With the season winding down, I thought I’d start a topic to be fun. No bashing please. The topic comes from a recent hunt breakfast.
For me, if some one says that they have a great hunt horse, to me, the baseline requirement is that it is a hunt horse that can go to any hunt in the world and go first flight. Any other requirements?
Great topic. Thx for starting.
Never did ‘Hunting’ but
Turned around many otherwise
Ordinary horses into great ‘Trail
Horses’. So I’ve asked a similar question about training to Trail.
Hunted for a while, decades ago and re-trained a few for hunt horses and will say, maybe their brain is what makes a great hunt horse.
I’ve hunted for 58 seasons --this is my last . . .horse and I got old and decided to look at different endeavors before we die.
First hunt horse: Arab mare --with no quit. She would jump anything (and being 20 at the time, I put her at everything from picnic tables to jumping over pickup truck beds --if you ask, I have a hilarious story of falling off (while showing off) at the Blessing of the Hounds. However, mare had only two speeds, fast and jig. Since I was a whipper in (and eventually field master and occasionally MFH) that worked for me and my then young muscles.
Second hunt horse: “One-eyed Jake” --well he did have two eyes but due to an injury, his head was misshaped and his eyes were not even. He was a great hunt horse --a QH --jumped everything and nothing bothered him. Great endurance. I rode him when I was 30 ish.
Third hunt horse: Full Percheron --my kids had long ago started riding the now elderly hunt horses from the past, and all that was left in the barn for me was Charlie-the-Percheron. But he was game and so was I! And he jumped amazingly well! His only fault was that he could not keep up on long runs --he’d start to fall back and eventually, everyone would be out-of-sight and we’d be struggling along. I was 40-50 ish with him.
Fourth hunt horse and the one I think was the best (although I rode a few others now and then) WD-4D --Handcock QH --15hh, stout, and rather disliked children. I bought him on the hunt field after he’d been out two seasons with another member who didn’t like him because he was “too quiet” --he was to me, the epitome of a hunter --he’d go (and keep up) on any flight. He never kicked or acted out toward another horse. He stood quietly. He jumped beautifully, and he never soiled his stall at the hunt club while I was at brunch (what a guy!). The highlight of our hunt career was the Joint Meet of all Michigan Hunts --a few years ago (ok, probably 10) W and I were invited “up” to ride with the field master of the hosting hunt. Such an honor! The master had ridden with me at the previous joint meet the year before, and had admired W --we led a field of 60+ riders that day with the field master, of course.
Soon after I had various repairs done (knees, hips, shoulders --not at the same time, but sequential years) and W and I dropped to second flight. Last season, I did take him first flight on one glorious fall day --he jumped like a deer and we relived our glory days . . .for the moment.
Soon after, I realized that I was asking a lot of a 28 year old horse, and began my transition to Western Ranch Riding with my newest horse, Bob. Bob has been on the hunt field four times, he’d do ok, but he’d never be W --and in all honesty, I’m over it. Everyone at the club is young enough to be my grandkids! So after this season (maybe one more hunt with W after the hunt ball in April), he and I will be done and Bob and I will start our new adventure in Ranch Riding.
Jumps barbed wire fences with no questions asked.
Has no problem with herds of cattle or sheep.
Will cross railroad tracks.
Airport runways are just like any other road.
Can jump coops by braille on moonless nights.
Loves “Snowy River” downhills.
Stays by your side when you come off.
And competes in lower level eventing and dressage as side gigs.
The airport runway hunt did draw the ire of the FAA, but the fox chose that route. 
In hindsight we should have stopped but…you know fox hunters.
Great hunt horse must have a great brain, three comfortable gaits and be a safe, reliable jumper. The best hunting horses have their own eye for a distance, and can pop over a fence at a trot when hounds aren’t running as well as jump out of stride at a gallop when hounds are running. Goes well in ALL fields - can be a thruster in first AND quietly hill top.
Stands quietly at checks, doesn’t jig on the way home.
Can be ridden happily on a loose rein when hounds aren’t running, has a “fifth leg” to save themselves when needed.
Has all the trail horse manners - gets gates, ponies and can be ponied, will drop a rider on a fence. Balances and shortens up and down hills with minimal support from the rider.
Very little spook - can be ridden through livestock with no issue. Recently had an experience where some very good, experienced horses refused to move past a flock of domestic turkeys blocking the road. The turkeys were aggressively defending their home, but we all felt a little silly.
Stands to be remounted even when other horses are moving.
I don’t entirely agree with that. Yes, a horse that can go anywhere and hunt first flight is a great hunting horse, but so is one that carefully packs around a senior member or child and makes sure they’re safe and enjoying hunting.
I would add - Stays sound when galloped through deep footing, and on hard roads.
Unflappable, capable, keen on hounds, happy to jump anywhere and generally loves the job.
Absolutely. Two thirds or more of our riders are not in first flight and the good horses in those fields - by choice or by necessity - are just as much great hunters as those up front. In my opinion a great hunter is one that is well suited to its rider, sure footed, well mannered, and calm in all situations. It must be able to lead or follow, tolerate hounds literally underfoot, and have enough go to keep up as needed. Then sleep in the trailer during breakfast 
An important quality, for sure, and one I left out. Or at least stand quietly with their haynet, tied to the trailer or on the trailer for the tailgate or the breakfast!
Firstly, thanks for your awesome input on this thread. I’m sure OP will take a lot from it & I enjoyed reading it 
Secondly, yes, please, I’m asking for that story.
Future roadtrips with my FG are on Hold for now, so I may not be able to GTG soon.
@2DogsFarm (apologies if I have told this story before) --I was a newly appointed whipper-in at the hunt club --not so much for my riding ability as the ability of my 1/2 Arab mare Jordan --she would jump anything I pointed her to and I managed to stay on . . .until . . .
The Blessing of the Hounds.
The MFH explained to us six whippers-in, that he would take the pack into a fenced arena where the priest would conduct the service. Members of the hunt would wait mounted during the service. After we would hunt, then return to the hunt club for a catered brunch that included members, their families and landowners. As whippers-in, our job was to make sure the pack stayed together with the master, then marshal them out of the gate to the hunt country.
There was a considerable crowd assembled at the arena to watch the Blessing.
The plan went as expected, and then it was time to take the hounds to the hunt country. The MFH led, the pack followed, and the whippers in kept the hounds together. Except for me.
I was last (being the newest whip). Just as the master picked up the pace outside the arena, I decided to jump the fence instead of go through the gate.
And I did --it was splendid to behold! My blood bay mare, braided to the nines, and me in my spotless hunt coat, canary breeches, and shiny boots --soared over the arena fence --except --I had cleaned my saddle the night before, and forgotten to reattach my stirrup keepers properly.
As Jordan landed her jump, I pushed my feet back. Both stirrups came off and I slid down Jordan’s rump on to my butt on the ground in front of all the assembled spectators.
Sitting on the ground, I whistled for Jordan. In her entire life, she had never come to a whistle, and after that day, she never did again. THIS TIME, this one time, she stopped, wheeled, and just like a trained Hollywood horse, trotted back to me and stood as I reattached my stirrups and remounted. The spectators had gathered around us asking if I was hurt, then expressing amazement at my well-trained horse –
I assured everyone I was fine, and Jordan always came to a whistle.
I hunted her for almost 10 years until life and children intervened. By the time I was ready to hunt again, she was a favorite of my kids who showed her in everything they could and loved brushing her and braiding her long made and tail. I hunted a pleasant gelding, then my Percheron.
One day I was out in the barn and realized, Jordan was now over 20 years old. Where had the time gone? At 22 she died when her liver failed. The vet said it took twice as much as usual to send her over the rainbow bridge. He said, “She is really tough,” and she was. She was tough, and game, and a great hunt horse.
Fabulous story Foxglove!
Great hunt horse: Stays on their feet, keeps you on their back, both smiling at the end of the day!
The opening hunt stories. At one opening hunt I was on one of my hunters and he was in his first season. One of the MFH is coming around with a shiny silver tray with drinks on it. I thinking OMG this is a disaster. Nope my horse just stood there. The been there, done that experienced staff horse next to us bolted, knocked the MFH down, dumped its rider and ran off.
Great story!
I’ll trade you:
When I first got Bugs I took him to the Spring Ntl Drive. By myself, not with my Club, knowing nobody there except a COTHer I hadn’t yet met IRL & driving a 3yo I’d hitched maybe half a dozen times in the 5 months since he came back from the trainer who broke him to drive. 
Turned out she had her mini there along with her Fjord mare & offered to be my Trail Nanny.
We drove the minis on the trails & Bugs was a happy camper.
One planned activity was a Mini Swarm - all minis driving together - & another a Mini Quadrille.
I joined the Quadrille & was doing fine, when I took a turn over-enthusiastically & the deep sand caught a wheel & overturned my cart.
Bugs headed off at a good clip, empty cart following 
I yelled Whoa reflexively & Wonder of Wonders! he stopped & let himself be caught.
I got Respect for such a well-trained mini.
I was too flustered to tell anyone his obedience was the last thing I expected, but thrilled all the same.
A great hunt horse is suitable for that hunt’s territory and can safely carry the rider the way they enjoy hunting, in whatever field they prefer.
Good Bugs!
Heart
A horse who just enjoys the company of humans, horses and hounds ~
A good brain and willingness.
A “great hunt horse” should be able to go any field or staff.
Confident to the jumps, unbothered by a crowd (or a not so great hunt horse bumping into them/running into them), and able to walk on the buckle when were hill topping or gallop over coops with first.
Also must stand at a check and at the trailer!
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