Educating the eventer in the hunting field?

I have always hunted things I want to be bolder, and would have still been hunting SPider now had she not been injured as she loved it! And so do i!

But I would never take Dexter, not necesarily because of injury but it would blow his brain, he is a full TB with a TB mind and can get stressy easily! Even on a hack with one other person let alone 20 or so!! I just wouldnt be able to stop!
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he is a full TB with a TB mind and can get stressy easily! Even on a hack with one other person let alone 20 or so!! I just wouldnt be able to stop!
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Yep I took Sov on Saturday and yesterday, he is currently cantering/pirouetting round our paddock! I have a dressage lesson on Friday!!!!
 
I hunt everything - I made a mistake on Yak in that I hunted him over big open ditches which he jumped brilliantly but I then had issues at steps into water which have now been overcome so now I am ultra picky about where I hunt and choose upright meets. My horse absolutely loves hunting and I think it has been wonderful for him developing a 5th leg. I think wrapping up horses in cotton wool is wrong however valuable and find that because we do not they are much tougher.

I worry more about doing a tendon on the gallops than doing one out hunting. Having seen a few racehorses break down and one even break its leg then that panics me more especially when you are coming to the end of interval training and they are that bit tireder but there blood is up.
 
Mine hunt, the grey in my signature has been out 3 times in the last 10 days he's a text book hunter, crosses all going, jumps everything and doesn't pull!! I've whipped in on him too.

The event riders I've worked for have all been pro hunting, it isn't something that suits every horse but I really think it is good for them because you can't have perfect going/take offs and landings everytime and it can just teach them to go forward as well.

My 4yo (ooo no 5yo now!) needs to go but is v quick with her back legs which is what is holding me back on that one!


Friend has just taken a warmblood who is the most amazing show jumper and never stops but is always looky XC hunting and its been the making of him. Completely changed him and can't wait to get him eventing now!
 
I think hunting event horses does them the world of good - makes them brave and teaches them how to look after themselves and you.

I have tried to hunt my mare (who needs to get braver) but whilst she is excellent when we are going, she dumps me on the floor the minute we stop (and I can't whirl her round in little circles). I did persuade a mad friend to hunt her a couple of times last season, but even he got tired of being dumped.

However, I found teamchasing to be the perfect solution - no hanging around so I don't get ditched, and teaches them all the same lessons. Plus it is cheaper and takes up a lot less time. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants the benefits of hunting but does not want to be killed at the meet/end of the line.
 
QR - thanks all for your input, I do agree with lec that gallops are not all that, I personally won't use them unless I absolutely have to because I think they teach horses to pull and use their brains very little!

William is absolutely fine this morning, still cheerful, his legs were fine when I took his bandages off, then I decided to lead him round one of the small fields to have a nibble and I lost him after 10 mins and he spent the next 20 showing me how UNstiff he felt....
 
I have been pondering this question for some time. my eventer is sticky through water any so I think it would help but I am still not convinced!! I need some one to make up my mine for me!
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William is absolutely fine this morning, I lost him after 10 mins and he spent the next 20 showing me how UNstiff he felt....

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Yep same here, Sov went out, bucked himself out of his NZ (straps still intact?)
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and then galloped round the paddock, stopping to snort at the dead rug on his way past!
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Hunting has really helped my Welsh Cob who was scared of people/dogs etc in the countryside. OK, so we're only doing PN, and she was pretty sure footed anyway, but she's a whole ton braver. Even though with our foxhounds you didn't jump much, it still helped her jumping strangely.

Now I don't go out with the foxhounds because they're way too expensive. Go once or twice a year with the local bloodhound pack, an annual hunting holiday on Exmoor with friends and hope to go out with the local Mock Hunt as that's more within my budget.
 
Rosie hunts all hers and whips in on some of them I think. Don't know really what I'm talking about but common sense tells me if they're having fun, they're learning
 
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