My partner is huntsman here and really not that into horses. He is a hound man who uses horses as a vehicle to follow hounds on. He has never learned to pick a spot at a fence, let alone ride a horse to that spot. One of our hunters is just horrible to ride in an arena - she’s never been formally schooled but has hunted most of her life. Her default head position is high, and really, there’s no point me trying too hard to change her a “himself” will only ever ride her the way he rides which is on a fairly loose rein and paying little attention to the horse because he is always watching his hounds.
So I ride her as 2nd horse (as I do with the other 2 as well) and she annoys me, but I’ve learned to just leave her alone. She is spectacular at her job, and has quite a fan club here. She’s not my favourite ride but I know she will jump any wire, tape or gate fence without question so I give her credit for that. And she is first choice for “himself” for that exact reason. She’s uncomplicated (I read that as unschooled! 
) and very reliable. No point arguing with her out hunting cos she’s doing a great job, just doing it her way!
Otterhound, my college roommate (whose father had a pack of hounds) had a wonderful little mare, would jump anything out hunting. But. It was in her contract. She Did Not Do jumping in an arena. She might be fooled into competing at hunter trials, and was pressed into service for that when they needed another gray- but there were never any guarantees she would complete the course if she tumbled to the fact that it was just a big ol’ circle on an outside course. Hunter paces she was fine with, go figure.
Spot on , Otterhound. The horses have a job to do, and they do it, so the staff can do their job or the field can watch hounds work.
As an aside, how many know the names of the hounds and can recognize them and know their characteristics while working…part of the joy.
[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;7198424]
Spot on , Otterhound. The horses have a job to do, and they do it, so the staff can do their job or the field can watch hounds work.
As an aside, how many know the names of the hounds and can recognize them and know their characteristics while working…part of the joy.[/QUOTE]
Horses do have a job to do, which they find easier and do for longer, when they are trained and ridden properly. It is not required that they be trained in a ring.
