Does hunting make a horse braver XC?

[monica987]

I was wondering what your opinions on this are. I took my very green xc pony hunting and it has bumped his confidence no end. Although he is now much more confident, he is a lot more cautious and gets underneath things alot more than he did (when they get bigger anyway).
What are your opinions/experiences of this and would you take a horse hunting to improve xc confidence?
x

 

[LindaW]

In the case of my horse, yes certainly has made him better xc. They are all different though.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Out hunting horses have to think for themselves and also jump things they wouldn't normally in cold blood because they don't want to be left behind. I think it does them the world of good.

The little mare I've got at the moment would get right underneath everything jumping when I first got her and it would be very uncomfortable for both of us. She had been used as a working pupil pony and would spend her days show jumping. She had obviously been socked in the mouth a lot. Once she realised I wasn't going to do that and would encourage her to keep going after a fence she started jumping brilliantly. Now she will really jump and isn't afraid to take off early if we are galloping into a hedge etc. Her jumping has improved ten fold and there is no better feeling than galloping into a nice hedge on her because she will fly. Def. due to hunting because she's done precious little else since I've had her!! Horses love hunting - it shows them that jumping is fun!!

 

[LankyLucy]

Definitely made my horse bolder and more confident.

 

[kick_On]

YES, YES and YES

it gives them 'GGRRRRRRRRRR Factor'

 

[I_A_P]

i was thinking about this, and dont know if it would apply near here.
We rarely have fences to jump, although there are some ditches so therefore i dont know if it would make a dramatic difference.

My old boy hunted all his life and didnt like xc as he didnt want to leave other horses, as he was so used to it.

 

[madhector]

I agree, there isnt much advantage to hunting them round here, rarely anything to jump, so I have never bothered

 

[Sophiesmum]

We took our mare hunting as a 7 year old to try and make her go forward more - husband became an addict and it is pretty much all she has done for the last 13 years. However, after a couple of seasons hunting (she will jump anything), we took her to a hunter trials and she deposited him in the bottom of a trakhener and buggered off! The 'stuffiness' definately hadn'tr improved when on her own, though you wouldn't want for a better hunter!

 

[DiamondISH]

Had my first ever hunt last week. This was also my mare's first ever hunt... so I spent a lot of time apologising to Field Masters for being right up the front when I had been advised to stay at the back. The whole experience was terrifying and yet I laughed like a lunatic for the four hors we were out. We almost parted company a couple of times but managed to stay together as she cleared everything that came in our path!

Have since put flash on bridle as ordinary snaffle wasn't doing the trick, in preparation for next hunt!

Anyway, went for hack today and spotted a small drain which I thought should be tried!! OMG. It was no more than one foot deep and two foot wide, but I may as well have asked her to step across the Grand Canyon! She obviously needs other horses to lead the way.

Tally Ho for the next outing....

 

[Kenzo]

Improves your horse in all sorts of ways I think, fitness, balance, jumping, confidence for hacking...the benefits are endless!

plus the horses love it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Madam_max]

See, I have always wondered that. Corroy had done loads of hunting when I got her and she is a brill jumper, but she WOULD not hack on her own as the only time she went out it was following others.