A brilliant horse is made by hacking or trail riding regularly — and so are brave, confident riders who in turn are happier in their life in general.

We all have mental health, whether it’s good, bad, or somewhere in between — and it’s usually been all three at some point in our lives. More riders than ever before understand how important it is to look after our mental health, as well as our physical health.

Research undertaken by the University of Brighton and Plumpton College on behalf of the British Horse Society* found that riding stimulates positive feelings, such as happiness and self-esteem, and it can help to address negative feelings associated with anxiety and depression.

Personally, I find hacking a brilliant way to switch off from everyday life, relax and enjoy time with my horse. I particularly love exploring new places, finding tracks for a sneaky canter (and if there’s a fallen tree to jump, even better).

“Being around horses definitely helps you to develop resilience, which is very beneficial for mental health,” says sports psychologist Steffi Dampney. “You have the variable of the horse to consider, which is completely different from any other sport.

“If something goes wrong, you need to stay focused and remain calm for your horse, and this translates well into everyday life.”

Positive challenges

We’ve all been there — out trail riding and a particularly scary leaf blows across the road, or perhaps it’s bin day and the wheelie bins are out. Suddenly we find ourselves having to coax our horse past.

“Riding is thought of as an individual sport, but there is companionship between the horse and rider,” explains Steffi. “You can switch off and enjoy being with your horse. It’s under appreciated how difficult that is as a skill, but it shows mental strength.”

Heading out for a quiet hack is the ideal time to practise. You can start by matching your breath to your horse’s stride or chatting to them about your day.

“Horses provide a safe space to talk,” adds Steffi, who runs The Sporting Difference in Wiltshire. “They are so intuitive to our emotions, but you need to make them feel safe too. It challenges you in a positive way to regulate your emotions. All these things help our mental health.”

Benefits of hacking a horse for riders

More reasons why regular trailing is so good for riders include:

1 It’s good for your general health

Simply going outside, breathing in fresh air, and being surrounded by nature can boost our mood — in fact, it’s been proven to reduce stress**.

Exercise aside, just being in the presence of animals can provide benefits for our mental health. When compared with 20 minutes of reading, stroking a dog was found to lower stress significantly*** — so it really is worth making time for a good grooming session before hacking a horse.

Horses are particularly calming to be around, hence their use in programmes such as hippotherapy or for recovery from PTSD.

A 2020 study by Rogerson et al**** showed that regular exercise within a natural environment did improve wellbeing, especially when done regularly. Quote this next time you plan to leave work early or miss a family dinner — it’s proof that hacking a horse is really good for you.

There’s also evidence to suggest that being exposed to nature can reduce hypertension, improve mood and boost your ability to focus.

2 It’s good for you physically

Hacking a horse is good exercise. It’s great for building your core strength, an essential skill for staying balanced in the saddle.

It also helps to tone your thighs. Don’t believe me? Try cantering out of the saddle. You’ll soon feel the burn!

I remember the first gallop I had on my ex-racehorse King after having my first baby. I had been out of the saddle for more than 12 months and boy did I puff at the end of that field.

Lots of trotting and cantering soon got me back to good riding fitness. All the chores that go with owning and riding horses count too.

Carrying large hay bales, haynets and filled water buckets, and pushing a heavy wheelbarrow to the top of a much heap. That’s resistance training right there!

3 Improves your posture

Even though you’re not schooling, it’s still essential to have a good riding position when trail riding. Sitting up tall, looking ahead and lifting up through your ribcage on those long hacks will help to train your body into having better posture in and out of the saddle.

The stronger you are in your upper body the more secure you’ll be in the saddle too. No slouching or rounded shoulders allowed!

4 You can go trail riding with friends

Hacking a horse out with family and friends is a great way to catch up while enjoying yourselves. If you haven’t got any horsey friends to share the fun, why not head out on your horse while your friend or partner joins on a bicycle?

5 Does wonders for your confidence

Trail riding works wonders for a rider’s confidence in the saddle. There’s no pressure out hacking because you pick your own route and go at your own speed.

Without thinking about it, you’ll be negotiating variable terrain and coping with the unexpected — it all helps to improve how secure you feel in the saddle.

6 It makes you feel happier

Hacking a horse teaches you to stay calm under pressure, as you think your way through a stressful situation while trail riding that requires you to have control over your emotions.

Exercise, from hacking out to mucking out, has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression. Of course there are days when you’ll have a bad experience with inconsiderate drivers or a loose dog. In my experience, though, it’s rare not to come home from a hack feeling happier than when I left.

The research undertaken by the University of Brighton* also found that riding stimulates positive feelings, such as happiness and self-esteem, and it can help to address negative feelings associated with anxiety and depression.

A brilliant horse is made out hacking

Back to my first sentence: a brilliant horse is made by hacking or trail riding regularly.

I’m not talking about the Olympic champions, the Grand National-winning racehorses or similar supreme equine athletes (although most of these will hack out frequently).

I mean the safe, reliable horses and ponies that make you smile when you tack up. If you’re fortunate to have one in your life, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

The steeds you look forward to riding. They’re confident on any terrain, in all weather; can negotiate crossing a stream, ditch or busy road without becoming flustered. Opening and closing gates, popping over a fallen tree (or carefully picking their way around); taking in their surroundings and not being spooked by a sudden gust of wind or stray sheep.

These are the horses and ponies that make a difference in our lives. They are wonderful partners and a lot of fun to ride for miles every day — and they also do a lot more for your physical and mental health than you might think.

Benefits of hacking for a horse

1 It engages their brain

Hacking a horse provides variety in their work, which is vital for keeping them interested in life and keeping them on your side. You could warm up for a schooling session by going for a short hack first, and/or cooling down afterwards by doing the same. Or why not leave the arena altogether and do your schooling out hacking — it’s a very rewarding thing to do.

2 Ease any stiffness in their body

Hacking out and moving around is perfect for keeping any stiffness or filled legs at bay, especially if your horse is in their twilight years. A gentle stroll on a long rein will get creaky joints moving and help them to feel better in general.

3 Boost confidence

Getting your horse out and about regularly, seeing, passing and coping with new unusual things, is one of the best ways to make them confident and therefore brave.

A confident horse enjoying their work is a much nicer ride than a spooky horse who lacks confidence. You’ll find it does wonder for the bond you have with each other too, as your horse realises you are a dependable leader.

4 Improves fitness

Hacking a horse is good for fitness levels and keeping waistlines at a healthy size, which in turn helps to keep health issues related to obesity and lack of fitness, such as laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome, under control.

The further you go the better, but it’s really the type of work you’re doing while trail riding that counts. Vary the terrain and pace to really make a difference. Interval training, for example, is easily incorporated into hacking and it’s a lot of fun for you and a horse.

Riding a horse on different surfaces is good for them too — not just for fitness, but for developing strong legs and helping them be confident on their feet (sure footed). You’ll encounter all sorts of terrain out hacking and trail riding.

5 Good for the mind

Finally, a hacking horse is a happy horse! Surely the goal of every horse owner? Let your horse march along with their ears pricked, taking in their surroundings. They will feel so much better for it and so will you!

6 They learn to be brave

Hacking a horse takes place come rain or shine. Blasting along a field or trotting on a bridleway in the pouring rain means there’s no drama when the heavens open halfway through your dressage test. You both just carry on as normal.

Talking of getting wet, sooner or later you’ll have puddles to splash through and possibly even a stream or ford to splash through. Making this a regular part of hacking makes water fences on a cross-country course much more straightforward, as the horse will be confident about going in.

7 It’s educational

Other obstacles you meet and things you see and hear will all count towards a horse becoming brave too. A log to jump or ditch to pop over. Small paths to squeeze through; unusual smells from farm animals in fields you’re passing; strange smells of children in gardens and playgrounds — it’s all educational.

As a five-year-old, my warmblood, Marcus, lacked confidence and was scared of everything. Consequently, he was a very spooky young horse. Regular trail riding was the making of him. Out hacking we’d go up and down banks, jump mini ditches on the verge and huge trenches in the woods.

We would trot and canter across variable terrain and leap fallen trees and paddle in streams. I hacked him miles, alone and in company, and he saw and experienced everything you can think of. Subsequently he went on to be a brave cross-country horse and was on Pony Club teams.

8 They learn to trust you

When a plastic bag flaps in the hedge, a loose dog approaches or a vehicle passes too fast, your horse will look to you for reassurance. If you are the strong, confident leader they are looking for, it builds trust and does wonders for your relationship. This will also pay off in other scenarios too.

9 They become more confident

For many riders, confidence is the most important thing of all. Without confidence, you and your horse will not enjoy yourself.

By hacking a horse regularly and allowing them to look around and take in their surroundings, seeing things and being interested in them, it all adds to their education.

Perhaps they have a little spook here and there, but you know that anything they see come competition day, they will be brave and totally focused on the job in hand. Hacking does that for a horse.

  1. *The health benefits of horse riding in the UK
  2. **More green space is linked to less stress in deprived communities: evidence from salivary cortisol patterns
  3. ***Measuring Stress and Immune Response in Healthcare Professionals following Interaction with a Therapy Dog
  4. Regular Doses of Nature: The Efficacy of Green Exercise Interventions for Mental Wellbeing

Main image: copyright Your Horse Library/Kelsey Media Ltd

Related content