Some advice please - Horses' behaviour out hunting!

[Murphy888]

Hello, I am new, (to the forum and to hunting) and hoping for some advice.

I took my horse autumn hunting in September and he was GREAT. Enjoyed himself and fascinated by hounds but calm and was well mannered.
Last week we went to the opening meet, my first time and his, and he was NOT so calm and all manners out the window. At the meet had to walk him around the car park as he was kicking the lorry to bits and wouldn't stand still once we got him off. For the actual hunt, I was out with friends and wanted to stay with them having a quiet day in the non jumping field. Problem is, this involved a bit of hanging around as we would let the rest of the hunt go, and go a slightly different way on some occasions to go through the gaps. This seemed to wind him up, and he wasn't keen on hanging around. On a few occasions he took off with the rest of the field and we had to jump, which he did well with and sorted himself out which was a good job given that I was fairly useless! So the main problem is he wouldn't wait politely with non jumping field, napping towards the main field, also at any checks would not stand still, kept barging around, swinging into other horses which I know is dangerous. We were queuing up on a bank waiting to cross a stream with horses in front of us and behind on the bank with a drop each side, he was antsing around, couldn't go forwards so he started reversing backwards and nearly pushed a child and pony off the bank!

I just had the general feeling he wasn't listening at all and it felt slightly unsafe...once he was on the go it was much better but any times we had to stand around were quite stressful. I am mainly worried about him being kicked, or kicking something else although he is not a kicker.

He only had a snaffle in which I will change. I didn't get the feeling of being bolted with and I could stop, but he was strong and leaning really heavily.

Questions, will he settle? Or will it take a whole season? He will be going out approx twice a month, and once a week over xmas and january. Any tips for the nappyness? Any other tips!? Should I just be brave and let him go with the normal field, I think it was me trying to stay with the non jumpers all day that wound him up most, or should he be respecting me and where I want to go?! I was hoping to be eased into the jumping slowly but seems he has other ideas!

Thanks in advance.

 

[AmyMay]

It's a big ask to ask him to hang around. Go again, keep at the back if you want to, but allow him to move forwards when he wants to. I've usually hunted up the front and just got on with it. There's far too much going on to expect to 'hang' with your friends all day.

 

[missjj]

Hi seems like the first time you went out autumn hunting was a surprise to him, he didn't know what to expect, ...... but the second time at the opening meet he knew exactly what was going on. His blood was up and he was enjoying the party !!!

 

[JillA]

Hi seems like the first time you went out autumn hunting was a surprise to him, he didn't know what to expect, ...... but the second time at the opening meet he knew exactly what was going on. His blood was up and he was enjoying the party !!!

I have always found the second time was the most, er, exciting. He will settle but some take a lot longer than others, just hang in there and keep him moving

 

[Sherston]

Even with my experienced hunters I always get them out three times in quick succession so they get used to it at the start of each season (with the first day being the worst generally!), so I would bite the bullet and get him out again a couple of times pretty soon although ideally on a quiet day, and even for a couple of hours. If you keep it to every couple of weeks the novelty will probably be there always. And give him a good work out the day before as well.

 

[Judgemental]

If it is practical, try and hack your horse to the meet from your stables.

I know this can be difficult with roads etc but it works wonders.

Or try and get beyond all the roads that are a problem and get somebody to drop you off and hack on from as far from the meet as possible, or park your trailer or lorry from as far away as logistics allow.

BTW the one thing you will get on this forum is loads of advice, by "the 25 tonne articulated lorry load!"

 

[ConnieLove]

I have always found the second time was the most, er, exciting. He will settle but some take a lot longer than others, just hang in there and keep him moving

Exactly this! The second hunt is always the worst but the more you do it, the better they settle. Just keep at it

 

[Murphy888]

Thanks all, I will indeed keep trying! We are out this coming sat on a beginners meet, and the week after that so we'll see how he is after those. Problem is I am at uni hence sporadicalness but I will get him out as much as possible. Bring on the xmas hols! He is a super boy, and very chilled usually so I am hopeful he will get through it. He has been a bit switched off at home only doing hacking and schooling so it is great to feel him raring to go, just want to contain it a little bit!! I will try and keep moving more, I was just unsure of his jumping abilities (or mine rather) as we haven't done much hence trying to stay with the non jumpers but he was very brave so I think i'll have more confidence in him next time.

 

[becca1305]

Mine used to do similar after a few times out hunting. I've taken her out autumn hunting this season and shes settled so well , I honestly didn't think she'd settle the way she was previously; she pulled like a steam engine, wouldn't stand still at all, lacked self preservation, and did her best to pony squash! (which is so mortifying! why do they have to choose kids on ponies to fidget into?!). However by second time out autumn hunting this year (and armed with a different bit from last season) she has been a delight , so overall it probably took her 6 or so times to settle (after being a sweetheart first time out). Shes still very up for it, but her brains engaged now and she stands really well, so I'm hopeful it will continue into proper hunting! I'd pop a different bit in, and try and give him a few more times out to settle .

 

[hobbit]

I have same problem! 2nd time out Autumn hunting, and the waiting just sends my horse silly, and he gets so frustrated! barges into other horses etc...does mini rears, but bearable...but yesterday did a bigger one as we had nowhere to walk around (stuck in narrow gap)...just commenting as want to come back to this thread when have more time to read...can totally trust him with brakes when cantering etc (mostly as he runs out of steam!) but standing still, he actually scares me because of what he does, and scared he'll barge the wrong horse (ie kicker)! I def found him better at the back...and I have been told "it gets worst before it gets better!!" (If that's any comfort!) 1st time generally overwhelms them to point of calmness, and 2nd time they know what it's all about and get excited...
Hope you can calm yours out hunting, as I know how scary it is...I'm hoping I can get mine calm enough to do the boxing day meet lol!

 

[chestnut cob]

If it is practical, try and hack your horse to the meet from your stables.

I know this can be difficult with roads etc but it works wonders.

^^ This ^^

I regularly used to hack my big old hunter 4 or 5 miles to a meet - he was big, strong, full of himself and v excitable so a hacking there would take the edge off and make the whole experience far more pleasant for us both. I'd always hack there if possible, and used to try and give mine a couple of canters on the way too so the first exciting canter was out of the way as well.