If this has been discussed before, please forgive me, I’m new here. Here’s my puzzle. I’ve always said I had no business having a horse not able to go hunting. My current young horse has progressed enough to see what he’s really made of, and OMG I’ve got a fancy one. I bought him as a 2yo, and now he’s the nicest I’ve ever had-no way I could write a check to replace what he’s become. He hunts fine-went out 3 times last year before I chickened out. I enjoy riding him in lessons, and he’s a great trail horse-selling him is out of the question. Would you hunt this horse? He is a 7yo 16.2 Dutch gelding, perfectly healthy and sound. Thank you for your thoughts!
I don’t see why not.
Well, I would. And have- a number of my hunters over the years were also occasional show or event horses. First hunter I made had been, prior to that, a very successful western pleasure horse.
I know that many will not hunt a high priced, fancy horse for fear of it getting hurt. Here’s my take on that:
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In my experience, a catastrophic injury is just as likely to happen in a padded stall as out hunting.
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Hunting is fun for the horse and thus a benefit to his psyche. It makes show horses better show horses, both because of the variety and because it benefits their fitness, their athletic ability, and their coordination. As a result they can do better in the arena.
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When ‘I’ own a horse, I want it to do what I want to do- which is a variety of things, including hunting. I hear you on the inability to afford replacing a fancy horse. If it were truly worth megabucks, I’d ask myself should I sell it for those megabucks and get one or two replacements- perhaps not as nice but still able to do what I want to do? But then I’d also ask myself, never mind what he is theoretically worth- is it worth that hypothetical financial risk to me? Usually, it is.
A good horse is like a good bottle of wine, and I’m happy to say hubby and I have a pretty good wine cellar. We know what we paid for each bottle, in some cases 25 or more years ago. We know what that wine is worth today, either buying retail, or on a restaurant wine list- in many cases, four figures. We couldn’t afford to buy it now, but when it was just bottled, even the ‘big’ fancy chateaux, we got good deals. Ya know what? It’s worth more to us to enjoy that wine with friends and family, because really, the enjoyment factor is far greater for us than the potential revenues.
Don’t know if that makes sense, but my two cents anyway!
I have had many friends that hunted their “nice” show hunters…and I used to regularly hunt mine back in the day…
I am currently hunting a horse I did a little showing with last year, and plan to do more with this spring… he is a WB, so worth a little money, and if things get questionable, I tend to slow down, or not go out on the “bad” days in order to protect him.
Now, I have a friend who says she would love to hunt her mare… she is an Event horse, and did very well last year at the Prelim level…when I explained to her that we usually trot and sometimes canter up and down paved roads… she was mortified.
She also brought her mare down for a trailride this past fall, and we rode through our hunt territory… she was not pleased that I took her down some not so well marked trails (even though her horse was wearing 4 wolfe boots)…
I think hunting is out of the question for her and this mare, just not worth the risk to her…so to each his or her own!
Sure!
One of the ladies I hunt with has a fantabulous dressage horse that makes me drool. I LOVE that horse. He floats. Very fancy - very nice field hunter and show horse.
I am in the same situation. My girl is a homebred, just came 5, and fancy fancy fancy from jump street. And yes I hunt her,( I hunted her mother for years) we have even whipped in a few times and she is amazing. Her first full season is winding down, and she is also doing well in the show ring.
I could never afford to buy a horse of her caliber at this point in her training, so she is insured. She’s insured for more than what I paid for my truck (!) based on two appraisals and show record and training costs, so at least if god forbid something happens I will be able to get another horse.
Edited to add that I am very careful with her, don’t jump if we don’t have to, watch where her feet are and so on, but if you use your head there is no reason you can’t hunt him if you want, and it will probably make him a better show horse.
So yes definitely hunt him if that is what you want to do, but get insurance.
Depending on the horse, territory, and my plans, why not hunt it?
We have a horse at the barn that the barn owner got MULTIPLE large sum offers on, but he’s hunted every season since he was young. Won on the line, in the ring, in the hunt field…pretty much everything. This is the first season he hasn’t hunted in MANY years, but that’s because he’s out on lease as a BigEq horse, but that’s besides the point. If he were home, he’d be hunting.
JMHO.
But if you don’t want to risk this one, but want to hunt, if you can afford to, find a nice OTTB and turn them into a hunt horse!
Insure the horse and, to take a phrase from Nike, just do it.
A friend of mine often says “I show, event and race my horses to make them better hunters” 
I say go for it and have fun!
Thanks so much for all the wisdom. We start hound walks in late June so I’ve got some time to stew on it…and an OTTB with a great mind that SHOULD be ready to hilltop by the time we start cubbing. I don’t want to press if he’s not ready(just my luck-this one jumps w/his knees in his throatlatch-told my instructor to get over it)and I’m not missing another year behind the hounds!Thanks again.
We have 2 very good show horses, not the worlds fanciest, but we could never afford to replace them, and we do hunt them. Both horses grew up hunting and are super balanced and sensible. Both are insured.
Our horse just love hunting so much, we would not dream of depriving them 
And our hunt is conservative about terrain and footing. One of those “life is too short not to have fun” decisions.
We have some very nice show horses. And guess what? They ALL hunt, and do so well. I firmly believe that hunting most horses does great things for their minds, and really, show hunters are supposed to be a spin-off of field hunters. If I get a horse in that doesn’t hunt, they don’t stay long. My 3’6" A/O hunter was actually the Res. Champion Virginia Field Hunter last year. And he had NO problem being out with Piedmont for 5 hours the other month (he’s like the Energizer Bunny when we’re out).
Can they get injured? Sure. But (knock on wood), any real injury they’ve had has all occurred at home in the field or while hacking out, not in the hunt field. I do keep an eye on the footing conditions for the 3’6" horse… if it looks to be really deep/trappy, I’ll take the jumper mare instead, as she’s like a rock, while he’s more…delicate. I figure why temp fate?
My MFH has also recently started leading the hilltoppers on her A/O and former Champion Green Conformation mare.
insurance??
Insured for what??? I have always heard that while insurance is useful for colic surgery, if they pay off on your horse, they take him to do with as they wish.
Is this true???
I hunt my event horses. It helps keep them in condition in the winter and does help to open up/impove their gaits and length of stride for dressage.
[QUOTE=lizathenag;3024422]
Insured for what??? I have always heard that while insurance is useful for colic surgery, if they pay off on your horse, they take him to do with as they wish.
Is this true???[/QUOTE]
Death, I would presume. If the horse were injured to the point of needing to be humanely euthanized, then mortality insurance would be very useful.
If you have a “loss of use” clause, that is when they’ll take your horse when you make the claim. (I will never carry “loss of use” for this reason. Would rather have my unrideable friend in the back yard, than a pocket full of money and never know what became of her.)
I have mortality and colic on my policy.
I knew someone who would hunt their fancy dressage horse (Prix St. Georges, I believe). She didn’t jump him, but she thought it was good for his brain.
“Loss of use” doesn’t necessitate relinquishing the horse…
[QUOTE=Daatje;3024628]
Death, I would presume. If the horse were injured to the point of needing to be humanely euthanized, then mortality insurance would be very useful.
If you have a “loss of use” clause, that is when they’ll take your horse when you make the claim. (I will never carry “loss of use” for this reason. Would rather have my unrideable friend in the back yard, than a pocket full of money and never know what became of her.)
I have mortality and colic on my policy.[/QUOTE]
Actually, that’s not quite accurate - it must depend on what type of policy you have, I think> We had “loss of use” insurance on an event horse who broke down, and we did recoup much of our costs AND kept the horse (who then went on to become a successful dressage horse).
Check the small print on your policy, and/or speak to your broker about what is - and what is not - covered.
[QUOTE=lizathenag;3024422]
Insured for what??? I have always heard that while insurance is useful for colic surgery, if they pay off on your horse, they take him to do with as they wish.
Is this true???[/QUOTE]
That is true only if you make a claim for loss of use, which I do not plan to ever do for that very reason. The company does then have the option of taking the horse.
They will, however, pay for surgery, medical treatments (like if they bow a tendon or have a fracture or something like that).
My mare is insured for the whole enchilada, major medical, surgical, theft and full mortality. Loss of use is included in that, but if it should occur that she becomes injured to the point that she can no longer be ridden then she will be a mom.
But some things do vary from company to company so shop around.
I remember reading that Macdynamo was hunted to keep him happy for racing. Look what it did for him!
My wife and I both hunt our event horses and we believe that they are the better for it. We are choosy with the footing and will occasionaly pass up a meet if things are dicey, but both of our horses just love to hunt. My boy will lead me to the trailer on hunt mornings.
