So does good at hunting always = bad at schooling?

Hovis_and_SidsMum

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 January 2007
Messages
2,711
Location
Lincolnshire
Visit site
My husbands friend has been looking for ages for a second horse.
He's a big guy - ex rugby player, tall and quite muscley so weighs a fair bit. He wants to do cross country and SJ and perhaps some hunting.
Due to his size he's after something about 17HH and a weight carrier so has been looking at Irish draughts, shire crosses and heavy weight hunters.
He came over last night full of woe that everytime he finds something suitable its usually been hunting (not a problem) but then is an utter nightmare to school. All the SJ'ers he's been to look at wouldn't carry his weight easily so hence him looking at thicker set horses that seem to be more likely to have hunted.
So I was curious is this just bad luck or do good hunters = bad to school?
 
Deffo needs some bone then, but that doesn't mean he has to compromise on schooling - Ems was 18hh+ and she was beautifully schooled! Tell him to keep looking - if I was him I would contact the local hireling yards and ask advice as to where to go to find what he needs.
 
My current comp horse is a dream to hunt but his dressage aint too bad either.
wink.gif

A friend I have recently started training did nothing with her horse but hunt. Again, the schooling is comming on well and she commented that he's much easier to jump out hunting as a result.
smile.gif
 
ahhh he should have seen that 19.1 i went to look at would have suited him perfectly, p.s ishe single hahah them thighs sound lush!
 
I know a fair few hunters and 99% of them are well schooled too. Boss's sister's OH has a fantastic ~17hh chap, fab hunter and a gem to school (even by tiny little me, and he's good with learners too) and he takes his owner SJing, eventing etc. I find that it just depends on whether the owner is a person who hunts and that's it, or whether they have a hunter over winter and an allrounder over summer. I think I've only ever sat on one hunter who is a "true hunter" (only hunts) and I wouldn't like to be the one to school him!!
Good luck finding something, I'm sure the right horse is out there somewhere
smile.gif
 
No, would not agree with that. However my ex jumper is hopeless in the school and always has been, has moves to die for, can turn on a sixpence but ask him to school and do boring stuff forget it.

However other one hunts and is lovely to school, a dream...
 
Maybe it depends whether it's the only job they have done? My hubbys horses were backed, schooled and did low level dressage, aff sj and BE before turning into hunters. They are super hunters cos they are superb. The old girl (20 yrs young) has only hunted for the last 12 or 13 seasons and has recently been stolen by our 11 year old daughter to have an easier life pony clubbing. In the last couple of weeks she has won a mini eventers challenge and been placed 3rd at a ODE! But she is very special!

I know from experience in our hunts field there are some people who have hunters straight from Ireland and whilst they are good hunters they have certainly had no schooling at all - in face my hubby has ridden more than one of these and said it was like riding a plank!
 
Our hunters have done RC team SJ and dressage and they have all shown at county level - one cob has been to HOYS so yes they can do hunting as well as other stuff . Silmarrillion is correct as i know loads of hunting people who do nothing(majority because they cant be bothered IME) all summer and hunt all winter so the horses never get schooled BTW i find that our hunters school and compete much better on grass than a surface which can give you a huge advantage
wink.gif
Just because the horse is rubbish in the school now doesnt exclude it from learning!
 
Top