Our season starts next weekend and I was asked to ride in the huntsmans pocket this season. I whipped in last season but my mare is out this season and I’ll be riding my 4yo that hasn’t been hunted before (he has gone out once in the field and has done a few hunter paces without incident). He’s very nice and will make one heck of a hunt horse if I bring him along quietly, and he’s already been exposed to quite a few things in the field. I’m not sure if I need to be flattered that he feels like he can depend on me to have his back or if he wants to keep me close to keep an eye on me… Thoughts?
Well… I’d ask myself if this was the best training experience for my green hunt horse. Don’t fry him the first year out.
My sense of this is that the huntsman asks for competence. He has a job to do and can use a good hand. He doesn’t need to invite you up front so that he has one more thing to worry about. That said, he might have planned on you and your mare, not you and a young horse that isn’t ready to go and do whatever he (the huntsman) needs you to do.
Congrats on being asked!
The mare was hurt hunting last season so everyone is very aware that she won’t be out this season. And he’s seen the new horse a few times this summer, enough to know what he is like. I did express that I do not want to blow him up but that he should be fine with the hounds and a whip. The new horse would make an exceptional huntsmans horse in the next few years, he’s wise beyond his years.
I’m flattered that he thinks I’m that capable and dependable. But I’m also nervous about dropping the ball.
It’s not uncommon, in my hunt at least, for staff with a new horse to ride with the huntsman. That’s frequently the easiest spot, and there’s help nearby.
I would be worried it might fry his brain, but you know your horse best.
I just wanted to give a little update. Yesterday was our hunts second meet for the season. It’s been unseasonably warm and we are in an extreme drought.
Bad for hunting but good for the new entry to have a slow paced outing where they can figure out what’s going on. Regardless of the poor scenting the seasoned hounds have been trying their hearts out and have managed to get on a few very brief runs each outing.
As aggravating as poor scenting days are I have been very thankful that the season has started out this way. It has allowed my young horse to get a nice easy introduction to whipping in. The first weekend we mildly whipped in and he did excellent with turning hounds, standing at checks, being quiet when other horses cantered towards or away from us, etc. He was generally a good guy and did not stress about much. We even had a coyote trot past us about 50’ away.
Yesterday we ended up riding with the huntsman. He was a rockstar yet again. He did get a little forward for him hacking out so we kept our distance from the hounds and slowly worked our way in. By the end of the hunt he was checking and turning hounds relaxed and on a loose rein. I’m still taking it slow and not pushing him too fast but he seems to be getting everything figured out and is enjoying himself.
So glad his brain is able to take it in.
Cheers to a stellar season!
[QUOTE=jawa;8935483]
So glad his brain is able to take it in.
Cheers to a stellar season![/QUOTE]
Thanks. This may be my horse of a lifetime… he was purchased as a resale project, but the longer I own him the less for sale he is. He is athletic, attractive, sound, and has a great brain. I am very aware that if I give him a solid introduction he could potentially be my partner for the next 15-20+ years. Trust me I’m not going to do anything that will over face him.
Are you with Whitworth Hardaway?
