Hacking your horse in beautiful countryside is good for both you and your horses health. Its great fun, relaxing yet should never be overlooked as something that only amateurs do. Its a vital part of top level sport horses' weekly routine.
Since Trackener's involvement with the Brooke My Hackathon, we have recently launched a free smartphone app with GPS software to enable you to track your rides. Click here to download Trackener Ride now! If you're not already persuaded, read on for Trackener's top 10 reasons to get out hacking this summer!
1. Explore new parts of the countryside
On horseback, you can reach parts of the countryside you can’t
access by car or bike, and it’s a lot easier than walking or running! There are
lots of beautiful parts of countryside in the UK which you probably don’t know
exist. Check out the BHS Ridemaps facility to find a bridle path near you!
2. It’s a great way to
get your horse fit
Walking your horse slowly up and down hills helps to develop
balance, build muscle and condition the heart. It’s also a great way of making
them more forward going and forward thinking!
3. Its relaxing
Hacking should be chill time for you and your horse. Research carried out by the University of
Brighton on behalf of the British Horse Society concluded that riding horses stimulates positive feelings and can help to resolve negative feelings
experienced through anxiety and depression.
4. It’s very good for
your horse’s mental well being
Rather than riding around the same four walls of an indoor
school every day, getting out hacking in different environments keeps your
horse mentally fresh. A happy horse makes a happy rider!
5. It’s free!
You don’t hear that word
associated with horses very often! So make the most of it, hack locally or box
up and head to countryside in the New Forest, the Cotswolds or even a beach
somewhere. No membership fees required!
6. Incorporating schooling exercises into your hack is
a great way to get your horse concentrating on you
Schooling when out hacking helps
to keep your horse concentrating on you rather than on things to spook at. Its
also great practice to school your horse away from that indoor school and in different
environments! Practice your transitions, a bit of shoulder in and some shallow
loops around bushes and trees etc. Remember to stay alert to your surroundings
at all times! Check out this video for some tips on how to use hacking
effectively from international event rider Lucinda Fredericks:
7. Its good competition preparation to work your horse on
different surfaces
For disciplines such as eventing,
the surface that you compete on is a lot different to what you train on at
home. Your horse needs to be used to working on all different ground types and terrains!
Working your horse on slightly uneven surfaces will help with its balance and
coordination.
8. It can help build your horses confidence
Does your horse like to push his
way to the front of the ride or is he happy to sit at the back? If he’s more of
a follower, it’s a great way to build his confidence by letting him walk at the front of the ride and overcome spooky objectives with lots of praise and
encouragement from yourself.
9. Its fun!
Hacking can be a great social
opportunity if you go with your friends. What better way to socialise than when
cantering across headlands exploring new parts of the countryside? You’ll have
equally as much fun if you go on your own too!
10. You can raise money for charity as you do it!
By registering with the Brooke for ‘My Hackathon’ and
downloading the TrackenerRide smartphone app from the App Store, you’ll be able
to fundraise for a great charity as you hack! The aim is to ride 100 miles in
100 days and raise £100 for The Brooke.
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