If a horse is a good hunter.....

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FlaxenPony05

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...do you think he'd be good at xc? Sorry for stupid and vague question- I'm thinking of taking said pony out for a very small ODE and since it would be my first time doing xc (I have no way of doing of xc schooling so have to do competitions to practice) I was thinking he would be a good choice? Apparently he loves his hunting. Sorry again for the seemingly silly question, I'm trying to convince myself to get my confidence and do this!
 
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It depends! Some horses and ponies are bold when out hunting because they are with other horses and follow others over the jumps, but are not necessarily so bold when being asked to go over a XC course on their own!
 
Both of mine hunt and both are demons on the xc course!! But we also do a lot of fun rides too so get lots of practice jumping natural obstacles.
 
Not necessarily My master imp gelding was a great hunter one of my favourites ever ( if you forgave the bucking ) but he was a very very naughty event horse and naughty is a polite word for what he got up too.p
 
Mine is :) never looks at anything or says no. He's far braver than me :) same with sj and funny fillers. If its in the way then as far as he's concerned it's there to be jumped.
 
It depends! If he is a 'follower' in the field out hunting then he may not be happy running on his own XC where he has to lead and not have the support of others around him.

Also, some of the obstacles you find on XC courses nowadays are miles removed from what you find in most hunting fields.....am thinking island fences, arrowheads, bounces etc.

If you can, I would enter a pairs class first of all to test the water if you really are unable to take him XC schooling, which, IMO, would be the fairest option for both horse and jockey!

Good luck!
 
gunnergundog said:
It depends! If he is a 'follower' in the field out hunting then he may not be happy running on his own XC where he has to lead and not have the support of others around him.

Also, some of the obstacles you find on XC courses nowadays are miles removed from what you find in most hunting fields.....am thinking island fences, arrowheads, bounces etc.

If you can, I would enter a pairs class first of all to test the water if you really are unable to take him XC schooling, which, IMO, would be the fairest option for both horse and jockey!

Good luck!
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Thank you. The course is very very small (2ft) with very simple fences, and he's done it before methinks (this is an RS horse I'm talking about btw). There isn't a pairs class but I think I might go for it. Doesn't matter if it doesn't go to plan I'm looking for experience and hopefully this will give me that :)
Thank you everyone for your replies :)
 
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