How to stay safe on the hunt field..

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JoshuaR97

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Went out hunting today and my pony got kicked twice by my friends horse..nothing really bad near misses but still got him but he's fine and kept going.. I kept trying to move away but it was her first time hunting so ya know..But wanna know what do people do to avoid these things happening? I try always keep my horse away from anyone but sadly these things happen
 
Your friend is lucky you or your horse were not injured, after the first kick, which may have been unexpected and a true accident, she should have kept to the back and made every effort to avoid anyone coming too close behind and you should have tried to stay in front of her, it is unacceptable for kickers to be mid field, even a green/ red ribbon does not mean the rider is absolved of responsibility, if she takes it out again she must put a red ribbon on and hold back, if she continues to kick then maybe she should find another activity and if the horse ever raises a foot let alone kicks a hound she should expect to be sent home by the master.
 
be positive said:
Your friend is lucky you or your horse were not injured, after the first kick, which may have been unexpected and a true accident, she should have kept to the back and made every effort to avoid anyone coming too close behind and you should have tried to stay in front of her, it is unacceptable for kickers to be mid field, even a green/ red ribbon does not mean the rider is absolved of responsibility, if she takes it out again she must put a red ribbon on and hold back, if she continues to kick then maybe she should find another activity and if the horse ever raises a foot let alone kicks a hound she should expect to be sent home by the master.
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Her horse was getting really bothered by something and was kicking out and the second time I was trying to move and he just clipped my pony but a man said he only got his hoof.. Quite a few kickers out with no red ribbons or they say they buck if someone is behind them.. I mean mine doesn't kick but he puts his ears back if someone gets to close..
 
There is no way to keep 100% safe with horses! Be Positive is right - if your horse kicks out you must move toward the back of the field. However sometimes getting kicked is the second horse's fault, not the kicker. I know it is not always easy but if you are in strike range and get kicked than you are at least partly responsible. Of course having something known to kick mid field is unacceptable. But one of mine got kicked by the field master's horse last year and quite right too - fault of the jockey in a slip of control and fault of the horse in being bad mannered. Thankfully the master was quite polite about it - he would have been in his rights to have roasted the rider. (Who wasn't me before you wonder!)

How to keep safe... always turn your horse's head to the hounds. If there is a hound amongst the mounted field call out "ware hound" and direction - front, right, left or whatever. If you hear that call turn your horse's head toward it. If the master or huntsman calls "Hounds please" move to the side and turn your horse's head to the pack. Horses are far less likely to kick out at something in front of them.

Always - as best you can - keep out of range. Even the best mannered horses can kick. Doubly so keep away from anything with a red ribbon (Known to kick) or green ribbon (unused to hunting). With or without ribbon if the rider before you places their hand in the small of their back - usually palm toward you but not always - that is a clear signal to you to keep back. if you need to keep someone off your tail do the same.

If your horse is getting bothered by the group - move to the side or the back. Not only keeping others safe but also reducing pressure on the horse and preventing you being trampled if you get bucked off in the middle of everyone!

Nothing is 100% safe. Hope this hasn't dampened your wish to hunt again!
 
wench said:
If you got kicked you were too close. Any horse is liable to kick another red ribbon or not
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Well that is true but in the melee that is hunting it is sometimes impossible to keep a really safe distance. My horse never kicks, nor do lots of others. One thing, did your friend tell off her horse? Or they won't know that it is wrong. I know a horse can kick if they get a bramble in their tail for instance, and mares will often lift a hind leg if they feel a horse is too close, but that is a warning and different from a kick out. A horse known to kick should be kept away from horse and hounds and have a red ribbon. Glad to hear yours was OK.
 
my pony isn't the greatest around other horses so I keep away when we're standing around but first time she stopped and he just nipped him then second time I was away from him and she came to me because he wouldn't stand so I moved away but that's why he got kicked on the hoof (hopefully)
 
My mare used to kick. I plaited her tail up as if it was wet or muddy she would kick at that. I did have to give up hunting her though, she was just a liability. If your friend wants to go again then red ribbon, and stay out the way. (Her, not you).
She could take his hind shoes off, at least while he is learning then hopefully he won't kill another horse. Depends how much road work your hunt do, though.
 
Thankfully her horse is barefoot so it wasn't that bad for me.. My lads alright so next time if she comes with me I'll make sure at all costs I keep away
 
I really don't understand how another horse can kick your horse's hoof. Surely a horse can only kick if it lifts its back leg up? If it lifts its leg it will miss your horse's hoof and catch the leg if you are within range. It sounds as if you both need an adult to chaperone you in the hunting field.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I really don't understand how another horse can kick your horse's hoof. Surely a horse can only kick if it lifts its back leg up? If it lifts its leg it will miss your horse's hoof and catch the leg if you are within range. It sounds as if you both need an adult to chaperone you in the hunting field.
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I agree.....methinks I smell a rat....especially given the nature of other posts from this person. In the first post in this thread they say:
Went out hunting today and my pony got kicked twice by my friends horse..nothing really bad near misses....

Errrr..........either the horse was kicked or it wasn't. A near miss implies it wasn't. Your story is not consistant.

Also, if the only contact made was on the hoof, then the other horse trod on yours and you were WAY WAY WAY too close.
 
gunnergundog said:
I agree.....methinks I smell a rat....especially given the nature of other posts from this person. In the first post in this thread they say:
Went out hunting today and my pony got kicked twice by my friends horse..nothing really bad near misses....

Errrr..........either the horse was kicked or it wasn't. A near miss implies it wasn't. Your story is not consistant.

Also, if the only contact made was on the hoof, then the other horse trod on yours and you were WAY WAY WAY too close.
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As I was in fact sitting on him and facing the other way as I was turning him around I couldn't in fact see where he hit/didn't I knew something happened but another rider said he only got his hoof.. So that's all I've got to go by.. It's quite hard to see your horses legs fully when you are sitting on them..
 
JoshuaR97 said:
As I was in fact sitting on him and facing the other way as I was turning him around I couldn't in fact see where he hit/didn't I knew something happened but another rider said he only got his hoof.. So that's all I've got to go by.. It's quite hard to see your horses legs fully when you are sitting on them..
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One would hope that given you have finished hunting and are now posting on this forum that somewhere in between the two activities you would have checked your horse over, cleaned the legs and ascertained if there was any heat or scrapes on the leg as the result of a direct contact kick or not. Therefore by now it should be clear to you whether or not your horse was kicked or whether indeed it was a near miss. This of course assumes you are intimately acquainted with your horses legs.
 
I'm sure the OP has checked his/her pony's legs for anything fgs. I think you are being a bit harsh IMO to think the OP needs a chaperone considering none of us know his/ her experience on the hunting field. I personally have see a horse kick out and catch a hoof. They weren't very close and the horse just caught the hoof as the leg came down. So it can happen. the OP was asking for advice on how to stay as safe as they can, not for people to comment on how a kick did or didn't happen. After all he has said another person saw the incident
 
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