what to do when season ends?

[L&M]

I have been very fortunate to hunt weekly from the start of Autumn hunting right through until the end our season (finishing next week).
Although I have hunted regularily in the past, I have not done so too such an extent, and now have one very fit and toned horse who I am not sure what to do with!
I plan to keep him ticking over for the summer with a few RC comps and fun rides, but should I give him some time off before, and if so for how long?
He is naturally a lazy horse and hunting has transformed him into a 'pocket-rocket' and am a little scared if I give him too much time off he will go back to his normal ways! Equally I am aware he has worked very hard over the last 6 mnths and deserves a holiday.
Any advice from more seasoned hunters please!
Thanks

 

[star]

this is my first season hunting (well drag-hunting) and we have been every week/fortnight since end of November. I now have a completely different horse - he is incredibly lean and muscled and def a pocket-rocket (although always was!) He has still been competing at dressage over winter so has had to keep a semi-sane brain for this! I was going to give him just over a week off after the last hunt but then plan to continue over summer with him doing dressage and showing and sponsored rides and XC schooling. I need to tone things down a bit as he needs to regain some condition before the next season starts but I dont want him to get fat and unfit. Trouble is, there's nothing like hunting for giving them that sort of hard exercise so he'll def lose some of his fitness.

 

[kick_On]

Cry as i love my hunting and i've had a cracking season and our new huntman has been brilliant and it's been my best season in many, many years........ can still remember on point in particular, hedge after hedge after hedge hopping AWESOME........
Back to gg i keep mine just nicely ticking over and defo do odd hunter trial/fun ride and RC comp before summer really kicks in and then he'll have prob late june to early july as holiday to get fat!! and then i'll bring back into work so we are firing on all cyclinders for weekend after august bank holiday, when stupid o clock autumn hunting starts.

I just HATE some hunting folk, who'll chuck out in april with no rugs and take shoes off........ until august 1st. IMO Not the way to treat your 'hunting partner' who's given you a cracking season and looked after you and got you out all thoses scraps etc...

 

[Ravenwood]

Come to Exmoor - we don't finish hunting 'til the end of April!

 

[L&M]

That's not fair!! All my friends who don't hunt find me very amusing as I always long for Autumn/Winter ie resuming hunting!

 

[gingerspice]

ditto kick_on - I really believe it is wrong to turn hunters out straight after the last meet before getting them back up for autumn hunting.

My hunter turns his hoof to eventing over the first part of the eventing season after we finish hunting in April. As both sports are demanding, I finish eventing some time in July (if all gone to plan!) and give him 3 weeks off completely, before getting him back up for those lovely early mornings! 3 weeks is never enough for him to loose all fitness so just a few weeks walking and trotting out and he is ready. But relaxes his mind before getting bored!

I would def suggest you take advantage of his fitness straight after the hunting season with hunter trials, RC or whatever you enjoy, to keep him interested.

I was always taught that if horse given more than a month off, depending on circumstances, you then need to go through weeks of walking then trotting before ready for hunting - hence why I like 3 wks off! If necessary give two hols with work inbetween maybe.

 

[L&M]

Thanks GingerSpice. My lorry is due for service/mot as soon as our season ends, which will no doubt take a couple of weeks. Was thinking of giving him this time off - not long enough to lose too much fitness, but rested be ready for Spring activities. What do you think?

 

[gingerspice]

Sounds perfect, I am sure he will appreciate a bit of time off inbetween, so depends on the horse as well - mine likes a few weeks where I only look at him, but then is positively bored! Good plan to enjoy spring activities cause if ground turns to rock later at least you have had some fun and his time doing less is shorter.
Glad you and your horse have had a fun season - roll on next autumn I say!!

 

[LindaW]

The Readyfield have done 'ambles' all summer for the last couple of years. I don't know if any of the fox/harrier/stag/drag ones do anything similar, might be worth asking around?

Has been good for keeping horses ticking over, and for introducing young horses.

 

[spookypony]

How about endurance rides in the summer? I just went on my first one, and it was loads of fun. You have to keep up quite a pace, too, so you both have to be quite fit! The pony loved it, and I think I'll be going again.