To Continue Or Not?

[Outfxed]

I’m having a dilemma and need opinions. I adore my QH and want to do what’s best for him. So help me out to decide if hunting him more would be uncaring.

We are in our 2nd season hilltopping. My work schedule will only allow me to get him out 4 times from the beginning of cubbing until the clocks get pushed back. After that, I don’t get home from work until dark & can only ride on weekends. I don’t want to hunt on weekends if I can’t get him ridden during the week.

So we did all the hunt trail rides last year, cubbed 4 times and we were done. He’s a complete delight to hunt. Quiet, easy to ride and mostly stands during the checks.

This summer we did the hunt trail rides again but I noticed the more we attended, he began to shake when tacking up, still shake on the trailer ride there and even once loaded up to come home.

Yesterday we cubbed for the first time this year. He started shaking the moment I put him on the cross ties, shook on the trailer, shook during the checks, the trailer ride home and didn’t stop until he was bathed & turned out. He shakes like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz.

This morning, his back was so tight from all the shaking he was doing, he was sore. He’s fit enough, his saddle fits him well and its not fear of the trailer because he doesn’t do it during the off season. He’s not nervous or upset with a crowd of horses and overall, does his job.

So, of course, I would love to get out three more times, but I am feeling very guilty about how much he shudders and shakes as a result. I don’t think its in wonderful anticipation of the hunt since he continues to clink and clank long after we’re done.

Do I just bag hunting because I feel so awful he shakes so much or continue to go out for the 3 more times I can and hope it will pass?? :no: I want to do what’s best for him.

[jawa]

Does he shake when you ride at home alone? at home in company?

How many hunt trail rides have you taken him on? 1 a month for summer, 1 a week?

Does he sweat with the shaking, a sign of nervousness? or is it just shaking?

What pace is your second flight? mostly walk/trot? walk/trot/canter?

Do you trail ride at home, or mostly ring work?

How old is your horse?

[Outfxed]

@jawa;5845736

Does he shake when you ride at home alone? at home in company?

How many hunt trail rides have you taken him on? 1 a month for summer, 1 a week?

Does he sweat with the shaking, a sign of nervousness? or is it just shaking?

What pace is your second flight? mostly walk/trot? walk/trot/canter?

Do you trail ride at home, or mostly ring work?

How old is your horse?

My horse is 8 yrs. old. I can trail ride him in company or out alone happily with no shaking. We do both trail riding and ring work. Sometimes he sweats when he shakes, sometimes not, it depends on the temperature. Yesterday was cool & overcast, so no sweating.

Our pace hilltopping is forward, just like first flight but no real jumps. Walking, trotting, galloping, jumping logs. He’s happiest when we are moving along, get a little impatient at the checks, but isn’t an antsy, dancey mess.

We probably did 5 or 6 hunt trail rides last year, plus 4 times cubbing and this year 4 trail rides and one time cubbing so far.

We have trail ridden in small groups of 3-5 others extensively, trailering to different venues with no shaking issues previously.

Oh yeah…he’s good about the hounds, they don’t freak him out in a pack or if they pop out of the woods around us. He’s pretty bombproof like that, especially since we have a very rude deer population.

[jawa]

Does he quiver/shake when moving forward, or only when he is expected to be still?

I’m just wondering if he knows how to behave or what’s expected behavior wise, but his nerves are still on edge with the newness of hunting?

Does he have a steady eddie buddy that he can take comfort in?

Other things to think about would be the muscle diseases (HYPP). If you think it might be more than behavioral, call your vet.

If you think its behavioral, you could try some calming herbs to see if it will help him relax and be less stressed.

[Outfxed]

No quivering/shaking when moving on at all. Yesterday was the first time he actually shook at the checks. Previously, I only saw him start to do it when trailering to and from the meets or hunt trail rides.

I know its not muscle disease as I’ve had him for 2 yrs. with no similar problems & his bloodline isn’t known for HYPP. It simply seems hunt related which is why I’m so torn about continuing on or not. I hate to have him a shuddering mess.

He’s not a socialite having been a breeding stallion prior to my ownership. He’s very happy being by himself even as a gelding. I trailer over with a friend who’s horse lives in a field they share a mutual fenceline over but she hunts 1st flight. Her gelding is goofy about leaving Tulsa but he’s indifferent to her horse.

I halfway thought about ulcers. If he didn’t have any before (and has never shown any clinical or behavioral signs of them) he’s going to end up getting them if he hasn’t already.

[wateryglen]

JMHO!

I think you’re overthinking it maybe. That’s ok but it may not be a “bad” thing. It might just be nerves, anxiety or anticipation. The one way to show him it’s nothing to be scared/nervous/anxious about is to keep exposing them in a good & positive way. Talk to & reassure them with neck pats etc. Some do this for awhile then learn about hunting and stop. I think of it mostly as “nerves” just like I get! It’s not bad for me; it’s a way of making me alert for what’s to come…whatever that is. IMHO some horses shake when they hear the hounds…the horn…or just at all the pre ride hoopla. Eventually they calm down and get it. I think you should move forward with your hunting plans. Do whatever works to desensitize him or expose him so he learns. What do you do when encountering a spooky thing out trailriding?

Thoughts…expose him to hunting from a distance. Bring him to a kennels to just hangout…smell/see/hear hounds & stuff. The more you take him out; the more he’ll think it’s no big thing!

As for hunting without fitness? We all struggle with this. My suggestion is to hunt him until you think he’s tired then try to come in. There’s always someone coming in early. No shame in acknowledging yours and his limitations that way imho. It’s humane for both of you! Do the best you can do and no regrets! You are not alone with this - trust me!

[SLW]

We had a sweet heart of a gelding that we hunted that shivered just like your gelding. His was all about the excitement of the hunt though his feet stood still. The one worry we had was he would also sweat, heavily. So he needed extra special attention to get dry after a winter hunt, even with a major trace clip.