Trialling a hunter

[spacefaer]

I was reading the Wanted ads on a well known equine website and read one for a hunter "must be able to be tried on the hunting field"

If you had a good hunter for sale, would you let a potential purchaser take them hunting?

 

[Clippy]

You can see why they'd want to try it - hunters are expensive!

If they were willing to insure themselves and the horse for all eventualities then yes, if it meant getting a good price

 

[Ditchjumper2]

There is a dealer local to us who is happy for potential customers to hunt her horses with the local pack.

 

[spacefaer]

What happens though, if something goes wrong and the horse gets broken?

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Cubbing yes def. The horse I just sold went on trial for a week and out cubbing twice during that time. He really was sold as seen and they had a proper trial.

However when I was selling my mare a few years ago, everyone wanted to try her out hunting but I said no. She was the ultimate hunter despite only being 15hh and was ridden right on the fieldmasters tail all day. She wouldn't turn away from anything so there was far more potential for someone who didn't know her to take advantage of that and put her at every hedge during the day which could have resulted in an accident. She had such a good reputation on the hunting field though that the people who bought her were happy to take her on reputation and they absolutely loved her.

I think if someone wants to try one of yours in the hunting field, it will look bad if you say no though!! Perhaps say half a day under your strict supervision and they break it, they pay for it. That was the rule when mine went out on trial.

 

[spacefaer]

I let one go out a few years ago -for a couple of hours only. The guy stayed out until half 2 and left the horse with a sore back.

See, I wouldn't let anyone have any of mine on trial - but then I wouldn't loan either.

If I was selling an eventer, I wouldn't expect the purchaser to take the horse to a competition. ....

 

[PorkChop]

I think generally when people are looking for a hunter they would be satisfied by watching the horse being hunted.

I have sold a very good hunter to the Beaufort many years ago, he is happily still there!, and they didn't ask to see him hunted - he was reasonable money.

 

[Goldenstar]

I buy made hunters for Mr GS people do offer you a day on them quite often ( it usually means they are confident in their horse )
Our last one the owner suggested we brought him home hunted him with our pack and then decided which we did as he was being rather naughty.
We did a loan aggrement he stayed on her insurance .
But usually we just do a half day where they are .
Dealers will often let you try several in a day at the hounds , not for the faint hearted.
I am not bothered if I have seen the horse hunt but if I have a worry about them it is worth it rather than miss one that suits .
Like the one I mentained above he was bucking the owner was very honest about it and he was still expensive so the trial was a good idea all round.
Made gents hunters are an expensive purchase and of all horses I think hunters are the most personal purchase people vary so much in want they love in a hunter .

 

[spacefaer]

Thanks for the reply golden star -I have one I would "probably" let someone take out -he's a made horse, just starting his 4th season and pretty straightforward heavyweight gent's hunter. The other -bit like Carolineb - is an awesome performer and the temptation for someone trying him to put him at every hedge and gate in sight worries me! It's hard to judge how people ride to hounds without knowing them -I half feel I need to ask for references lol!

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

This is exactly who I felt about people trying the mare. Having seen how mad they were anyway out hunting, I was pretty sure that I didn't want them wrecking the horse.

The horse I've just sold I wasn't remotely concerned about them taking cubbing because there was far less of a chance of them burying him in a hedge as we don't jump much at all cubing!!

 

[Bernster]

Leisure hunter reply here - I've tried a hunter for sale but only as it was a hireling, I wouldn't generally expect to take one out hunting tbh.

I do know a friend of mine who let her horse go out for a day's hunting and she went along on foot - she was very confident of horse and wanted him to find a good home so it worked well (she bought him then and there).

I would probably make do with knowing its history, seeing photos of what it had done and taking it on a xc trial (which is what I did with mine). Refs from local hunt would be good too. But I suspect this is a bit different to getting a made hunter for pots of cash, in which case I think it's understandable to ask for a proper trial out in the hunt field.