being on there with him. We stop and chat to dog walkers and cyclists and they pat him and then he wants to follow them when they go in a different direction.

He is nappy and lacks confidence and I dont want to ruin hacking for him as he used to enjoy it - it took about 8 months to get him properly confident at the last place but with the cycle path I am getting really downhearted that it will always be a problem/unsafe.


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## tiga71 (12 September 2013)

If the bushes near the cycle path were cut back would you have better vision to see the cyclists coming? You could talk to the Council or the ROW people and try to get them to make the crossing safer, e.g. making it easier to see and putting up signs on the cycle path asking cyclists to slow down as horses crossing. Might be worth a try.
Have you asked the other people on the yard why they don't hack? If you want to do a lot of hacking maybe this isn't the right yard. Unless you want to hack on your own all the time.


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## fattylumpkin (12 September 2013)

I don't think you sound like a wimp or rubbish rider at all, you sound very brave to me!  Of course you'll be nervous of falling off after an injury like that, and cyclists can be a rotton nightmare at times, they don't understand that they're as scary as a car to a horse and much harder to hear coming if you can't see them.  I think getting off and leading him across sounds like a plan too, is there any chance you can hide a small step or a block in the bushes where nobody will see it to make mounting easier?


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## SMIS (12 September 2013)

tiga71 said:



			If the bushes near the cycle path were cut back would you have better vision to see the cyclists coming? You could talk to the Council or the ROW people and try to get them to make the crossing safer, e.g. making it easier to see and putting up signs on the cycle path asking cyclists to slow down as horses crossing. Might be worth a try.
Have you asked the other people on the yard why they don't hack? If you want to do a lot of hacking maybe this isn't the right yard. Unless you want to hack on your own all the time.
		
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Thats a good idea about the signs and speaking to the council. I dont know how much attention people would pay to them though. The bushes are too high to look over and thick but the opening is about 10 foot wide - the problem literally is we cant see anything coming until it flashes past infront of us and this scares my horse A LOT (and me when he reacts!).
I am thinking of moving yards but it seems so soon after only being at this one 4 weeks. The facilities are great and people are lovely so it is such a shame.


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## SMIS (12 September 2013)

fattylumpkin said:



			I don't think you sound like a wimp or rubbish rider at all, you sound very brave to me!  Of course you'll be nervous of falling off after an injury like that, and cyclists can be a rotton nightmare at times, they don't understand that they're as scary as a car to a horse and much harder to hear coming if you can't see them.  I think getting off and leading him across sounds like a plan too, is there any chance you can hide a small step or a block in the bushes where nobody will see it to make mounting easier? 

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Thanks for being so nice. I just desperately wanted us to be independant and be able to hack alone happily and we could until we met the dreaded cycle path!
Thats a great idea stashing a mounting block. I actually have a spare one so I will take it down with me at the weekend when my boyfriend is there. I daren't go out alone tonight I will stay in the arena and save my next attempt at going out until I have company! Honestly I have to laugh or I would cry as I had aspirations of doing a 60cm xc course and I cant even get across a cycle path let alone canter around a uk chasers course!


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## madlady (12 September 2013)

Is there anywhere at the crossing you could get a mirror put up so that you can see if anyone is coming - you could still hop off a few times to get him to settle and then work towards using the mirror to spot the cyclists.

It's worth having a word with your council though - sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

I'm a lone hacker and now I have to say I prefer it   I used to have to get off for every gate - now she will go through anything but our biggest achievement is tractors - she is terrified of them, to the point where she has climbed bankings and stood at the top shaking - now she will quite calmly stand while a tractor (and trailer sometimes) drives past her - it's just taken repetition and patience


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## fattylumpkin (12 September 2013)

Hehe  hide the block in the bushes in some long grass where you can get to it, hop up and just leave it behind.  That or an old log or something, though I doubt people would carry off a step even if they did happen to spot it.  You'll look a bit mad rustling about in the bushes to the cyclists but who cares!  With any luck the council might do something about those bushes too, then when your boy gets over his mental block of crossing the path it'll be much easier to work with him  he sounds lovely.


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## applecart14 (12 September 2013)

Can you just say out loud, "Horse coming past, please be aware" or words to that effect.

At the end of the day if a cyclist hits you it will not just be your horse that will be bruised, they will hurt themselves quite badly I would imagine, so its in their interests to slow down too.

You could also make a couple of signs to put by the crossing saying "SLOW PLEASE - HORSES" or words to that effect.  They will probably get taken down, but hopefully not before everyone else has had chance to see them first.

If your boyfriend cycles ahead can he not tell you when the coast is clear to pass?

Can you not speak to the Council and ask them if they would mind cutting the hedges (or even do it yourself very early one morning so no one will arrest you on criminal damage)!!


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## SMIS (12 September 2013)

I just emailed the council about the possibility of putting up a mirror / sign. I mentioned that an accident could happen so that might get their attention.

I thought about shouting out but they go so fast I dont think they will hear me. It is often speed cyclists that we encounter rather than out for a steady Sunday bike ride people. The Sunday bike ride people are fantastic as often they want to pet my horse and I give them treats from my pocket to give him to encourage him that cyclists are nice! He loves it once he is on the cycle path as he likes the fuss and the company but if one of them shoots past us as we joining the path he looses all the confidence he gained from the previous good experience and he shakes when I get within 10 foot of the crossing and ask him to go forwards. He is scared of being suprised by a cyclist flying past and I understand his worry as I would be scared if I were him. Poor lad.


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## Pearlsasinger (12 September 2013)

Are the speed cyclist members of an organisation of some kind?  If they are you could contact their club and ask the to be aware that the cyclist could easily be involved in an accident.  Cyclist are legally obliged to have a bell to warn other people of their approach.


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## MerrySherryRider (12 September 2013)

The council cut the hedges back for us in a situation much the same as yours. However, it may be easier to see through the hedges after the autumn leaves have fallen.
 A lot of horses are wary of going through a place where their vision is obscured, and especially in a new area, your horse is not unusual. 
 Speaking to the cycle club may help, I find mine are fine if the cyclist speaks or calls hello, rather than ringing their bell. probably because it makes me jump rather than the horse.

Best option really would be for the ROW officer at the council to make the crossing more visible. Safer for horses, riders and other walkers.


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## Circe (12 September 2013)

Pearlsasinger said:



			Are the speed cyclist members of an organisation of some kind?  If they are you could contact their club and ask the to be aware that the cyclist could easily be involved in an accident.  Cyclist are legally obliged to have a bell to warn other people of their approach.
		
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Lost my reply i typed. 
This is a good idea, if it is a club,if they could be aware if how to pass horses safely ( for everyones sake ).
Op, don t feel like a cop out or a wimp though if you only want to do thus route with your bf with you to begin with, only do what you are happy with and build on your good experiences, its not worth making this a big deal to your horse. 
Kx


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