a bit of help needed from you seasoned hunt folk :)

[cheeseandhorses:)]

okay here goes two bits of advice needed

i have a brilliant hunting pony, who rather enjoys himself , but is perfect for me out hunting and hasn't put a hoof wrong yet but when we get home from a day he turns into the devil he is uncontrolable even in his double ... he won't stand spins ect ect..... so this means that it is impossible to take off travle boots and the like - so this is where the advice is needed does anybody have any calming tips? just to say that at home normally he is perfect i dont tie him up and he's like a donkey just to add that he's an arab x 14.1hh oh and he trots away from the field like an angle..

and for people opions and advice

i have been thinking that instead of trying to take boots off i could hunt him in boots and then travle him in them to offer him some protection to his legs but as a person who owns one basic pair of soft tendon boots i am at a loss to which is best? i mean there are so many on the market - so does anybody use any great boots which will stay put and could be hosed off and look new again? i also don't really like woof wear boots as my only ever pair of boots are them and they are really hard to get clean - and do you think its a good idea to travle in boots instead of travle boots? just to note we don't go far to meets usally it's a max 20 mins car ride thanks in advance

 

[LizzieJ]

I wouldn't bother with boots at all

 

[pinklilly]

As the above poster says, don't put any on. I have done 4 seasons as a hunt groom and they never wear boots or travel boots. I had a very bargy bad mannered hunter last season, I used to cross tie him in the corridor and do what I had too, he hated being bathed and I managed somehow, didn't have much choice as no one to help!

 

[marmalade76]

I wouldn't bother with boots at all

Same, brushing or travel.

 

[PorkChop]

As other replies - I don't use boots for hunting or travelling home from hunting.

If he is always worked up when you get him home I would un-tack at trailer/lorry and put on the rug is suitable for where you you will be putting him when you get home, and then leave him for a couple of hours to relax before you sort him out.

Everything important can be done before the actual journey home - washing off, checking for cuts etc.

 

[Jerroboam]

Im a hunt groom and the only protection we travel the horses in is a travel bandage to keep nicely pulled tails neat! Cross tie does work, its just the adrenalin leaving him thats probably making him so hyped up. Or tie him up with a haynet so he has something to do whilst you potter about?

 

[Goldenstar]

As the other posters no boots used for hunting or travelling to hunting my view is they just cause leg rubs etc when they get muddy on a Long day our and they irritate on the way home

 

[Maesfen]

I hate boots for hunting with a passion because of all the muck and grit that can get between them and the legs and be there rubbing all day. It's not like eventing or show jumping when it's over in minutes after all; try a small bit of grit in your sock and see how you feel then.

Only things ours ever wore for hunting and travelling was a tail bandage to keep it neat for the meet and a travel rug over tack to protect the tack and keep the muscles warm both to and after hunting.

 

[HuntingB]

As all the above really, no boots. Mud and grit etc, I imagine its like having sand in your shoes after going to the beach...eugh!
Just a tail bandage and a rug for travelling.

 

[JenHunt]

don't bother with boots, and if you can get a turn out rug on him just chuck him in the field for an hour or so to unwind. That gives you a chance to muck out/bed up, tidy up the trailer, put your stuff away and get his tea ready. then bring him in, wash off, clean up and get on with your normal evening routine.

Some horses need to let off steam and run off the adrenaline when they get home, others (like Ron) just want to stuff themselves full of hay and go to sleep!

 

[LizzieJ]

Just a thought but if the meets are that close, why don't you hack him home, they're normally pretty chilled out by the time you're home then

 

[sonjafoers]

One of mine is just about to start her 6th season and as yet she hasn't calmed down about it all. She gets into a sweat and starts trembling the minute she sees the trailer - funny how she ONLY does this when she knows it's taking her hunting!

When I get her home I just turn her out and leave her for an hour because I honestly can't do anything with her. I've tried washing her off and stabling her but she just spins round & round and refuses to even sniff food.

If I was you I wouldn't travel in boots (as everyone has said don't hunt in boots, you're only asking for trouble) and as soon as he is home put a suitable rug on if necessary and turn him out. As JenHunt says this gives you time to sort everything out whilst he comes back down to earth.

Of course the best option is to hack to and from meets but in my area this is rarely possible

 

[lauraandjack]

I don't bother with boots at all. Jack travels to meets tacked up with a light waffle rug over his tack and a tail guard, that's all. For coming home just rug and tail guard, and I don't always bother with the tail guard.

When we get home I either turn him out or put him in the school as all he wants to do is trot round for 10 minutes, if you put him in the stable he will just go round and round! Once he's calmed down then I bring him in to wash off.