Is there a market for this? I don’t want to be too specific and violate rules, I have a medium pony I am selling as an eventer, but someone I know who hunted in the past (I don’t and know NOTHING about it) said “That pony should fox hunt!”. How do you test this theory? Can a knowledgeable person tell by a video of XC?
[QUOTE=Picasso;3253999]
Is there a market for this? [/QUOTE]
yup. kids and smaller adults.
No. XC and fox-hunting are pretty different. Test by doing 
have someone hunt him in the fall or at least go on a trail ride hosted by a hunt that “feels” like hunting.
Picasso- You are in a great area (MD) to find a kid to take your pony out hunting. There are PAGES of people lined up waiting for a good hunting pony for their kids! A friend of mine just sold their hunting pony for 5 figures when the pony was 17!! But the pony would carry a kid around hunting all day, and jump all the jumps that the adults jumped!
So, a long way around the question, there really is a market!
To the other questions, I think Ray said it best that XC and hunting are different. I wouldn’t be able to tell ANYTHING about a foxhunter (pony or horse) from a video of XC, other than he/she can jump.
Anyone who’s a permanent 2nd flighter wants the easiest horse to hop on and off. The only time I rode 2nd flight I made sure I had a pony to ride since I knew as one of the youngest hunt members that I would be getting quite a few gates. For the reason of mounting out in the field in general, ponies are coveted as mounts for a child or small adult. I have enough of a problem getting on and off my 16.1 hander when covered in slippery mud, for practicality, I don’t think I’d ever get a horse bigger than him for hunting (please tell my yearling to stop growing before 16.2 :winkgrin:)… though my MFH does have a gorgeous, amazing moving 18hh TB at my disposal that I may be willing to try out Someday I may stop being the person who takes horses out on their first hunts :lol: but right now I’m young enough and have health insurance, so it’s not a problem.
An honest hunting pony really is worth it’s weight in gold.
Maybe you could go out with the pony to a local hunt trail ride or the like and advertise it there if you want to sell it before the fall. If it’s anything like my hunt’s, then people will be able to see it over fences and through different obsticles, swimming included. :yes:
Thank you for all your replies. Now I need to find something like you all are describing to try her out! What about a hunter pace, would that be helpful?
If you are willing to travel, I know a GREAT pony jock at Belle Meade Hunt in Thompson, GA.
She has ponies, and is awesome with the animals.
Hunter paces may be helpful in that it may expose your pony to some hunt people, but they aren’t really the same as an actually all out gallop with a bunch of hounds 
No, a hunter pace still isn’t equal to being out with the hounds.
What I would do (and did with all my hunting ponies) is take them out roading with the hounds. Find out when your local hunt is roading the hounds, and see if they allow people out on horseback to follow. Generally, the huntsman will place the mounted “field” far back so that the puppies - who are being introduced to pack obedience - won’t get unnerved by the sound of horses following. This would be the first introduction to your pony dealing with the sight of all those hounds out front, learning to stop and stand quietly in a group, and listening to a whip snap at a distance. A very, very good preliminary start for a hunting horse/pony.
However, as it has been said before – the only way you will know if your pony will hunt… is to take it hunting. But if you have it roading out all summer and into the fall, chances are it will be pre-conditioned to handle the stress of when the hounds open. Earplugs (for the pony) on that day will help as well.
My question is, what makes a great foxhunter pony?
The same things that makes a great foxhunter horse. 
jk!
- SANE
- Sound
- Jumps what you ask them to in good form, but is not such a back-cracker that a little kid could get jumped loose
- Keeps up with the field
- Stops easily when asked (no running up on other horses, and not fighting, b/c a kid only has so much strength)
- Stands pleasantly when asked (no jigging at checks)
- Does not kick horses/hounds/etc.
- Is a pleasant ride with a good stride and pace and good mouth
- Goes through water, trappy areas, woods
- Can hunt in the front, in the middle, and in the back
I’d add to the list…
one that has enough endurance to go for hours.
For a pony–one that doesn’t mind being bumped by other horses (of course this shouldn’t happen in the real world but truth is–sometimes the hold hard comes very hard and ibumping can happen)
I also like a pony who doesn’t look in the field. Sometimes you pass things that are a bit unusual–and the pony still needs to truck along. Not get distracted/spooked by objects.
Esp for a pony–NIMBLE. The footing can be a bit dicey in the winter–and the pony must be able to handle less than perfect footing.
A pony who doesn’t have to ‘catch’ up to his friend. If you hunt in the back there is a bit of a whiplash action–and the pony should catch up but at the pace the rider rates. Also, a pony who doesn’t have to be first. The pony will always have to follow a MFH–and that is just the way it is.
if the pony gets to work as staff—one that can be away from the group and be happy to go about their work.
In my area a pony needs to be able to be in mud stifle-deep and still keep going through without freaking out or unseating the rider. They also need to be able to swim (and I mean REALLY swim) through very high creeks when needed.
Barefoot is a HUGE plus since our mud will take the shoes off any horse. I had my TB (who’s worn shoes since he was on the track) barefoot when hunting this past season because I couldn’t get a farrier to come out EVERY week to stick new shoes back on.
With all this pony talk, now I want to get a pony to hunt. I’m not a pony sized rider, but I still love to ride the larges.
Bummer, I think our guy would happily do everything on that list but one. He really likes to be in front. If he is not in front, he spends his time trying to get there! Not sure if he would be that way with a large group, but he sure is that way at home.
He does go quite happily alone though. hmmmm
i would love to have a pony to foxhunt!! haha ive only been three times but it was a blast and the pony i was on wasnt exactly a packer… in fact i dont think he fits any of that criteria you guys wrote!!
Add to that:
- You can crack a whip off it’s back, or anywhere around it…and all it does is fall asleep.
- Will happily and capably allow the child to help whip-in the hounds.
- Knows the huntsman’s horn calls! (Seriously!)
- Trailers like a dream, loads and unloads like an angel, and stands tied quietly for hours while the rider enjoys the tailgate.
- Comes in a dark color that doesn’t show dirt, and no white socks to show the gallops through the mud.
16 Is uber cute and always delightfully friendly to everyone. - Puts a smile on a kid’s face that doesn’t go away for the entire hunt.
And I have one of the above in my barn!!!:D:D – a small Welsh Sec C that is the most fabulous foxhunting pony ever! He even packs me around the hunt field like a little trooper. 
Here is a photo of him with the MOC Beagles packing an 11 year old (they are behind the huntsman towards the front of the frame)
And little old ladies in waiting. I just picked up a three year old qh mare who is 14.1. I’m 5’7". My other horse, bought to be my little old lady horse, and now 5, fills the bill nicely except he keeps growing, now about 16.1. It’s soooo nice to see a horse’s back when you’re grooming! It’s sooo nice to get on and off of 14.1! Okay, according to the string test she’s got a couple of inches to go, but I’m confident she won’t get over 15h. And yes, I’ll get the little mare out hunting when she’s got more mileage on her.
[QUOTE=Beverley;3259760]
And little old ladies in waiting. I just picked up a three year old qh mare who is 14.1. I’m 5’7". My other horse, bought to be my little old lady horse, and now 5, fills the bill nicely except he keeps growing, now about 16.1. It’s soooo nice to see a horse’s back when you’re grooming! It’s sooo nice to get on and off of 14.1! Okay, according to the string test she’s got a couple of inches to go, but I’m confident she won’t get over 15h. And yes, I’ll get the little mare out hunting when she’s got more mileage on her.[/QUOTE]
My Picasso is only 14.2 and I love him! He is perfect. This pony, however, is 13.2 and not ponyish (read round), she is more the sport pony type and looks like a warmblood that someone left in the dryer too long!
I’m happy my four year old hasn’t grown. Looks like she’s going to stay 15H.
Speaking of the four year old who has just become difficult to catch. Need to add “easy to catch” to list.
Nothing worse in the field than a horse that runs off after a fall in the hunt field. You have the general melee of people trying to catch him/her and then there’s the whole risk that they could get on the road and run in front of a car or something.
The other aspect of that is going out to catch your pony on a cold dark morning in the pasture and having to chase them around for 20 minutes to catch them.
My new hunter is 13.3! Course, he’s 13.3 wide too!
I’m 5’3 and love riding the smaller ones. I fit them so much better then the bigger ones, I just looked like I’m perched up there!
I’ve primarily hunted ponies, only 1x have I actually hunted a horse over 14.2 and being a smallish Percheron (full) I was comfortable for about the first 1/2 hour, then the width of her barrel got the best of me.
It’s not just kids looking for ponies!
Haha, I have kinda the opposite problem. Mine decides to STOP if you get unbalanced and don’t keep leg on. He popped me out of the tack over a 3’3" jump (literally stopped then decided to jump), and on the landing side he stopped because he knew I was off balance…well that didn’t help, just flung me forward! The very first time I fell off from him (goofing off schooling in the ring), he stopped dead, turned around and put his nose on my chest and looked at me funny. No one had ever fallen off of him, and he was confused to how I was on the ground. Needless to say he doesn’t like it when we go from his back to the ground, he gets very concerned!
[QUOTE=SteeleRdr;3264985]
Haha, I have kinda the opposite problem. Mine decides to STOP if you get unbalanced and don’t keep leg on. He popped me out of the tack over a 3’3" jump (literally stopped then decided to jump), and on the landing side he stopped because he knew I was off balance…well that didn’t help, just flung me forward! The very first time I fell off from him (goofing off schooling in the ring), he stopped dead, turned around and put his nose on my chest and looked at me funny. No one had ever fallen off of him, and he was confused to how I was on the ground. Needless to say he doesn’t like it when we go from his back to the ground, he gets very concerned![/QUOTE]
That is very cute!:lol:
