Giving my pony a new job.. Foxhunting!.. help

[fxhillfarm]

I know, I know you guys can’t stand it when a person comes over from hunter/jumper land butting in and saying they would like to go foxhunting BUT, I could really use some help!:yes:

Tried a new pony at a little horse show this weekend and he HATED it… acted like a huge pig, so I figured, oh well time to find a new job!

He’s a dream on trails and loves to jump logs and trees (really honest) so I would like to try him at hunting this season… I have been foxhunting three times (best time of my life!) and obviously I would start him out hilltopping…

Is there any thing else I can do to prepare him for hilltoppers? I know there are hunter paces and paperchases and roading but I honestly have no idea what all of this is or where to go to get involved… I live in northern Balto. county in MD and there are many great hunts in Monkton (GreenSpring, Elkridge Harford etc.)

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated, Thanks!

[Beverley]

@fxhillfarm;4248828

I know, I know you guys can’t stand it when a person comes over from hunter/jumper land butting in and saying they would like to go foxhunting BUT, I could really use some help!:yes:

Au contraire, we are always happy to share the kool-aid!

I’d start by checking those hunts in the neighborhood for summer trail rides- being ‘great’ on the trails in small groups and being equally ‘great’ amidst 30 or 40 galloping horses are sometimes two very different things.

I think Casanova (VA) has an annual intro to hunting camp around this time every year? Maybe one of the MD hunts does too.

Or- take the Nike approach and just go hilltopping. You’ve been before, so you pretty well know what to expect and thus how the pony might do. I had a good old mare that STARTED hunting at age 26, with a 4 yo kid on board- I had a pretty good idea that she wouldn’t care about anything new, including pack of hounds- and she didn’t disappoint, in fact she enjoyed the new activity immensely, which became a problem for the kids because when they were done for the day, and wanted to turn back toward the trailer, she’d object, since hounds were going the other way.

[fxhillfarm]

HA thanks for the encouragement! I suppose I could just take the ‘Nike’ approach but I honestly don’t think this pony is in shape enough to just jump in:lol:

Would anyone like to educate me on all of these other activities you foxhunters partake in?

How do you keep your horses in shape, or prepare the new ones for the season?

; what is a paper chase? and would you reccomend it for a first time foxhunting pony?

Anyone from the MD area know if any of the hunts around here have these things? If so do you have to be a member?

TIA!!:yes:

[SidesaddleRider]

@fxhillfarm;4249419

How do you keep your horses in shape, or prepare the new ones for the season?

; what is a paper chase? and would you reccomend it for a first time foxhunting pony?

Our horses all do hill work for ~20 min at least 1x/week to keep them reasonably fit (all do flat work and jump schooling weekly and most show in the hunters during the spring/summer/early fall). During the “off season”, they go out and school x-country in hunt territory, so that the experienced ones have fun, and teach the new ones about water crossings, what a coop and stone wall are, how to get gates, etc.

We will then take the newbies on local hunt trail rides. As has already been said, how a horse behaves in a small group of 2-6 horses can DRASTICALLY change when in a group of 30-40 cantering in an open field. If they are good with that, they will USUALLY be fine out hunting, although some hate the hounds and will never get used to them. Most of the time I start a greenie out in the hilltoppers, unless they are an older/more experienced horse who I have no worries out (for instance, I bought a 10 yr old mare that had evented through training level, shown in the rated hunter divisions, and also had done up to the Level 5 jumpers…she went straight into the first field, LOL).

Paper chases are usually, to my knowledge, “races” along a designated path where you have to reach certain markers. While fun, they really have no comparison to actual hunting. Your best bet is to do some of the summer hunt trail rides and see how your pony does with those.

[Beverley]

If you are working the pony with some regularity, which is to say as little as an hour a day 3-4 x a week- it should be plenty fit enough for hilltopping during the cubhunting season- hounds are only out for a couple of hours, and hilltoppers are saving ground/going slower than first flight. Heck, it would probably be fit enough for first flight for cubhunting.

Truth to tell, I don’t want a horse ‘too’ fit- better a little unfit- when introducing it to something new and different.

[CC1]

PM me if you like. I also live in N. Balto. Co. and hunt with the Carrollton Hounds.

[SteeleRdr]

Green Spring started hound walking last Wednesday. It is open to guests, but best if you have a member as a friend.

They are also offering a cubbing camp, which sounds like it might be perfect for you.

Here is some info for you:
http://www.gsvhounds.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=41

[fxhillfarm]

thanks CC! ill be sure to send you a PM!

Steele- One of my friend’s moms hunts with GSV… I know she does the Hound walking and everything, I’ve been trying to get in touch with her so hopefully i can join in on that pretty soon… as for the camp, I think I’m aged out, I looked at it yesterday and it said the max age is 13, I’m 16! lol

Thanks everyone for the replies! Pony should be in decent shape he gets ridden 6x a week, he just a bit chubby still:lol: Off to work the hills!

ETA: I just looked at the link you have Steele, I reread it and it says it is open to adults also! So that is great I will definately try to get in that! It must have been the Elkridge camp with the age limit

[diKecnadnuS]

I used to foxhunt all the time, and always hunted first field. Second field was boring to me, and my hunt didn’t have hilltoppers. If I were you I’d look into doing some cubbing, and see if you can do the trails/walks with the hounds/puppies to get your pony used to hounds. In the meantime, somethings I used to work on with horses/ponies to get them ready to hunt were not spooking at the whip dangling around their legs/feet, blowing a horn, halting on trails and walking into the woods to halt, and practicing regular trail obstacles like walking through water, over train tracks, etc. You can get a good feeling for whether or not you have a good horse by riding out in hunt country during the week - that way you can actually practice the jumps, water, train tracks, rocks, spooky old car in the woods, etc. that you will encounter while hunting.

I’d say get your pony in shape with lots of hill work, as stated, and then once hunting season starts go as a hilltopper or in the back of second field (if you will be jumping or going around jumps make sure to tell the people in front of you and behind you so they can prepare) - some hunts let second field go around jumps, some make second field jump. If your pony turns out to be a total fruit loop (or not fit enough) leave the hunt early - you might want to make sure you know ahead of time how to get home. Where I grew up hunting it was always easy, just follow the train tracks and you’d get back. Sometimes I would put an emergency little kit together when hunting a new horse - it usually included a stronger bit and/or a lip cord, and ear plugs. I hacked to most of the hunts, and could usually tell on the hack how my horse/pony would be, and could hop off and make any last minute adjustments before the hunt left.