Help prepare me to hunt!

McNally

McNally

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Myself and a few other liveries at my yard decided we will try hunting- Have until January 4th til a nice local one so time to prepare!
Now I have a TB ex racer who has been a nightmare and i have had big confidence problems in the past with him- problem is that its not all in my head with him he IS difficult at times.
Anyway all is good at the moment but how can i get him and me ready to hunt.
He is not all that sure footed so i figure i need to get him lots of off road riding. I know i need to do more fittening work but want any other tips or pointers that i can work on to hopefully make the day not too terrifying!
Will i have to jump and the cantering on the roads worries me?
Excited but scared also
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i think you best speak to your local hunt and maybe find out if they have any quieter days to go out for your first time out (unlike me who took my mare out to her first meet on Boxing Day
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My local hunt have new comer days which would be good for you all. They have OJD's - optional jumping days, so if you are feeling brave you could try a few jumps, if not then just stick with the non jumpers.
some riders canter their horses on the roads, most though do try to get on the verge if they are cantering. i dont canter mine on the roads

What is your boy like in groups? how difficult is he when he has his moments?
 
Try posting this in the hunting area too - there are some good pointers on there.

Roughly speaking though (coming from unfit) it takes 8-10 weeks
2 weeks walk
2 weeks into trot
2 weeks into canter work
2 weeks canter and jumping
2 weeks fast work

Thats what I used as a rough guide for my horse, obv play it by ear, if your horse is stale in the 3rd block feel free to do some jumping etc etc, the basis is on strengthenning everything, o as much varied work as posible. Road work, hill work, interval training, schooling, jumping etc etc you get the point.

As far as not worrying - don't (and just don't read some of the more elitist threads in the hunting forum)

kitty x
 
i hunted my x racer who to be quite honest was a nightmare 90 % of the time..i decided to risk it bravely and she took to it like a duck to water...a little full of it to begin with but within half an hour settled well and we had a fab time, only wish i had gone sooner as i had to retire her before the season ended with a pedal bone infection...my advise to you is dont worry about getting over fit TB's keep them selves fit and if he is to fit he will take longer to settle, you dont have to canter on the roads if you dont want to, stay at the back with people who trot.But if you do dont worry a short canter wont hurt, usualy there is always a way round the jumps if you feel confident do a few if not go round. Take a hip flask, have a good drink and give him a bute in his feed when you get back so he s not stiff the next day!!
 
have a read on the hunting forum - lots of helpful tips and pointers in the 1st few threads. You'll be made very welcome
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Which is your local hunt? Some hunts are more go-ey than others - we have 2 locally, one I'd recommend for a 1st timer, the other not, as one tends to be slower with smaller, or more optional jumps than the other. A lot of packs have non-jumping field masters now, who you can follow safely!

As a matter of interest, what problems have you had with your boy? Have they been anything to do with his former racing or just to do with him?

Never had a problem with horses not being sure footed once they go hunting - they seem to wake up and look where they're going
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Make sure you have warm clothes, a clean horse and have fun
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Ok thanks both- As far as fitness go's he's ridden about 5 times a week now so i'm not starting from scratch.
As far as riding in groups ...Ummm... I am only recently happy to ride out with more than 2 horses! and when he kicks off he really does kick off- He has thrown much better riders than me (although never actually thrown me!)

However for the last few months he's been fab and not put a foot wrong which is why i am able to consider going.
Maybe i should try going out with a big group for a faster ride and see how that go's!
 
Oh more replies in the time it took me to type that! The main problems i had with him were his amazing unpredictability sometimes attacking cars etc for no reason- He was very much like a stallion but has now been moved from all mares and is much easier.
My local hunt will be the Heythropp- i am lucky to be able to go during the week so hope that will be quieter.
Not sure about being overtaken or having horses go fast in front of us!
 
if i were you id be looking at getting him out in a bigger group than just 3 of you.
see what hes like if you are overtaken by a friend, at least this way youll see how he behaves rather than finder out on the hunting field. Try putting yourself if a few different positions in the hack - up front, middle and behind, as you never know where youll end up in the group.
Attacking cars? in what way?
 
don't worry about the groiup stuff too much if he's an ex-racer he'll have seen all that sort of stuff before in a previous life!!!, make sure you have brakes, start carefully andyou'll both get in the swing of things - i'm taking my 4yo exracer out this season good luck we want a full report when you've been!!!! with pics!
 
Hi Daisy, Attacking cars in a very scary way- he would fly at them backwards, sideways bucking and double barreling at them- It was terrifying but only some of the time, other days we would plod past the heaviest traffic no problem. He was also just very very highly strung and temperamental. I will def try what you suggested- will rope in a few other liveries for trial "in company" canters! He's a funny little horse but has really settled recently and i am starting to feel safe on him now and more like he's "my" horse if that makes sense and would just like to try doing something more with him now we have reached this stage.
 
don't want to be off putting but not sure the Heythrop is a good hunt to start - they have quite a strong reputation....

Have a chat to the secretary, explain you're a newcomer and ask which days would be good for you (slower, fewer hedges....) don't want to frighten you or your boy
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Really- in what way? I had heard the Heythrop was a bit nuts but have never really had any experience of any other hunt.- Its really good of you to have pointed that out tho' thanks

I think we need NO hedges he is not prooving himself to be much of a jumper!
 
they're not nuts but tend to be a faster pack than maybe some others - have a look as you drive around the area and imagine getting from A-B - how many hunt jumps can you see, how many gates and how many hedges....

Try finding some meets and following on foot - you'll be made very welcome and should get an idea of how it all works, without the stresss of an added horse ....
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I have followed a bit and been to a few meets but only with the Heythrop- Went this morning actually. It seemed a bit odd they were all going in opposite directions and there were horses everywhere! It was the busiest i've seen but was told that was because it was a Saturday meet. I spoke to the joint master last year and she gave me her phone number for a chat but i never called her as had no intention of going at the time! Maybe will see what else is local to me I think there are a few- North Cotswold and VWH are fairly local i think??
 
Both hunts are very friendly - North Cotswold have good fun - the weekday meets tend to be down in the Vale, nearer Evesham, the Saturdays are up on the escarpment above Broadway.

VWH have a huge country - almost as far as Swindon and over towards Oxford.... Thursdays tend to be further south and more flying, Saturdays can be quite busy. Mondays are more round Cirencester and north - my favourite bit of the country.

Saturdays obviously will be a bit busier as more people can get out, but worth speaking to the secretaries - I can PM you their contact details if you haven't got them.
 
A slightly faster day might be best as its the standing around that bothers a lot of 1st timers - they just want to get at it and go - I don't think there is any way of knowing how he will be on the day. I might be tempted to get a day organised with a few people go on a farm ride or sponsored ride then you will at least know how he is with more than 2 horses !!!

Other than that there isn't much more you can do to prepare - from experiance I would say makesure you have got a neck strap when you are plaited up with no mane to clutch on to they really are a god send !

Enjoy
 
Spacefaer- you must be fairly local to me then? Thanks for the advice- please can you pm me the contact details, I did look at both websites last night but you just click on "email" icon rather than give you an email address which for some reason i cant do on my computer!.
He has been out with a bigger group but that was ages ago when he was naughty anyway and it was awful- I think would be ok now (i hope!) Will certainly give it a go tho' first!
 
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