Taking baby hiorse hunting tomorrow

[Skhosu]

Well..today! 6yr old, jumped over 2"3 ODE courses, never done ditches, currently having a phase of teenage tantrums, honest jumper but I'm not entirely sure what he will make of it all, not sure how good his 'where are my feet' skills are! Any advice for taking baby's hunting??! And where is best to take a suspected icker (he is getting a red ribbon, is a green ribbon sign for young horse?)

 

[jhoward]

normally a horses 1st time hunting tends to baffle them, they behave, i find that the herd instinct kicks in and they want to stay with the pack,
my advice would to be sit tight and let your horse go, when you pull up or stand around relax and praise and have a loose rein to teach your horse its a chill out 5 mins.. theres nothing worse than a horse that prats about,

expect yr horsie to become more bold more strong and to want to go! but enjoy it, the second time they tend to know what to expect and can getmore hypped up the 3rd and 4th time they tend to settle down.

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

2 words ....
















































HOLD TIGHT

Im sure you will be fine , You will more than likely have set yourself up and got yourself into so much of a tizzy that you will be shocked to find he actually behaves himself so well , I know thats what I did when I first took missy to balmoral ( I know its not really the same but all new to her as it is hunting new to him ) and she was an angel , As Im sure you know just prepare for him to be bolder and stronger but dont hold him back to much , Im sure you will read him fine

enjoy


After riding that just read what time you posted lol , How did you get on ?

 

[Skhosu]

lol.Started off excellent, very calm and settled but keen to go, problem was he didn't initially get the 'follow the other horses' idea! First 'jump' we came to was a narrow gateway with overhanging branches, a ditchy stream and rocks and generally nasty. All the good horses went first leaving all the bad horses, well alfie saw them throwing strops and despite people pushing and pulling nothing could coax him over, and yes, he did get a stripey bottom, even all the other horses leaving wouldn't entice him!He was not bothered one bit!
Spent 45mins trying to find a way through to them, poor horse ended up trotting up and down random roads for ages, eventually found them and from then on apart from one person insisting on riding at the front, her horse then refused everything (she insisted it would do it!) and put alfie off, once I put myself behind two honest horses to show baby how to do it he was excellent, he stopped (still pulled but not badly) even when following the others (downhill jumping...scary!!)jumped everything bar one first time, just his baby strops,tried to run round one and then realised it was entirely wired in, and didn't lie one log on a hill but got the hint and he can jump! When he jumps he makes a real effort, and doesn't touch anything, was good fun once he got going, got into the 'herd' mentality and he was much easier than my big horse who my instructor was riding who is just psycotic.
No bucking, no tanking, very civilised. That first blip was annoying, and exhausting but it was a horrible first obstacle, so we've forgiven him that. Three of ours went out today and they're all knackered now, so tucked up warm and cosy in stables.
Think my big horse is not hunting again as he's a bit of a plonker but everyone safe and sound, baby needs to go out again now to meet some ditches and odd obstacles!
Thanks for the advice, hold tight is right! And we didn't kick anyond