I would like to ask for experiences and opinions on buying a “green bean” (no experience, unbroken, basic ground manners, started long lines, etc,) verses buying “green broke” (basic w/t/c under saddle, solid ground manners and some life experience). I cannot afford a made field hunter and I am wary of taking on a half-made hunter who maybe hasn’t had correct and thoughtful training. I have enough resources to place a youngster in a solid training program for a period of time before bringing them home to begin regular work in my program (I do not have the skills to break and back but I can bring a solid citizen on correctly). Would you rather purchase the blank slate knowing that you can direct all future training but will have to wait awhile longer to bring into the hunt field or would you purchase the solid already started horse and build from there in the hopes that he could join third flight sooner rather than later? The horses under consideration are TB types and under age five.
I have done both (though with grad pony/QH types, not TB types and I was starting them myself) and have had good results either way. The quickest purchase to competent hunt horses transitions were with a large pony who had not had any hunt experience but had a lot of trail experience of all types, so riding in large groups, varied terrain, water crossings, small creatures (like hounds) under foot all were not a problem for him and my husband’s QH mare.
The large pony didn’t have much schooling in the traditional sense, so I had to spend a bit of time in the arena refining his response to my aids and learning to carry himself properly, but he took to the hunt stuff right away. I think he was an ideal hunt prospect in a lot of ways because even while his formal education was lacking at first, he had the right attitude about everything from the start. Similarly my husband’s hunt horse was a cow pony before we purchased her and also had lots of trail experience in large groups and was familiar with various types of creatures underfoot. She’d also been used in drill teams and parades so was accustomed to all kinds of “traffic”.
The two ponies I started myself have also turned into equally good hunt horses, but it was a much longer process that I would say was rewarding in different ways than the trail horse --> hunt horse scenarios. I think all else being equal between a few different prospects, I would choose the horse that had some trail miles and was known to be a “good egg” in this environment over a horse that had either extensive training in the arena only or a horse that was totally green. I’m a reasonably competent but not incredible amateur rider and really appreciate a sensible horse so knowing that a horse already behaves well out in the open, over terrain, in company, etc. adds quite a bit of value for me.
However, “all else” is never actually equal, so I just look at all options that generally fit my basic criteria (size, age, breed/type, wide range of trained/not trained) and pick the one I like best.
I hate the possibility of having to put up with somebody else’s failures and foibles. I start them myself from very young, and do it entirely my way, and have only myself to blame. I have a barn full of solid citizens.
I’d rather get a ranch horse and teach them some English aids and to go on contact. Also, it really depends on the personality of the horse.
I’ll add that starting something yourself/buying totally green doesn’t always guarantee you know everything the horse is capable of by the time you get to the hunt field.
I bought my mare as an unbroken 3 year old, put her into professional training, put 7 years of miles and consistent work into her and thought I knew what I was in for when we started to hunt. This mare is about the most solid citizen I have ever known. Boy was I wrong. On our first hunt, she had a major melt down when the huntsman galloped by behind the pack in full cry. Bolted. Reared. Bucked. The whole nine yards. I would have lost a lot of money on a bet that she was even capable of that sort of outburst.
She figured it out and is now a reasonably solid hunt horse (she prefers to whip, but will go in the field if you insist on manners), but that was one of the biggest surprises of my life.
I don’t regret for a moment buying a greenie way back when (and I think I am about to do it again), but I no longer believe that making your own horse means you know what you’re in for. 
Thank you all for the feedback. I can see the pros and cons from both sides–if I buy young with no experience it will be the road of my choosing but never a guarantee of “hunt brain”. On the other hand I have a possible six year old who has the basics under saddle and low fences but he has been ridden by a young rider and I am unsure of his training. He is supposedly a laid back guy and will trail ride but he has no real miles and certainly no group/field experience.
I have never had a “made” hunt horse but I’ve had some great horses who became awesome hunt horses. I took a 10 year old mare broke for western pleasure and after 1 year trail riding in english tack took her to her first fox hunt. She loved it from day one, seemed to understand the job from the get go. Hunted her for years. The key was she was super smart, and naturally wanted to partner with and pease her rider. She was alpha in the pasture and this translated to her being super cool in the huntfield. She didn’t care if every other horse was being an idiot, she assesed situations herself and decided what was worth making a fuss about. Another fabulous hunt horse of mine came straight out of the showring where he did childrens jumpers for years. He retired from that and went hunting with me for another eight years before I retired him to walking on the trails. He was another super smart dominant horse who understood hunting from the first time out. I have hunted many others from many other jobs; polo, ponyclub, eventing etc. The common denominators seem to be that they were smart and dominant and they were trained to a high level in something such that they knew how to tune into and work with a rider. Every one of my hunt horses has been unique, but also a pure pleasure to hunt. For what it’s worth.
So hard to tell until they are hunted. My heart hunt horse was a pill to school at home, would buck and rush after jumps and a real hottie at home. In the hunt field he was all business. Getting them out with groups and hounds if you can really helps. If you can go to a xc school and just hang while everyone jumps that is a good thing too.
Also depends on how they were started, and by whom. I’ve had two horses started by the same folks - - hunt barn specializing in well mannered crosses. One was very green when I bought him but perfectly started…ended up a super, super hunt horse. The other had actually flunked out of their program as he was just too much of a fizz for their stamp. He went into the event horse track and I don’t hunt him. Even years later I doubt he’d keep his head screwed on straight. He’s ferociously talented and I’m not really a fox hunter so that’s ok. But again, super well started. We went hunter pacing yesterday and the hounds at the kennel were turning themselves inside out at a strange dog …friend’s eventer had a meltdown, but mine, normally quite spicy, couldn’t have been more calm.
but my point is I’d buy any horse started by this family - they know what makes a good hunter and how to start horses on that path.
In your scenario I would start looking for the type of horse you want - size, age, conformation, breeding, known history etc and worry about where it’s at in training later. Buy for temperment/personality. That’s the part that truly matters.
personally I like them green broke, at least light w/t under saddle so I can get on and ride. That initial sitting on a horse is the most dangerous part and I do it myself so if I see the horse can be Sat on and knows the most basic of aids it’s a huge reduction in risk.
something to think about is what happens in the time it takes to get greeny hunting. If you buy halter broke you might be 6 months before hound walks or quiet hunts vs 2 months on something already going wtc. If the horse is a completely no-go as a hunt horse, it’s less devistating to cut your losses and sell if you’ve had it less time. If hunting is a must for you, this is worth factoring in.
It seems like all things being equal the biggest difference is the time frame. An unstarted horse equals X years to get to the hunt field. A started but green horse could go on summer trail rides and in the hilltopper field this fall.
I took on a horse last October who came from a dressage owner. The horse’s groom is personal friend of mine and when the mare needed a new home she called me saying the mare is a trail riding machine. That is what she did with the mare to decompress her. My friend said I know this mare will hunt and she also knows I start a horse very slowly, cautiously. Two weeks after she arrived I had a hell of junior rider hunt the new mare while I rode alongside to observe. As we walked in after a two hour hunt the mare finally did a 4 beat walk. She had been jigging for 2 hours and trotting in place at the checks. By the end of the hunt season I was leading the hilltopper field on the mare while riding on a loose rein. She is a perfect fit for how I like my hunt horse to be. FTR, the mare was 15 when she started hunting.
Contrast that to a mare I had 7 years ago. An athletic QTR horse who had done extreme cowboy racing, among other things. The value to me was that she could go over weird things and was broke to death. The mare never “got” fox hunting. The stop and go made her blow her cork. She would reve up and never settle down. I knew half way through the season this was a round peg in a square hole and that spring sold her to a ranching friend of mine who uses her on his cattle. She is his “go to” mare for a long day in the saddle. She was 8 when I owned her.
And one more. We bred a mare we owned, was there when the foal was born and he had every advantage of knowledgeable people working with him living here with us. As a yearling we hauled him to local shows for halter classes just for the experience. I ponyed him through hell and high water as a yearling and two year old. He was started under saddle the spring of his 3 year old year. That summer while on a trail ride with friends he unloaded me me twice inside of 30 minutes. Bucking fits. I sold him the next week. He wasn’t a bad horse perse but it was clear that he had a buck I could not ride through and he deserved better than having me ruin him. He’s doing fine with his new owner running barrels.
My friend has been going through the exact same thing. You will enjoy her experiences: Check out [URL="https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/hunting/9704062-update-post-15-looking-at-a-new-hunt-horse-this-week"]"Update Post #15 Looking at a new hunt horse this week ". . . on this forum now.
I had the opposite experience, When I was 12 I got my first pony barely broke and had her hill topping in a few weeks.
Unfortunately she died. My second mare came out of a back yard. She had a soft mouth and became a willing jumper in the show ring and on the hunt field. Never refused with me -not once.
My next horse was trained as a reiner and had tons of experience with rodeos. He was not ever calm. I think success with a horse depends more on the horse’s temperament , how well you can ride and train, and how well you click with your horse. Not so much on the early training.
