Hunting ground conditions?

[lcharles]

Where abouts are you and whats your hunting area's ground conditions like at the moment?

I'm always worried about breaking my horse out hunting and wondered what ground you avoided- or don't you? What do you prefer?

I don't like the sticky ground, where its been dry for a while and then rains and makes the ground sticky, or when its been wet and is drying up so it pulls at their legs more.

I hate cantering on the ploughed fields, although we keep to the edges. I think at least the wetter the ground, the less chance of doing a tendon - in theory! x

 

[Bernster]

Kimblewick - Ox/Herts/Bucks area.

Haven't been out this season for various reasons but the ground isn't helping. Recent cancellations due to snow/ice, but looks they might be getting back out again now. Planning on going out this Sat when I expect it will be wet wet wet.

I'm more of a fair weather rider than I should be, as don't think you can be that fussy with hunting or else you'd never get out given that it's the wonderful British winter!

Can't say I love the really boggy conditions as I also get paranoid about them popping a tendon, and getting all that mud off me, my horse and my tack aint fun when it's dark and cold when you get back home. I'd rather it be dry really, anything else I can handle.

 

[L&M]

Welsh/shrops borders.

We haven't been mounted for 2 weeks now due to the snow and ice.

Prior to this we have had several other meets cancelled due to the wet ground and in respect to the landowners.

Any meets we have had recently have been so wet that we have stuck to roads and tracks. There have been several soft tissue injuries and more falls than normal this season, both horse and human.

I am picking my meets and only jumping if no alternative - I only have the one horse and don't want to risk his welfare.

We may be mounted tomorrow, but suspect the high winds may sabotage that too, as doubt hounds can be heard in these conditions.

We finish at the beginning of March so am just hoping it dries up into Feb so we can have a good final month, but this season sadly has not been the best.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Suffolk - not been out mounted for last 2 weeks. Doubt Weds will go ahead either. In Feb we have some of our lighter land meets so hopefully we will be able to go. We are ditch country so no worry about jumping as such. OH whips so we are committed to going on Sats when they hunt. However, are sensible and horses always come first. We too finish beginning of March.