My horse is going cubbing for the first time. What do I need to know?

[weixiao]

One of my horses is being taken out cubbing this week by a potential buyer. I went hill topping once as a kid but I’ve never been hunting.

What do I need to know?

Should she wear boots? I can tape up my XC boots for her to wear, but I don’t know if that is normal or a good thing to do for this? I was told it’ll be pretty leisurely paced and she isn’t used to wearing boots all around (she wears them up front sometimes, but she has been a show hunter and is used to being bare legged in general).

She doesn’t normally wear a martingale, should she wear one for this? Square or fitted saddle pad?

How long are they usually out for? I’m not comfortable with someone else shipping her before they own her so I have to drive her there but then I have to hang out and wait until they’re done. Is there any sort of average time just so I can get an idea of how long I’ll be there?

Anything else I should know about getting her there?

Thanks in advance!

[Huntin_Pony]

Weixiao -

Most folks recommend against boots because of the potential for them to collect dirt and/or to loosen and cause a problem. If she’s not used to them and doesn’t interfere, I definitely would not add them.

Fitted pad. Martingale optional - if you trust this rider enough to let her take your horse out for her first time, you should probably decide this with her input.

Again, if you trust this rider enough to let her introduce your horse to the hunt field, she should be very experienced and know the hunt well enough to answer questions about the schedule.

It seems a little strange to me that you trust this person to ride your horse in the hunt field but not to trailer her. But that’s just me.

Hope it all goes great and your horse finds a fun new career!

[RxCate]

I’m guessing this is happening because potential buyer wants the horse for a hunt horse?

If so, you are awesome/brave to allow potential buyer to take her out for her first trip. I hope you have insurance or a waiver in case mare gets hurt.

Has mare ever been around that amount of dogs, etc before?

When I hunt, I do generally put sport boots on the front just to protect from branches/briars, etc, no bells, nothing on the hinds. Running martingale if any, but definitely a breast plate as an ‘Oh Sh*t’ strap for moi.

Since this is the mare’s first time, I’m assuming she’s going 3rd flight or hill topping? I would not allow buyer to take her 1st flight for the first outing.

[weixiao]

Thanks for the info!

After having a horse that was in a very bad trailer accident with someone else driving I’m quite particular about it.

As for trust, I trust the mare. She is very sensible and has been trail ridden and hacked out in groups off the farm in just about every scenario so I’m really not worried about it. She isn’t really my type of ride (I like HOT and she is as cold as they come) and doesn’t want to be an event horse but she is going to be a super hunt horse. So I don’t have any qualms about someone else riding her. Trailering is a different story. If something goes wrong, I can’t fix that!

Thanks for the boot and pad info.!

[ISR]

Is the rider a very experienced hunter? If not, this situation seems like it could go not so well for you, the horse, and the rider. It also doesn’t seem fair to the horse if they are buying it to foxhunt, and are hoping to make a decision after one outing.

It would be like taking a horse who has only ever foxhunted and ask him to go round quietly in the hunter ring–what would be the point? Of course it could go swimmingly, sometimes it does the first outing, its the 3rd and 4th outing where horses start to sense, predict and learn which can have very mixed results. If the rider is a seasoned hunter, I assume they would already know this.

I would be more inclined to show the horse doing what it’s been trained in if I wanted to sell the horse. If the buyer wants to train it do something else, they do that on their own time after payment has been received.

And I hate to be the nanny, but there’s a greater risk to injury of a sale horse out foxhunting the first time then, say, if you showed it going in the ring. But suppose it depends on how much risk you are willing to take to make the sale.

[Kodiak]

Your usual tack (clean, of course) is fine provided it offers enough ‘whoa’ if things get exciting. Most riders also carry a crop because you are expected to discipline a horse who kicks at hounds or other horses (not an uncommon reaction for new horses).

Agreed that your rider ought to be able to give you full details of the outing, otherwise she really shouldn’t be taking a green-to-hunting, new-to-her horse out cub hunting.

Some of the things she should be able to tell you:

-How early before the start you need to be there.
-How long they expect to be out.
-What speed group she’ll be riding with (ranges from walk to gallop) and with whom is she riding. The latter is critical so she can safely stop early and come back to the trailer with a buddy if there’s a problem.

[weixiao]

Yep, they are just doing whatever the slowest group going out is.

Thinking I might put front boots on her if that is going to be acceptable. My wood boots won’t slip and I’ve never had a problem with stuff getting in them.

Maybe I’ll add a breast plate. She really isn’t one that needs a martingale.

Thanks!

[Bogie]

I hunt in front boots since my horse caught his check ligament galloping in his pasture. If you have any concerns about your horse interfering, that should be fine.

Definitely use a breast plate. Depending on the territory, saddles can slip and the breastplate can double as a grab strap for the rider.

You are more trusting than I would be to send out a prospective buyer on a horse that’s never hunted, but you know your horse and presumably the rider is accomplished.

I will warn you that horses do not always behave “in character” when they start hunting. My draft x mare is pretty mellow and the first time out she was rearing, bucking and squealing. She was an all-out disaster! Within three hunts she was going like a pro and now I do lend her out to friends to hunt with because she’s so reliable. So one time out may not give a good indication of a horse’s suitability.

Good luck! I hope your horse does fine.

[SLW]

You did not mention if the potential buyer is a member of the hunt so I will add this- they must sign a waiver before the hunt starts. Once you arrive at the meet (plenty early I hope) they need to find the Hunt Secretary and take care of the paperwork.

IMO less is more in terms of equipment with the exception of a bit. The more equipment you put on the horse the odds increase that something can get snagged on underbrush, etc.

Good luck! If the buyer is an experienced hunter then it should be a reasonable try out. At my hunt many times members bring a horse out they are considering buying to see what the horse’s initial reaction is to a hunt. If it’s awful they excuse themselves early on but if it’s going well they might stay out an hour and half. I think in a trial as a seller I would want a time limit on how long the horse stays out because if your horse is not fit for hill work it’s legs and lungs could get trashed by a non-considerate rider.

[Winding_Down]

As a buyer, I would not want to purchase a horse for hunting unless I have hunted it. So her request is a reasonable one. However, it gets complicated when you add in that the horse hasn’t hunted before. The most laid back horse can turn into a fire breathing dragon in the hunt field. You really never know if a horse will hunt until you take them out.

If I were you, I would take the horse out myself one time just in case she is one of those that goes from 0 to 100 in the hunt field. And then, you really don’t know if a horse will hunt until they’ve gone out several times but… one time is better than none.

[Hinderella]

No boots, fitted pad. No martingale if you don’t usually use one, but yes to a breastplate if you have one. If your buyer knows the hunt and the territory they should be able to give a guess as to how long they’ll be out. If not, you can call the hunt secretary for an idea on that.

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=Winding Down;7774175]
As a buyer, I would not want to purchase a horse for hunting unless I have hunted it. So her request is a reasonable one. However, it gets complicated when you add in that the horse hasn’t hunted before. The most laid back horse can turn into a fire breathing dragon in the hunt field. You really never know if a horse will hunt until you take them out.

If I were you, I would take the horse out myself one time just in case she is one of those that goes from 0 to 100 in the hunt field. And then, you really don’t know if a horse will hunt until they’ve gone out several times but… one time is better than none.[/QUOTE]

The buyer is obviously buying a “project/potential” hunt horse. Under NO circumstances would I let an “unknown to me” rider ride MY horse out hunting for the first time!! NO WAY!! Your horse and potential buyer are total strangers to each other and the experience - good or bad is unfair to the horse. What if the rider jerks, yanks, is nervous??? That would unsettle even a good hunt horse. If it were me…I’d hunt MY horse in the company of the potential buyer riding another “made” horse!! You’ll know if the mare is starting to unwind or get nervous!! I don’t let ANYONE trailer my horses either, but absolutely “no” to the first hunt with a stranger!! Just me.
And another thing…unless your horse is SUPER fit…I’d set a limit of 1-1.5 hours out with the hunt for the first time. Buyer should be able to get a good take on her potential in that time without stressing the horse. Hunting is tough sometimes.

[weixiao]

Thanks for all of the advice! We ended up going with our regular tack and a standing martingale and she was absolutely wonderful. Didn’t fuss or bat an eye about anything. Everyone was really surprised to hear it was her first time out afterwards.

Appreciate the help!

[Hinderella]

Congratulations to you and your horse. And your potential (hopefully actual) buyer.

[weixiao]

Thank you! I was so pleased with her!