# Hacking vs Schooling



## LHIS (20 September 2015)

Made some wonderful progress tonight with my boy, he's so ready for it , it's me that needs to catch up! We went out for our first solo mini-hack on Saturday evening - a big deal for me because I can be nervy (for absolutely no reason) but I put my brave pants on and just got on with it 

Anyway, my question is about hacking and schooling with youngsters. My lad is 5, and I want to know what it is about schooling that makes hacking the better option (it seems to me) when bringing on a youngster. In the school he can be bouncy, spook at a leaf moving, and generally be a bit on his toes. Out hacking he is calmer (but still very alert) and just seems happier, even though I'd argue there's much more going on around him. 
I'm pretty sure this is true for most youngsters, for example for sale ads for youngsters usually say things like 'happy hacking, green in the school'. So what is it about school work that makes it hard to grasp? Is it the repetitive nature of it, or are the transitions too much for a young horses mind? 

I'm very happy to keep hacking my boy as I hope to make him as nigh on bombproof as I can, but I'd also like to work on his schooling - but I don't feel he's quite ready yet in his head.


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## Kaylum (20 September 2015)

Hack him out then do a bit of school work afterwards maybe? Its good to get a horse out seeing things in the world hacking looking around getting their mind going.  

You need a schooling plan so your achieving something.  Are you doing school moves or going round the outside all the time? Have you had any lessons in the school?


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## LHIS (20 September 2015)

I have lessons yes, and I make sure that we're always 'doing' to keep his and my mind occupied. I do the same when I've hacked him out to keep his mind focussed and with me, and from my mind drifting and wondering 'what if'.

Do you know why it is that it seems to be the way to start youngsters with hacking then move to schooling later, and why it is that he seems happier out and about? Like I said above, he will spook at a leaf in the school, and try and eat the same leaf out on a hack.


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## Charlie007 (20 September 2015)

Youngsters are usually unbalanced and weak. Spooking at a leaf could be a way of avoiding work!!! Out hacking you are not placing so much pressure on which in turn makes him more relaxed.


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## LHIS (20 September 2015)

Ok so hacking benefits building some muscle and their top line? That makes sense thank you


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## Charlie007 (20 September 2015)

Hacking will benefit all his muscles and some top line. Of course schooling will improve him all over but at his young age his muscles will tire easily and that's when they can become ' naughty ' and look for things to spook at for avoidance!! Keep hacking out as much as you can as he obviously enjoys it!! Stick to very short schooling sessions, 20 mins is usually enough in the early stages. Go in the school, being positive,  do you you have planned for that session, big circles, loops, sepentines, give him a pat and put away.


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## spacefaer (20 September 2015)

Schooling is much harder work than hacking - try running in an arena and then along a road - it's physically more demanding. Then we ask them to be balanced, turn corners, do circles etc as well!

It's much more mentally tiring as well - bit like being at school for the first time - it's not long before your brain hurts, you find it difficult to concentrate and you start thinking about what you'll be doing at the weekend.......

Short and sweet in the school - keep it interesting but not exhausting. Hacking builds strength - mentally and physically - and teaches them to be more forward and off the leg, which will benefit the school work too.


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## Tammytoo (20 September 2015)

Schooling whilst you hack gets the best of both worlds.  Lots of transitions, bit of leg yielding, turns on the forehand for opening gates and hill work, if you have hills, is especially good for muscle building.  Also, your horse will find arena work easier if he has built up muscle out hacking.


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## Pearlsasinger (20 September 2015)

Schools are a relatively new thing.  Horses have been brought for on for centuries without a school.  You can school on your hacks, which makes it far more meaningful for your horse and less intensive.  Hill work, especially helps to develop the quarters and walking through woods, on tracks etc, helps them to lean to balance over varied terrain.


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## LHIS (20 September 2015)

Thank you everyone  question answered!


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## Barnacle (20 September 2015)

Just want to add, school first, hack after. That makes the hack a reward and prevent the horse feeling like the school is this horrible place it goes to when it's already tired.

Plus schooling is much harder work than hacking - makes sense to do it while the horse is still fresh.


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## LHIS (21 September 2015)

Barnacle said:



			Just want to add, school first, hack after. That makes the hack a reward and prevent the horse feeling like the school is this horrible place it goes to when it's already tired.

Plus schooling is much harder work than hacking - makes sense to do it while the horse is still fresh.
		
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Ok - but is it ok to do this once I've got him going hacking first (given this is out first bit of 'proper riding')? At the moment I warm him up long reining in the school at the moment, get any silliness out of him that I can, then pop on and go for a short hack.  I do this mainly to get the excess beans out of him, it makes me feel reassured that he's got the excess beans out of his system so I feel like our hack should be a calm affair.  I'm not a brave rider, so this is key to my pre-riding prep at the moment.


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## Barnacle (21 September 2015)

LHIS said:



			Ok - but is it ok to do this once I've got him going hacking first (given this is out first bit of 'proper riding')? At the moment I warm him up long reining in the school at the moment, get any silliness out of him that I can, then pop on and go for a short hack.  I do this mainly to get the excess beans out of him, it makes me feel reassured that he's got the excess beans out of his system so I feel like our hack should be a calm affair.  I'm not a brave rider, so this is key to my pre-riding prep at the moment.
		
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Oh yes - I just meant if you are going to both hack and school, it's better to do them in that order. But you can also just hack, just school or do what you're doing and start with some in-hand work etc  You don't have to do both every time or anything. And getting comfortable just hacking for a while is not a bad thing.


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