Unfit horses on hunt field

[myhorsefred]

Sorry this is a bit of a rant i suppose.

A friend of mine is letting her hubby take their horse to opening meet this Sat. This horse has not been ridden for a whole month, and before that maybe ridden on very slow hack once a week. The horse is fat and extremely unfit.

I think it is very unfair on the horse to ask it to exert itself on Saturday having done no fittening, road or fast work to prepare it.

Do you know people who allow their horses to become so unfit yet still expect them to take them hunting?

 

[Orangehorse]

Well poor horse, they risk him breaking down, giving them a fall or even dropping dead.

I think inexperienced people don't realise just how fit a hunter has to be.

If "take him to the meet" is all they intend, well OK. If they think they are going to take him hunting it might be the first, and last, time.

 

[oofadoofa]

Ooooh, don't get me started! Chap who keeps his horse next to me does exactly the same. He has just started riding his horse this week and I know full well he won't be walking him! He used to leave his old horse out in the field for 6 weeks or so, not ride him and then suddenly decided to go hunting so bring him in, steam clean him, then take him off for a full day's hunting! I was amazed the horse lasted as long as he did.

He actually asked my opinion the other day on getting horses fit and whether it was necessary to do so much roadwork - I just said it depends how much you value your horse!

I'm not sure the horse he's got now is going to be quite as tough as the last one. Poor horse. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to have animals.

 

[Maesfen]

I'm curious to know whose Opening Meet it is this Saturday as we are barely in September and as a norm, Opening Meet for foxhounds is not until end of October, first week of November.
Perhaps you mean their first Autumn Hunting morning which is very different and should not be expected to do much at all. If you mean the Staghounds, I apologise as they have slightly different seasons which I can't remember off the top of my head but Ravenwood would know and in that case, I agree if the horse hasn't even started fittening work it is very unfair on it.

 

[RLF]

I have to agree with orangehorse, i know a 'rider' who only used their horse for hunting took it out for the opening meet, after a lengthy break, horse had heart attack.

 

[SSM]

I was questioning this too - if it is cubbing then it is often excellent fittening work for a horse - lots of standing around and they are not out for more than programme started and in place for everyday between now and the end of October - when opening meets will start and the horse should be fine.

 

[oofadoofa]

D & S started at the beginning of August so it is unlikely to be staghounds opening meet.

 

[Maesfen]

Yes I know but they also have a break and change from hinds to stags or vice versa and it is about this time usually so didn't know if this was what originally meant.

 

[oofadoofa]

They are on stags at the moment, they change to hinds at the end of September.

 

[myhorsefred]

Hi, sorry but not sure what type of meet it is. Not being into hunting I didn't think about asking what type of meet it is. Just thought that it was risking the horse dropping dead if they worked it even for an hour or two at fast work, being that he is so unfit, bless him. Made me really cross that they have so little respect for the health and safety of their horse.

I did say to my friend, that didn't she think the horse was too unfit and that it was risking injury taking him (tendon, wind, heart attack etc) and she said 'well I pay a lot of money to keep him in livery, so he can do a days work when I need him too'!!! Really, really made my blood boil.

As her friend I've told her that I think its wrong, she shouldn't do this to her horse (however much money she thinks he 'owes' her) and that she'll be lucky to put him back in his stable unharmed at the end of the day, but she just thinks I'm being too fussy.

 

[Thistle]

A horse near me was taken out hunting, fat, hairy and unfit. It dropped dead from a heart attack at the end of my road!

 

[Acolyte]

The horse I ride is kept by his owners for hunting - I have been riding him over the summer so he is relatively fit, but even so his fitness levels are not good at all (ongoing saga with owner, YO and me!) I know that when our opening meet takes place he will be expected to go out and do a full day just like that :crazy: and it seriously worries me - he is about 15 now, so not a spring chicken

 

[Starbucks]

Maybe they are just planning on showing up for the meet and having a potter round for half an hour or something??

an old local farmer used to do the same thing - he'd just bring his horse in after a summer off and then start hunting!! She didn't come to any harm, very lucky I guess!!

 

[CrazyMare]

I know some people do just take their horse to the meet for the social aspect, could they be doing that?

 

[LizzieJ]

Staghounds opening meet is end of september