Best way to hunt on 24/7 grass...turnout tips please

[IrishMaresRuleOK]

I have access to a stable but my mare stresses so I thought I'd try hunting from the field. Who does this successfully and what are your best tips?

My first idea was to wash the day before and use pig oil to keep the mud off or buy mud fever boots. I'm worried that if I don't get her legs completely dry I'll cause problems.
Shall I just wash legs and tail in the morning and hope they dry by time we get to the meet? Do I go the whole hog and keep her completely covered (hood, tail bag, boots) all week?
She's a grey mare btw.

Feed
She's not fully fit yet and still just on grass and hay. Should I feed a balancer? Could I feed Recovery Mash after hunting so she has a nice treat while she dries off in her hated stable? While I remember the days of bran mash, it seems wrong now to feed something once a week that the gut isn't used to.

I'd love to hear how other people do it.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have done this when Tatts did a no stabling thing .
we cleaned him up in the morning I tried the day before but you just had to do it again so I stopped .
on return we cleaned him up then he went into a stable with a deep bed to roll and roll then we brushed him off did his heels and then he went out using a breathable outdoor rug that was only used after hunting it did get a bit smelly with the drying sweat .
he was fed so we did nothing different with food after hunting
It’s was hard when the weather was awful .
Then one evening for no reason he came to the gate banged it until I came went into his stable and has been has been stabled in winter since then strange horse .

 

[twiggy2]

I would wash in the morning.
Can you give her a handful of soaked speedibeet each day with supplement? On hunt days you could give it slightly warmed and in a larger amount if it's cold or she is tucked up, I would turn her out with extra rugs if she is cold and or wet when you get back then pop up and change into dry rugs after an hour or so.

 

[honetpot]

Wash in the morning, the tail but I find a dirty mane is easier to plait for me, its the grease.
I tend to give them more of what they normally eat the night before. When they get home they get turned out in a breathable rug, even if they are sweaty they dry off. I do not at that stage give them anything to eat because I want them to move around, and get the muscles moving after standing in the lorry.
I go back later and change rugs, and if they are settled give a small feed.

 

[Shay]

Walk through a puddle the first thing on arrival - no-one will then notice slightly muddy legs. A hunting knot will disguise a dirty tail. Modern rugs are a god send because you can turn out damp if you have to. Only thing - don't skimp on a proper leg wash / check on return. You need to check for cuts, thorns etc. You can also do a small belly / bib clip if you need to.

I confess I do feed a mash (Rowan barberry as it happens). I am old enough to have fed bran mashes regulalry after hunting decades ago. But recent vet advice was to feed a bran based mash immediately on return to prevent a colic from stuffing hay in the lorry. He gets 1/4 scoop made up in warm water from a thermos flask before transport. We hunt 2/3 times per week so the gut is well adapted though.

 

[Jellymoon]

Haha, was just about to say, tie the tail up!
I have hunted off the grass and it was absolutely fine, but my horse is quite chilled out and doesn’t get in a sweat on the way home. However, even if he did, I don’t think it would matter. A good quality breathable turnout rug would be fine, I think.
Anyway, I just cleaned him up a bit the day before and put full hood on, then got him in in the morning, fed him his normal food, hosed the mud off his legs, knotted up the tail. I’m afraid I don’t plait (shock horror) but I ensure a very neat mane. He had a full clip, which I think helps because he dries so quickly afterwards.
Then when I get home, I don’t wash him off as by then he’s nearly dry so I don’t want to make him cold and wet again, but I do have a really good look all over and feel all over his legs and body with my hands. Then I chuck him out with his turnout rugs on. And go up later to feed and check again.
A good fleece or thermatex if it’s really cold is a good investment fir the journey home.

 

[L&M]

We hunt from the field, and also have a grey so feel your pain! Our saving grace is that we have hill grazing, so are very lucky to have little mud, so grooming is minimal.

Any washing is done at 7am, with a hot horse shower, which helps them dry quicker and more effective for removing any stains. Ours are also fully clipped, then rugged up well - again makes grooming a lot easier.

On the return from hunting we wash off their backs, and the worst of any mud, and travel them in wicking rugs and a haynet, so by the time they are back, they have had a munch and can put outdoor rugs on. They have a quick feed and check over at the yard, then turned back out.

They love their post hunting roll! And we have no worries of them seizing up after a long day.......they seem quite happy with the regime.

 

[Templebar]

I have two who go from the field, thankfully better colours (bay and chestnut) i don't wash, i try and make sure i have a decent hack to the meet to disguise the worst, also im pretty sure most people know mine are not stabled so think i'm a little forgiven. I would tie up the tail and plait mane then that hides the worst. Mine are also both fully clipped including legs, just leaving half a face which means i find it quite easy to get the worst off them in the morning. I also don't wash when i get back, they go out for a roll and then check legs and brush off 2 hours later at feeding time. My winter routine is avoid washing as much as possible, if i have to its using a hot cloth.

They both get regular feeds with speedibeet so if its been a hard day then its fresh warm beet first and i might give the normal feed even later, one in particular wont eat all her food after hunting so often gets the speedibeet with the essentials then the rest of it later and if she leaves it then its not a problem.

 

[huskydamage]

Mine come in at night but have carals so they always have the option to be outside. I have horrible clay mud! My mare has a trace clip and I oil the legs and mane to keep clean and wash tail end day before and keep it up. I might hot cloth the dirtiest bits too (v dark Bay so looks dusty!) . I plait on the day in the morning. At the end of the day she's an outdoor horse so is not going to be pristine but if you've made an effort I'm sure the hunt would rather you turn up with your cap and join in.
On return I stick a thermatex on and turnout over the top when I get home and just brush and hot cloth the clipped bits the next day.