Don’t you also find that toward the end of the season, maybe you are a bit tired or the horse is a bit tired from the long season, and the dynamics of how the horse goes change? It gets to be a little bit of a fight. I think it’s a mental thing. Maybe that’s why your horse was a bit more settled going second flight with the junior. The stop/go thing I find is really mentally straining/irritating after awhile. I suppose the other thing would be to get as far forward in the field as you possibly could. At least you won’t have the snake effect.
imissvixen- this is my first season hunting as well as the horses so I am not really well versed in how hunting can affect a horses behavior. Most of my horses are eventers who also dabble in jumpers, dressage and lots of trail riding. I ended up hunting three ottb’s this season and all of them handled it really well but each reacted differently. I basically headed out in whatever I rode them in x-country and with my big horse I have found that he has actually needed less as we have gotten going which is great. He was really quiet the first few hunts then went OMG I know why I am here and had a hunt where he bounced for 3hrs straight. Last hunt he was super?? The horse in question has been so quiet and simple the whole season but has changed within the past 2wks and I have noticed it both in the ring and hunting.
One thing I am going to look at his having teeth done. He is due for his 6 month appointment so that could be bothering him a bit. He might just know that fixture as well because it is one we are at a lot and he knows he gets to run and jump so combined with lots of stop and go so it might just get him more up than the rest of the fixtures do or just more annoyed at having to be told what to do:lol:
I had a little qh I hunted for 20 years for which I did the opposite. Start the season in a kimberwick w/double reins, move to rubber pelham, threaten him with the double bridle (which I never actually got around to using, he got the message). My warmblood and current appendix- fine in snaffle as was the previously mentioned tb. My recently deceased qh went in a snaffle everywhere except hunting- there, he went in a rubber or jointed pelham (he preffered the latter), only because of the rooting. You really never needed to use the curb rein, the mere presence was enough of a deterrent.
Jlee, I think either different mouthpieces like the waterford, or trying a gag w/double reins, might just be the ticket. He sounds to me like a fun horse, more than likely with the hunting mileage he will just settle in and get the job done, and learn to quit being silly about waiting to jump and etc.
