Hi All,
Hope I am not jinxing the sale (touch wood, salt over shoulder, click heels 3x, ad infinitum). We went and looked at two TWH yesterday. Reason? DH is pretty much a rank beginner and the two we saw are very mellow. As a matter of fact, he found them on the internet. The owner is is now driving and had some nice looking Haffies in the pasture. Not for sale, however.
It just so happened that one of the two TWH is a black and white 8 year old mare (my little girl dream 
). I got kisses whenever I was near her :lol: . I think she would qualify as a hony.
Sooo, since she is used to traffic, dogs, 4 wheelers, kids, trains, trails, would I be laughed out of the hunt field (i.e., hilltoppers) if I eventually joined a hunt?
My two real horses LOL are no way near ready to hunt, so I’m kinda grasping at straws here.
Fire away!
I’ve seen a Walker cross and some other gaited crosses in the hunt field.
I can’t speak for all hunts but I have seen TWH in the hunt field and nobody thought anything of it. They seemed to behave very nicely. This past weekend I saw a pacing Standardbred in the hunt field, an interesting choice, (I tried to ride a horse that paced once and it just felt too awkward for my taste) but the woman riding him seemed perfectly happy. I say the horse that will give you a safe fun trip throughout the hunt is the right horse for you! JMO!
I used TWH for field trialing for years, they are the breed ofchoice for that venue. They are super comfortable, put up with gunfire, dogs, flushing birds, large galleries of spectators, very varied terrain, etc. I assume that those qualities would be useful in the huntfield as well if the horse had decent ability over fences.
The only problem with a TWH in the field is that their pace differs some from a regular wtc horse. So the running walk is kind of between a trot and a canter in pace and it is sometimes hard because you have to keep nagging at them to have them spaced correctly in the group. Also I would say that some hunts are more open and receptive than others to gaited horses so you might want to talk candidly with the local hunt secretary, The other thing I’ve noticed is that gaited horses can sometimes upset non-gaited horses. Don’t know why, but I had a very quiet paint that the only two times he ever spooked or bolted was when he saw gaited horses.
[QUOTE=Painted Wings;3953909]
The other thing I’ve noticed is that gaited horses can sometimes upset non-gaited horses. Don’t know why, but I had a very quiet paint that the only two times he ever spooked or bolted was when he saw gaited horses.[/QUOTE]
Yes! Hunted with an Icelandic once. During a run, the poor little thing could not keep up and I needed to pass it. I was a good bit away from it in a cornfield but as I got right beside my gelding could not figure out what that horse was doing! So he made sure to go sideways quite a bit as to give it plenty of space LOL!
However, we have a member who hunts some sort of gaited horse and my horse is fine with that one. His legs don’t go quite as fast as the smaller Icelandic though!
[QUOTE=3dogfarm;3953855]
Hi All,
Hope I am not jinxing the sale (touch wood, salt over shoulder, click heels 3x, ad infinitum). We went and looked at two TWH yesterday. Reason? DH is pretty much a rank beginner and the two we saw are very mellow. As a matter of fact, he found them on the internet. The owner is is now driving and had some nice looking Haffies in the pasture. Not for sale, however.
It just so happened that one of the two TWH is a black and white 8 year old mare (my little girl dream 
). I got kisses whenever I was near her :lol: . I think she would qualify as a hony.
Sooo, since she is used to traffic, dogs, 4 wheelers, kids, trains, trails, would I be laughed out of the hunt field (i.e., hilltoppers) if I eventually joined a hunt?
My two real horses LOL are no way near ready to hunt, so I’m kinda grasping at straws here.Fire away![/QUOTE]
Only by those who think that TWHs aren’t real horses 
Thanks for all the input. Yes, I can see the Icelandic tolting its little heart out. That gait is amazing.
Yes, we have drunk the Koolaid and are starting to “collect” horses. I ain’t complaining! Never thought I’d consider two TWH before, but then again, never planned on getting a Pek-a-Poo and he is my baby. Opinionated, smart@ss little bugger, however!
Hmmm, think/think…DH hilltopping on his TWH…
Hmmm, think/think :D/plan/plan/connive/connive
Luvmywalkers, I thought I’d get into trouble :eek::eek::D!
Please forgive me and give all of your TWH extra treats tonight and say they are from me.
Shall I come out and shovel frozen manure to make amends? Or, since it is Spring, sloppy, gloppy manure???
A friend of mine hunted a large TWH with Waterloo Hunt (MI) for several years. TWHs are capable of jumping.
I board at a facility owned by a TWH judge and trainer. She shows/trains in the natural flat-shod world (not the padded horses). Anyhow, she personally doesn’t hunt, but all of her horses walk, trot and canter, along with gait. She knows many that do very well in the hunter ring too (there is a hunt seat/jumping division within the TWH world). So, to answer your question, I understand they are very capable.
When hunting with Red Rock last year, the Horse I Most Wanted to Steal was a walking horse mare that was packing a 6 or 7 yo boy around, he was helping his mom whip in. I have a picture somewhere but am headed out the door, will try to find and post link later, if where I’m going has internet…
If anyone sniffs disapprovingly tell them the horse is imported from some little Eastern European country (make one up because no one knows their geography anymore). Explain that his pedigree goes back to Genghis Khan’s pony’s second cousin twice removed, and the blood can be found in all the best European Jumpers.
Mr Dawglover’s now retired TWH hunted. She had a ground eating gallop and a nice rateable gait that was adjustable to most situations.
I wish she was still rideable, my old back would appreciate her smoothness!
You might want to try hopping some fences before going. See what style jump your TWH has in him/her.
Some of the ones I have seen go, do the mule jump thing. No arc. Get up to the jump, stop, hop over, and then continue. Kind of a surprise to some riders!! Horse just had a very different style jump than most riding animals. This was on several TWH animals, so maybe a structure thing to go with gaiting body design.
Gaiting animals do best on smoother ground, able to get in rhythm of the gait. Really rough, torn up, might not allow gaiting, which is not the animals fault. They should canter when asked to. Far as I know, the canters are smooth to ride, cover the ground to keep up.
Get a gaited horse Farrier, to keep the proper balance and length on hooves needed for horse to gait well. Too many farrier folks cut off all the toe length on those nice big hooves. Not used to those kind of hooves. Big boned horse needs his big hooves, even if not tall. Good Walkers just don’t trot for any reason. Poorly built, badly shod, TWH might trot. Pacy ones might be helped balance better with good shoe help, get them gaiting well.
Enjoy your new horses.
I don’t hunt, but I do own a TWH, so I’m going to chime in anyway. Actually, he’s taken a liking to Red Stripe lager, so if someone condescendingly questions his lineage, I tell them that he’s a rare Jamaican Walking Horse. :winkgrin:
Personally, I’ve found that my horse gaits BETTER when we are on the trail (hilly, uneven ground, lots of twists and turns, etc) than when we are riding on a straight, flat section or in an arena. He has a wonderfully smooth, rolling canter and a HUGE heart.
Aside from hopping over small natural obstacles on trail, I haven’t jumped with him. . .however, I do know that there are people out there who actively show their TWHs in the hunter ring and do pretty well with them. There are also over-fences classes offered at the breed shows, so there’s no question that the TWH can jump.
Good luck – post an update if you decide to take on one (or both) of those Walkers!
Thanks again for all the info. Sounds promising! We are going out again this weekend (NO rain and sunny, finally!) to take a more thorough look at them. The owner’s son-in-law is the farrier so he should know TWHs. They are not the show style by any means.
Goodhors-my two “waiting in the wings” are part Clevie.
Jswan, will this do as a retort?
"What??? You haven’t heard of Lithuanian Ligginvirdunkglottenshmalls? Why, I thought everyone had! Well, harrumph, they ARE a rare breed-only royalty could own them until some were imported to um, uh, (opens road atlas, closes eyes, picks state/town) XXX after the WWI. My grandfather’s cousin once removed x 3 was given a stallion and mare by a grateful exiled Count after grf/cuz/1r x3 rescued him from his burning castle on the Thames/Rhine/Rhone/Swannee/Black Sea. Unfortunately, the papers were lost in the fire. (of course)
The color? (Bl/W pinto). Oh, the COLOR. White and black was bred into them from majickal GVs for camouflage/protection in the Alpine-black for the dark trees/rocks, white for the snow. Any other questions? Do they fart butterflies? Oh, no-they are too well bred for that-their manure is valued as ginorous caviar."
Inquirer gallops off in a huff…3dogfarm takes yet another tipple from flask, shares with L/Ligginvirdunkglottenshmall.
Yeahaaawww, I’ll get to go shopping for more horsie stuff! When we pay for them (avoiding jinxing the deal :winkgrin::eek::winkgrin:)
jmho!
What really matters is the what the hunt you want to join thinks. Honestly my experience is that TWH are not good enough jumpers for first flight for most hunts around here BUT…hilltoppers shouldn’t be a problem. But we just don’t see them much so I can’t be a fair judge. Their jumping style looks mule-like to me and that lack of flow and forwardness can kinda mess with the minds of the horses behind them. It just takes getting used to I guess. A good horse is a good horse!
<<<<Get a gaited horse Farrier, to keep the proper balance and length on hooves needed for horse to gait well. Too many farrier folks cut off all the toe length on those nice big hooves.>>>>>
I would respectfully disagree with this statement.
They do NOT need special foot care to gait, they either gait well or they don’t and putting long toes etc on them invites serious foot problems down the road.
My gaited horses have low heels and short toes, one gaits very smoothly and one doesn’t but both have healthy feet with tight white lines and no lamina pressure.
Get the TWH and hunt with it, they are calm sane horses who take most everything in stride and at the end of the day your butt and back will thank you:-))
Bwwwwwhahahahahahha - that’s good enough for a dressage show, too! Bwwwahahahahahhahhha:lol:
I can’t tell you if this horse is right for you or not, nor if it it’s right for hunting. All I can say is - do you like the horse? Will you trust each other? Is it sound enough for what you want to do?
Those are the most important things to figure out. The horse may or may not be suitable for hunting - there is really no way to know until you try. And even then, the horse may not settle down for two or three seasons. But these horses were bred to be ridden for long periods of time and to convey the rider in great comfort… and I just can’t help but think your back will thank you at the end of a long day!
Best of luck to you.
