How to make hacking more interesting?

[TellMeHowToFeel]

Hello all. So I am very lucky to ride a fabulous ponio but not quite so lucky in that there's no school at all and no way to get to one except once in a blue moon. There is some really beautiful hacking, but only really 2 or 3 routes you can take with no options to do others due to very busy roads. So inevitably ponio gets a tad bored with the same routes twice a week, especially as he's a super clever soul. He is that bit older though so it's not as if he's hideously wasted and should be enjoying his years out competing etc - he's done all that. I'm more bothered about stopping him getting sour. I ride in company when the opportunity arises now and again. And I try to canter in different places etc.

Does anyone have any other tips for keeping it interesting him for him when it's the same routes for years?

[lastqueenofscotland]

Do you have any open fields en route? Or slightly wider paths you could try schooling movements.

[Booboostwo]

You can school transitions between paces and within a pace almost everywhere. Many lateral movements can be practiced out hacking, e.g. shoulder in and quarters in almost anywhere, leg yielding and half-pass if there is a path with a bit of space, etc. I once leg yielded to get out of the way of a car (very narrow road, no other option) and the driver put down the window and gave me pointers...she was a dressage judge!