How many of you hunt your competition horses?

oofadoofa

oofadoofa

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Just wondering really. I have a 6 year old who I have hunted a few times (taking him out again on saturday), have done some BSJA with him and some ODEs, but people keep telling me I'm mad and that I'll spoil him by hunting him. I think that hunting gives them a really good education and makes them bold and brave, even if it does wind them up a little! Do you take your competition horses hunting?
 
i dont have a fancy competition horse, but my RC allrounder pony I take hunting - she is very fizzy and uptight, it doesnt send her loopy she has her fun then comes home and (touch wood) goes back to normal. if it was going to send a horse mad it would her - any excuse for her to be a fruit loop.
 
I hunt my v thin skinny spindly TB - it supposedly makes him braver XC but since I wont be eventing him next season he can hunt all he likes as he enjoys it and doesn't get silly. I look after him and he doesn't hunt-hard so to speak.

The one im looking at on Sunday hasn't hunted and I will get to know him well before I make the decision whether too or not as it can jazz some up too much but if they love it why not - Ive yet to meet a horse that doesn't love it!
 
I hunted mine in her 5yr old year but havent since- partly because she's a bit of a twit and I worry about injuring her as she's my only competition horse.
 
I think it's great for all horses and it really educated them for going XC. It makes them have to think for themselves and give's them the chance to find that 5th leg when needed unlike the extremely well school, non hunting eventers
 
Not that mine have been to a competition in ages, but yes I hunt mine. I have one that I haven't hunted yet, but I will take him out when I get time (and money!).
I don't think its any more likely to hurt your horse than any other discipline.
In fact I know of more dressage horses injured through work related injury, than I have ever known hunters! Make your own mind up??
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I do! It's not what you'd call delicate, but it does event to Intermediate and SJ to Foxhunter. It lives to hunt
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. All my competition horses have hunted (though none of them have been worth much) and I usually start them cubbing as 4yos. Does wonders for their behaviour in company, most of them 'eventually' settle to it if they do start a bit wizzy and I don't think you can beat it for teaching them to look after their feet. I might change my mind if I had one worth £50,000 though
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I have and defo do taken mine hunting. But my little one can be a scary (ie has bolted with me for half season). So gave that up as bad idea as i didn't really need umpf.........../nor boldness.

But my other one took to it like a duck to water and he's a super super hunter, much better than eventer if truefull. But defo did make him bolder for eventing, no question.

I personnel feel that so long as you know the ground your running over and you know risks and use it as you would schooling in any other field (sj, xc & dressage). As a well manner, schooled horse is a total asset and pleasure to hunt, plus you can get by the tumble club quickly
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And i'm so lucky with him as he also has a very good 'self preservation button' and will look after himself and me, which is why he's such an asset in hunting. Knowing your horse is key in any sport and when you go hunting your clocking up the hours on the partnership, that's another reason i go.

Plus i love my hunting
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Yep mine goes hunting, though he is a complete fruit loop. It cheers him up, and he is really bold jumping out hunting, so hoping it will improve him as an eventer.
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I must admit I do worry about injuries although my beastie has plenty of bone! I don't plan on too much hedge hopping like I used to, but I think a few quiet days will do him some good. It's good to know that others hunt their sj-ers too!
 
I think it depends on the horse, but all ours have hunted at some point especially when their younger to teach manners. My top eventer (though we're not very good but have popped round int and a 2**) is hunted quite a lot and he loves it. Thought not too happy when has to do it on babysitting duty
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He's the only one my mum will hunt as well
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If I ever had something at high level/very expensive I probably wouldn't whilst still competeing them
 
I would not hunt my decent horses

Hunts are usually an out of control pack of idiots where the hazard at the jumps are ponies and other people. Jumping wire, rocks and running them over rabbit holes is not my idea of fun.

I'd rather keep my horses at home and kick them in the legs...
 
Depends on the horse. I hunt one of mine because he's a bit lazy and not very bold and he really really loves to hunt. The other one... Well, it would explode his brain. Took him about 2 months to get over the excitement of hound exercise. He's the better eventer though, by a very long way.
 
Rosie hunts hers but it's fairly staid country and she knows it like the back of her hand as she's been hunting across it since she was about 5.
 
I would love to hunt mine but I know it could easily blow his brain and once he's lost it, he's lost it. He can have his moments on fun rides with just one other horse around him, luckily i know pratically all his tricks so can deal with them but not out hunting. He'd prat about when he would have to stand still aswell. All my instructors have told me not to hunt him and I take their words of advice!
 
i hunted moll but i guess you couldnt call her a showjumper for all intent and purpose!

however, i am not adverse to taking my showjumper(s) out hunting however what does concern me is the groud they hunt over like, where i am it tends to be ploughed/deep fields and boots or not its easy to pull a tendon or a ligament at the very least.

i do think that hunting can teach them manners (standing) respect for a fence (some of the hunting fences can be beastly hedges and it needs respect).

i would love to hunt chester but unfortunately, knowig the local ground, i don't think i will.

as for xc.. i do like to take the youngsters but the never learn or i never teach/allow them to go flat out, a balanced/ forward canter round is what is aimed for and again i am picky as to the ground but some xc course tend to be better kept than hunting ground!

so in essence, id say yes if your happy then the ned isnt going to mind
 
I would love to hunt Sarnie and I think it would freshen her up a bit but she is just too precious to hunt down here where the country can be quite trappy. Poppy went out last week and will be doing so again it certainly taught her to think for herself after nearly nose diving off the first bank!
 
I took my bsja/bd horse for the first time the other week to see if it would wake him up a bit. (It didn't.)

The ground thing does worry me - I'd never forgive myself if he did a tendon etc while doing something that isn't our 'main' discipline.
 
I hunted and hunter trialled my Grade A SJer who was my only horse at the time, and my horse for Juniors and YRs. BUT, our hunt was pretty tame, no wire at all and hardly anything other than your basic hedges and a few ditches. He made me laugh as he took everything off a perfect SJ stride in collected canter......but he loved it.

Now, over here - NO WAY!!! Your hunts are scary LOL.
 
Winston hunted as a 4 year old alongside his eventing with his past owner and me.
I hunted him up until last season, now he has ringbone and I dont believe hunting him would do him any favours.
I stick to stressage and the odd hunter trial now
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Yes, but I pick my hunts and wouldn't hunt close to a competition. Generally try to nick brother's hunter if possible.

Youngster - can't see it ever hunting,would be horribly paranoid about his legs
 
I hunt my BD/SJ/bit of everything horse, but our country is very easy. TBH my horse is sooooo much nicer for it and the day after hunting he went and won his BD classes, but think he is a wierd horse as he is actually calmer after!
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I love my horse
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My horse has hunted but I am very careful about where I will hunt him as I will not put him over main rhynes. I will only jump uprights/hedges or very clearly defined ditches. The reason is jumping really big boggy ditches and then being asked to jump into water eventing confuses them as look very similar.
My horse loves hunting. He is incredibly polite and it definitely helped him understand the purpose of getting from A to B.
 
Don't know if my show cob really counts as a competition horse but we hunt, we both enjoy it far too much and is a good way to loosen up and enjoy ourselves before we start knuckling down to show again. Also helps lots when we jump workers as he is more brave but also gets the 'too exhuberent' comment but he does need to get over his fear of jumps being indoors, he just hasn't grasped that one yet - thinks they should only be outside.
 
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