Hound exercise...enlighten me please!!

[Cash]

I'm hoping to go to hound exercising some time in the next couple of weeks with my boy (if my mum finally gives in..) we are both hunting newbies (he has been cubbing once with previous owner, i've done nothing hunting related, ever!).
Sooo please tell me:
What does hound exercise entail? what's the format?
How long will we be out for? How fit does my horse need to be? (He is currently hacking/jumping/schooling for approx an hour six times a week- XC schooled yesterday for an hour and a half and could have gone on longer if allowed!)
How should we be turned out?

Thanks v much all

 

[TS_]

I know around here hound exercise is over now and we're on to autumn hunting but the hound exercises I've been on have all basically been like a large led hack.
Not sure on length of time as I never tend to notice but it won't be too long. He sounds like he'll be fit enough and turnout for him is just smart and clean. For you cream jods, tie and rat catcher.

Have fun.

 

[Cash]

Oh right, well the hunt I'm planning on going with is doing exercise til 16th Oct or something before opening meet a few days after that

I don't need to plait, do I?

And tie not stock?

Thanks, sorry if those are really stupid questions!

 

[TS_]

No you don't need to plait until main season. I think for autumn tie and rat catchers is correct and then main season black coat and white stock but as it's only hound exercise I doubt they'll mind, go with whatever you've got. I may be wrong though as I don't go that many times in a year.

And their not stupid questions, it's better to know than get there and worry whether you've done the right thing.

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

I went to my local hunt hound exercise at the beginning of Septmeber, i had no idea what to expect!!

I wore ratcatcher (tweed with stock and cream jods) and didnt plait my boy just made sure he was clean and looking smart

OH MY GOD ive never done so much work in my life! It was literally non stop for 2 hours, trotting and cantering, we had the odd break for a minute or so but that was it! I didnt work on Jeds fitness for him to be able to cope with that amount of work but he did just fine and i was very supprised. He ran on adrenalin and i think would have went round again, he was very wired when we got back so i dont know what to expect tomorrow when im off out with the hunt again! I have no idea if all hound exercises are the same?! Even though it was intense i would deffo go again i thoroughly enjoyed it!

Very exciting.