Does hunting make your horse bolder xc?

[Thunderbirds R Gone]

My 5 yr old eventer is not the bravest xc, he is very spooky and tense and worried about everything. He always seems to have a stupid stop somewhere, usually at the water or if there's something funny on the ground (stones etc) around the fence. He's very forward going and not nappy at all.

Would taking him hunting chill him out a bit and make him less worried or do you think it would blow his brain and make him worse? I've only ever been hunting once before and that was on a hireling who knew his job so must admit I am a bit nervous about the thought of taking him!

 

[irish_hunter]

certainly helped my old pony who could be a bit iffy xc, i would tuck in behind someone else over any jumps, ditches etc and herd instinct kicked in and he'd naturally follow someone else over anything, because he didn't want to get left behind, without having time to worry, and so he (and i!) soon realised that he COULD do it...

 

[spacefaer]

Had a little 15.3 7/8TB who I bought as an unbroken 5 yr old. He was very careful over a fence - I thought he'd make a nice RC type when he learnt a bit more.

I took him hunting his 5/6 yr old winter and PN the following spring. He did his 1st 3DE that autumn, hunted again 6/7 yr old season and went Intermediate as a 7 yr old. He upgraded to Advanced, jumped round Blenheim 3* and was long listed for the Swedish Olympic team.

There is no way he would've done all that without his hunting experience - he would've been too careful and backed off way too much. The stuff we jumped hunting made his Adv tracks look small!!

He's now 19 and retired - and still hunting

 

[camilla4]

Widget - I'd thoroughly recommend hunting him. If you are anxious about taking him is there someone more experienced who could take him out for you?

 

[star]

def helped mine who is a spooky thing and lacks confidence on his own. out hunting, pack instinct kicks in and he'll jump anything as he doesn't want to be separated.