Horse's first time hunting

[Huntin_Fool]

Welp, I posted earlier about taking my horse on hound exercise-he was slow and got left behind. He got better as time went on, and yay we were able to get in 9 of em. So now it’s cub hunting. Our hunt used to have a 3rd flight every hunt and that’s how I’ve started my other horses. For the past say 6-7 years they’ve only had one intermittently. One of the masters said they’d arrange one during cub hunting-yay.

The horse just got clipped and we had a lesson in an open field on a windy day. I could feel him being a bit “up” but really he was fine and didn’t do a thing. So why am I bothering the forum? Damned if I know!

Also say I get one 3rd flight time. What do y’all think about moving on to second? Depending on who is leading second we can have walk trot some canter. Or lots of gallop and rather deliberately heading over larger logs etc.-at least if her horse is behaving.

I don’t know, I guess I’m concerned about more people, some on horses that are not behaving, the colder weather, the clip, but it is what it is.

Words of advice/encouragement are appreciated!!!

Regards,
Huntin’Fool

[alternatesideparking]

Depending on who is leading second we can have walk trot some canter. Or lots of gallop and rather deliberately heading over larger logs etc.-at least if her horse is behaving

I understand you’re worried about your nice horse and giving a careful introduction to hunting - good for you! And so far, it sounds like you’re doing an excellent job.

If there is not a third flight available, go in the back of the second flight after having a word with the field master about your concerns. They may or may not accommodate you, depending on hunting and who else is out.

I quoted you above because I have a quibble, and this quibble is why third flights came into existence. It is NOT the job of a field master of first and second flights to guide the field at the pace they feel comfortable. It is their job to 1.) Keep up with the hounds and 2.) position the field so they might see the hounds work without actually interfering with the huntsman. Different field masters may have different levels of confidence about keeping up with or finding hounds, so may move at different paces. Different hunting condition and different territories lend themselves to different paces.

Third flights, where they exist, are meant to cater a little more to needs of the rider and greener horses.

To put a point on it: If I’m hunting second flight and we lose hounds and a day’s sport because the field master is waiting for someone to catch up, I’m going to be peeved. If I’m out just to give a young horse good experience, like you are, that’s different. Then I am more concerned about the good experience for the horse than a day’s sport.

Now that I’ve exercised my pet peeve; let me go back to saying that you’re doing a good job and your horse will probably do just fine.

[Huntin_Fool]

Oh I agree with you 100% regarding the field master’s role! I just added that to say, and this is quite true, that different field masters have different styles. One of the usuals at our hunt is more w/t/c and the other one usually depends on how the horse she rides is acting-lol. If I could be positive of who was leading on the day, I’d know more of what that day would consist of.

I think starting off in 3rd is almost always the way to go! Yep, they’re usually a true hilltoppers flight and that’s what I like. Especially for the former race horse. In the past our Masters have been ok if, after asking, say a couple of members hang back a bit from the pace of whatever flight. Usually it is an experienced older horse and another member on a newbie which might work well too.

I appreciate your kind words and encouragement!

Regards,
Huntin’Fool

[Foxglove]

I’ve been hunting for 50 years and just started my new horse last season. It’s tough to leave the security of the hunter you’ve ridden forever and take a young one out. My philosophy was, do what I needed to do to get the horse where I wanted him to be. Sometimes that meant I lagged behind and had a discipline moment with my horse. Sometimes it meant I stopped considerably behind the field. I hunt with a lot of understanding people. I"d say, “Betti, I’m going to pass you at some point because I need this guy to learn to pass on the fly.” She’d be ready for me. Always, on the way back, I rode with another rider who was “correcting the jig” —if either of our horses jigged, it was a one rein stop and a circle, then back to a flat footed walk. We waited for each other. Good practice. In our hilltoppers --folks understand —we’re working to make new hunters. My young horse just this season joined first flight. He was in hilltoppers, then got invited up to first flight --we totally skipped second flight --but I felt good about it. We’d practiced all summer over fences and I felt ready. Now, we are still not doing the “really big” stuff —but every time I take him out, that “really big stuff” looks smaller.

[RiderInTheRain]

Can you buddy up with another rider who is after the same type of ride as you (uneventful, confidence boosting for your horse, etc.) who will also be in the second flight on those days? Our hunt also has an intermittent 3rd flight (depending on field master availability) and so sometimes riders who know the country well, but may be on green or new horses will have a quiet chat with the second field master ahead of time and get permission to hang back a bit if necessary or turn in early together if the day proves to be too long or too much for the new horse.

[BeeHoney]

All I want to say is to thank you for being so considerate and concerned about how to best get your horse acclimatized to hunting. Few things are more irritating than people bringing their improperly prepared horses out hunting and just hoping it will all “work out” somehow. Obviously, it never works out that way. Instead they end up running into other people or their horse kicks someone, etc. I just grit my teeth when people show up out of the blue without having done any prep work. Invariably they are riding an OTTB in a snaffle and are oblivious that it’s rude to use the rump of the horse in front of you as a form of brakes. Half the time those horses end up for sale with a brag in their ad about how they have “hunted.”

That having been said, I am MORE than happy to help someone, even someone I don’t know, have a nice day out with their green horse, even at the expense of my own day because I know how hard it is. I’m completely forgiving if a person is riding a horse that has been properly prepared and the rider is able to keep control of it.

[Foxtrot_s]

I’ve always been the mentor rider, at the back, showing the way, re-taking jumps to lead someone over - picking up the bits…
but I have found that the perfect angel on the first time out, or even the second time out, learns the ropes and gets stronger and keener as he gets the game. Put on extra equipment that you may or may not need, but just have as extra brakes, and steering. After that, they learn that it is just a waste of energy on a long day out and settle down a bit. You are doing the right thing, OP.

[jawa]

@BeeHoney Having just been on a hunt where a lady was riding first flight on a VERY unhappy horse, I couldn’t like this more. She was behind me. Her horse was pressing mine. I asked if she’d like to pass. Oh, no thank you. Not 15 minutes later did we have a slightly abrupt halt and she ran into the back of my horse. I always turn him sideways on a trail if possible. He strongly dislikes having other horses use his rump as a rubbing post. If he’s side ways, that’s not an issue. I was in the process of turning him sideways on the trail when…BAM! she ran into us. “You are the first person I’ve run into all week!” Well pat myself on the back as the lottery winner today!! After this I didn’t “ask” her if she wanted to move ahead of me, I said “please” ride in front of me.

TE=BeeHoney;n10259141]All I want to say is to thank you for being so considerate and concerned about how to best get your horse acclimatized to hunting. Few things are more irritating than people bringing their improperly prepared horses out hunting and just hoping it will all “work out” somehow. Obviously, it never works out that way. Instead they end up running into other people or their horse kicks someone, etc. I just grit my teeth when people show up out of the blue without having done any prep work. Invariably they are riding an OTTB in a snaffle and are oblivious that it’s rude to use the rump of the horse in front of you as a form of brakes. Half the time those horses end up for sale with a brag in their ad about how they have “hunted.”

That having been said, I am MORE than happy to help someone, even someone I don’t know, have a nice day out with their green horse, even at the expense of my own day because I know how hard it is. I’m completely forgiving if a person is riding a horse that has been properly prepared and the rider is able to keep control of it. [/QUOTE]

[Huntin_Fool]

Well Y’all,

I survived! And my little horse was good-with caveats. My caveats aren’t that he did anything wrong-he stayed in his place, he didn’t buck me off, he didn’t run away. But he was wound up tighter than Dick’s hatband, and he never calmed down. In the 2 hours and 10 min we stayed out he took probably 3 walking steps. It didn’t help that another person brought out another green horse that was so “up” the young lady riding it for her had to take the horse home after about 30 min. But it had gone from front to back of our little 3rd flight numerous times and was hopping around etc. and of course the 2 greenies got each other wound up, I am sure.

The whipper in blasted past us on the paved road (how none of us, horses or people, heard him coming I don’t know), 2 seconds later a rattley truck with an empty trailer passed. The horse jumped forward at the whipper in and whirled around at the trailer but that’s all and I was pleased.

We kept back from the action, went across several fields where the corn has reseeded and grown up to leg tickle height and was also planted with turnips, I think, which I’ve never seen around here before. The flight leader did an extended trot and we cantered in the very back-the horse isn’t happy with folk behind him, though they were at some points-including the horse that had to be taken in.There was also a pony and pony cart out-of course there was! They were far away from us though within sight. He stared at everything with his head stuck in the air. But stood well several times.

We passed close to the trailers and I thought he’d had enough-the rest only stayed out another 20 min.

BUT I had to jump off when he was pacing around-he wouldn’t stand still. And when I tried to take his bridle off he was so wound up and fidgety that if the girl who was riding the horse that had to go in hadn’t been there I don’t think I could have done it. In his defense both when I jumped off and when I was getting the bridle, hounds were in the woods fairly close and he could hear them and people were passing by on the paved road on the other side of the trailer. Still, I’m not thrilled that he never seemed to settle. I know that sounds silly when he didn’t do anything, but y’all probably know what I mean.

So what do y’all think of the second trip? I don’t think he’s ready for second flight but I do plan to take him out to look at every opportunity.

I’d love to hear advice/encouragement!

Regards,
Huntin’Fool

[McGurk]

Huntin’ Fool,

I have no idea if any of this is possible for you, so I’ll ask forgiveness in advance.

What your horse needs is to go out during the week when the field is small and there isn’t as much extraneous activity. Being the only new greenie out would be helpful too, but of course you can’t arrange that.

If you can possibly arrange to hunt with someone who has a rock solid steady eddie that you can hunt behind or beside, that would be ideal.

There isn’t a horse with a pulse that does think that going out in company is incredibly exciting, and the fact that your guy didn’t actually misbehave is commendable. (OMG, the pony and cart! All you needed was clowns juggling chainsaws after that!) But all your future training needs to be focused on convincing this horse that hunting in no big deal. So a steady horse beside, rather than an equally wound up greenie, would be helpful. I would base my decision on whether to ride second or third flight based on who I would be hunting beside. You might well be able to give your horse a better experience at the back of second flight.

I used to say that the worst thing to happen with a young horse was to get on a screaming hot run in one of their first times out - then they think that’s what hunting is like, and it takes them many more outings to settle and they get incredibly frustrated on a walk-trot around the same covert while the hounds work out something tricky hunt.

When you hack out in a group, do practice the “Ware staff !” - have the person in the back of the group pass at a faster gait. That’s the only thing in your post that concerned me, and it is something you can practice outside of hunting.

Looking forward to your next update.

[jawa]

You mentioned many good things your pony did. I’d just like to add another good point that you didn’t mention. You were able to go in alone? There are many horses that their rider would be hard pressed to get to go in when the group was still out and about.

As far as removing the bridle at the end when he’s still so up, put it on over his bridle, put him on the trailer, do up the butt bar, close the back door. Go around to his head and remove both halter and bridle in the safety of the trailer.

I agree with McGurk about having a steady eddie hunting buddy. If possible hunt with this person on a regular basis. Even better, have the horses trailer to the meet together. For some reason this tends to bond them together. I’ve have several horses that had never met their traveling buddy, trailer to a location and then be happy as clams in each others presence.

I also agree with going out on weekday meets if possible. It can also be beneficial to hunt them several times a week for several weeks in a row. Hunting is mentally and physically exhausting. It can be helpful to have them just a bit tired. It seems to help them to let go and not be so worried over every little thing.

I know some aren’t keen on the idea of treating horses while riding (or at all), but I find it can be helpful in the beginning to give them a quick, small treat to reward the slightest good behavior. That can transition over to the reward being scritches and words of praise to just a plan old loose rein.

As far as whether you should go 3rd or 2nd flight? That would be hard to say. Some hunts I’ve been to are a walking only 3rd flight and some hunts the 2nd flight is faster than 1st due to their having to go an alternate route. You know your hunt and you know your horse. Is it possible to move from one flight to another if it isn’t a good fit?

Happy Hunting!

[Cammie]

@Huntin'Fool

My thought is the hoo-rah, especially the noise, is what he’s concerned about.

Ear plugs? Try them at home first a few times so he is used to the sensation. He may have worn them on the track. Having the world muffled a bit might help him relax a little bit more if he is reactive to sound on top of being tense from the overwhelming activity.

[jawa]

@Cammie

Ear plugs? Try them at home first a few times so he is used to the sensation. He may have worn them on the track. Having the world muffled a bit might help him relax a little bit more if he is reactive to sound on top of being tense from the overwhelming activity.

This can be helpful if it’s the noise that is setting you horse off. A lady I know has a mare that knows the horn calls and gets super excited when the huntsman blows and encourages hounds when the pack is in full cry.

[McGurk]

I have had several horses who absolutely learned the horn calls and would pretty much ignore “doubling” - the short notes that encourage the hounds when they’re working - but really get antsy if they heard “Gone Away.”

I also had horses in the barn that would break a sweat and be incredibly difficult to tack up on hunting mornings - they knew they were going hunting! So a little eagerness can be expected and can even be a good thing, as long as the horses is still paying attention and obedient.

[SLW]

A mare of mine needed ear plugs for a season and they made a positive difference. I found the ones styled like little golf balls stayed in the best and bothered her the least.

[Huntin_Fool]

I like the idea of earplugs!!! I will google that tho if y’all know a good place to get them let me know.

And in in my experience the horse learns horn signals way before people do-ha. It’s one of the reasons I like Hilltoppers. The horn signals don’t mean anything really-you still stand there for a bit after ‘gone away.’

My retired boy would be so wound up on a hunting morning he would be jumping and hopping and pooping all over everywhere until you got on.

[Cammie]

Just search on Smartpak for earplugs and a couple of different ones will come up. For everyday home use, we use cat toys instead. Same exact thing at a fraction of the cost of the horse version. Isn’t quite as painful for the wallet when you inevitably lose one, and a better chance of finding it when it’s lime green.

https://www.petsmart.com/cat/toys/balls-and-chasers/grreat-choice-ball-cat-toy-11233.html?cgid=200159

[Huntin_Fool]

The latest update:

And first let me say thanks to all for the good advice and appreciated encouragement!

We had a last minute 3rd flight on Sunday so I went. I aced the horse about 30 min before I left. And when I got there I noticed a big stain on his neck-and remembered I’d seen that the time before too. So I had these small needles that said “horse,” but according to an experienced fellow hunter short needles won’t penetrate horse muscle so whatever you shoot in may come back out.

So, if true then I hunted him the first time pretty much unaced so that’s kind of cool in a way. I borrowed some at the meet site this time, but of course it didn’t have a chance to work before I got on.

So, the plus is once again the horse was good! He was in a literal lather in 10 minutes but I could just feel he was calmer-you know what I mean. We pretty much struck off at a fast trot, and once again he cantered. I felt a wee hump in his back and said “don’t you do that!” and he didn’t. No pulling, walked multiple times rather than jigged, stopped when asked, even caught on when the other horses stopped he stopped with a horse length + in front without being asked. Through woods-where we had a check in a tight place, down a ditch with mud in the bottom and up the other side. A person who was trying to be helpful, and I do appreciate that, was riding too close. I asked her and the other greenie if they wanted to get in front of me, of course not. And as I told the horse-this is just part of it you’ll have to cope and he did-tho it did make him tense up when they would just be too close-oh well. I did have a baby sitter-this woman on a great team penning quarter horse-he’d only been out a few times too but he’s used to real rodeos and is great!

About 2 hours in there was a split-just in hunting around, they’d not found, the huntsman gathered the hounds, then recast them. Lots of horn blowing, whippers-in running, milling around, but no movement from the fields. And 3rd flight was right there with 1st and 2nd-just at the end of the line. And the horse got wound up-wouldn’t stand still, wouldn’t walk. We had to do trot circles. But again no bucking, no rearing, just nervous behavior. I’d broken the buckle under the chin of the cavesson when I tacked up, but I thought oh well. So my baby sitter at this point says “oh your bridle” “Oh no big deal,” I replied, “I know.” She looked so surprised I looked at the bridle only to see it was only hanging on by one ear! I jumped off and shoved it back on. And I have to laugh!!! I think for a minute she must have thought I was a real bad ass-or just crazier than she’d thought. And dang I’d have been in a bit of trouble if the whole thing had fallen off! I have no idea how it got like that, or how long it had been!

So I can get on from the ground, but it is not as fast as it once was. A couple of folk said they’d give me a leg up but, since he’d been so good, and was getting wound up now, I thought I’d just let that be that and walk on back to the trailer-it was close. Which I did, and though he started out being a bit up-though no objection to leaving. He settled down and walked along. I was on the ground walking to be clear. Loaded up and we went home.

So I’m pleased. I do feel more confident, a bit, about him. Though this getting wound up as it progresses isn’t ideal. And I wonder, ever the 2nd and 3rd guesser, if I should have stayed on til the end of the hunt? I am a big believer in quitting while the horse is doing well, but maybe a bit more would have been good? I hope since he was better this time than last time that we will build on that.

So ideas or encouragement appreciated!

Regards,
Huntin’Fool

[McGurk]

I think you did exactly the right thing.

I have gotten off really upset jigging horses and hand walked them before because at some point, everyone tenses up on a jigger. If you can stay relaxed and loose and keep asking for/rewarding the flat footed walk, great, but at some point when you’re starting to get frustrated and tense, the best thing to do is to dismount.

All in all, sounds like a good outing and a good experience for your horse.

At this point, I don’t see much benefit in acing the horse. I’m not usually a big fan of acing hunting horses anyway, but I understand the desire to do it the first couples of times for at the meet/until you move off. But you’re well past that now, and a horse that is truly sedated isn’t learning anything from the experience.

The two things to watch out for now are checks in the woods where you can’t keep him moving and the dreaded reverse field on a narrow trail. If you sat up nights trying to come up with a way to make young horses lose their marbles, you couldn’t come up with a much better way than reversing field.

[SLW]

It sounds like you had a nice Sunday hunt and ride on your horse, albeit a little tack malfunction.

Go slow when you give the next IM shot. I use 1" needles and the key to giving any shot well is to go in at a slight angle. Don’t “pop” the needle in.

Do go ahead and tell people who are riding on your butt “Please, my horse is new to hunting and he needs a bubble, more space behind him”. I’m the Field Master for our Third Field and at the start of any hunt where there are new faces I ask and identify any horses (guest or members) who are new to hunting and need a bubble.

Keep up the good work!