RachelFerd
Well-Known Member
There are many types of hunting country. Plenty of non jumping hunts for a start and even more who never tackle more than a 80cm hunter trial type fence. Any sound horse can safely get over those fences after a little reschooling/gridwork etc
Nor can you possibly know if a horse was suitable for hunting after a single outing. I would suggest 3-6 times before you can take an *informed* decision.
Nor is hunting tough on horses compared to racing. More horses breakdown racing than in any other equine sport combined I daresay.
It would be ridiculously easy to find KS a hunting home where there are easy one-horse days where jumping does not feature.
Sure. There are a variety of hunts out there - I grew up hunting with the Berkeley, have qualified point to pointers with two different packs of drag hounds and I have also been out with the Thurlow, the Suffolk, the Essex & Suffolk and the Cottesmore - so the full range of jumping/non-jumping and so on. Of all of them, I did enjoy going out with the Sandhurst drag as they have good ground conditions and jumping is all well prepared fences and completely optional. As hunting experiences go, I found them the friendliest and the most horse-friendly too, and if I had to go out hunting, it would be with them.
However - my horse will never hunt again - sure, I could take him 6 times and decided after that if I had well and truly blown his mind or not.. but since I have a nice all-round competition horse who is successful in what he does do (and is a pleasure to ride) I don't need to take the risk. On his one and only time out he kicked someone else's horse (he does not normally kick) he reversed into ditches and nearly fell over backwards rearing, he sweated profusely and lost a large amount of condition (I have struggled to keep condition on him, so avoid these situations) he started planting (not something he does at competitions) and with all his pratting around, he was lame the next day with muscular strain. Although his galloping and jumping was fine, I think its fair to say that to avoid destruction of other horses, of himself, and of me, hunting is not something we will ever do again.
I have also seen horses keel over with heart attacks out hunting, put legs through wooden bridges and be shot, be near-drowned in huge drainage rheens, break legs from putting legs down rabbit holes, and have rotational falls trying to jump gates.
I am only stating this as an example of why I do not like the *assumption* that every ex racehorse can happily retire to the hunting field. Some can, some can't. I had two lovely days out hunting last year, both on TBs, one with the Suffolk on a 4yo racehorse in training, who was exemplary in his behaviour all day, although there is very little jumping with the Suffolk. I also went out with the Cottesmore on a very experienced hunter and ex-chaser who gave me a fabulous day out hedge hopping and being a perfect example of a well-behaved hunter.