Not Standing at Checks

[ISR]

How often are you taking her off the property when not hunting? I had some issues too in the early part of the season, when we werent getting out frequently, and when she was, it was a MAJOR outing the day of hunting. Little side trips to a local park with a friend, or trailer to another barn will help get her into a routine of being expected to load, stand, work, load back up–rinse and repeat. I realized that it was a little unfair of me to expect my horse to be perfectly behaved when her only socialization came every other week at the hunt. I started trail riding on the off weekend day, and taking “sick” days mid week to hunt more often, and it has gradually come together.

As for the ground manners, I recommend the rope style halters with the knots. There are a few great YouTube videos that can teach you some ground exercises to “switch her brain” on to you, and away from whatever is distracting to her. I’ve pulled out my rope halter more than once when my horse was acting silly and did my exercises. Sometimes I get looks, but it works, and I have no shame in doing anything that works! The worst part is that it takes me a bit longer to load my horse, so I usually miss out on the first pick of libations in the club house.

[imissvixen]

[QUOTE=ISR;6976474]
How often are you taking her off the property when not hunting? I had some issues too in the early part of the season, when we werent getting out frequently, and when she was, it was a MAJOR outing the day of hunting. Little side trips to a local park with a friend, or trailer to another barn will help get her into a routine of being expected to load, stand, work, load back up–rinse and repeat. I realized that it was a little unfair of me to expect my horse to be perfectly behaved when her only socialization came every other week at the hunt. I started trail riding on the off weekend day, and taking “sick” days mid week to hunt more often, and it has gradually come together.

As for the ground manners, I recommend the rope style halters with the knots. There are a few great YouTube videos that can teach you some ground exercises to “switch her brain” on to you, and away from whatever is distracting to her. I’ve pulled out my rope halter more than once when my horse was acting silly and did my exercises. Sometimes I get looks, but it works, and I have no shame in doing anything that works! The worst part is that it takes me a bit longer to load my horse, so I usually miss out on the first pick of libations in the club house.[/QUOTE]

I have definitely not been getting off the property enough with the trailer and not enough ground work. I have been hacking her but we just ride off the property.

I will watch the videos. Thanks. I was just thinking how it isn’t just a big outing for her but a big outing for me too and I am sure I am transmitting my tension to her.

[jawa]

I’m not sure if its an option for you or not, but here is another thing that can help.

Can you trailer to the meet with a calm hunting buddy? Your horse and the buddy will “bond” some during the trailer ride and this can help your horse to be a little more settled while at the trailer. If they are riding in the same flight you are, even better.

Things that can help your horse to understand the whole standing at checks concept can be trained at home in the ring or on the trail. Walk along and stop at random places (on and off the rail in the ring, on the trail and backed into the woods on the trail). When you halt, give slack in the reins. This is a good time to give a scritch or a treat. If your horse doesn’t stand use a correction (many mentioned earlier). If you are successful almost all the time, move up to trot. Do the same things. If successful, move up to a canter…then lastly at a gallop. You can start with standing for only a count of 5, then add more time, then make it 15 minutes. You want your horse to know that its nap time when the reins are dropped.

When you are successful at home, you can go up a level of difficulty by doing the exercises away from home, and then with a group and then with a large group and then with the excitement of the hunt.

It takes a LONG time to make a great hunter. Hunting regularly for 1-2 seasons.

[Ponyclubrocks]

One of my hunt horses can be like yours IF I don’t do our proper prep… for her it involves either a good 30 minute lunge at home, and I mean a working session not a goof off session or if the fixture is suitable, I arrive early and get in the tack a good 40 minutes early, then do an extensive warm up including a good bit of canter work. IF I plan ahead and do these steps, I have a great manageable hunt horse who stands at checks. If I don’t, I get a horses that jigs, bucks and spins around at checks…she is getting better with each hunt season and this past year was her fourth season and on a few occasions I actually hunted her without the prep time and while she was definitely UP, she was manageable. I don’t know which field you are riding in, but it doesn’t always pay off to have your horse at the peak of fitness at the beginning of the season. Getting really tired halfway through the hunt provides them with a great incentive to take advantage of all rest stops! Best of luck to you.

[Romany]

What a great thread!

Another suggestion, not aimed at the OP, but, make sure your saddle fits your horse properly, with appropriate numnah or pad. Horses will often fidget a bit when the tack is making them sore, to ease their discomfort, just as we adjust our weight in a bad chair.

[gypsymare]

It took about half of the season to get my recent prospect to relax during the checks. He had the most obnoxious habit of flying backwards when he got really frustrated with standing. We were at the back of the field so he learned backing up wasn’t going to take him anywhere he really wanted to go and the whip hitting his side wasn’t much fun, either.

I think what really helped was the longer, harder hunts. He figured out that he had better take the rest while he could get it and by the end he was pretty happy to stand and take a break. Along with that was just repetition and learning the program. Monkey see, monkey do. Try to stay near a steady buddy and away from the other green horses.

I would disagree with letting a horse learn that it is ever proper to eat in the hunt field. It was a huge pet peeve of my last huntsman. Even if it’s time to relax, horse needs to have his attention on his rider and their next request rather than causing noise chomping on grass when you might be listening for the far away sound of hound or horn.

[imissvixen]

All good advice, thank you. I am feeling better about it again. Unfortunately spring hunting is pretty much over but I have some things to think about for the fall…