For those with good hunters...how did you do it?

[Chumsmum]

Just being nosey

How do you take a normal horse and make him/her a good hunter? Do you think horses are born with a natural ability/temperament or does it take years of hard work - or a bit of both? Or is a lot of it down to the jockey?

How long did it take for him to settle into the job? Does he get excited at the start of every season? Do any of you have a great hunter that you just take occasionly but still does you proud?

Do older horses (say 15yo) settle well in to it or would you say the best ones need to start young?

And what makes you a good hunter - do you think you are braver than the average horsey person - or just hiding the fear well :grin:

Sorry for all the questions - just genuinely interested

I am in awe of horses/riders that don't bat an eyelid when all about are losing their heads and then jumps a gate from a standstill :grin:

 

[Starbucks]

I’m not sure if our horses would be classed by everyone to be “good hunters” – they can be a bit daft and so are not the most mannerly horses I have ever met – but they are safe, bold, careful and tough – they always jump everything, can gallop all day and finish full of running. So that will do for me!

We don’t introduce them at the back to teach them manners and all that like some people do – hence why they are little buggers! Just get going at the front strait away really!

I’m pretty confident hunting, compared to other stuff anyway, which is strange because I’m sure hunting is much more dangerous than a round of show jumps!! I think it’s just because I’ve always done it and always had good horses/ponies. So I’m lucky really!

 

[Heidi1]

My retired gelding was a star out hunting, he was hunted from 5 until he retired at 8 (bone disease in front cannon), had some brilliant days on him and he never pulled once............ had manners to die for and could have sold him 10 times over.

As for my older (16) TB mare she is a monster, likes to be at the front, but is honest and will stop when you want to, but can be a little silly to start with.

Also have a exracer that I hunt (8), she is a darling, although not keen on standing around for too long, but does nothing naughty just fidgets........

I wouldn't say I'm brave, but I don't get as nervous about hunting as I do when I'm doing a dressage test or round of show jumping........

 

[Rowreach]

I do think temperament plays a part, because above all a hunter has to enjoy his work, and some simply don't, either because it winds them up or because it scares them silly.

I have had some fantastic hunters over the years, some that I have produced myself, and others that have started off elsewhere. I have a 24yo retired at 22 out in the field, who I did more than 500 days (proper) hunting on, with never a dodgy moment. We bought him as a hireling, but he proved to be too strong for the punters, so I had him for myself.

Another brilliant hireling was an ex-whip's horse which came from the Heythrop. Hirelings have to be able to look after themselves as well as their riders (often passengers) and she was simply awesome. She took a very novicey friend of mine through her first season hunting, without mishap.

My current hunter is the ultimate. I got him as a 4yo from Cavan sales. He has always had a big buck in him (!) but has manners to burn, and will jump anything (we mostly jump big drains and wire) - he hunts, sj, wh and does a mean dressage test.

For my money, the most important thing is to teach them good hunting manners from the start. Not only is it safer to have a controllable horse out hunting, they are likely to last a lot longer if you don't let them hammer around the countryside.

 

[Chumsmum]

Thanks for replies - very interesting.

So it seems that one person's good hunter may not be anothers and what someone would love in a hunter might be another person's nightmare - but both are enjoying themselves - it sounds obvious but it never really occured to me before

I guessed that everyone wanted a calm, mannered horse but I suppose it would bore some people to death :grin:

 

[Chumsmum]

For my money, the most important thing is to teach them good hunting manners from the start. Not only is it safer to have a controllable horse out hunting, they are likely to last a lot longer if you don't let them hammer around the countryside.

How did you teach them?

 

[Starbucks]

Yes people definitely want different things out of a hunter - just like people like different things out of a hack! I don't think many people would complain about a perfect manerly hunter who jumped everything though!!

My horse doesn't really have bad manners - he's just big and strong and I'm little a weak! He's strong out riding, SJing and XC too so there isn't much hope for us hunting really! :smirk:

My mums horse on the other hand, he's just a little sod!! Likes to barge his way to the front! :smirk: Lots of people want him still! :grin:

 

[Chumsmum]

This post is definitely making me feel better about my wizzy little pony - friends are saying he would be better up the front while I've been trying to make him the mannerly hunter at the back :grin:

If it was a child/teenager on him everyone would think he was fun, instead I just look like an adult out of her depth on a 14hh pony

Edited to say we haven't barged anyone out of the way yet - more likely to slip between their legs lol.

 

[Starbucks]

As long as you keep out of everyones way it doesn't really matter what people think!!

I'm sure a lot of people think I'm a silly little girl on a horse that is too big for me but who cares?? I have fun! :grin:

Just enjoy it!! Most horses that go hunting aren't exactly your perfect hunter for one reason or another...

 

[Boxers]

My daughter's pony has been out 3 or 4 times and she is usually up near the front. He's great, jumping everything including some that the bigger horses are stopping at, and standing nicely while they draw etc - in fact eh master comented to me about how well he and my daughter are doing!

He appears to be a natural and he loves XC too.

 

[SnowandSunshine]

My mare was a natural from the start, she's ID so she's bred for it! I bought her at 5 and she'd never hunted. Took her on first hunt at 6 (my first hunt too) and just held on! She's always been a bit strong but jumped anything. She's retired now but still grows about a hand when she hears the horn.

Took my gelding 'autumn hunting' at 5 and it blew his brain. He got more and more wound up and ended up cartwheeling in a hidden ditch leaving me seeing stars. In hindsight I think should have just taken him for an hour or so the first time before he completely lost it and built it up gradually.

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

one cob started at 9 years- never hunted before- just kept out of everyones way and after 2 seasons of fidgeting he settled into a fabulous first or last hunter- now 16 years. second cob started at 7 years- very curious/worried about hounds but within 1 month settled well and is a super hunter, the only thing i would change is he is very strong. Our new chap is rising 4 and has been out 6 times- no more than 1.5 hours and we have picked the weekday meets with smaller fields. He is already happy to go first or last in the field, stands well although a little fidgety at the meet when a scary tray of port is offered! We have even popped some small fences and we hope he will continue to learn his job over the rest of the season.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I think there are some horses that you can take and they are brilliant first time and will continue to be brilliant from there on. I am very lucky to have one of those at the moment. She is a star but I have no brakes.

I've taken some horses out who were mental and I will never take them again...!!!

 

[Rowreach]

Sorry, wandered off for a bit!

In answer to your question, I always start my youngsters off by hunting them alongside a sensible person on a sensible horse. I've one friend in particular that I've worked with for years, and we can kind of "second guess" each other and the horses (we used to qualify mad point-to-pointers together :crazy - that way, if everyone else bombs off down a hill, the young horse knows to go quietly if his pal is with him. It also helps them if they have a sensible lead over a fence, particularly here in Ireland, where half the time the drains are blind, or you are asking a horse to jump through a thick hedge.

I would also give them as much space as possible to see what's going on. Starting them off with autumn hunting, especially very early mornings in September with only a few people out used to be fantastic.

I would say however that the way to a well-mannered hunter is to allow it some fun as well. Let them have a gallop when you get the chance, let them up the front if it is safe, let them enjoy the jumping. If you constantly keep them at the back and away from the action, they swiftly get frustrated!

 

[Weezy]

P hunted once last season, hadn't hunted for 2 years prior to that, then I hunted her NYD and she was a superstar - she LOVES hunting but is very polite about it! On NYD she was strong to begin with, which threw me, until I realised I had my french link snaffle in and last time I hunted her in a jumping bit LOL, but she soon settled and was a total star as always

As for how to do it - some just don't get it and some do. Fact is you have to learn, as a jockey, that you mustn't be pulling and hauling constantly - most horses stop when the others do, and a little bit of trust goes a LONG way.

 

[Starbucks]

Umm, mine doesn't!! Luckily we don't have a strict field master!

ETS - Totally agree with whoever said about taking them with a sensible horse!! Ours aren't really "giddy" as such but if they both get going then they really wind each other up!

 

[Chumsmum]

Thanks for replies - I'm so glad I asked these questions!

Still amazed that not everyone has what I had considered to be the perfect hunters (not dissing anyones horse at all) and that most of them have their little quirks - you all certainly do a great job of hiding this - it felt like I was surrounded by perfection lol.

I hope you understand the above comment

My boy was with a sensible friend but he just ignored him...but he is quite an anti-social pony and never takes much notice of other horses - except at parties when he just wants to race lol.

Several people have now said to not to expect full control and to let him go and have more trust in him and myself so it seems taking him up the front is the way to go with him and then if he is still an idiot maybe call it a day hunting wise.

Thanks again everyone - I'm understanding this hunting malarky a bit more :grin:

 

[Starbucks]

Yea you'd struggle to ever find a horse and have complete control of all the time. If they are all galloping along it in in their instinct to carry along with the heard!

Horses are so much different hunting - I guess it just takes a bit of getting used to. I hope you keep trying!

 

[Bossanova]

Just perseverence- in time they settle into it.
I agree about not getting into the hauling on mouth vicious circle- they must learn to stop with the field off their own initiative just through a change in your body position- the good hunter should have a light mouth and not become too reliant on the hand.
I hunt a pony that was exceptionally naughty probably the first 15 times he hunted but this season he has really settled and is flawless

 

[dieseldog]

Olympic was a brilliant hunter. When I got him I was told he had hunted before, not sure how much I believed that. Anyway the first time I went I was terrified and he was a saint. He probably hadn't been out in 3 years. Stood like a rock, never pulled and I didn't need to worry about holding the reins. He is just a natural born hunter.

I took my warmblood hunting who had never been before, and apart from an interesting leap at the start he was well behaved as well.

 

[winterhorse]

R.I.P Ryan the best hunter ever.

when we got our boy, he was 7 and had never settled to anything, was owned by lovely lady, who had got him as a yearling, but as a complete novice, he 1 grew bigger than she thought- 17.1hh and 2 although was on full livery, clearly never got the exercise he needed.
my OH is a huntsman so he got used to hounds quickly, although, he didn't get to learn from a sensible "established" hunter as the hunt horses are stabled with a master, so was thrown in the deep end! :grin:
he just seemed a natural at it, just point and go.
he was IDXTB , a donkey in the school, but get hounds in front of him and away you go.

have you thought about contacting your local kennels and seeing if can go on exercise with them?

 

[Chumsmum]

have you thought about contacting your local kennels and seeing if can go on exercise with them?

What exactly do they do on hound exercise and does this take part during the season or just before? Are there many others mounted etc?

Thanks again for all replies - all very interesting

 

[icklemadame]

I'm an adult on a 14hh pony who I absolutely love hunting - she was hard work for her first season, going flat out past the field master the minute we cantered, very impatiently waiting for jumps and then jumping them flat out, never stood still for a moment, neither at the meet nor at coverts, I just had to walk (trot/canter) her in circles whilst we waited, always keeping her moving as once we stood still she just backed up!! As long as we kept out of everyones way and didn't cause any trouble it didn't matter - I just always had to be extra alert as to where the hounds & hunt staff were so we didn't get in the way. I perservered with her and she's now a lot lot easier, she has her strong moments where she thinks she ought to be up with the hounds (and I have to turn her in tight circles to stop her) but mostly she's superb - plus she out jumps most of the hunters and is still fighting fit at the end of the day Other people would find her a nightmare but I love her - I would find a big well mannered hunter very boring after a while!!

 

[Chumsmum]

I remember the photo of the massive hedge you jumped on her - great!

I'm so glad it's not just me on a mad pony lol. I really am going to persevere and as long as we don't get in anyone's way, just ignore the looks and go for it :grin:

 

[icklemadame]

Oh definately ignore the looks!!! That was my hardest lesson but if I hadn't I wouldnt have the super hunter I have today!! Just enjoy yourself and smile lots - its a lot harder to evil at someone who is smiling apologise in good humour as well - something like 'excuse my silly pony getting her knickers in a twist'!!

 

[RunToEarth]

Bottomed mine, hunting twice a week for a few weeks, no chances to mess about, no trusting, no benefit of the doubt and then suddenly it click, he knew I meant business and he stopped messing about- for now.

 

[JenHunt]

i've been fortunate enough to have had 2 good hunters, and a fantastic hunting pony but also one complete nutcase...

the nutcase was just the wrong sort for the type of country we hunt over - he'd be great for fast days on lowland, but he just didn't have the brains or temperament for hunting in forestry and moorland.

the hunting pony was made by the previous 4 generations of riders before me (he was 30 when we got him).
the 1st hunter was a 15hh welsh cob and had done next to nothing when we got him. we did loads of days at the front of the field, over all the jumps and having a brilliant time. the first year i had him we hunted in a dutch gag on the bottom ring, but after that we hunted in a snaffle. he was brilliant.
my current horse is a 16.2hh IDx who has really done nothing but hunting (he's 12) and thinks he knows it all. To be fair, he does know a lot of it, but doent have a lot of patience at fences. I hunt in a double bridle now, and a snaffle towards the end of the season or on non-jumping days.
i think the trick is to have days long enough that the horse goes home feeling tired but not exhausted, and enough days in a season that they get used to the routine of it - as long as they have the right temperament to start with.

 

[MandyMoo]

i think temperement takes a part in it....they have to be brave and willing to please and actually enjoy jumping! also the rider has to be confident and brave as to get the rider-horse bond so u trust each other so they do well..if that makes sense?? =P LOL...but yea you could possible 'male' a good hunter...but the best ones are probably naturally good at it because they enjoy it and have the confirmation and temperement for it...

^probs a load of rubbish but whatever!HA!