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Opinions needed: Show Hunters vs. Field Hunters

Hunting
#141

How fun to read all these posts! To Tantivy…better watch that stock pin or you won’t win “best turned out” haha…

Don’t laugh…but I really have consideed what undies to wear while hunting…JUST IN CASE, haha. I haven’t had too many bad accidents in the hunt field, but my mother always told me to be careful of my undies in case I had to go to the hospital <grin>

But on the original subject…it is a pet peeve of mine when I do show…I laugh to myself knowing the showing rule books still say we’re to be judged on “field hunting standards”…(easy to sit, efficient covering ground, safe jumping)…and agreed, most of the big show hunters would freak out big time in a true hunting situation.

I’m very fortunate at the moment…I do have a wonderful horse, Debonair, who shows AND hunts very well. He’s the exception…very few can do both…and he’s NOT FOR SALE, haha!!

#142

I ditto the underwear thing. The one time I had to go to the hospital for a hunting accident my undies really did have holes in them!!! It was so early when I was getting dressed that I didn’t notice. I’ve always paid attention since then :slight_smile:

#143

talking about holes…

My lightweight hunt coat got snagged/ripped on barbed wire on the sleeve and I stitched it back up since I don’t want to buy a new one. I can just imagine going into the hunter show ring with a patched up coat :lol:. It’s a good thing that I have a seperate collection of coats for showing.

#144

Hehee…when I was in the ER from my broken arm, they stripped me (wanted to cut off my show breeches…um no. I broke my arm, not my leg…you will not be cutting them off) and I was stuck laying in the ER in a thong. That sort of sucked. :lol: It’s one thing to be unconscious and naked in front of the world…it’s another to be fully aware and sitting there in next to nothing. Thank god for sheets. :winkgrin:

#145

Wow–got half-way through this topic and just stopped reading. I’ll finish up when my sense of humor returns.

I’ve been away from the forum for awhile. Read a couple topics over at eventing and then came across one–well, in a nutshell: it looked the the eventing forum was turning into, as another poster said, another forum which shall be nameless. The eventers tho, having great sense of humor, veered the topic into amusing and familiar terriory: food and drink, and my faith was restored.

Now I come to hunting and what the hell is this!!! I’ve been reading this forum for years and this just doesn’t happen here. Luckily, hunters have great sense of humor, they take their sport seriously but not themselves, so I know that the last few pages of this will be worth the read, because I’m certain at least that someone is going to mention food and drink–more likely just the drink–at some point.

edited to add that I just looked at the top of page 8 and I see the discussion has turned to underwear! I do love fox-hunters!!!

#146

I am creating a charitable foundation for foxhunters who suffer from Ratty Drawer Syndrome.

It’s not really for the foxhunter wearing the ratty drawers; it’s for their fellow foxhunters to pay for therapy after witnessing a fellow hunters ratty drawers.

:slight_smile:

I don’t know why medical personnel are so eager to cut out clothes and boots off. If we’re screaming - don’t cut my boots off don’t cut my boots off - we’re not hurt that badly. It’s when we don’t care that they need to be cut off.:wink:

TBlitz - I saw a lady once - her coat looked a bit odd. I mean, it looked like one of my Grandma’s patchwork quilts. I didn’t look bad - it just looked… patched.

Yup. It was her favorite coat and by God she was going to make sure it lasted until she hung up her spurs. I so love it when there is a story behind our appointments and attire.

#147

A more fieldy Hunter event is discussed here: the 2008 Wrenwood Farms Hunter Derby

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=142823

#148

Wow… nice pics. I used to jump like this (my form):

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=geegeelrg&gallery_id=953924&image_id=37

But that has been “taught” out of me. :smiley:

Sorry… just visiting as this thread caught my eye. I guess I’m considered a “Hunter” rider. Though I may be swapping here soon. :slight_smile:

#149

wow - I love that photo!!!

#150

I agree… to me, that is almost perfect form. :slight_smile:

I tend to “sit up” more like this… I’ve never gotten the “lay on the neck” look.

We have a hunt club near where I live. And though I’d like to try it someday, I have to admit, I’m too scared. I have an issue riding in open areas (fields fenced in are okay). I guess 4 fractured vertebrae while riding out in the open will do that to you. :slight_smile:

But I’m hoping to face that fear a bit more (I’m much better than I used to be) and will be doing some mini-trials this year. Never thought I’d say I will be doing XC. :eek:

Does anyone know where and who this photo is of?

#151

Nah - come out hunting. Nothing to be afraid of. If I can do it - anyone can. Really. Contact the hunt secretary of the closest hunt and cap a few times - you’ll be hooked.

#152

The jumping style question is a good one and I am not talking about the style of the rider over a jump. That’s been beat to death.

Before I started hunting and was working with a hunter trainer, we definitely had that long and low way of traveling. He also jumped with the big round bascule. After hunting things have really changed. He now travels with his head much higher than before and jumping we look more like a chaser. On big jumps or trappy jumps, he’ll definitely get to the base and produce a big back cracking jump but mostly he jumps pretty flat over the smaller fences.

I would say this is a pretty typical jump for him.

http://www.waterfordmgmt.com/images/fairfax_hunt_finish.jpg

How would other fox hunters describe their horse’s jumping style?

#153

Foxhunting is not as scary nor wild as people who DON’T hunt often inflate it to be. Most hunts have hilltopping fields; they travel at a slower pace, are usually beginner friendly and jumping is optional. For me, the biggest thing is being on a horse that’s quiet out hunting, if you have that, it’s a wonderful thing!

#154

Hmmm…I dunno, my horse tends to jump with a decent front end and definitely reaches down a bit but it’s nothing like a Reg Working hunters style. His jump is very comfortable and easy to ride regardless of the distance, eventhough I am not very experienced o/f I rarely get jumped out of the tack on him because his jump his jump is so smooth. This comes in handy when I place him at a crappy distance XC.:winkgrin: He tends to travel long and low out in the open very nicely, like a hunter. Although when out foxhunting he travels more “up” in a dressage frame since he tends to get hot. I guess time and experience will tell.

This is what he jumps like right now.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2965348610101555132oDoYoy

#155

Well, I have a few confessions to make. My MDC stirrups DO have bling on them; a sterling silver floral pattern on them with a PINK rhinestone in the middle! Gasp!

http://www.mdccorporation.us/products/sets/index.html

When I foxhunt I turn the stirrups the opposite way so as not to offend anyone.

However, next season I am getting bridle rosettes to put on my hunting bridle (which is already a biothane black Bitless Bridle). I think the rosettes are cool; they will have a hunting scene and look tres vintage.

How’s that for being daring?!?!?! LOL

#156

That photo is of Mark Thompson and his horse Gaelic, at the 2007 Virginia Field Hunter Championships, held at Foxcroft School. (He ended up Champion, btw :))

Here is Quest and I over the same fence.
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=geegeelrg&gallery_id=953924&tcount=75&scount=29
As you can see, I’m also a show hunter rider, LOL. Gotta love that crest release. :wink:

#157

Thanks for the info. He’s a nice rider… and that’s a nice horse. :slight_smile:

And you look good too… though I can see the “show hunter rider” in you. Your horse is lovely. :smiley:

#158

[QUOTE=J Swan;3116938]
Show hunters has nothing in common with field hunters anymore. The way the riders ride would get them killed in the hunt field, so it’s probably a good thing. The cat in heat/praying mantis pose over fences is terrifying to watch.

Though I was pleased to read of an outside course (was it in a recent issue of COTH?) at a horse show. It would be nice if that made its way back into hunter shows again.

I think eventing is probably a better comparison these days… but even then… with the short format - even that sport no longer resembles what it once was.

God - I’m depressed. :([/QUOTE]
This makes me chuckle. A few years back I had a young WB gelding. He was purchased as a dressage prospect but of course hate dressage and loved to jump. So…since I was trying to sell him as a hunter/jumper I ventured out to a benefit hunter show. Now ya have to understand that we just got a sand ring last year. Until then anything that got ridding here at home got ridden out on the grass field. Since this was a benefit show it was not at a fancy showring…it was in fact white tape marking off a ring out in a grassy area. My WB was a heavier/tanky old style…not an elegant critter. Folks sniffed at me and I heard a number of comments that he was make a good field hunter but CERTAINLY not a show hunter. Weeell a few of the show hunters were freaking out at a flap in the tape marking off the ring and most riders were complaning about the uneven grass footing. We calmly gallumped around and paint me surprised when we got the blue ribbon. I DID have to grin at those folks on the way out that told me he was NO show hunter. And really probably in the tradtional show ring they probably would have been right…but we did enjoy our day! (Beastie went on to be a successful 4’ jumper for the young lady that bought him and dabbled in lower level eventing but he still hated dressage so that was a problem for him being a good event horse!)

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