Can some horses just not hunt?

[jsr]

Well went out again on Saturday with the local Drag Hunt. My lad behaved appaulingly, so much so I turned back before the first line!!!! He bogged off with me before we'd even got into the yard for drinks, then charged into the back of 2 horses (of course the only 2 who had red ribbons), he was winding up other horses, bogged off with me across the field and then when we got onto the road for the hack to the first line I totally lost control and only managed to stop by running him into a wall and the bottoms of 3 very good natured cobs who cornered him in!!! At this point my hands were in agony and I knew we had a 3 mile road hack to the line so I decided to be sensible and turn back!! He spent the whole time we were waiting spinning, sweating and pacing, he was totally inside out and just couldn't contain himself. I think if we'd set off on a good gallop at the start we'd have been ok but the hack just wasn't a good idea.

Anyway next sat the Master said I can go with the drag and see if that helps but otherwise I'll have to admit he's not cut out for it, I'll be very upset but he's a fabulous little horse and does everything else I ask so if we can't hunt we can't hunt. My YO has kindly offered me a little coloured cob (I rode him yesterday to see and he was kick kick to go and finger tips to stop so will be a quiet but safe ride!!), so I won't miss out completely.

Do you think some horses just can't cope with the excitement of it and are better off just stopping or would you try to fight through and he'll calm down eventually??

One thing it made me appreciate the people who go to my Drag Hunt, what a lovely lot so understanding and kind, esp the lovely lady who came back with me to make sure I got back to the lorry safely..she even offered to swap horses!!

 

[Luci07]

Is this the first time you boy has been out? I think drag hunting for a first timer is actually more exciting that "normal" hunting (if you plan your choice properly).

If your horse is normally quiet, it would be worth another try. It took me 3 goes to properly sort out my old horse, first time he was brilliant, 2nd time, blew his brains 3rd time, accepted he was going to have to go behind etc etc and then was fantastic.

I didn't hunt my previous horse because he would sometimes kick out when excited and I wasn't going to risk it. I will be trying with my youngster who (of course) has been hunted in Ireland, albeit a quieter mid week one to see how he gets on.

 

[brown tack]

I'd try again tbh and chose a quite hunting day like a weekday etc, go with a safe steady buddy.

I always thought that my last horse wouldn't hunt, the meet would park up on the yard and my boy used to get so excited by it all that I dared try him. However I sent away to be sold and he ended up beening sold to a hunt yard where he is loving it and is a cracking hunter, jumps every,fab with the hounds, goes first last, does gates etc. But when I had I'd never of thought it

 

[glenruby]

I agree with Luci - try a quiet day out with a real hunt. Bloodhounding/draghunting is usually at a faster pace but if your horse does not know how to behave himself at hunts then theres no point taking him to something thats going to blos his mind. A midweek meet with a smallish pack is perfect for introducing him to hounds. Ive always started the pointers off midweek for their first one or two to settle them. then once he is adjusted you can start taking him bloodhounding.

IMO almost all horses can hunt, it just depends on how quickly you can teach them to settle and behave themselves. Sometimes it just isnt possible to do that in 2-3 outings and you have to accept that its unfair on the other subscribers to have to put up with your ill-mannered horse (I dont mean yours personally!). Then its usually worth giving it a go again the following season as many horses do improve with maturity

 

[JenHunt]

with enough time every horse can hunt. some just take longer to settle.

My lad is 17, and has really only ever hunted. He still gets excited at the start of the season and it takes a while for him to settle down. Can you have a good long hack to a meet, keep him walking round at the meet, and keep him busy while you're between lines? if so he might then learn that it's hard work not that exciting and start to settle (this is what we do with Ron!)

I'd agree drag is more exciting for them, and if you can get to some autumn hunting with fox hounds or harriers you might find he's a bit calmer!

 

[jsr]

Lol honestly Glenruby he was extreamly ill mannered and it was very embarrassing!!

It was his 2nd time out, and unfortunately we don't have anything but drag hunting any where near me. I live on Anglesey so pretty much stuck on the Island unless I fancy a long drive before hand. Next Sat is near to my yard so I might even hack him up there to take the edge off. Going to change the brakes as well and see.

 

[wyrdsister]

Can you have a look out for a hunt (of whatever sort) that you know starts off with a pipe-opener? When I was teaching my life partner mare to hunt, I started by going to one that a) we hacked to so we could get some of the sparkle out and b) began with a good gallop and optional jumps around a manor grounds. By the time it got to the road work and standing around parts, she was settled and fine. Could be worth a try?

 

[hobo]

I think hunting is not for every horse. One of my ponies took to it like a duck to water her son just got worse and worse and I was told to leave the b###er at home for my own safety and someone pipped up and everyone elses safety. i did try again when i moved to dorset but got scrapped off under a low branch so called it quits.

 

[Suziq77]

If you could get him out on a week day for some autumn hunting this month, in reasonably open country where you can walk him around in a circle when everyone else lines out then you might find he settles better. Queuing for gates and jumps can get rather exciting so I ask youngsters to walk in circles and insist they focus on me, not on everyone else.

 

[JenHunt]

Suziq has some very good advice - I was always told to "make them do Something" not to try to stop them doing anything. in other words, keep them busy, and focused on you.

 

[Miss L Toe]

If it were me, I would not give up, but would want him really well mannered at home, and when he is able to cope with everything he meets, I would pay a young good lad [ask hunt secretary] to take him for you until he settles down, ideally you could take "the ploddy one" as a companion.
He should be sound in wind and limb and fit enough to have a real good workout.
Certainly hack to the meet, at least four miles to take the edge off

 

[jsr]

He is usually a good lad, he does bounce and is a very forward cob (which I LOVE!!) but the lack of brakes really worried me. I'm still playing with my options, as I said we don't have anything but drag hunting on the island so I'm limited to what I can do between meets.

Going to try a curb on his bit and my instructor is going to give me a lesson on thurs and we'll work on my position in times of 'emergency'!! Lol!!

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

Bless I am sure you will get there!

I am not sure all horses are ok to hunt, I knew a horse who was so happy to hunt, would stand at the meet and quiver with excitment, had a fab day, then takes 3 days to eat hay!! Just relives every moment when he goes home, he was hunted once a week for a mth and lost so much condition!

 

[lauraandjack]

I think there are some that it just doesn't suit.

Some because they are a danger to others and ruin other people's day (sadly we have one like this that hunts regularly with us - never gets any better - I try to steer well clear and keep behind her as she has NO brakes, and the horse is a mentalist with no sense of self-preservation).

A friend's pony just doesn't do fast work in company without being at the front. She is fine standing around etc but once there is a bit of speed involved she has to "win the race." Not great when you pass the master..............

You've got to persevere a little and see if they settle down but I think there are a fair few horses that for their own benefit or everyone else's are better off not going hunting!

 

[cptrayes]

I drag hunt too. I would try for about half a dozen meets but if you are not seeing an improvement that makes you feel that it is worth carrying on, then I would stop for your own sake, the horses's sake and the others in the field. I use a curb bit and it helps a lot with my very strong 17hh shire cross. I can be light with it, which he and I much prefer to being heavier with a more "gentle" bit.

 

[jsr]

I drag hunt too. I would try for about half a dozen meets but if you are not seeing an improvement that makes you feel that it is worth carrying on, then I would stop for your own sake, the horses's sake and the others in the field. I use a curb bit and it helps a lot with my very strong 17hh shire cross. I can be light with it, which he and I much prefer to being heavier with a more "gentle" bit.

I think you are right, my lad is a shire x too but at only 15.1hh he still is too strong for me so can't imagine a 17hh taking off!!!

Took him in the indoor last night and he tried to bog off with me before getting through the doors, then was very strong and forward so friend who does alot of dressage got on him and he was amazing!! She had him floating around the room in a perfect outline so she's agreed to work with him...well actually she insisted cos was so excited about what he could do, so he'll be doing some dressage comps inbetween hunting so that should hopefully help with control. Problem is he see's me as his fun pal cos I'm to inpatient to do much schooling so we usually end up either hacking, jumping or boxing up to the beach so of course I'm go faster mum!!!

 

[jsr]

So after getting to the yard yesterday to be told by the YO that he wouldn't come in it took her ages to catch him..then he tried to bog off with her and then the farrier telling me he could only shoe his front 2 because he was being a 'twit' and was spooking, spinning and trying to sit on him...I'm not taking him hunting again this Sat.

My farrier is a trusted friend and he always shoes my horse while I'm at work, he is the only horse he happily will do without the owner being present as he's shod him for 4years and he knows he's Mr Perfect...until this time so he's said he'll do the back ones tonight when I get to the yard. This is not acceptable behaviour to me as I absolutely insist on manners for basic treatment so I've taken up a friends offer of schooling him for me in exchange for me exercising her rather enthusastic horse who she's nervous of and I'll work on other things until I feel his head is back in a place I'm happy with.

Will not be missing out cos YO has given me her little coloured cob to play hunting with (doing her a favour cos he's for sale and she wants him to do as much as possible) but I'm not risking my lads behaviour anymore as he's wonderful at everything else so it's not worth messing with his head just to drag hunt.

Shame but I need to be sensible. SO booked a session on the local XC course for Saturday instead and Sunday we're off to the forest for some gallops and paddle in the sea.

 

[JenHunt]

that's a very sensible decision, and seeing as you've still got an opportunity to go hunting you won't miss out either!

he's maybe just feeling his beans now that he's seen hounds, and maybe try to go on hound exercise and autumn hunting next summer/autumn to get him thinking differently about it all.

 

[jsr]

Well weekend plans went a bit off kilter. XC practice on Saturday my boy was back on form!! We led the other 2 riders over pretty much everything, he was attentive, he was responsive, he jumped like a stag, he was utterly brilliant and I was grinning for the whole day. Sooo yesterday went to a farm ride....started out bouncing, I was okay-ish coping. Popped a few jumps, led his pal through the water, over the ditch etc. All okay, very strong and head to his chest and clocking the other horses in the distance but we had some control and he was going forward. Then he saw one of his stable mates who was having a XC lesson. Fine we went past him, without much drama I popped him over a reasonable ditch and log and pushed him on for a little canter.....big mistake...he went forward then dropped his shoulder and ditched me before gallopping back (screaming!!) to his mate! Luckily she had seen me fall so her horse wasn't bothered. Took a while to catch my lad, and for numerous people to pursuade me back on (he was leaping, shaking and spinning at this point!!) I knew I had to but I was hurt and quiet frankly terrified of him!

So got back on, and walked him back to the lorry he was like a coiled spring, we had a rear (he's never reared in the 7 years I've had him) some spins and alot of bouncing but I got back and was alot more relaxed by the time I dismounted.

Bottom line is I've completely messed with his head with attempting Drag hunting but as my instructor said I wasn't to have known and we just have to iron out the mistakes. He is totally fine in all situations except when he can see horses ahead of him, so I'll avoid fun rides, hunts (obviously) and farm rides for now. Concentrate on our SJing and XC, hacking and beach rides and most importantly work on MY fitness so I can stick on my new bouncing cob!!! Lol!!

One person dared suggest I sell him...not going to happen anyday, but I do now know I need to help him relax and bring his brain back down to earth. I'm annoyed at myself because before last year he was utterly perfect and I could take him anywhere and he was always the horse that people looked at with envy as others pratted about but he's still my lad and I still know how lucky I am to have a horse that loves his job so we'll work through it....just hope I can repair myself cos boy my knee hurts!! Lol!!

 

[whiteclover]

My grey horse was a nightmare hunting. Someone took him hunting for me and said they had to come back after an hour as he wanted to be at the front of the master. He was a bucking bronco too. He never settled on fun rides either so after one summer doing them I gave up. He was a fab showjumper tho just not a hunter.

 

[Goldenstar]

IMO some horses just do not enjoy hunting they find it too exciting and just can't handle it. years ago we bought a lovely horse for my husband and she was a nightmare in the end we gave up before she hurt someone .I took her and she went on to be an advanced event horse I tried again when she was older she was just the same . I have a dressage horse who I know would just hate it he loves hacking in the hills but the herd thing and all the noise would upset him so much it's not for all of them buts it a great job for the ones that love it. My groom who is an total star at producing hunters says it takes 2 and maybe three seasons to do it right this year we are starting a five year old TB and he is going out now with a companion and we follow on behind go up to the field when nothings happening and away when it's exciting we will stick with this until he's completely calm then do little bits of more exciting stuff and away if he gets strong ( i cant stand strong horses)or too hot it's boring if you just want to hunt up the front but I love watching them grow up and don't mind taking the time.
I think if they are very hot you need to take loads of time go out lots ( 2 days a week ) and be very patient and if you can't get out enough it's hard to get them to settle sometimes we go 4 days a week autumn hunting to settle a difficult one but it's so time consuming but it's really rewarding when they get it and settle.

 

[Grey_Eventer]

My granny would say every horse can hunt, because she honestly got every horse hunting, properly, beautifully behaved, standing still, in a snaffle.
How she did it? apart from being amazing with horses, she took them out 2 times a week, or 3 half days, with the quorn, not to knacker them, but so they got used to it.
There was one horse, called Boots. my dad went to pick up his new pony (13.2hh) with my grandad. The pony came off the lorry, followed by what was a huge (17.2hh) TB racehorse, dragging a groom, looking wild. my grandad asked what was happening to it and received the simple reply of "its going to be shot". My grandad loaded it into the lorry and took it for free.
It took two years for it to go from mad- and it really was mad, into the most incredible horse, that hunted, evented, PCed, point to pointed... but it would win at everything. Boots was a horse that was supposedly unrideable and certaintly unhuntable, that turned into an amazing horse.
Im sure some horses just arent cut out for it, but my granny never let a horse go, it would always be properly retrained, no matter what, and the fact is, she didn't beat them into it, she just took time and patience and they always came round...
Wish she was still here now, she had a lot to teach.

 

[meesha]

Grey Eventer - your granny sounds amazing - I think the problem these days is that we are all in too much of a rush to do everything (I am definately guilty of this). I took my chap out for the first time recently, neither he nor I had ever hunted - I probably should have stayed away from the main group for the first few outings but didnt even think of it - luckily although a bit hyper on first outing he settled much more for his second.

 

[jsr]

Your granny does sound amazing!! Sadly as I said round here we only have drag hunting so don't have much chance to flood him...and to be honest I've not got the strength or ability to cope with the behaviour!! Lol!!


It's a shame but I do have horses I can take drag hunting so it's not the end of the world for him, I just need to now work on the behaviour he's showing now and get back my fun but sane horse!! Still love him to death and appreciate the wonderful animal he is.

 

[Lolo]

Hunting blew my horses brains, and he got progressively worse as the years went by. We tried the technique of taking him lots and he'd chill, but he was 21 when I got him and when he turned 26 I admitted defeat- he was too much horse for me! He'd cope for about 2 hours- very strong, but safe enough. After 2 hours he'd go mental- he took me through wire once, would plunge and twist to get his head and charge off and would shake his head around so much he once managed to remove the curb chain off his pelham...

In a way, admitting defeat was a blessed relief. I had some amazing days on him, but those were quiet meets with lots of ditches and jumps so he had something to be doing beyond mad galloping. Only once did he behave properly, and that was when he was ridden by a very very talented hunting man who could ride anything and make it look amazing.

 

[Grey_Eventer]

Grey Eventer - your granny sounds amazing - I think the problem these days is that we are all in too much of a rush to do everything (I am definately guilty of this). I took my chap out for the first time recently, neither he nor I had ever hunted - I probably should have stayed away from the main group for the first few outings but didnt even think of it - luckily although a bit hyper on first outing he settled much more for his second.

Your granny does sound amazing!! Sadly as I said round here we only have drag hunting so don't have much chance to flood him...and to be honest I've not got the strength or ability to cope with the behaviour!! Lol!!


It's a shame but I do have horses I can take drag hunting so it's not the end of the world for him, I just need to now work on the behaviour he's showing now and get back my fun but sane horse!! Still love him to death and appreciate the wonderful animal he is.

She was, gutted I was too young to see or remember those days.
I think the thing is, she did it for a living- re training problem horses, race horses and the like, so it was easy. Between my grandparents, my dad and my aunt, theyd be able to hunt a fair few between them, but I think now, people just don't have the time or money.
My dads first hunt subscription aged 18 was £50...
Shed never admit defeat, because she never had to (I got that gene- the stubborn one anyway )
When they were hunting 3 times a week, you needed "proper" hunters- old fashioned steeple chasers with a hell of a jump, because if the Quorn went, they really went, whereas nowadays you can get away with pretty much any horse and it doesn't need to be made into a hunter so to speak. but to have a good day with the Quorn, you needed a really good, well made hunter! I guess thats the difference