Horse Mentality Pre/Post Hunting

[JackAT]

Evening all!

Curiosity struck again this afternoon, as I rode out in probably the strongest winds I have ever ridden in, and understandably, had some fun with regular spooking at flotsam and jetsam carried on the wind, particularly strong gusts catching shrubbery/trees, and snow drifts blowing off walls etc.

This led me to wonder if anyone has noticed a difference in their horses mentality and demeanour having been hunting?

To clarify, I'm wondering if the buzz of a meet, being around a lot of HGV's, a lot of other horses/people/hounds makes them a bit less spooky when out hacking back home, due to the fact that they are exposed to all of those things.

So I'm talking long term here, not for the day after/few hours post-meet. Would be useful for someone who has hunted a horse for the first time, so has experience before and after.

 

[viceversa]

This has been our first proper hunting season for my horse and I, and yes I definitely think I have noticed a difference. Other than hunting we mainly hack alone, and whilst we still have occasional 'justified' spooks - ie at something which actually makes us jump - there is a lot less backing off / looking for things to spook at if he hasn't been ridden for a few days he will be spooky, but other than that I find he is much better at 'getting on with the job'

 

[arizonahoney]

My friend was noting on Saturday that her young horse is much braver after a handful of meets this season - no problems with shoving aside low branches, opening gates and negotiating obstacles on the ground.

 

[JenHunt]

don't know really - Ron spooks at the oddest things, but rarely more than just jumps, or walks a bit sideways past them, he even does it out hunting if he's right next to something 'spooky'.

Nearly fell off laughing at him around christmas.... we were hacking down a lane to a meet, and had to pass the entrance to a livery yard. problem was, this yard had a life size, silver, metal reindeer statue, with a red lightbulb for a nose, wearing an elderly foal rug, and adorned with fairylights.... Well, poor Ron (18yo, and not really scared of anything) nearly cacked himself. Rooted to the spot, snorted, threatened to spin round and naff off.... meanwhile, his stable mate had walked up to it, nudged it, realised it wasn't a) edible or b) going to be his friend and walked on.... Ron stood there, indecisive for about 3 minutes, before half-passing across the road away from it.

I couldn't do anything for laughing.

and, as the hunt trotted past it later on, he pushed his way to the opposite side of the road to get away from it again....

 

[JackAT]

Thanks for replying everyone

Seems to be as I was thinking...which makes sense!

However, there are always exceptions to the rule when living things are involved, and often, they're the most interesting cases! (Looking at you here Ron )

 

[pinklilly]

I'm not sure, having worked several seasons as a hunt groom I had some very spooky hunt horses. A paddock with a *****land pony in a pink rug, donkeys and peacocks were my main bugbears.

Hunts do though get given / buy cheap horses with behavioral issues. I found hunting improved the backward thinking / nappy ones the most.

 

[JenHunt]

quite agree pinklilly.... Ron is just odd to be fair!

 

[CrazyMare]

Mine is lovingly labelled high maintenace and a nutcase. She is also completely bombproof out hacking!

We hacked through the village last week, and she walked within 6 inches of a HUGE machine ripping tarmac up in the village car park. She never even twitched!

 

[chestnut cob]

Yep, my last horse was always FAR sharper when he was hunting though it could be mainly due to the fact he was fit. He lived for hunting, I am sure he knew when it was the hunting season as my bombproof hack would start dancing and jogging down the road sideways around the time cubbing started. Even if we hadn't been, he seemed to know what time of year it was. Hacking back to the trailer/home from a meet, we mostly cantered on the spot the entire way. After our first meet of the season, he'd be wired for days and go off his feed. Hacking was always "interesting" when he was hunting, usually involving spooking wildly at everything, neighing every time he heard another horse or even heard a dog bark, bogging off across fields... etc etc. The new one is a bit sharper when he's been hunting but he's pretty sharp most of the time anyway so it's no big deal. He's as brave as a lion the majority of the time and hunting doesn't change/improve anything there.

 

[JenHunt]

Yep, my last horse was always FAR sharper when he was hunting though it could be mainly due to the fact he was fit. He lived for hunting, I am sure he knew when it was the hunting season as my bombproof hack would start dancing and jogging down the road sideways around the time cubbing started. Even if we hadn't been, he seemed to know what time of year it was...

yup, this is Ron....
until you clip him he's pushy, and argumentative and as fresh as a flippin' 2yo TB high on oats and go faster juice.....literally you have to clip some sense into him....
as soon as the clocks change he's grumpy if you haven't plaited him up, and he wants to be in at night, and he won't speak to you if you turn up on a Saturday or Tuesday in coloured jods! (whereas, the rest of the year he won't speak to you if you're wearing jods of any colour!)

 

[pinklilly]

The best of the hunt horses were always the quirkiest ones with " a bit about them " but they need to have this spark to carry a non too lightweight man hunting hounds or whipping in all day.

The " half a day harrys " didn't generally stay around too long.

You can't beat riding a really good hunter!