# Can you hack out alone? Share your story!



## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

I hack out alone a lot. My horse is a very confident hacker and we meet all kinds of wildlife (moose, deer, wild birds, hares, etc.) and vehicles in our rides, he is also sure footed and can be trusted in risky situations. We can cross water, ditches, fallen trees, we can go over almost all kinds of terrain - just point and go. 

However, even he sometimes spooks or gets scared in strange, new environment - then he plants in place and tries turning home, if it's a medium scare, or, if it is a major spook, he may also jump in the air and sideways, he once reared and tried galloping home. Luckily, all it takes is to lean closer to his ears and breathe out loudly, maybe also say his name in a soft manner. Then he calms down and stops. The most important thing with him is being confident during the ride, because he's known to buck or bolt with scared riders or those who lack attention and focus - then he takes the matters in his hands. So I just sit tall and look far in the trail, breathe deep and feel good about anything that awaits us after a turn or in a new part of trails. It is a fantastic feeling, when you can gallop safely down a road your horse sees for the first time in his life.


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## aliliz (Dec 24, 2012)

My mare prefers going out by herself. When we're with other horses, she gets focused on being first in line... she seems to think it's a race! We also come across wildlife, people, tractors, 4 wheelers, cross rivers, climb hills, etc. She occasionally gets a little nervous- she really doesn't like foxes, which we've come across quite a few times. As long as I stay calm, she's ok. I have had to dismount and lead her past something scary, but she gets her head back right away. 

Lately, we've been riding with another person, who's horse is nervous out of the ring. It's good for my mare to get comfortable with other horses and the other mare has gained a lot of confidence because my mare is extremely confident. 

Do you know anyone with a confident horse that your new guy can rely on for a little while? What I've been doing is having the nervous horse lead once she's settled on the trails, which gives her more independence. I also have my mare get far ahead or far behind the nervous mare to encourage confidence by herself. 

Good luck!


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

We make our horses hack out alone whether they like it or not. It has put us in some bad and very complicated positions but we have to know that when me and my husband go up into the mountains that if something happens our horse WILL go alone. Yes, it can be very hard and very frustrating but they have to do it. My mare is bombproof with another horse. Which is annoying being when she hacks out alone it can take us 2 hours to cover what should have only been a 30 minute ride. But she has to learn. Period.... She got so used to riding with other horses that she hates being. Now, what I will do alot of the times is make her ride in the front and get distance from the other horses. That way if something does happen they are there but she should NOT rely on another horse for confindence. She should rely on ME for the trust and confidence that she needs to feel she can go away from home and back and nothing happen. I fight her tooth and nail everytime. Spinning, rearing, stopping and planting, bucking, whatever. If she wants to dish it out and be stubburn and think everything is a ******, thats fine. Let pick up the pace and I will PUSH you. When there is something I think she is going to shy or spook at I gently start leg yeilding and pushing her hard threw it. I dont want her to stop and I dont want her to spin. I want her to keep moving forward. My word should gold and if I say its okay, then you keep moving. Some horses this may take four or five rides and they do great other horses is may take years before they finally get the idea.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

I make mine do it too! I am hoping this year as I work with them it will become less of a fuss. And as long as the demon Llama stays away from my girl we should be ok, lol.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

My guy doesn't have a choice. He's going out alone when I want him to and I'm the boss mare, so he has to. He's a major scaredy cat, but so long as I am telling him what to do and he knows that I will take care of it and continue to take care of him, he is okay. Anymore he doesn't seem to care if we're out by ourselves or with another horse and rider.

ETA: Now that I think of it, he's actually worse/more spooky when there are other horses since if they spook, he does too. When we're out by ourselves, there are no other horses for him to focus on and react with, and I'm always telling him he's fine, so he has to believe me.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

All it takes is one time, one little incident when I rider gets spooked more than the horse and they head home. That is it. After that you have five times the battle on your hand and it can take months on end to undo that one little episode. My mare is nervous wreck coming back into camp grounds after being up in the mountains and we literally spin and spin and spin till I get her focus back on me. By this time all the other riders have done left us and its just me and her which gives me a good oppurtunity to work on our issue. Now I have had her jump four foot in the air spin down into a ten foot hurricane ditch and then I got MAD. I used the back end of my reins and just fried her. I was done. That was it and she walked calmly back to the campsite with no more fuss. She does it to be stupid and test and yes its annoying and it will take me many more ride and episodes to get her out of this.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

toosexy4myspotz said:


> All it takes is one time, one little incident when I rider gets spooked more than the horse and they head home. That is it. After that you have five times the battle on your hand and it can take months on end to undo that one little episode. My mare is nervous wreck coming back into camp grounds after being up in the mountains and we literally spin and spin and spin till I get her focus back on me. By this time all the other riders have done left us and its just me and her which gives me a good oppurtunity to work on our issue. Now I have had her jump four foot in the air spin down into a ten foot hurricane ditch and then I got MAD. I used the back end of my reins and just fried her. I was done. That was it and she walked calmly back to the campsite with no more fuss. She does it to be stupid and test and yes its annoying and it will take me many more ride and episodes to get her out of this.


Isn't it funny that when you have just "HAD IT", they suddenly are so perfect! I get that way too. And boy you are right, little miss perfect after that, lol.

I wonder how many of my neighbors have heard my sailor mouth after an episode, :lol:


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## PaintedBandit (Feb 2, 2011)

My girl doesn't like going out alone but she's never really bad about it. She'll stop if I LET her and she'll try to turn around but after we officially get onto the trail she's usually fine! We go out with my trainer enough that she knows the trails and she just likes to follow another horse, or lead, as long as she has a buddy! 

Usually I just end up talking her forwards and often I'll carry my crop or whip out since I try to trail before or after a work to help her relax.


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

nvr2many said:


> Isn't it funny that when you have just "HAD IT", they suddenly are so perfect! I get that way too. And boy you are right, little miss perfect after that, lol.
> 
> I wonder how many of my neighbors have heard my sailor mouth after an episode, :lol:


We live down a dead end road about 5 miles long with only about 6-7 houses. Most are really far off the road but ours isnt. I was messing with our 8 yo walker one day and she had me so mad I could have skinned her. She was just being plan down stupid and I had enough. My hubby came outside and told me that my neighbors a mile down the road where complaining because I used fowl language and their grand kids could hear. :-/ Bad part about living upon the ridge, people three miles down the road can hear me. LoL I didnt care I was just sick and tired of asking a horse to move forward and all she would give me was reverse. 

I have patience and tolerance to an extent. I can understand if they are truly afraid of going out alone or whether they are just being testy but if they just want to test there comes a place and time where enough is enough. For some reason it only takes about 5 seconds of the " OMG Im going to kill you if you dont straighten up" and then they turn into little angels.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

It took me years and baby steps to do it, but I can get my horse out alone without too much fuss depending on the season and his mood on that given day. If he's in a confident mood, we brave the trails in the woods. He's not too great with wildlife. He's getting better with the wild turkeys, but deer, not so much. When he gets sticky, I sit there and keep him pointed in the direction I want to go until he realizes that I am more stubborn than him and we're on our way. For bigger spooks, deer and other wildlife, it's usually a combo spook/spin/bolt attempt. One rein stop has saved my butt a zillion times. We have the move down so well, he can only spook and get half way through the spin before I've shut him down. 

On days that he's more "up", we stay in the nearby fields where he can still see the barn. Once we've been running around for awhile and his brain has switched over to fun mode, we usually do a short loop into the woods to build on his confidence. I always tell him he's a big brave stud on the way home and he becomes very proud of himself and blows out a nice relaxing "I'm a good boy, I did it mom". 

My only gripe is, this is a lather/rinse/repeat process. Every spring we start anew as if he's never seen so much as a squirrel. By September he's blowing through the woods like the destroyer. Hacking out alone is...um fun...yeah that's it...fun.


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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

My young boy hacks out fine by himself, my only frustration is that he wants to stop and look at everything! Then he gets so interested in all the new things he will throw a minor tantrum when I turn him around to come home /sigh. I think the other horses forgot to tell him the correct times to throw tantrums!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Well, we went today. My mare and I alone and she did awesome!!! She is new to the ranch so is always looking around at first but that I can handle. I did not get the fight out the driveway that I thought I would get. Was awesome!!! She took care of me today! Just what I needed! Such a good girl! Here we are and please excuse the horrible mess of a woman I seem to have become this winter, lol.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I trail ride alone, I do have some extensive, extreme trails just down the road. Sometimes, one of my horses (Scotty) can get all stupid but we work through it and carry on. He wants to flat out gallop up big hills and that is my fault because I used to do that with him, now when he sees a hill, he needs a reminder that I decide when or if we run. Mostly both horses are pretty good, they don't care about leaving the barn or their buddy, they like to go.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Anything I ride will go out alone. But I admit to having made a silly amount of money re-schooling spoiled horses whose owners encouraged the buddy-sourness that I hear complained of. More power to them. It's a relatively easy fix and I also work with the owners to (hopefully) keep the problem from cropping up again. Then... it's their choice.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Boots how do you re-school them?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

my girl is definitely more alert when we go out alone, but we have so much fun. i always let someone know that we are going and have my mobile on me just in case.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

equinelyn said:


> Boots how do you re-school them?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I take them away from the rest and when they start to dance around or whinny their heads off I push them into circles. Big circles. At a working trot or a lope. Some will even attempt to rear, and I get very forceful (strong legs, growley voice) to get them moving forward.

I'm not adverse to making a horse sweat. I think we could all use more time doing that. 

Horses seem to quickly learn that it is just fine to go out alone. Then I start backing off the pressure that I will give. If they start to act like it's just awful, I cue again like before.


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## hemms (Apr 18, 2012)

My current gelding is fine, as is the hubby's. My som's young pony is antsy when being led out alone, so i'll have to work on that more.

My last gelding was best with a dog along. He always had a ear on them and almost seemed to use them to flush out wildlife ahead, lol.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## toosexy4myspotz (Oct 7, 2007)

hemms said:


> My current gelding is fine, as is the hubby's. My som's young pony is antsy when being led out alone, so i'll have to work on that more.
> o
> My last gelding was best with a dog along. He always had a ear on them and almost seemed to use them to flush out wildlife ahead, lol.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


thank you for mentioning the dog thing. Im going to try that with my mare
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I ride out alone all the time. All my horses are fine with it because they've been doing it all their lives.

Anytime I get one that's antsy, I usually put it to work. Work will help to focus the worried mind and the proper kind of work will help to calm the hot blooded horse.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

My hot-head is way better by herself. 
She apparently thinks she's a racehorse when I go with other people, and having to continuously put her to work because of it isn't very enjoyable.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

My boy fusses, and he is relatively new to me (7 months). He'll go charging out on the roads with the most forward walk, then, bam. Plants his feet, or backs up. I walk in hand around all the areas we trail ride so it isn't as if he's never been in the area. We end up doing half circles and leg yielding and usually he'll move forward or trot on ahead. Then it repeats itself. The odd time I will hop off and lead him past a 'thing', he is fine after I remount. Til the next go-round. I never turn around when he thinks its time and always return past our home gate and go up the street or across the way before turning back to home.

Lately I've been walking him in hand much further into the trail system than he would go by himself/ourselves. Turning around at some point, remounting not at the turn around point, walk home. His walk is a power walk; he is sweating by the time we are home.

With a group, he wants to be first out, he doesn't care if he's way ahead. There are some interesting quirks with this boy. A funny thing today on our walk out into the trail (in hand) he stopped and wanted to back up. For a few moments would not go forward. I outfoxed him and marched him forward - then in a while he became quite interested in the (new) trails we were on. He is always teaching me.


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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

I go out alone with my boy all the time. He's broke to the bone but every now and then he tests his limits and he'll fight me but I get on him right away. He's always an angel and listens like a pro when we got out with others so no one believes me when I say he acts like an *** from time to time. 

When my gps broke we got lost and he kept fighting me to go one way to the point that he ended up losing his balance and sliding into a winter ravine, pretty much a huge ditch with steep walls to keep the trails from washing out with the snow melt. I climbed out and left him down there to get out on his own. It took him 20 minutes fighting to get himself out before he was back on level ground again. He was a dream after that. 

Since my health has nosedived he's been better. On a recent trail I fell and got my leg caught in the stirrup because of a seizure. He laid down so I wasn't dangling from his back and so I could get back on him before taking us both home on his own. The way I landed messed up my knee but I could have broken my neck if he just stood there or he could have very easily taken off and killed me so I'll take it.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

BlooBabe said:


> I go out alone with my boy all the time. He's broke to the bone but every now and then he tests his limits and he'll fight me but I get on him right away. He's always an angel and listens like a pro when we got out with others so no one believes me when I say he acts like an *** from time to time.
> 
> When my gps broke we got lost and he kept fighting me to go one way to the point that he ended up losing his balance and sliding into a winter ravine, pretty much a huge ditch with steep walls to keep the trails from washing out with the snow melt. I climbed out and left him down there to get out on his own. It took him 20 minutes fighting to get himself out before he was back on level ground again. He was a dream after that.
> 
> Since my health has nosedived he's been better. On a recent trail I fell and got my leg caught in the stirrup because of a seizure. He laid down so I wasn't dangling from his back and so I could get back on him before taking us both home on his own. The way I landed messed up my knee but I could have broken my neck if he just stood there or he could have very easily taken off and killed me so I'll take it.


Wow, sorry to hear that but dang, what a good horse!!!!


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

nvr2many said:


> Well, we went today. My mare and I alone and she did awesome!!! She is new to the ranch so is always looking around at first but that I can handle. I did not get the fight out the driveway that I thought I would get. Was awesome!!! She took care of me today! Just what I needed! Such a good girl! Here we are and please excuse the horrible mess of a woman I seem to have become this winter, lol.


Are you kidding? You are gorgeous! Wish I looked as good as you do! Wow!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

OMG! That is the nicest thing I have heard from someone that is not my husband in a long time! Thank you!!


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

I haven't taken my guy out hacking alone yet.....I did ride him alone in the outdoor arena that isn't fenced in the middle of a huge hay field....does that count? He was pretty good. I've only had him six months and 5 of those have been winter!!!!
I can't wait until the thaw because at my new barn apparently there are miles of trails across the fields:wink:


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## Mochachino (Aug 14, 2012)

My QH prefers to go out alone, or it is always a race who's in front and he gets himself all worked up to be in the lead all the time. I don't have much chance to fix it as I ride mostly on my own anyway. When he does spook, like at the cougar a couple weeks ago, he plants all four and freezes, snorts, head high, but when I ask him to move off he walks on. Never has bolted or taken one step wrong. My young one I have been taking him away from the barn on walks on the lead since he was 8 month old. Roads, trails, everywhere. I'm hoping that once he gets some training this spring that I will be riding some trails with him this summer. On the lead he never spooks at anything, loves the trails and is always friendly with people and extremeely curious with dogs....he LOVES them. Hopefully he will be an alone hacker.


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

I like to go out by myself a lot and go around the empty fields by my house because it's too much work to wait for anyone else if they're there and they're pretty miserable riding buddies.
Unfortunately, my horse doesn't like it so much... Partly because he thinks he's a big bad stud that needs to stay with his little herd of mares, partly because that's where the food is at, partly because I only get to ride him once a week, and mostly because he's a lazy son of a gun. (in other words, fat herd-sour pasture potato)
If I had the time to take him out more often I'm sure he'd behave himself more, but he's not too bad and I don't blame him for acting up, it's not his fault that I don't have that much time to work with him.
Usually it consists of spinning/ trying to run off back home, VERY rarely a little rear or buck. He likes to stop and back up, to refuse to go forward, but that's the best he does. Once we get farther out he settles down, sometimes he'll attempt to turn home but I just make him run in circles until he quits pulling/ turning. On some days he doesn't even try that, he's so happy to be out and about. He always listens to me well, kind of a "but I don't waaaaant tooooo" kinda deal ha ha.
If he was afraid, I would take my sweet time and be gentle, but I know that he's not so I take more of a tough approach, with more push than give. Today, for some reason, he acted up a lot more than he usually does and for a longer time, although he still snapped out of it and we had a good ride overall. Basically, when we got to the end of our road where I cross into the fields, I tried to turn him to the left down the intersecting road, and for at least ten minutes he tried to turn around and bolt home/ to the neighbor's horses, who were all lined up at the fence watching the show. Usually when he turns I just use my leg and follow with my opposite rein because he's a sensitive horse and always listens even when he's throwing a tantrum, but for some reason he was NOT listening to anything- the more I tried to stop him, the harder he pulled the other direction. I don't know how to explain it, but basically I had very little control. Eventually, after a while, I got sick of it as he wasn't letting up at all and I grabbed my reins and popped him HARD. Of course, after my gentle reminder that I'M STILL THERE all of a sudden he started listening to da hooman, ha ha... he still tried to turn and (this is the most frustrating thing for me, ha ha) "drifted" to the left, but we got up the road without incident and only had to do some cantering circles at the top of the loop around the fields, when he realized that we were changing towards the home direction/hay barn/studly's herd of mares who don't seem to return his affections. Overall, though, he's a good boy- even when he's having his little freak out sessions, he still listens pretty well to my aids and I never lose complete control (although I know that if he was terrified, I definitely would... he's a very strong horse and although he doesn't scare easily, when he does, his mind goes far away. Fortunately 99% of the time he's just a butt)


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

My gelding would much rather go out with other horses but we don't have that option at the moment so I make him do it anyway. He constantly tries to turn back but I just ride him through it. He did throw in a buck the first time we went down the road since moving to this yard, so I just made him pick up a good steady trot and work... go figure he didn't try it again since!  

We dont have trails and just a road to ride on so we really only have cars, people and dogs to deal with. He does take it all in but in my 3 years owning him he has only looked at things, no spooking/bolting/ect *knock on wood*


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