#Hack1000Miles is open to all riders, no matter what their own or their horse’s circumstances. Mel Beale meets four equestrians who found the challenge to be a shining light in dark and difficult times
IT IS AN undisputed fact that hacking horses is good for a rider’s health and wellbeing. Add to that a goal, such as the #Hack1000Miles challenge, and an incentive to leave the yard is in the mix, making for a win, win situation. For some riders, though, battling through difficult times in their lives — such as the death of a loved one, contending with illness, or perhaps a confidence crisis — hacking a horse can also become a therapy that enables them to ride through the tough times and emerge stronger. It sounds far-fetched, but it really does happen…
Anne McEwen and Bobby Joe
Six years ago Anne McEwen bought a 14.1hh Irish cob called Bobby Joe and went on to call him “a midlife crisis purchase”. Anne had been having regular riding lessons and wanted to progress further so she took the plunge and purchased the 13-year-old gelding so that she could ride more regularly — but things wouldn’t be plain sailing.
“We had an accident around five years ago in which Bobby Joe bucked me off on hard ground. It was so bad that I thought I’d broken my back. I was nervous beforehand, but that ruined any confidence I had left completely,” confesses Anne, 50. “I became very anxious, especially about going into canter as I was scared that he would take off.”
Anne went through the checklist all riders should when faced with this type of behaviour. Bobby Joe was seen by a physio; he had his saddle replaced and his teeth checked; and the duo started to have regular lessons when pain was ruled out as the cause of his behaviour.
Too hot to handle
While many riders hack out in company for confidence, this wasn’t an option initially for Anne as Bobby Joe would often hot up in the presence of other horses.
“Because we often hack by ourselves, going out in a group can get Bobby Joe a bit excited and then he bucks,” explains Anne. “He’s not a bad pony, though. Any time I have fallen off he stands and waits for me; he never runs off. He looks at me as if to ask ‘what are you doing down there’?”
Accepting that her gelding’s behaviour comes from a place of excitement rather than unhappiness or pain has helped Anne to build her confidence.
“I know that he’s having a good time, and I need to be a better rider and be prepared for it,” says the catering assistant. “I asked for advice on the #Hack1,000Miles Facebook group, and the feedback really helped. Other riders sh
