So probably a lot of you have seen my other thread and I’ve decided to take your advice and start having fun with my mare instead of focusing so much on competition and hard training so I want to go exploring with her our local forest nearby (it’s horse safe and there are trails already sort of ‘man made’). I want to go hacking alone, I’ve never done it and I’ve always wanted to just have quality time with my girl and get to know her so I need tips on how to go hacking and stay safe since I’ve never done it before. My friends are busy training this week and they have a competition during the weekend which I’m not going to, they said they would join me hacking next week if I want them to, so I need some tips. Any tips and advice are appreciated.
Definitely make sure that you tell someone exactly where you’re going and when to expect you back so that they can come looking for you if anything happens.
Otherwise, it will really depend on the horse and how spooky they are or how willing they are to leave their friends, though in my experience most horses really relax and enjoy the trails if you let them.
If you have never hacked your horse, I would advise you not to do it alone the first time. Wait until you have company, and see how your horse reacts to hacking out. Alone is not the time to find out that your horse needs help not to lose his mind on the trail. I always wore tall boots (good as a splint if you break a bone in your lower leg) gloves and (finally) helmet. Wear a belt or carry something to help in case of bridle coming off. If your horse will tolerate a halter with a bridle, do that.
Once you have experience hacking your horse and go it alone, do let people know of your path, your ETA for home and stick with it, or call with your change of plan. Carry a cell phone. Relax, but not to the extent of being out of good position if your horse spooks.
I have hacked her before once in a group the week I tried her and she was not spooky at all and even went into the pond first and stepped over logs without any fear. But I’ll definitely ask around if anyone wants to come along just in case and if not I’ll let someone know where i am and at what time I should be back.
Good. It’s important to let someone know your route and ETA for home, because even the most steady horses can have a fright.
Have fun! Hacking out is good for the soul, of horse and rider. 
Remember that a horse in a group is often more brave than a horse alone. Plan for that. You have to be the brave, relaxed one when alone with your horse hacking out.
Go out with one other reliable rider for the first ten times. Pick someone who will not push you to yeehaw. Ride at the walk the first 5 times. Add in trot sets going away from home the next 5 times. After ten uneventful rides, you can go out alone or you can try canter away from home.
If you can’t find a riding buddy take her for a handwalk into the forest. Wear decent walking boots or sneakers.
My advice here is super cautious because I know you had a bad fall last week from your other post. Also you have only had this mare 3 months, a big step up from your lesson pony lease.
I have made good trail horses and helped my friends with theirs. Slow is good. You have to train a horse to this new job especially if theyve mostly been an arena horse.
After saddling and training to longe, I backed my babies out hacking. If the OP is not experienced in hacking out, I agree that she needs company when hacking for awhile longer.
Slow and steady, OP. Don’t go it alone yet, especially with a new horse.
Good for you OP! Hacking is a game changer for a lot of horses. Not to mention great for human brains as well.
Definitely communicate with someone your plans and call if they change. I leave my find my iPhone on so my mom or fiancé can ping it if needed and at least get close to find me in an emergency.
If you can’t find a buddy, handwalking is a great option to start out. Something about a human on the ground can be a big confidence boost to horses and you are less likely to go flying. Definitely wear gloves and maybe use a chain or rope halter just in case (I use a chain on my 100% dead head gelding in new places. I’ve needed it maybe twice but boy was I glad I had brakes). A helmet and good boots are a great idea. If mare is super confident and you feel VERY comfortable, go ahead and hop on after a few times out, with a halter on over the bridle and lead rope available just in case you need to go back to walking. This is also a great way to check out the terrain, make sure you have good bearings, and introduce mare to deer/squirrels/ hikers/dogs/bikes/etc if this is a multi-use trail.
Good luck and happy trails! You’re gonna have a blast I’m sure!
Also wanted to throw out there that you can always bring someone to walk on the ground with you if you can’t find another horse buddy! Even if you ride, having someone with you hiking is safer. So long as this person is comfortable and familiar enough with horses to not scream if she spooks or do something stupid and get kicked, you’ll also feel much more confident getting out there!
I’ve been handwalking my young one out on the trails a lot lately. She felt ready to ride… until yesterday when it was SUPER windy instead. Nope, not going to die on that hill. lol
Just take her for walks for awhile, then you can try riding. That’s my opinion!
As you are a newbie. Always halt and wait before crossing a road and always walk the last half hour home.
This applies to just about everyone…
Last year I found a video on YouTube from a trainer named Warwick Shiller. The technique or way he describes teaching your horse to hack/trail ride has had a lot of success. It doesn’t happen ‘over night’ though:
Use an app like Road ID to alert someone to trouble. Keep your phone on your person not on the horse.
Agree with all who advised taking it sloooowww.
Mare may be fine in a group, where she could feed off the other horses.
With just you, who has no experience hacking out alone, if you are even the tiniest bit nervous that’s what she’ll go off of.
Try just riding away from.the barn, keeping it in sight.
If she stays calm & you feel.relaxed, go a tiny bit farther.
Wash, rinse, repeat until you can almost get to the trailhead & back with both of you calm.
For actually going out on trails it would be safest to go with at least one more rider on a trail-savvy horse.
Going with another first-timer is not a good idea.
You could both end up rodeoing.
Be patient.
It took me years before my OTTB viewed trails as anything besides The Longest Post Parade - jigged the whole way, even in a group.
Lucky for me there was a guy who only rode trails on his former Jumper & was happy to go out with me.
Even when my spazzy TB danced in place 
His horse just continued on & that would assure my horse that the Monsters weren’t there.
Finally got him so we could go out alone, on the buckle & even bareback.
But every season the first ride or 3 could be “interesting”.
Take your time.
Get an experienced trailrider to go with you.
Don’t rush this training (because yes, it is training) and you will hopefully end up with a horse safe to ride out alone.
Some never do learn to relax, alone or in a group & you have to accept that if your horse is one of them.
I ponied my youngsters off my steady eddy a few times to get them used to stepping over things, around things, crossing water without the presence of a rider.
“Some never do learn to relax, alone or in a group & you have to accept that if your horse is one of them.”
This is so true! I had one that was the baby from my mare who was one of the best trail horses I’ve ever ridden. Had so hoped the baby was going to be like her but she was a nervous wreck on trails. She’d be wringing wet within 30 minutes and jigging the entire time. Found her happy place as an arena horse.
Here’s a safety tip no one has mentioned yet: carry your phone on your body, not attached to the saddle. If you fall off, you’ll still have your phone to call for help if necessary. It won’t be galloping back to the barn without you.
A couple of things in addition to the other good comments.
Find out if there is a map of the forest trails. If so, take it with you, and try to learn it ahead of time.
When you are riding in an unfamiliar place, keep making mental notes so you can find your way back. Especially, if another trail joins the one you are on. Going THIS way, it is easy to know which way to go. But coming back will you know which one is “the way back”, and which one goes somewhere else? Turn around and make a mental note of how to recognize the “right” trail.
