Paying someone to take your horse hunting...Does this exist?

[Dusty85]

Hi all,


As above really; I have a rising 5yo ISH who is just having a few months off on holiday as it doesn't really seem like the right time to sell currently.

He's 17.1h and whilst he was bought as an event horse, I do feel that given his unflappable nature out and about, and being the size he is, I would be missing a trick not to aim him at the hunting market also.

Im in Wiltshire, I moved down here a year or so ago but not been hunting down here so don't have any contacts.

When he's back in work in the new year, and fitter etc, are there any services where you can pay someone to take him? I will obviously cover all costs.

He is big and work will mean Im too busy to take himself. He's been a donkey lately but when I first got him he was a bit sharp and did deck me onto concrete which means Im now a bit too much of a wuss to take him for his first few times. I also don't want to fall back in love with him now the decision has been made to sell.

Failing that I will just ring the secs of the local hunts and see if they know anything.

 

[spacie1977]

When I was considering selling my lad (17.2h mans hunter type) I got the yard owner to take him hunting. She loved hunting but my husband is very against it so it made sense to have her take him. Plus, it meant I could follow on foot and take lots of lovely pictures. Because the YO enjoyed hunting I didn't have to pay her for the privilege, just the cap fees. And as we were sort of friends, I trusted she'd look after him too - something you need to consider if you have a stranger take yours out - some people don't give a toss about the horse and just want to hammer them across all sorts of terrain for their own pleasure.
If you don't have a friend to take your horse out for you it would be worth contacting the local hunt secretary. They'll be able to put you in touch with any whips whose horse has gone lame and would love a free hireling for the day. They'll also help with spreading the word there's a nice hunter for sale.

 

[popsdosh]

I thought you would want to look after your horse! Giving it to the whip would not be my first port of call

I am afraid D85 the timescale is not likely to work in your favour as the season will be over before your boy is fit enough for a day.

 

[Shay]

You might find an instructor or trainer locally who might take him. But you wouldn't want to just hand him over to some random stranger to use for free. You need to be sure of the rider - and you need to make sure that your insurance (and theirs) covers the situation.

Like Spacie a friend hunted my daughter's ISH the first season as he was a bit too much for her (She was 12 then!). But we were out alongside her the whole time.

There is nothing to stop you advertising him as a potential hunter if you want to. To be honest I would rather see that than some false assurance of "has hunted" with or without the caveat "only under a professional". A couple of days under a professional rider - even leaving out the problems with the end of the season, fitness etc, will do nothing to make him more saleable as a hunting horse. It might actually make him look worse as the immediate question would be why you as owner wouldn't ride him.

 

[be positive]

I thought you would want to look after your horse! Giving it to the whip would not be my first port of call

I am afraid D85 the timescale is not likely to work in your favour as the season will be over before your boy is fit enough for a day.

This, also getting him out once or twice will prove nothing, he may be good or bad initially only by getting him properly hunted will he sell as a proven hunter and it is going to be far too late in the season to make him into a hunter, better to not go at all than send him out once or twice and prove nothing or worse find he does not settle and have no chance to find out if he will if taken regularly.

By the end of the season very few people will be buying a new hunter to keep until the following season, I would get him back into normal work and advertise him as what he is a "big young horse that has potential to do any job, in work, going well on the flat and over fences" he is likely to sell as a nice project to someone like yourself who wants to do a bit of everything, if he " fails" out hunting you will put people off as it limits what they can do, he may be perfect if introduced quietly cubbing next autumn let the new owner do that without risking him yourself.

 

[Orangehorse]

Agree with all of the above ..............

He sounds a nice horse that lots of people would be interested in as he is, once fit and in work again. Don't risk it!

 

[smja]

I've taken horses for other people - if my idea, I pay cap, if their idea, they pay cap. No one pays me to ride, I do it because I want to go hunting but my horse hates deep ground.

It would be a good idea to get him out on some organised fun rides instead - fewer fitness worries, can pick your speed depending on ground a bit more, and shows potential buyers that he's good across fields/in company.

 

[Dusty85]

It would be a good idea to get him out on some organised fun rides instead - fewer fitness worries, can pick your speed depending on ground a bit more, and shows potential buyers that he's good across fields/in company.

Thanks- this is actually a good idea I hadn't thought of.

Don't worry- I wouldn't hand him over to just anyone, it was just a thought I had- but I agree- timing isn't great.

The biggest reasons I wont take him myself are two fold; I don't want to fall in love with him again (because I know I will) by riding him, now I have made the decision to sell. The other is that after christmas my husband and I will likely start thinking about a family therefore there isn't a chance in hell he will let me ride anything. (At all).

 

[utter-nutter]

I've done this before, admittidly for horses I've known (but hadn't actually ridden) and the owner paid the cap and that was it money wise, hope you sort something out

 

[Bernster]

Have occasionally wondered this myself, when my brave pants were hiding at the back of the cupboard, with a new/feisty horse. I would have asked a hunting mad friend, or spoken to the sec'y (which isn't a guarantee they will find someone who will look after it but better than a random find!).

 

[Isbister]

I don't see why this idea shouldn't work. Some people pay a lot of money for hirelings (>£200 a day) and might be quite receptive to the idea of being paid instead.

 

[tarq02]

Dusty
Yes there are definitely people you can pay to take your horse hunting.
Particularly as he is green they will charge you for schooling and expect you to pay cap etc.
In fitness terms you could just send him out for a few hours, or put him into a hunting livery yard for a few weeks? I know a good one in wiltshire.

If he settles and is steady my view is by the second half of the season quite a few people tend to be looking for rides, i know of at least one pack in wiltshire that is three days a week in the new year, plenty of people would hunt more if they had a second horse.

If you think he could make a good hunter some of the hireling yards may take him and hire him out for you to cover the livery fee, and then help with a sale.

t

 

[Herne]

I think you will be able to find people (and I mean good people, not any old idiot) who would hunt your horse for free. Some might want you to pay their cap if they are not subscribers to the hunt you wanted your horse to go with.

 

[JoClark]

If your thinking of selling him message me. As you know I have his brother and a friend will potentially take him on for eventing. Interested in price etc. I potentially would be interested to. ☺️