Also keep in mind that your equipment can be a major help. I had a TB mare that I rode in a nice old Crosby, who could buck or spin me off quite handily. I got a Black Country Wexford, which has blocks behind the leg as well as in front, and, also started using and keeping a hand on a grab strap, and presto! I’m a better rider and can ride those spins and bucks now. I think one needs to win a few of these battles to extinguish this behavior in the horse. Other things I’ve had recommended for sticking on and riding out misbehavior: full chaps, full seat britches, sueded saddles, western saddles, sticky spray for inner thigh and calf. And having a trainer who can ride through the bucks is a good idea too.
So much depends on the reasons for what you’re experiencing, which are hard to determine definitively on the internet 
Therefore, here are a few additional suggestions:
-
Don’t hack your horse unless you have already done a full workout in the ring. In other words, they are a bit tired, they are not antsy, and they should be already listening to you. The hack will be their cooldown, relax, reward. It’s good for them to associate it this way. Also, if your horse is frisky or misbehaving in the ring, then you know it’s not a good day to try a hack.
-
Winter is a really bad time to try to start hacking or improve hacking. First, because of the footing concerns as you noted. Second, horses are generally quite a bit friskier in colder weather. You may need to wait to deal with this until winter and spring fever is over. Summer is nice because it’s hot and they usually get regularly turned out so all the friskies are gone. Make sure you fly spray so there are no excuses!
-
A confident quiet buddy horse is great! And you will probably need one for a while - not just one ride. If that is just not going to happen, then you will need to do gradual work to get your horse out - as suggested above, just do a little bit, end on a good note, and then gradually increase.
-
Hand-walking is a good thing, if you have control. You can then assess what your horse worries about. Is it going away from home or returning? Is it birds in the bushes? Noises? Or… is your horse pretty calm hand-walking? Then the under-saddle problem is more likely you than your horse. If he’s calm hand-walking, consider having a friend lead you (or pretend to lead you) out in the neighbour’s field.
-
You may need to consider a tack change for hacking. Just like going XC… you may need a martingale (a standing sometimes works well for this sort of issue), a milder or harsher bit, a hackabit, or, if your horse’s antics are the spin/bolt/dolphin variety, I like draw reins. If you are not confident with any of these tack changes then do them under supervision of a professional, and of course, in the ring first.
-
You mentioned the difference of going to a different place. If you horse is better behaved away from home, then stick with that for a while until you have developed a confident relationship with your horse and hacking before testing it at home.
1 Like
I spent a lot of time in the beginning getting off and walking my gelding and now my mare. With my gelding I’d ride until he got nappy, then lead him for a mile then turn around and ride home. If he started to get quick going home I’d either get off and lead him or circle until he walked. I carried a lead rope, a whip, and a chain. I walked A LOT at first. I once walked 3 out of 4 miles on a trail ride. On another ride it took us 2 hours to go a mile.
I started bringing a chain when I got drug when he tried to bolt for home. I’d go out each day and go a little bit further under saddle. With my mare I brought a lunge line a few times and would lunge her in a field in small circles and then drive her down the trail in front of me.
If they are bad and you go home early don’t put them up. Ride him directly into the arena and gallop circles for 10 minute then stand him in the cross ties for 30 minutes then in his stall. I find if they think getting home really fast just means more work they are less enthusiastic about it. When I trailer out I will ride toward the trailer then ride away from it again.
I duke it out under saddle when someone is with me on foot or waiting at the trailer/barn and I have an endurance saddle with big blocks that keeps me on and makes it easier to mount from the ground.
Pick a spot and ALWAYS walk from that spot home. Trotting back to the barn is a death sentence.
Both horses ended up being great hacking out.
Work on your rateability. Can you trot slow fast slow fast? Canter slow fast slow fast? Come back down from a gallop with little rein contact and then walk on the buckle?
Had great luck with two things.
#1, never, ever get off right at the barn. If you are schooling, get off in the arena or work area and lead them to the barn. If you are trail riding, don’t go directly to the barn and get off, go to the arena or work area, trot a couple of laps then get off. Even if you just jog around the parking lot, make them do something and get off not facing the barn, don’t repeat the get off spot either, little different spot every time. And let them stand awhile before they get to go back I their little condo. They learn by routine, we train them they are done if we let them be done when they get back to the barn, don’t go down that rabbit hole.
#2, if it’s cold, windy, you haven’t had them out for a few days or they seem fresh? Don’t go trail riding. Do something else you know you can control. Even if it’s just lunging. Discretion being the better part of valor and all that. Plus you don’t want them learning things you don’t mean to teach them…like acting the fool on the Trail.
Oh, and one more, if they act like idiots when out alone? Don’t go out alone,
1 Like
Good suggestions here. I’ll just add a few more. Remember, good trail horses are made with time, consistency, and confidence. People always advertise “bombproof trail horses,” but horses that are trustworthy and reliable hacking out aren’t on every street corner. Like training a horse for anything else, training a trail horse takes work.
- Keep their minds working. Find space where you can do the same type of routines you do in the arena and gradually move further and further away from the safety zone of the barn/arena. Schooling dressage in an open field is no less useful than schooling dressage in a manicured arena. If you are struggling with this, try just longing them outside. Each day, move a little farther away and gradually increase their comfort zone.
- Make a plan before you hack out ("If X happens, I will do Y") and practice taking those steps when you are in the arena. If the horse is always scared of a blowing tarp, show him a tarp in the arena (or even if he isn't, showing them some "scary" things before hacking out can make actually going out easier). If he does the spin-and-spook, practice your seat and aids in response to that. And when you are worried you might hit the ground, get off and walk. There's no shame in it. In fact, it's often a lot easier on both horse and rider.
- Quiet, experienced buddy horses are great! Even another horse that is green to the trails can help. If you can get your friend or someone else to come out and ride with you, do it!
- The old wet saddle blankets adage really does make nice horses. There's no reason to grind them into the ground, but either work them before you ride out or decide you're going to take the long way home. If you have hills or mountains available, they are the best.
- You can also give your horses something to take the edge off the first few times you take them out. It may help avoid the bad experiences altogether and soon they won't need it. People get up in arms about this these days, but getting both horse and rider home safely is absolute, #1 top priority and if a little chemical assistance gets them over the starting-to-hack-out hump without incident, I can see the value.
- Hack out frequently. At least 15 minutes every time you ride is ideal, with the occasional long hack thrown in.
4 Likes
I hear you, My old OTTB was very competitive. he was terrible on group rides, had to be in the lead.
I found he was far better alone, or with one super mellow horse. I also taught myself to just not react. Really loose rein, super mellow seat. I also would laugh at him when he got goofy. sounds dumb but it worked. He actually became a really fun trail horse in his senior years. so much so he hated to go back to the barn and would start going super slow.:lol:
Stick with it, short little successful trips and lots of rewards. just remember to laugh it off. :yes:
2 Likes
This is my gelding to a T. If you roll your eyes and laugh at his antics, he’ll eventually realize he’s being ridiculous and settle. Any tension, nervousness, or short reins on my part and he’ll wind himself up like a top. Hopefully he turns out loving it like your guy but he’s already 17, so maybe this is as good as it gets :lol:
OP one of the toughest things for me is to not let any tension transfer to him…especially if he starts to get spooky. He’s a big fan of the “statue, spin, buck, bolt” playbook. It is so natural to want to tighten up on the reins and even halt them when they’re first tensing up, but that’s basically pulling the pin on a grenade. It might be quiet for a couple seconds, but it’s about to blow up in your face. It’s difficult (and counterintuitive) to force yourself to keep leg on, but so important.
I’ve found myself remembering how I relax specific muscle groups in yoga and applying that in the saddle. The more he got antsy, the more relaxed I would try to make my body in response. This helped him relax but it also gave me a very specific goal to focus on, and sometimes distraction is just as helpful for the rider as the horse!
3 Likes
There is still hope. he got that way once I retired him at 20 They must have been related. He would freak if you shortened up on him or felt nervous in anyway. he was a great teacher for me. he was the same way cross country.
1 Like
This is actually most horses. Just about all my horses are great at hacking out…with me. Nervous or tight rider on them…they may not be as good. From fresh off the track I start going out. Some may never be Bomb proof but most become quite good. It takes training. The rider has to stay relaxed. I try and keep them on a loose rein. If they are bad, we start to work a bit on the trail. Circles, shoulder in, mostly going fwd exercises not trying to make them walk. Then loose rein and offer to let them walk. Some horses are better if you work them in the ring first. Often I come home and work then again so coming home doesn’t always mean we are done. I’ve personally never gotten off (intentionally) but if you are getting tight and nervous…you may need too. But this is something that just takes time and effort.
2 Likes
Since it sounds like your issues stem from being herd bound, I would work on asking the horse to go, then turn around before they act up. Go a tiny bit further every day. If they act up, try and get them past that spot then a minute later turn around and go home. You can push the limits more with a buddy, but if you are alone it can be a slow process.
Totally agree! IT took my whole life to figure that out. But when I threw the reins away he was awesome.
I’ve ridden several horses that had issues with hacking, and my current TB is definitely the worst. Some of my thoughts have already been addressed, but here is what is working for me:
-
Borrow a Western saddle or a thick-blocked dressage saddle so you can stick. Full seat breeches help also.
-
Have a plan. When I just want to walk at the buckle, my horse is crazy. When I make him do trot/walk transitions, shoulder-in, and circles, he’s much better.
-
When they act up, make them WORK. I grab the inside rein and lift up and out (like your trainer never lets you!) and let up on the outside rein. Trot trot trot in a small barrel-racer circle until your horse feels like he’s ready to give up (usually less than 10 seconds). Walking off then becomes the “release.” They are now happy to be walking forward instead of trotting in a tiny circle. This is taken from my Western colt-starting experience.
-
It is helpful to lunge a bit before the ride if your horse is especially frisky, but don’t be dependent upon it.
The main point is:
When your horse loses focus in YOU, they’ll find something else to think about. That frightening leaf. Their herd buddies. That shadow. But when they are focused on you and your constant signals, they are less likely to be crazy.
I’d also suggest a lot of groundwork. Groundwork provides an excellent way to both teach your horse signals that will transfer to riding and also create a bond between the two of you. If there is established respect on the ground, it transfers to riding. If he doesn’t trust you or listen to you on the ground, being on his back won’t make it any better.
Best of luck!
1 Like
Riding from home is a lot different than going someplace new. Your horse is either leaving his buddies or hurrying back to them. All my horses have hacked out and I also restarted several OTTBs for CANTER and that was part of their training. Some were harder than others to convince that it was fun. For them, I would sometimes get off and lead them, then get back on and see how far we could go. With one, I actually had to use another horse to pony me. That sucker could run backward faster than any horse alive, but once he was being ponied, he relaxed and would go anywhere. I always kept a lead rope on him, tied around his neck when I didn’t need it.
A few things that have worked for me.
- Start small. If your horse gets nervous going out, don’t go far the first few times so that they learn that it’s not the end of the world. Each time go a little further.
- Stick to wooded trails. Mine have always been calmer there to start. There’s something about a big open meadow that gets pulses racing.
- Don’t be afraid to get off. You don’t have to ride through every problem. Sometimes getting off and leading your horse for a few minutes can get them unstuck, calm them down, and teach them it’s okay.
- Don’t let your horse race back to the barn. My OTTB used to get ramped up going home. Every time he did this, I turned him around and went back the other way. Eventually he walked (of course, don’t try this on a day when you’re in a hurry).
- Sing or talk to your horse if he’s nervous. The breathing helps you calm down, too.
- Remember to release. If you have your horse cranked up, they can’t relax. I walk my horses on a loose rein and, even my hunt horses understand that when I drop the reins is relaxing time.
- Make it harder for your horse when he’s naughty. A jigging horse can sometimes be persuaded to walk if you ask them to do a lot of lateral work.
- Sometimes, accept that you won’t get perfection. My OTTB is always a handful in the spring. Sometimes I put up with the jiggy, head tossing because I know he’s not dangerous and if I ignore some petty behavior, it goes away on it’s own.
Most of all, have fun. Yes, it’s nice to go out with a steady Eddie type of horse, but all of mine learned to go out alone because I don’t always have someone to ride with.
So we’ve started small but have been successful !
Day 1 I just handwalked him in a loop around the farm. He could see his friends for about half the loop. He tried to be silly a few times but after doing both directions for 15 mins we were pros.
Day 2 I rode him on the same loop in loose draw reins. Never had to pick them up but he knew they were there. On our last 2 loops we did a circle around a x country log just to see how he’s handle a change. He was fine.
Im going to stick with my loop for a while, he isn’t fit anyway so there’s no need to do anything crazy. My goal is to start with a few of the other horses too in an attempt to break up the winter herdbound-ness, I just run out of daylight fast !
2 Likes
Glad to hear you are making progress. Generally with both horses and people make what you want them to do the most attractive option. I had a horse once who wanted to rear on me when we left the herd. Well every time he reared, I would back him up for a few steps then ask him to go forward. If he reared, we would back. I think I backed him up for nearly a quarter mile once. But he learned it was easier to walk forward then rear and have to walk backward. Also it may work to bring carrots or apples on your ride and he gets to eat them when you are at the turn around point (or half way through the ride). Take it slow. Be calm. Be matter of fact. Repeat the mantra “I’m the boss and you’re the horsey.” And as others have mentioned return to home does not mean R and R. Do some additional work in the arena. Unsaddle and have him stand tied for a while (assuming he is cooled out). Hope everything works out.
Sounds like you’ve made a good start. Some of this is desensitization for both of you! Keep adding to the length/difficulty of the ride every day and you will build on that success until you’re hacking off with no issues.
I had one horse that I hacked in draw reins. Not my first choice, but if it makes you feel safer then by all means keep them. Ultimately, I suggest you swap them out with a running martingale which will also give you some added control but without the risks associated with draw reins.
1 Like
One thing to add: I found with my mare that if we did have to cross a field for any reason, she did better if we went along the edge along the tree line or a fence rather than striking off across wide open spaces. Hand walking was definitely our friend for a little while.
