We can all be guilty of slipping into behaviours that feel like they will make life easier, such as riding one-handed, on a loose rein, spending time chatting to a friend, or even using a phone when we are in the saddle on a hack.Horsemanship expert Jason Webb discusses the bad habits he most often sees in riders when hacking, and what you can do to address them.As with horses, I tend to see two bad habits among riders: either they dont pay enough attention to their horse, or they pay too much attention, says Jason. Riders who dont pay attention can miss signals from their horse that hes worried about something, so it can seem like a behaviour comes out of the blue.The other problem is being too in tune with your horse, so looking at what hes doing, micromanaging him and worrying about what he might do next without taking in your surroundings.Jason explains that both styles can result in a horse displaying undesirable behaviours, such as spooking, planting, refusing to stop, or jogging.You need to have an awareness of your horse, but also of yourself, so that you can understand both your strengths and weaknesses, he says.Becoming the rider your horse wantsIf you find your mind wandering during a ride, or you become caught up in conversation with a friend, try to bring yourself back to regularly checking in with your horse. Make sure that you maintain a consistent contact so that youre ready if he indicates to you that hes unsure of something.If you find yourself worrying, look up, pick something ahead to focus on, like a tree or a lamppost, and concentrate on riding to it. Dont forget about your horse, but remember to take in your surroundings too.It does require work to change these habits because you dont always realise that youre doing them, acknowledges Jason. A good place to start is by asking a friend or instructor to highlight anything they notice.Related contentBored of round the block? Four ways to find new hacking routesWhy wearing the colour red could play a part in safer hacking10 tips for training your horse to open gates out hacking8 benefits of flatwork for every horse, whether you compete or notThe post Overcome bad hacking habits to become the rider your horse wants appeared first on Your Horse.