Hunter Horses?

Question

Are Hunter Horses allowed to travel in a round frame in which they are on the bit and working from behind with their back up? But still relaxed and calm with smooth gaits and a pleasent expression. Or do they have to just be flat?

Answer 1

they're ALLOWED to be round and working from behind but mostly hunters are supposed to have contact with the reins but stick out their nose

Answer 2

i'm in hunters

and yes you can have a rounded frame, but it won't be as tight of a circle as in dressage!  horse's are supposed to drive from behind and that is very acceptable

what is not accceptable is when the horse is SO collected that they bounce and spring every where because back in the day the true hunter horses never wasted energy on being tight and springy or  flexing there hocks and such. plus they had to have good footing so the lower relaxed head set really comes from the old hunters watching where they were going.. a horse with his head held high isn't looking down at where he is placing his feet

a true hunter horse is just like a trail horse, but more elegant

i like feild hunters the best!

i have a TB and he's way to slow for jumpers but he's really really good at hunters because he has great form! he long and relaxed he does push from his hind legs but i don't collect him i keep contact on a loose comfortable rein and he just put his head however he likes and i guess the judges like it cuz we win! hah

Answer 3

from what i've seen and been taught, hunters can be round and engaged from the hind end and on the bit and everything. however, i think that you can't have them so round that they're too deep down to see the fences and the course you have to navigate around them. my suggestion would to just be flat but still have really good contact, without getting too much in a dressage frame. but i'm like 99% sure that you can be round and all that. hope this helped!

Answer 4

Hunter horses can be set on the bit and in a round frame without looking dressagy going around the course. If the horse is to round they will either have to be set in a spot to far or to close to the fence and end up jumping flat and at the fence rather than over it. Say if you watch a horse free jump generally they set their head and neck in a comfortable position for their conformation and over the fence they are round and supple. That is what judges like to see. And politics are HUGE in any sport, meaning that a warmblood that is unruly and with its head up will most likely place better than an arabian in a round graceful frame.

Answer 5

Well, I can't answer this question totally. I'm not really sure how the hunter horses work, but when I took my dressage mare into a couple schooling shows (just for experience for me and to get my mare back into action with shows), there was a judge that fortunately liked dressage, so I did very well in that show. But in the next two shows I went to, the judge happened to only like hunters and disliked Arabians very much (which my horse is =] ). She was on the bit and in the dressage frame but still calm, smooth, etc. that the hunter should be. But, we didn't do so well in those two shows. Maybe it depends on the judge?

Anyway, sorry I couldn't really help, I think you'll probably have to ask someone who knows a lot more about hunters than me :)

Answer 6

Well, I'm sure it would be acceptable to keep the horse lightly on the bit if the horse does it on it's own. However, don't over do the collection. If the horse is working off the forehand (moving from behinnd, as you put it), that is actually beneficial to the horse. Having the horse on the bit straightens out the spine wich is normally in as S shape in the neck. Straightening it helps the horse work for longer periods of time doing intense work without tiring out as easily. That is why we do it in dressage. Not only is it pretty, but it helps with endurance. Note: This is not to be done on trails as it it unfair to the horse. So, in conclusion, I think it would be perfectly acceptable to keep the horse lightly on the bit (on the bit, not completely round).