There is one riding activity we think is seriously underrated and should be part of all lesson programs: the humble equestrian hack.
What is hacking? Equestrians use the term very differently than the rest of the world — with no scramble to reset passwords!
Generally, we’re referring to a relaxed stroll outside the arena, in which the horse maintains an active walk but the rider has no serious agenda or intent to train.
You technically can accomplish the spirit of a hack within the walls of an arena, but it is most beneficial when used as an excuse to get out in nature.
Hacking has many benefits for the horse, including:
- The gentle conditioning provided by an active, sustained walk. Many horsemen believe the walk is the best gait for improving overall fitness, as it strengthens and tones without concussion or increased risk of overextended tendons.
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The mental break from rigorous training. If a horse believes he will always be pushed to the max under saddle, he will quickly grow sour and behavioral problems will pop up like mushrooms.
Walking on a long rein refreshes and relaxes the horse, helping him look forward to the next ride. (School horses need a lot of this! We try to take all our beginner ponies out hacking in the fields at least once a week.) - Walking the horse in a relaxed outline is an excellent stretch before or after a workout. It can be particularly helpful the day after strenuous activity, as it relieves stiffness and improves the horse’s circulation.
- Hacking exposes the horse to a variety of new sights in a low adrenaline atmosphere, helping him become relaxed and calm in new environments.
But what about the rider? Is it fair for us to charge full price for a lesson in which very little serious training occurs?
We think so — because there are all kinds of sneaky lessons happening whenever our students ride outside the arena.
Rider Benefit #1: Improved balance
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. When our students ride in perfectly controlled conditions across perfectly manicured ground, they’re missing a real education — and an opportunity to hone that elusive independent seat.
Outside the arena, the ground slopes up and down, and is often uneven. There are depressions in the ground, shallow ditches, holes to avoid, roots, rocks, anthills — you name it, it’s out there. The familiar motion of the horse’s back suddenly becomes unpredictable, even at the walk.
As students ride out these tiny changes in rhythm and angle, their bodies instinctively learn how to go with the flow.
Rider Benefit #2: Increased confidence
Horses gonna horse out there, too.
Even if your hack involves walking up and down the driveway, the change of scenery provides new stimuli for the horse to look at — and plenty of opportunities to react. There might be some head swinging, some snorting, occasionally some jigging or spooking.
As long as everyone is under threshhold and the situation stays safe, these little diversions are actually a great thing! No rider makes it far with horses if they panic every time the horse does something unexpected.
We joke with our students that they’ve “arrived” when they can casually carry on a conversation while their horse scuttles sideways past a hay bale that was definitely not there yesterday.
All joking aside, getting to this point requires a lot of practice. And the slower we ride, the safer that practice is likely to be.
As students gain experience and become increasingly secure in their seat, they can begin to ride in a state of true relaxation. A nervous rider may take longer to get there — especially if paired with a sensitive or reactive horse — but with time and patience, they too can learn to trust and enjoy the ride.
Rider Benefit #3: Increased appreciation for the horse
All work and no play sure makes us dull. Even the most goal-oriented of students benefits from an occasional opportunity to unwind; in fact, highly-driven riders tend to need this time the most!
With all the pressure off, students can experience the pleasure of an undemanding ride with their horse.
It is important for students to realize that a ride doesn’t have to be fast to be fun, especially as they advance. (It’s also important for them to realize that they don’t have to ride to enjoy their horse — but that’s a whole separate blog post!)
We see many riders pass up opportunities for a lovely ride because it’s too hot to do anything but walk, or too muddy to do anything but walk, or they only have half an hour, so they’d spend half their time walking.
There are many instances where a horse may not feel up to a fast workout, or be able to work at high speeds safely — but that doesn’t mean the ride can’t still be fun and valuable.
You can see several examples of how we turn a hack into a lesson in these beginner lesson plans:
At HorseSense we try to create opportunities for our students to go hacking at least every four to six weeks
Students must earn their Green Level ribbon before they are allowed to ride out independently; before that, they are accompanied by a leader or Ground Buddy walking alongside, just in case they run into trouble on the trail.
Like structured lessons in the arena, these outings work best with a pinch of variety:
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Vary the location of your hacks, assuming that you and the horses have a chance to scout out each path ahead of time.
We’ve run our lesson program out of several barns with no trails, but have still created 30 to 45min rides by walking up and down the driveway, winding through unoccupied pastures, and exploring less-trafficked edges of the property.
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Play with natural obstacles: shallow ditches, banks, creeks, and hills. Duck under tree branches and splash through puddles.
We encourage students to approach each obstacle in the spirit of investigation. If a horse has a major issue with an obstacle, such as a creek crossing, we won’t make an issue of it that day, but make a mental note to devote focused practice time to the challenge later. - Create your own obstacles or stations for students to explore. A 15 minute walk might culminate in a small, grassy area where horses can bob for apples in a trough. Young children can enjoy looking for fairies hidden in the trees, or collect tokens from branches as they ride. If you can access a mailbox safely, let students deliver some mail, or open the mailbox to discover a surprise carrot inside.
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Mow paths through unused fields, or let your pasture grass go to seed before mowing. Create a labyrinth of connecting mazes, including some that wind up or downhill if you have terrain available to you. We don’t know what it is about a grass maze that is so enticing, but riding through one can be a satisfying, zen-like experience for students of all ages.
If the group can stay in close proximity where everyone can hear you, use the time to discuss HorseSense topics such as gaits and movement or equine senses and behavior. Play verbal games such as 20 Questions or Breed Battles.
- Point out flora and fauna as you ride: native wildflowers, bird nests, animal tracks and seasonal changes in the trees.
With careful preparation and a little creativity, you may also find that these quieter rides become some of your most educational, valuable sessions with your students… and create some of their most treasured memories!
