Epp Wilson, MFH wrote this piece for members of the Belle Meade Hunt (GA). Foxhunting Life subscriber Howard Benson suggested that Epp’s recommendations deserve wider distribution. We agree. What follows is a sympathetic, timely, and heartfelt message as only Epp can deliver it!
Master and huntsman Epp Wilson and the Belle Meade hounds / Lauren Giannini photo
The hound-roading or exercise season is a good time to bring out green horses—or horses otherwise not used to hunting and hounds bolting out of the bushes and dashing at them from behind.
It is a lot easier for green horses to process surprises now, while we are just exercising hounds than it is when we are hunting, and their minds are already overwhelmed with the mental challenges of a coyote chase. Frequently the inexperienced horse is already at wit’s end during a coyote run, so, of course, he is more likely to kick a hound.
Not Fair
It is not fair to the horse to overload his brain like that. It is not fair for us humans to expect good behavior when we put green horses into that situation without the benefit of lots of hound exercises.
And it sure as heck isn’t fair to the hounds to get kicked hard when they are just doing their job.
That is exactly why we ask people to bring young and inexperienced horses out now for hound exercise, and not wait until the best and most challenging days of hunt season are upon us.
Stupid
Which reminds me of something stupid I did back when I was in college. I had just bought Chaser from Davidson College. He was a magnificent seventeen-hand chestnut Thoroughbred gelding with some nice chrome.
The first clue that should have gotten my attention about his level of experience was that he would not cross water. He was not being hard-headed. He was just scared. He did not understand. He had never crossed water. Once I got off and walked through the water he cautiously followed me. And he was fine about crossing water for the rest of his days.
The stupid thing I did was at the kennel. The first time he ever saw a pack of hounds was at the Pine Top Kennel. I had ridden him into the holding pen, dismounted, and hooked the reins under the stirrup leather (my regular routine on my experienced horses). Then I proceeded to open the first gate. Eight hounds bolted barking out of their pen straight toward Chaser, who was standing at the front fence minding his own business. Next thing I knew Chaser had flat footed the five-foot wire fence and was galloping at top speed across the pasture, away from the hounds he had thought were going to eat him. And he still had the reins under the stirrup leather.
Bless his heart. That was not fair to him. I am lucky he did not break his neck or his leg jumping out. That was a stupid thing for me to do. My expectations of my new horse were beyond unrealistic.
So, those of you with young or inexperienced horses, please don’t make the same type of mistake I made. Don’t give your horse a bad experience with hounds. Come out now and give him many good experiences with hounds and the hunt field so that he is desensitized to those unfamiliar surprises Desensitize him now before he has to cope with many of the other activities that are routine to a great hunt, rather than have him think everything is chaos and nothing makes sense. That is when they kick out at the least provocation…at hounds for example!
Instinct
It is normal for horses to fear hounds and run and kick at them. Horses have survived for millions of years by fleeing from danger and/or kicking at it. That is their instinct. The ones who kicked out survived to reproduce. The ones who did not kick out—well—they did not last long enough to reproduce. So natural selection has prepared horses for survival by wiring them to be fearful of and to kick at wolves and coyotes and anything that acts the least bit like them…or looks the least bit like them…as foxhounds do.
Putting a green horse into a situation where they are unprepared for hounds and end up kicking a hound just reinforces what instinct was already telling them. At that point you have made your horse even more likely to kick a hound the next time. You have made him worse.
It is this instinctive behavior we have to neutralize to keep them from kicking hounds when things become hot, heavy, and exciting during a run. You can also help by trail riding with your own dogs. This also helps accustom your horse not to fear dogs and hounds.
You can do it. We can do it. It’s easy for most green horses to learn. Just give them repeated good experiences puppy walking, trail riding with dogs, and going on hound exercise. Be fair to your horse and our hounds.
Happy Hunting!
Posted August 26, 2016