Max you'd hunt one horse per week?

[Sparkles]

I've decided to take my boy for same dragging this year, I moved just before xmas and used to regularly hunt [fox] and am having severe withdrawels now!

My lad to my knowledge, has never been hunting [drag, fox or otherwise]. He's 13 this year, unshod, in full work and fairly fit at the minute [ridden every day, jumped once or twice a week, schooled other days with a short hack after and then also goes out on 2-3 hour hacks twice a week] on full feed and just bright and happy at the moment. Has been chaser clipped but doesn't get sweaty really, even after fast work. Today for example, went out for just under 2 hours, all on a hill one way or the other at fast work [trotting on the roads then in fields canter tracks and a few gallops most the way] and not once blowing, hotting up, sweaty, tired etc. Very easy chap, doesn't exert more energy than he needs to and just bounces along quite happily. First, last, etc. Just stays at whatever pace you need him at. Which is why I've been toying with the idea of wanting to hunt him a bit, as I think he'd be fab at it [give or take half an hour or so to settle]. I've done everything else with him, just not hunting.

Sundays are my day off and also happen to be the day for Berks and Bucks meets, and they have a few coming up which are fairly local to me.


Which brings me to my question. There's 3 in the space of a week or so which I'd love to do possibly. There's 1 I definately want to do, as there's a random weekday one over at Highworth which is meant to be the best one of the season for hedges. Which has been my aim for this season, since I did some steeplechase fences last year on him and loved it, to do a hedge on him!
And another's at Lambourne which is 5 miles or so from me also and meant to be a nice one. This is the sunday after the one above.
There's also another one at Highclere the sunday before the one at Highworth. Which is meant to be a nice one for novices with good fences to introduce them to etc.
Now to me, with my rational head on, 3 times in that space seems a hell of a lot to ask of him.
I'm thinking I should possibly do the sunday before Highworth to get him used to it and see what he's like and get him over more 'nice' stuff to start with. And then go for it that wednesday after over at Highworth, seeing as it's more of a 'serious' day from the sounds of it...so then he'll know a little bit what to do a bit more in theory [though second time = nightmare and all of that].

But then the Lambourn one is so much closer and meant to be quite nice too, which is why I was tempted with that one as it's so pretty around there.

Then that's it till next season pretty much, though there is one at Barbury for the finishing one which is near to me but that's till the end of March/Start of April so a fair way away. So it is really just a 'one off' thing this year, till next season where I may take up a subscription possibly if he proves to like it. Gives him a job and me something to go out and do on him!

I'd originally toyed with going this sunday over at Milton, but forgot there's noone around I can ask to drive and I've got to do the yard I think...so that's that idea out the window lol.

Rambling now....what would you do?!

 

[star]

on a horse not used to hunting i wouldn't do more than one meet then at least a 10day gap before another. Have been known to do Sun, Wed, Sun before but only as a one off on a horse used to hunting every Sunday and then he got 2wks off. Even on current horse who is used to hunting regularly I only tend to do one a fortnight, sometimes do 2wks in a row then one week off. I would do Sun, Wed but then he'd miss the following Sun. I know some people would do more, but it's hard work for them, esp draghunting when you can easily jump 60 fences in a day.

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks. My thinking now is keeping him out for 2 hours or something on the first sunday as it's meant to be a nice easy one for novices, then doing the wednesday one and keep him out, see how he goes and then pull up accordingly. The third one if I did do it, I do have another horse I could take, but it would be the hairy one which may get some bemused looks!

 

[LizzieJ]

Mine used to hunt twice a week most weeks Fox hunting though so not as fast as drag.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Ours are doing 2 days a week, but not drag and not much jumping. He sounds pretty fit so why not see how he copes. You don't have to be out all day and if he is coping OK and not knackered the following day then give it a go and pack up early if he is running on empty.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

the bucks and berks do some serious jumping and galloping, and they will be kicking on and at full speed at this stage in the season. i think for a horse new to dragging 1 day a week will be enough.(hoping his mind copes with this) at the very fittest i think 3 days per fortnight dragging is the most one should expect, if you dont want a hatrack. hope you have fun.

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks. I'm going to take him lightly on the sunday and then again on the wednesday, then might take the other horse the following sunday after instead On any other horse I'd be worrying slightly about his brain blowing, but I have no qualms with taking him...expecting him to be a bit bouncy for the first half an hour but he's not the type to lose his head which is why I'm all for giving him a try just a couple of times this season whilst they're local that week...that'll be it till next season then.

 

[houndsplease]

mine has done sat wed sat all through season only days he has missed is when we had to cancel. he works hard and is still looking cracking although not dragging.

 

[Daddy_Long_Legs]

I'd say take him but take it handy the first couple of times. I wouldn't be mad about the idea of hunting him 3 days a week. My OH's ex does this hunts Monday,Wednesday and Friday on the same horse! Drives me insane.

You might find that after the second day that he is tired. Hunting can take alot out of them.

I used to live in Lambourne. Loved it!!!

 

[Sparkles]

Cheers for replies guys

Turns out I may have made this a pointless post...had forgotten until last night that we're meant to be showing Sunday anyway So no hunting then! So going wednesday, then possibly the next sunday after that at Lambourne though unsure whether that will be on the Hairy cob or my one again. Might take Hairy just for the laughs really!