Your Horse’s Hack 1000 Miles challenge relaunched on Monday 1 April, 2024. The challenge offers a great goal for any riders who love hacking a horse, while helping you form a closer bond and get inspired by other likeminded riders. It’s free to take part and once you’ve signed up, you will be in for a chance to win some really exciting prizes from our wonderful sponsors Equisafety and Wintec, including a one-of-a-kind 340° hat camera and a brand new saddle.

To take part, simply sign up to our Digital Leaderboard, log your miles and see how far you can go. Whether you plan to complete the full 1,000 miles or have more modest ambitions, everyone is welcome to take part. We want to unite even more riders from around the world this year and give them the confidence and drive to get out and enjoy the countryside with their horses. Find out more in the following video:

How does it work?

Whether you ride solo or in a group, take part in long treks and fun rides or just enjoy a potter around the block and canter around the fields, all the miles you cover count. You can ride, drive or lead your horse or pony in hand. We only have one rule, and that is that only hacking miles count — you can’t be in an arena or out hunting, for example.

We also have a friendly Hack 1000 Miles Facebook group where you can share your progress with other participants and find inspiration from their journeys. We love hearing about how you’re getting on, so please do share and be sure to tag your posts with #Hack1000Miles.

The hacking year runs from 1 April until 31 March every year. The digital leaderboard — where you can view your progress on its own as well as alongside other challengers — automatically resets to 0 at midnight on 1 April.

Key links you need to know

#Hack1000Miles prizes

To be in with a chance of winning some amazing prizes, you’ll need to sign up to the digital leaderboard*, where you can log your miles. You’ll also need to join the Hack 1000 Miles Facebook group to share your hacking photos and stories. This is where we pick winners each month.

OculosPro hat camera from Equisafety

New for 2024, Equisafety is offering one of its brand new hat cameras, OculosPro, to the challenger crowned Hack 1000 Miles Rider of the Year. Every one who signs up to the Digital Leaderboard is in the running for this prize. It’s not about how far you go, but making every mile count.

Pictured is the new Equisafety hat camera, one of the new prizes up for grabs to #Hack10000Miles challengersThe high resolution OculosPro camera has a 2000-pixel resolution and attaches to the side of your hat. It records in front and behind the rider and is purpose-made for riders. It costs £239.95 and includes free delivery, a protective case and 64gb SD card.

“The new camera is the first in the world to be a 2k dual camera with 340° recording vision, something I’m quite proud of,” Equisafety founder Nicky Fletcher told Your Horse.

Best ‘view out hacking’ photo

Equisafety will also be offering a high viz neck strap as a monthly prize, which will be given to the rider who takes a photo of the best hacking view shares it in the Facebook group during that month. Our editor, Aimi, chooses the winning photos and it could be anything from the best ‘through the ears’ view or something spectacular, funny or strange you snapped while out hacking. Only images shared in the Hack 1000 Miles Facebook group will be considered, so make sure you join and share your photos to be in with a chance of winning.

Prizes from Wintec

Fellow and long-standing sponsor Wintec will be offering seven prizes from April to October for the challenger who shares the best hacking story in the Hack 1000 Miles Facebook group. So again, it pays to be a part of this group as you could win a prize! Aimi also chooses these winners. Past stories have included a group hack with a deer (yes, really), as well as inspiring against the odds and incredible comebacks after injury or confidence losses.

Winners can choose between a Wintec girth or a pair of Wintec stirrup straps. Girths include the Wintec Anatomic girth, Wintec Pro Chafeless elastic girth, Wintec Chafeless elastic girth or Wintec elastic girth.

“Wintec girths are world renowned to be the most comfortable and durable girths available at an unrivalled value for money,” a Wintec spokesman told Your Horse. “They feature high quality brass or stainless steel fittings, elastic and anti-galling material, ensuring symmetrical give throughout the length of the girth for increased comfort as your horse works.” Pictured is a girth from Wintec, one of the prizes up for grabs for riders taking part in #Hack1000Miles

Stirrup straps include the Wintec Pro Webbers, Wintec Webbers, Wintec Kids Webbers, Wintec Pro Stirrup Straps, Wintec Slimline Stirrup Straps, Wintec Slimline Heavy Duty Stirrup Straps or Wintec Pro Stock Stirrup Straps.

“Wintec stirrups straps were developed with your comfort and safety in mind,” they added. “They are durable, easy-care, soft and supple, featuring a stainless steel riveted buckle design to eliminate any interference with your leg and feature a webbing core for increased strength.”

Wintec saddle of your choice

One lucky rider who reaches the 1000-mile mark will win a Wintec saddle of their choice — an amazing reward for all your efforts. To be in the running for this, you must be signed up to the digital leaderboard and logging your mileage regularly. Those who have hit the 1,000-mile finish line on or before 31 March will be automatically entered into the prize draw. A winner is then drawn at random.

Share your passion

Some of our challengers prefer to log their miles solely on the tracker card rather than online, which is available with the May 2024 issue of Your Horse. If you choose to do this, remember that to be in the running for the Wintec saddle or Equisafety hat camera you need to submit a photo of you holding your completed tracker card by email to Aimi Clark — aimi.clark@kelsey.co.uk — before 5pm on 1 April 2025.

And if you love hacking and want to be kept in the loop, but aren’t able to join in the challenge this year, you can still sign up to receive our free Hack 1000 Miles e-newsletter, which is packed with hacking-related news and features, as well as our hack Wall of Fame, with pictures chosen from those submitted to our Facebook group.

We wish you all the best of luck and lots of fun. Happy Hacking!

*You only need to sign up to the #Hack1000Miles digital leaderboard once, there’s no need to re-register as your account will be automatically rolled over for the new year. All mileage resets to zero on 1 April.

Lead image: Kelsey Media/Lucy Merrell

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