Need to bring my horse back into work for hunt how would i go about this?

Question

I am wanting to bring my mare back into working as she has had a foal with her for the past 6 months and he has just come off and i have just started hacking her out for around 30Min's every other day and she is out in the field so she gets alot of exercise running about. The hunt is in December in my local town and is on boxing day so i have around 4.5 months to get her ready and am wanting to take her to my local cross country course to get her ready for the jumps as well. The only thing is she is 13 but she acts like a 5 year old when in previous years i have just took her to the meeting but not on the proper hunt and when she hears the hunting horn she wants to go and i have struggled to hold her.

What can i do to calm her down on the day?

What exercise routine/work shall i do to get her fit for the day?

What food would be best?

And any other tips you may have as well?

Im just unsure of what todo

PLEASE HELP ME

Thank You.

Answer 1

Maybe practise the horn with her and maybe get a stronger bit!

Answer 2

Getting her fit... stamina is the key for hunting.  Do lots of work up and down hills and a lot of trotting.  Do transitions and teach her to stand when you want her to; the ability to stand quietly is the mark of a really fantastic hunt horse.  Work on opening and closing gates.  School her over fences.  Just generally get her in shape.

When it comes down to it though, hunting is pretty unpredictable until the day actually arrives.  Depending on the weather and whatever game has been out and about, there might be great scent that will keep everyone on the run all day, or there might be no scent and you'll end up chilling out for a few hours before moseying on in.  Or there might be great scent that keeps getting broken up by wind so you'll spend ten minutes on a run, then stand there for another thirty while the hounds get their bearings again... you just never know.

Any horse that has been hunting before but hasn't been in a long time is going to be pretty jazzed up when they get to the cast.  Some people like to ace their horses but I've never done that; they will be bouncy at first, but by the end of the day they're going to be tired anyway.  Just pay attention to your horse and what she's up to by the time you get to Boxing Day.  If it's a crazy day in the hunt field and you don't think she's up to staying out the whole time, you don't HAVE to stay out the whole time.  (Although she'd probably rather be allowed to.) :) So yeah.  Good luck and remember to have fun!

Edit: also remember to pick your bit carefully because with a lot of horses, a nice old loose-ring snaffle is just going to get you run away with.  Use something with enough leverage that you'll be safe.

Answer 3

To help her calm down try getting to the site early and just walk her around and get used to everything. If possible take her to the site before the event and let her get acclimated. If you have lots of trouble controling her when jumping you might try and evevator bit it will give you a bit more leverage and you dont have to pull so hard on there mouths.