#Hack1000miles
Six-time Olympian Mary King hacks out every day. Whether you’re aiming at a competition or simply love hacking, these tips will ensure every mile you do really counts
Tips from eventing legend Mary King
IHACK MY HORSES every day, come rain or shine,” states six-time British Olympic event rider Mary King. “Sometimes it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before a schooling session, other times we’ll go out for two hours or hack to the gallops.” Mary and her daughter Emily live in Devon. Regular hacking has been pivotal in producing event horses to the highest level. “Hacking is your horse’s opportunity to see the world,” adds Mary. “I’m fortunate enough to have big hills nearby to ride up and down, but it’s not just a workout, it’s an opportunity for horses to relax. “Hacking is just fantastic and I think Hack 1000 Miles is a brilliant idea.” Whatever your riding goals, the following advice will give your hacking a whole new dimension.
Gates and spooky objects
If you ride around a corner and see a closed gate and sigh, it’s time to change your mindset. Opening and closing a gate on horseback is a brilliant way to teach your horse to step away from your leg and move his hindquarters around his front legs. He’s turning on the forehand without even realising it. “I’ll often teach my horses to move away from the pressure of the leg out on a hack,
using turn on the forehand and rein-back to open and close gates,” says Mary. “Leg-yield is also useful for walking a horse past a parked car or spooky object — turn his head away from it, but still maintain the forward momentum.”
What goes up…
Hacking in woodland provides opportunities to practise going up and down small, natural banks. This is a good way for a horse to learn how to use his feet and body. “It’s surprising how difficult young horses find going up and down until they get used to it,” explains Mary. “Many will leap off the top but you want them to clamber up and down gently. Begin in walk and keep the banks small, slowly increasing the difficulty as the horse becomes more confident.” Mary adds that it’s important to be aware of your position when going up and down a bank. Approach it straight on, with your leg on the girth to channel the horse forward and don’t allow your leg to swing backwards. If you do, you’ll become unbalanced. Slip the reins on the way down so that you don’t catch your horse’s mouth. Continue in a straight line after the bank, too. Most horses will naturally want to go left or right — bad news if there’s a fence behind it.
Play in puddles
It rains a lot in the UK, doesn’t it? There is a plus side, though, because getting out in wet weather familiarises your horse with water. Most prefer to walk around puddles rather than stepping in them. “A young horse naturally fears puddles due to the position of his eyes on the side of his head,” explains Mary. “He finds it difficult to see directly beneath him unless he lowers his head and he has little perception of depth. “To your horse, walking through that puddle may result in him disappearing down a deep hole, so it’s understandable that his brain tells him not to go there.”
Paddle in the river
Mary regularly hacks her horses to the River Sid. If you can, find a stream close to you with areas that are accessible to horses and have safe footing. “Begin with an easy crossing and take an experienced horse with you so that your horse learns by example,” advises Mary. “Have a long rein as your horse walks through the water to encourage him to stretch his neck down and look at it. Don’t allow him to go dashing through with his head up — he will learn to be confident by looking down. “Stop in a shallow place, then let him put his head down to sniff and play. Some horses might paw at the water, which is good, but be careful they don’t try to roll.” Mary adds that horses cope better with climbing up a bank out of water first, before stepping down into it. You should go up and down in exactly the same place, too. “It’s important to do this, because the horse is already familiar with the footing so should realise that he’ll be safe,” says Mary. “Some horses might hover then leap, so be prepared.” Be ready for your horse to whip around too — and be clear that this is not an option — and slip the reins as he goes in. Reward him with your voice and a pat.
Ditches can be fun
Mary uses a narrow stream to start her horses over ditches. “Initially, I’ll walk alongside the ditch and let the horse stretch down to sniff, then I’ll turn towards it and ask him to jump. “I’ll approach in a strong, rhythmical trot, one with power but not speed so that I have time to react should he stop. If my horse
skids to a halt in front of it, I’ll encourage him to do it from a standstill because he must learn that turning around is not an option. “When I walk my horses alongside the stream and let them stretch down to look, I won’t walk straight up to the ditch with the intention of stopping — that encourages horses to refuse. By the end of the session I’ll jump the wider part, approaching in rising trot and on a loose rein so that my horse can look as they jump.”