Excited Horse

[Olivia16]

I'm going Hunting next week! I can't wait but there's one thing that is worrying me. My Horse gets really excited when we go new places! he is only new to me and i don't know wheather he has ever gone hunting before. I took him to a show a few weeks back and he really got excited. I'm afraid he will run everones day! What do I do if he does get excited out hunting???

 

[meesha]

only been twice but lots of people hack a decent way (park a good few miles away) to the meet to take the edge off - I didnt but it might have helped a bit. I stayed at the back of the field and kept turning him in circles -no point trying to make them stand - keep him busy turning in circles, moving and listening - the hardest bit was the standing around !! try and stay next to another calm horse if possible and dont cling onto his mouth (my big mistake) well worth it though and much calmer second time out.

 

[JenHunt]

I was always taught that you wouldn't take a child to a party and expect them to sit still, so don't expect it of a young horse - so make them do something, rather than nothing. Keep your horse moving, listening to you (walking circles, figures of 8, and serpentines keep their focus well). Then when he's listening ask him to stand still, just for a moment, then move on so you don't give him time to fidget. They soon learn to stand!

when you are going try to let him go (staying behind the fieldmaster) so that he doesn't think you're just being mean and stopping him from joining in.

but most importantly, have fun and let us know how you get on!

 

[VoR]

Keep your horse moving, listening to you (walking circles, figures of 8, and serpentines keep their focus well). Then when he's listening ask him to stand still, just for a moment, then move on so you don't give him time to fidget.

And lots of praise when he/she does stand still even for a second or two!

I have an 18 yo and 11 yo, both still get excited out hunting, you have to remain calm though, don't hang on to their mouth (as Meesha says) and as JenHunt says let 'em have a gallop when you can......which calms my 18yo down ................and winds-up the 11 yo (some you just can't win) but both stop when everyone else does even though they may feel out-of-control at times, they just want to run with the herd!

Have fun

 

[Olivia16]

Thanks for the reply!! Hunting was canceled this week because of our terrible wet weather conditions! Hope to go next week though ! Should I put studs in my horses hooves when going hunting next week???

 

[Suziq77]

I've never used studs as the ground you cover can change so much - interested to hear what others do.

My current two mares are both unshod behind.

 

[chestnut cob]

I always thought putting studs in was a big no-no out hunting??

 

[JenHunt]

there's no point - the ground changes so quickly, and you'd never be able to find one set to do all day.

Also, should your horse stand on himself in deep going, or accidentally catch another horse the damage could be huge!

 

[kirstyl]

Hi, why are you taking him hunting if he is new to you, you don't know if he's ever been hunting and he was really excited at a show? Get to know him first so he has some trust in you (and you in him) before you start putting yourself in what could be a really quite dangerous situation

 

[EarlRonan]

Jen,

That is brilliant advice. I too am a bit nervous of taking mine out for the first time this season. I haven't cubbed him as he doesn't understand, standing still or wandering from covert to covert. When we are waiting for first draw he will be a nightmare and will be waiting to explode at the first oppurtunity, it will only take someone trotting off.

I feel that I might be very quickly on the floor. He thinks hunting is the most exciting thing and whenever I take him out I arrive to find him trembling in anticipation! All he thinks hunting is about is galloping and jumping.

 

[Hunters]

Personally, it is always better to do your home work first. Have you not had the opportunity to 'nag' your horse out cubbing? Assuming not, I would speak to the hunt secretary, explain the situation and depending on his suspected behaviour go to the meet , walk around for a while, maybe follow quietly for a mile (usually someone quiet at the back) and again depending on your horses behaviour either stay longer or leave.

BTW - hunt horses have no choice. They quite often have never been hunted and are 'baptized by fire' - they have no choice in the matter, but to be ridden strongly and get on on with the job.

However, these horses are ridden purposely and by experienced huntsmen. The point I am making is that it is better to 'nag' your horse around at a meet quite slowly for at least three meets, but that hunt staff do not invariably have that option. Hunt staff can also be asked to ride 'donated' horses given to the hunt that are not given for their nice natures!

 

[JenHunt]

I feel that I might be very quickly on the floor. He thinks hunting is the most exciting thing and whenever I take him out I arrive to find him trembling in anticipation! All he thinks hunting is about is galloping and jumping.

this is so often the case, and my lad (at 17!) is no different - cubbing blows his mind, and we're often better to just get on with hunting. Try parking a bit further from the meet and letting him blow off some steam on the way there, and keep him busy at the meet (I know it makes it more difficult to enjoy the host's hospitality!), and you might find he's a bit better with it all!

Personally, it is always better to do your home work first. Have you not had the opportunity to 'nag' your horse out cubbing? Assuming not, I would speak to the hunt secretary, explain the situation and depending on his suspected behaviour go to the meet , walk around for a while, maybe follow quietly for a mile (usually someone quiet at the back) and again depending on your horses behaviour either stay longer or leave.

Not everyone has the opportunity to get horses out cubbing very often, and IME the majority of people only hunt one day a week, and don't hunt midweek these days due to the pressures of work. I'll admit I'm the same.

 

[Hunters]

Fine - but cubbing (autumn hunting) does usually start end of August or early September and most packs are out more frequently than general hunting, sometimes four/five days or more a week. Equally, caps are cheaper for cubbing and most if not all hunts offer Saturday meets, so I am afraid that isn't that much of an excuse to me. However, I accept that maybe the horse is new or the person genuinly just ran out of time and now expects to take her horse hunting.

If the owner is really not certain, is it not the end of the world to miss a season? Or if it were me I would cut a deal with the secretary and ride at the back quietly for the first handful of meets as you will find some of the 'old hands' on hew horses invariably doing. Not rocket science.

 

[Goldenstar]

Great advice Hunters if you mess up introducing horses to hunting if very difficult to calm them down it's great fun to do my 5yo will be nagged about all season next year perhaps ... Arrr preparing horses for tomorrow and you know what they say about tomorrow ......

 

[Ditchjumper2]

The more time you take "nagging" your horse the better the hunter you will end up with. Our latest addition spent earlies at the back learning that when they all gallop off it doesn't mean he goes too. My OH insists they must stand still whilst he has a drink, a wee and a fag!! Also that they go off on their own happily. As the season progresses he took him up the front a bit. This fellow having spent all his life going in circles in an arena will now go anywhere in the field......as it should be.

 

[Goldenstar]

Ditchjumper2 ours have to pass the pee and flask test but are now miss out the fag test as Oh has given up but have to do don't run straight off if let go test and mounting with completely loose reins test ( while wife watches through fingers)

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Ditchjumper2 ours have to pass the pee and flask test but are now miss out the fag test as Oh has given up but have to do don't run straight off if let go test and mounting with completely loose reins test ( while wife watches through fingers)

Oh yes. Has to learn to be ridden "the mans way". That is reins in one hand, usually loose. Has to stop, start, stand and steer with various combinations of a kick and a pull.

 

[Suziq77]

Ditchjumper2 ours have to pass the pee and flask test but are now miss out the fag test as Oh has given up but have to do don't run straight off if let go test and mounting with completely loose reins test ( while wife watches through fingers)

LOL my 5 year old hangs round quite happily at the back and will carry on walking while almost everyone else canters off BUT I have yet to teach her to stand still while I mount after unboxing - any tips? (Getting on again once out is pretty manageable, it is the first mount that is the tricky one!)

 

[Goldenstar]

It's difficult because I understand why the horse finds it's hard to stand when you mount them at the start , while part of me says it's manners they have to do it but it's a waste of time when they are high and can make matters worse if everyone gets upset and flustered and often you at the side of the road, not ideal
The important thing is you can get on during the day.
I would park some where quiet arrive in good time so theres not much going on get everything as organised as possible so you get the horse straight out get on in as short a time as possible and don't make a thing of it.once you are on walk round the lorry if you can until the horse will stand even for a moment and pat and fuss so it's not get on and go then walk a while if you can then trot on slowly to the meet.
I hate getting on them where everyone parks at the meet it's a main cause of Saturday morning domestics OH on seasoned hunters wants to step on at the meet me on 5yo doing it's first season wants tp park away and hack only answer is to take my old boy on Saturday's and keep the baby's away when Oh is there!
I am glad it's going well with the young horse is great watching them learn I love it if you it right they can go away be competion horses and retire to hunting in their futures so I never worry for them.

 

[Suziq77]

It's difficult because I understand why the horse finds it's hard to stand when you mount them at the start , while part of me says it's manners they have to do it but it's a waste of time when they are high and can make matters worse if everyone gets upset and flustered and often you at the side of the road, not ideal
The important thing is you can get on during the day.
I would park some where quiet arrive in good time so theres not much going on get everything as organised as possible so you get the horse straight out get on in as short a time as possible and don't make a thing of it.once you are on walk round the lorry if you can until the horse will stand even for a moment and pat and fuss so it's not get on and go then walk a while if you can then trot on slowly to the meet.
I hate getting on them where everyone parks at the meet it's a main cause of Saturday morning domestics OH on seasoned hunters wants to step on at the meet me on 5yo doing it's first season wants tp park away and hack only answer is to take my old boy on Saturday's and keep the baby's away when Oh is there!
I am glad it's going well with the young horse is great watching them learn I love it if you it right they can go away be competion horses and retire to hunting in their futures so I never worry for them.

Thank you, it sounds like I'm doing the right sort of thing to overcome this - the hardest thing is that I usually have to mount from a step as I have no one to give me a leg up. When I can find someone to leg me up I'm on her the minute her feet come off the ramp and as soon as I'm sitting on her she will settle for me. My biggest worry is that she will get away from me before I get on as I'm small and slight and she is a powerful warmblood who is only 15hh most days but 17hh at the start of a day's hunting