Who hunts/has hunted a TB?

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A1fie

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Who here hunts or has hunted a TB? I may have one to hunt next season and I am wondering how they cope physically and whether they have any problems with their legs in particular.

I have seen a couple of p2p'ers out and they are always terrified about their legs and don't like going across plough etc.

How often do you hunt yours? Do you do any particular strengthing/fittening work beforehand? Do you boot up?

Finally, do you have any tips or advice? Thanks very much
 
Hi A1fie, I have been hunting a TB for the past season and it's going alright. I think TB's cope better out hunting in England. He's a great ditch jumper but he does tend to kick out more so I have to keep him at the back and I find that he's not great about queing.
I've cubhunted a few TB's in England and we got on fine, were booted up but again I find that they do tend to boil over a bit.

Is this TB going to be racing or just hunted?
 
Thanks DLL - He is a soon-to-be ex racer. Haven't started thinking what he will be like mentally yet. Will worry about that near the time!
 
I am currently hunting a TB and have hunted several in the past. They are all pretty different in their attitudes to be honest but none of the 4 I have hunted have been any hotter than your average ISH.

They can be strong if they have run so you may need more brakes but not necessarily. Mine wears boots in front but only because he hits his joints and I would put boots on anything that did that. They do say that a ounce of blood is worth an inch of bone, they are usually light on their feet, so go over the top of mud and are far stronger than they are given credit for.

Mine does alot of cantering during the season as he enjoys it and I don't like bashing him on the roads if I can help it. I do like to do at least 4 weeks walking roadwork, if I can, to harden his legs before I start.

He is a bit precious about himself and they are inclined to be very thin skinned (I look like a sheep when I go hunting these days) but otherwise they are no different to any horse. They generally make very good hunters, all mine have been fabulous jumpers.

Hope you have fun with him.
 
Hi there,
Yes in the past had a great time out on a TB ex-race mare. She wasn't brittle but I was a bit careful about the ground - i.e. not going out when it was really heavy. Didn't boot up (personal choice). She was a pretty sane character on the whole and a delight as fast and brave. One the other hand, my beloved 3/4 bred mare completely turned herself in knots to the point of being dangerous, so we drew a line under the idea of hunting her pretty sharpish!

Hope that's of some help!
 
Tb's atre brilliant out hunting even across the plough, the reason when you see the pointers out they are worried about thier legs is because they are only out to qualify to race and an injury could stop them racing for months and that is a lot of money so they are just extra careful as to not take risks that could prevent the horse from racing.
 
My tb (or near enough) Henry was exceptional hunter. Could have put granny or kiddie on him (he was 17hh) only problem he kicked.
 
I've qualified pointers the past few seasons - brakes can get a little ropey but not really any worse than the problems I could have stopping my 15.2hh coloured cob to be fair! We always boot in front, but I know a few people hunting TBs who don't. I'd rather hunt any of the pointers than my warmblood, they're generally that much quicker and smarter - even the big ones tend to have that knack of finding an extra leg when need be! Have fun!
 
I am a hunt groom and 3 of the horses I look after are ex-racers, they hunt hounds or whip in for full days normally once a week, sometimes twice. They are all in their teens and have had leg problems and injuries in their racing careers, two are fired, and they seem to manage ok. I have had more soundness problems with the heavier non-tbs this season. Nothing is booted. Tbs are tougher than people think.
 
I have always hunted a TB, I always feel that they have that bit extra left in the tank and are less likely to make a tired mistake over a fence. As someone pointed out, they are far tougher than people might think, they skip over the ground, where a heavier horse is pulling his feet out of the mud.
 
I hunt a TB (ex racer) and he is awesome, jumps anything and crosses any country! The only thing i can say is that they can be fairly dleicate and can get cut/ rubbed fairly easily, (personally i wouldnt bother with any boots as my horse had his legs rubbed raw)
 
Thank you so much for your replies everyone. I had pretty much made up my mind to take him on and all the comments have just given me that extra reassurance. Plan to take him out a lot autumn hunting to get his head used to it all and to do a lot of strengening road work.

It is a shame that TB's are so under-rated. A lot of the 'thrusters of the week in H&H say that they would be their first choice of horse. Hunting may be a great second career for an ex racer.

Thanks again
 
Hiya, better late than never! I hunt both my TB's, and TBH they are a pleasure to take.
They are both very different, one I will take anywhere he jumps anything, he does get a bit stressed with lots of checks, especially if there is a lot of shouting (usually because the hounds are rioting!), but no stronger after the first run than any other horse (or pony for that matter) that I have hunted. The other one is a more relaxed hunter although a lot quicker across country, he stands, goes wherever and is very obedient, his jumping isn't great but he is getting better and this only his first season, he is so pleasant I have actually lent him out!
Both of mine will be pointing this season and maybe I am a bit more amateur but I am not precious about the type of ground (within the bounds of reason), and mine do lots of roadwork and plenty of cantering on margins.
 
Oh whips in on his Tb ptper, it goes anywhere and is a really decent hunter, I personally cannot hold one side of it out hunting, which is a shame because he is so smart.
 
Baggybreeches said:
Funny you should say that because I think my big fella would be an excellent whips horse!
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He seems to get on very well out in front on his own, admittedly when I took him with the field he was too strong for me, but generally more unsettled, he always looks quite content whipping in, with nothing to race against!
 
I've hunted a couple of TB's over the years and they are generally great - seem to cope with the ground and my old girl would go first or last - Only problem I found was with her feet - she has typical TB hooves - a bit flat footed - so feels the stones more than a better footed horse and also tended to lose shoes - I tried all sorts of stuff on her hooves but I ended up retiring her earlier than I would normally. I also tried not to do too much cantering on roads but she was great across country. My other half has an ex pointer which is so sure footed and clever - he saves that one for hunting on Exmoor as the horses doesn't like jumping out of thick mud up in Leicestershire having been used to decent ground when jumping chase fences!!
 
I am hankering after a TB at the moment. I have ridden a ponyxTB for years and now on a chunky IDxTB, and I can't get used to the feeling of heaviness, and struggling through the ground and, let's face it, slowness!

I want a bit of spark again, and some speed and a bit of enthusiasm! Have fun Alfie!

Oh, and if you hunt in hill country, TB is certainly what you want I think. They zip up the hills far better than your chunky "proper hunter" types.
 
Have hunted 3 tb ex-racers. All were snaffle mouthed.
My OH hunts hounds of 1 that recently took a friend round a novice day at the back, 1 we had to sell as was a bit small for my OH really, and the 3rd, my little derby horse, i've used to be the "fox" for the day lol
 
I've hunted my ex-racer before and he was fine. Coped very well

I went without boots once and then went with boots another time, didn't really make much difference but i do like having the boots on just incase he caught them or anything
 
Sammii819 said:
Tb's atre brilliant out hunting even across the plough, the reason when you see the pointers out they are worried about thier legs is because they are only out to qualify to race and an injury could stop them racing for months and that is a lot of money so they are just extra careful as to not take risks that could prevent the horse from racing.
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I have always hunted racehorses and in fact thinking about it, i have never hunted anything else!!!!! I tend to find i have FAR more controll over my horse than a lot of people have on their 'hunters':D
 
well i dont know if this counts but seeing as i popped my hunting cherry on saturday on my ISH who is atleast 3/4 tb i hope it does

they are fab she didnt struggle with any type of ground and jumped smoothly and cleanly. perfect manners and stayed for aslong as i was out (we stopped because i was tired not her).

i did notice the tb types tended to have more speed (obviously) and kept up better which ment when we did have brief stops (i barely had time to have a swig out of my hipflasks) they were able to catch their breaths.

i will say i was enfatic about conditioning her legs as she hasnt got loads of bone and that ment walking on roads for weeks gradually building up to trotting and making sure we covered lots of diffrent ground. loads and loads of hillwork after that and schooling and jumping in the school (even when it was deep and needed harrowing) so that she was used to deep going aswell.
 
I've hunted my little TB mare (been in training) and she gave quite a straight forward ride each time, little scatty standing about to start as she wanted to get on with the job and and doesn't like being bunched in but as for the faster work she was very good and settled in nicely.

I think good TB's make lovely hunting horses, although some prefer a cross or something a little heavier underneith them, if there fit and not had any previous injuries then there as hardy as most other breeds.
 
We've hunted five of the ex racers I've had and three of them were exceptional, put them anywhere, jump anthing types. Another was a good boy but could sometimes "miss" a fence completely and gave me quite a horrid fall and my big lad would have made a great Masters horse as he is fearless, with endless stamina (we were even offered an awful lot of money for him in the field once) but he's a competitor through and through and doesn't like being in behind and can lose the plot a bit when stood around, which is such a shame as he gave the most amazing feel going at hedges no matter what the ground was.

Good luck in whatever you decide!
 
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