Hacking out on your own..

Vengeance · 11-04-2008, 02:43 PM

Just have fun, keep a positive attitude and be careful! Lol... Everyone else gave great advice... I ride alone just as much as I ride with friends, to be honest... riding alone is a great time and way to bond with your horse! Talk about peaceful...

Of course, if you are like me and don't own a cell phone, give vague directions of where your going and leave going one way and double back on a trail and come home from a completely different direction about 7-10 hours later... well, it's fun (or it could be fun just to me, who knows)...

Anyway, have fun and be safe!

welshysaint · 11-04-2008, 09:51 PM

Thanks guys

I have 4 days off work, so im planning to get some riding in..

Any other advice for roadside riding?

VelveteenPony · 11-04-2008, 10:23 PM

All I can say, is be careful! My horse was an angel when we took him out with other horses, but when I took him out on his own he was just awful. My trainer thought she could fix him, and one day took him out. He bolted and bucked repeatedly with her, and then near the end of the ride reared up under a tree and smashed her head into one of the limbs. She wasn't wearing a helmet (you should!) and its lucky she didn't get killed.
I know we should have "fixed" him, but eventually we just gave up because he was too dangerous. We sold him to some people who needed a quiet horse (he was an ex-police horse) and told them never to ride him on the trail alone.
ANYWAY, sorry for the long story but the moral is that there's a time and a place to pick your fights and sometimes if your horse is really badly acting up its better to just get off and work on it when he calms down. If you still can't fix it... maybe you should just find a buddy! lol
But most horses are just fine and as long as someone know where you are, you have a cell, and a helmet, you'll be okay. If he starts to get fussy do something to take his mind off his buddies before he gets too worked up.

Arrow · 11-05-2008, 03:28 AM

Absolutely, VP--and along a paved road isn't one of those places. Arrow gave me grief about crossing a bridge over a lake once, had to cross it to get to the park, lots of traffic, I got off and led him--only time I've ever done that, probably one of the few times I ever would, but I know it was a good decision.

Beeks · 11-05-2008, 10:29 AM

As far as riding in traffic goes...depending on how busy the road is, I always try to get my horse to at least turn an ear in acknowledment of the car coming. If it is more than a car or truck or something that he is used to, say a big tractor pulling noisy irrigation pipes or a crane rig...you know...something bizarre...I will make him turn and face it, and if possible, find a driveway or ditch to retreat into until it has passed. Doing this has made my guy pretty unflappable when it comes to road riding. Also be on the look out for those dogs who like to hide in bushes and jump out with mouth blasting just when you get up to them....Oh how I hate those critters...usually scares the holiness out of me as well. But now for the most part, he just pins his ears at them in disgust and contempt. Acutally, the only thing that has unerved him lately was a little tiny bunny that sprang out from under an old apple bin. I actually came unseated on that one...and he looked horribly embarrassed in the aftermath.

11-04-2008, 02:43 PM	#11
Vengeance Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gallant, Alabama Posts: 3,545 Images: 14	Just have fun, keep a positive attitude and be careful! Lol... Everyone else gave great advice... I ride alone just as much as I ride with friends, to be honest... riding alone is a great time and way to bond with your horse! Talk about peaceful... Of course, if you are like me and don't own a cell phone, give vague directions of where your going and leave going one way and double back on a trail and come home from a completely different direction about 7-10 hours later... well, it's fun (or it could be fun just to me, who knows)... Anyway, have fun and be safe! __________________ "When they run up to you in the pasture and neigh a greeting across the field... that's true love." Gypsie & Dakota "It's like complaining that a cow moo's."

11-04-2008, 09:51 PM	#12
welshysaint Full Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 267 Images: 31	Thanks guys I have 4 days off work, so im planning to get some riding in.. Any other advice for roadside riding? __________________ Hustler's Pokerface/SQH Imperial Magic 15hh Chestnut Overo Paint Gelding / Palomino QH Filly

11-04-2008, 10:23 PM	#13
VelveteenPony Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California Posts: 343	All I can say, is be careful! My horse was an angel when we took him out with other horses, but when I took him out on his own he was just awful. My trainer thought she could fix him, and one day took him out. He bolted and bucked repeatedly with her, and then near the end of the ride reared up under a tree and smashed her head into one of the limbs. She wasn't wearing a helmet (you should!) and its lucky she didn't get killed. I know we should have "fixed" him, but eventually we just gave up because he was too dangerous. We sold him to some people who needed a quiet horse (he was an ex-police horse) and told them never to ride him on the trail alone. ANYWAY, sorry for the long story but the moral is that there's a time and a place to pick your fights and sometimes if your horse is really badly acting up its better to just get off and work on it when he calms down. If you still can't fix it... maybe you should just find a buddy! lol But most horses are just fine and as long as someone know where you are, you have a cell, and a helmet, you'll be okay. If he starts to get fussy do something to take his mind off his buddies before he gets too worked up. __________________ "Wait just a minute- I've never shot drugs with Rosalyn Carter, and I don't even own any horses, let alone little Arabians the size of cats." ~Anne Lamott

11-05-2008, 10:29 AM	#15
Beeks Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Washington Posts: 4,342 Images: 351	As far as riding in traffic goes...depending on how busy the road is, I always try to get my horse to at least turn an ear in acknowledment of the car coming. If it is more than a car or truck or something that he is used to, say a big tractor pulling noisy irrigation pipes or a crane rig...you know...something bizarre...I will make him turn and face it, and if possible, find a driveway or ditch to retreat into until it has passed. Doing this has made my guy pretty unflappable when it comes to road riding. Also be on the look out for those dogs who like to hide in bushes and jump out with mouth blasting just when you get up to them....Oh how I hate those critters...usually scares the holiness out of me as well. But now for the most part, he just pins his ears at them in disgust and contempt. Acutally, the only thing that has unerved him lately was a little tiny bunny that sprang out from under an old apple bin. I actually came unseated on that one...and he looked horribly embarrassed in the aftermath. __________________ Your horse called. He said "Get off the computer!" I've been "Gobbled" and I liked it.

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11-05-2008, 03:28 AM	#14
Arrow Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 604	Absolutely, VP--and along a paved road isn't one of those places. Arrow gave me grief about crossing a bridge over a lake once, had to cross it to get to the park, lots of traffic, I got off and led him--only time I've ever done that, probably one of the few times I ever would, but I know it was a good decision.