# Lets celebrate our great hunters Past or present.



## LauraWheeler (4 August 2010)

I'm sat here trying to think of all my happy times with Lucy and some of our most happyest days where spent on the hunting field.
I first took her drag hunting as a kill or cure. (she would kill me or it would cure her behavour) Well it didn't realy do ether she was still awfull the rest of the time but i descovered something she absolutly loved. When i started hunting her i was still falling off her everyday at home but in 10 years of hunting i never fell off her not even once. She was amazing right from day one. She would do anything i asked of her. She would go up the front of stay at the back. We would stop to help fallen riders or injured horses while the rest of the hunt carried on. She was hunted by children on and off the leadrein, she could help whip in one week then the next week i could be riding her at the back leading a small child on there pony (or even two small childeren on two ponies). Once I was cantering along leading a child on a shetland and my phone kept ringing, It was a very fast day and we just didn't seem to be stopping, The phone was annoying me so i droped the reins on Lucys neck and answered it (still at a fast canter leading a shetland ) The rest of the field could not believe it Lucy was a star and just kept steady. Our last proper days hunting was special. It was the last meet of the 08/09 season. We stayed out all day and did lots of jumping. The field master was amazed at the end of the day about 8pm Lucy was still pulling my arms out. Everyone elses horses where nackered (even the second horses, it had been a buisy day) The oldest horse left out was 8 years old except Lucy who was 22   . At the start of last season we where cubbing 3 times a week but just before opening meet she was diagnosed with her illness and was forced to retire.  
I made this video just after she stopped hunting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6VN7dL05Lk

She loved her hunting so much for the rest of last season she had to be shut in a stable with the top door shut and a radio on full blast everytime the hunt came near the yard or she would have jumped out and gone hunting on her own.  Now Lucy is in the big hunt field in the sky probably living her dream and being the huntsmans horse 
Thats Lucy so lets hear about your great hunters past of present. The ones who gave you your best days hunting and who will never be replaced. Includ pics and/or vids if you like.


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## Vizslak (4 August 2010)

Oh I so want to post pics of my two on this thread today, but my pictures are all stuck on the laptop thats still being mended


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## Vizslak (4 August 2010)

Oh but there are a few on facebook! Heres Will on his last ever trip out hunting at 29 years of age (he hadnt been for 7-8 years before this but I wanted him to go out one last time) The other horse is Cat, this was her last season out, but she finished the season before retiring in the spring of 2009 due to injury. 
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1623761&l=df76ee7cdd&id=578225843
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1623762&l=02d3cb58dd&id=578225843
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1612435&l=d123f4042a&id=578225843


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## Simsar (4 August 2010)

Peter.







Cyril







Ginge


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## AML (4 August 2010)

My privileged view for the past 12 seasons.


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## Simsar (4 August 2010)

Awesome!  For more of ours look in our profile photo's.


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## JenHunt (5 August 2010)

That's a lovely tribute Laura, I struggled not to cry at work!

my first ever days hunting (not on a lead rein) was on Buzzy, a little chestnut (read orange!) section C. He was a little monkey and despite being put in a pelham just did as he liked! He took great delight in scraping his young riders off on walls, fences, gateposts, trees etc, but he was ultimately sensible. He stopped with everyone else, and went when they did. One pony club meet with the Hurworth we jumped full blown hedges up beside the field master all day, much to the FM's suprise... thinking he was all on his own, to turn round and see a small orange pony ridden by a grinning 10yo kid next to him must have been a shock! Buzzy retired at 38 from hunting and at 40 from ridden life and had 6 wonderful years in retirement. I still miss his naughty antics.

I then got Bobby. He was bought by a family friend for £50 from an auction. He was terrified of everything, was covered in scars and had clearly been beaten by someone. Our friend backed him and got him to the point of being rideable. She then realised his potential as a riding horse and gave him to our family for me. Him and I were both 11. I spent a year gaining his trust and schooling him, teaching him to jump etc. We went hunting that first winter with the non-jumping field, and he was a star, nervous, but brilliant. The next season he'd got the idea and became very forwards, I had to change his bit to something stronger. Over the coming years we won all sorts of show jumping and eventing competitions, even beating Oli Townend on  couple of ocassions! But his hunting got better and better. By the time I outgrew him and passed him onto my sister you could hunt all day on the buckle end in a snaffle and carry a hunting whip. When my sister out grew him he went on loan to 2 little girls who continued to hunt him until last year when he was PTS aged 28.  My little star, I can't tell you how much I miss him. Don't get me wrong I loved Buzzy, but Bobby was something different, the bond we had was so strong. No pics of him hunting, but this one of last summer before he was PTS.






Then I bought Ron when I came back from uni... He's totally different again, and lives for his hunting. He even sulks if it's a hunting day and you don't take him! I have to use a double bridle for the first part of the season as he's like a kid in a sweet shop, just can't contain himself, even at 16! But by the end of the season he's sweet enough to hunt in a snaffle. People know they can follow him over a fence, through a bog, anywhere. They also know that if you follow too close it'll take a week to clean your jacket off! Our FM and HM have frequently asked where I got him, could they buy him, do i have another, etc. To hear such horsemen asking these q's means a lot to me. He isn't world beating or of perfect conformation, but he's brilliant, and honest. I'd like to say he goes first or last, but first or second would be closer!!


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-b...age&img=EF8-T21_HH_0050.jpg&anc=p1_0054&ss=54
http://www.everybodysmile.biz/cgi-b...age&img=EF7-T36_HH_0034.jpg&anc=p1_0034&ss=34

My current favourite hunter,he is also my pointer but a true gent out hunting! Bring on 2010/11!


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

Geourgous horses everyone. I love hunters 

Vizslak how nice it was that you could give will one last hunt. I bet he loved it.

Simsar do you hunt Peter? He's stunning I'd be to scared i'd break him if he was mine. Cyril looks like he enjoys jumping hedges and Ginge is very handsom.

AML what a view.

jenhunt thankyou she was prity amazing bless her. Buzzy sounds like my kinda pony the bit about him jumping sounds just like Lucy. I don't think they realised they where small ponies   Bobby Looks so sweet but i always admire Ron everytime you post pics of him theres just something about him. He looks like such an honest hunter. 

 Baggybreeches sorry it won't let me look at your pics. It keeps saying something about cookies  I'm a compleat computer numpty and it's just making me hungry


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

My old cob Touchy!





This is Sov, sorry I can't find any hunting ones that work!


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

Sov has lovely looking eyes. All the pointers i know that hunt are mad  But he looks so sweet  How does he do raceing?


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## JenHunt (5 August 2010)

thank you Laura, he's a very easy horse to have around, even when he's bouncing about like an over excited 640kg child!! My sister was complaining yesterday that he's very on/off and when he's off he's asleep, but when he's on he's silly. But actually, the friend that rides him just lets him go at his own pace which is all or nothing, where as I make him walk out and canter sensibly! Or try to!

Buzzy definitely had small person syndrome... he used to run at my sister int he field with his ears flat back and his teeth bared until one day she just stood her ground and he sort of went "oh, sorry, I'll be nice" and let her catch him. He also used to undo his bolt and kick latch to get out of the stable, get into the feed shed, go down the 3 wooden steps, down the narrow corridor and get into the feed bins. when he'd had enough he would just reverse out up the steps then let everyone else out too! He'd bite when you did up the girth, he'd threaten to kick when you brushed his tummy, he'd buck if you smacked him. He wasn't nasty, he just knew how far he could push his luck without getting told off! I remember having an arguement with him when I was about 8... I was trying to get him to go down a little track away from home into the stream. We'd been down about a million times before, but this day he didn't want to. I sat there looking for all the world like a thelwell kid, arms and legs all over the shop trying to get him to go. After about 10 minutes my mum made me get off and she got on. To my intense irritation he said "oh, down here? I didn't understand that's what she'd meant!" and just strolled down like he'd never been asked before. He taught us all a h*ll of a lot, lessons I've learnt and kept and still use now!


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

LauraWheeler said:



			Sov has lovely looking eyes. All the pointers i know that hunt are mad  But he looks so sweet  How does he do raceing?
		
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Thanks Laura
He is the kindest, nicest horse you could ever meet, he hasn't done brilliant, but that is mostly down to me trying to do stuff on a shoestring the last two years, we won our hunt cup last year (2 horse race!), and he gives me a huge amount of fun.
Hopefully we should have the job sorted and we will get a proper season this time.

I notice nobody has said I look like I am about to puke! That was me at the first fence before my very first ever point (hence the jumper and hunting breeches!).


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

This is what we looked like this year!
http://www.sweetphotography.com/Gal...to Point/Holcombe/RACE 2/slides/IMG_0536.html


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

And just because I think this is hilarious!
http://www.sweetphotography.com/Gal...to Point/Holcombe/RACE 2/slides/IMG_0600.html
Have you ever seen a happier horse?


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

jenhunt I had to laugh reading about Buzzy. You could have been describing Lucy. Especialy the part about escaping from the stable scoffing in the feed room then letting all the other horses out to   The small cheeky ones are the best 

Baggybreeches I just love that jumping pic. He looks so happy infact i looked through alot of the pics and in nearly everyone of him he has his ears pricked. I think you are very brave to go point to pointing i'd be terrified even with a lovely horse like Sov to look after me.


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## posie_honey (5 August 2010)

baggybreehes - what a fabulous piccie 

i've ridden loads of hunters fom having been a hirling groom (so nannyed a lot) and also doing a season in the US where i managed a yard of 18 hunters and hunted 7 days a week 

my horse of a lifetime was currumba - a argentine polo pony x hunter who took me safely over many a warks hedge (yes this is team chasing but the only piccies i really have of him!) he was also the first horse i hunted (having only cubbed before then) and i ended up hunting him for 4 seasons i think! 

he winnyed when he heard my voice and i loved every minute or riding him. he was occasionally used as a hirling but usually handed back pdq after he's dumped his rider or he'd point blank refused to jump with them! he was a character and a half and i loved him to peices







i thought i'd never find a horse like him.... in fact i vowed never really to jump again after i had some cracking falls off another horse out hunting.... then had 8years really away from the hunt field playing polo etc but finally had the money to buy my own horse.... and honey came along - and you know what... she is so much like currumba its scary! he may well have to share his horse of a lifetime position 

(although she's scared of people handing a hip flask/stirrup cup to her - doh!!! marks def off for that )


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

Oh wow currumba sounds such fun. Looks like he could jump to  I love the last pic of honey she looks like she just eligantly floats along


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## posie_honey (5 August 2010)

LauraWheeler said:



			Oh wow currumba sounds such fun. Looks like he could jump to  I love the last pic of honey she looks like she just eligantly floats along 

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she does when she's not bucking  she has a wicked streak - suits me perfectly lol!
ride judges always love her canter/gallop - but usualy don't like her stonking hunting trot! covers the ground but is bone breaking as one judge descirbed it!


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## Simsar (5 August 2010)

Peter does hunt, and Ginge is now a broodmare!


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

posie_honey bless her. Who needs to trot out hunting. It's stand still or gallop isn't it LOL

Simsar I bet Peter turns heads when he's out hunting.


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## Simsar (5 August 2010)

This is Nev.   Stop me if I'm boring

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=711&pictureid=4208

This is Charlie

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=711&pictureid=4207

Ian Surrey Union Huntsman @ Simsar

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=711&pictureid=4204

Ginge and Ian

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=711&pictureid=4205

The 80's

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=711&pictureid=4209

One from my Great grandad's job  He was Head Groom for Lord and Lady Armstrong.  But have loads of them so I will stop now. 

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=711&pictureid=4203


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

No not boring. I'm loving looking at all the hunters.  I'm a bit sad theres not many ponies though


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

This is the lovely mare we sold earlier this year
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/galleries/main.php?g2_itemId=10864&
That is my sister on board.


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

Ponies you say?
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=84687&id=1622522214&ref=fbx_album
Top left was my first ever time out hunting on the lead rein!
Gratuitous pic of SOv with his ears forward again!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=84690&id=1622522214&ref=fbx_album&fbid=1029399828235
POny Club meet
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pid=604433&id=1622522214&ref=fbx_album&fbid=1242234228962


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## LauraWheeler (5 August 2010)

YAY ponies thanks Baggybreeches    he looks like one ace ponio and gotta love Sovs pricked ears. I think i may be falling in love with him


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## Baggybreeches (5 August 2010)

LauraWheeler said:



			gotta love Sovs pricked ears. I think i may be falling in love with him 

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I do every single day!
Most people do love him, he is just that knid of horse!


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## horsecrazy25 (6 August 2010)

I love everyones photos  I took my first boy out excercising with the hounds which was a brilliant day. Then last year i took my friends hunting cob out that was also a brilliant day so i can't wait to take my boy again this year  xx


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## PickledOnions (6 August 2010)

The 28y.o ginger pony who gave me the BEST times hunting with the quorn, he is still around but has retired now, he taught me everything about hunting 
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5312099&l=b6d926a8b7&id=898610127
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=10400231&l=2beee69951&id=898610127
I'm hoping my TB will give me as much fun this season as I only got out twice last season


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## Grey_Eventer (6 August 2010)

Ours has got to be these two: 






Bella and Indio- that was my first days cubbing  it was so wet and cold! I can still remember the back bap afterwards  
Bella was probably about 25, had done everything and just plodded along at the back 
Indio was a high goal polo pony who played all through the summer and then hunted all through winter, leading both me and my brothers ponies 

Current horse is ace as he jumps everything and anything... there isn't anything i would duck out of on him... reguarly leads my friends over all the big hedges and is just generally insane  Even on  x-mas eve when we had 3 horses run across our line to a hedge 2 strides out, he jumped the fence despite half jumping a horses bum, hes just awesome


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## SusannaF (8 August 2010)

Simsar  that photo from your great granddad's work is stunning! What elegance, hey?


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## Simsar (8 August 2010)

Thank you very much that is so kind, as you can imagine I have a fair few, I could do another post but I don't want to bore people.


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## AML (8 August 2010)

Oh, please do bore away!

Having come late to hunting and having gone from deriding hunters as broken competion horses or those that weren't good enough in the first place, and not really seeing the point of hunting - well you don't win anything, do you - I am now a complete convert.

I was always pro-hunting, but only ever having done it as education for the young eventers or as a sweetener for something that had lost its confidence, it wasn't until I started riding "hunters"  as opposed to "horses that go hunting" that I "got it".

What a special group of horses they are.

I have enjoyed reading of all your special hunters, as I know how special to me, is the horse, that those grey ears are attached to.

So Simsar, if you can bare it please do post photo's from the past, for people like me who weren't steeped in the traditions of hunting as a child.


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## Simsar (8 August 2010)

OK I will start tonight. x


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## faerie666 (8 August 2010)

http://www.mrbphotography.co.uk/photos/view/19846/

Robbie, my ex-pointer turned superstar hunter on our best (and sadly our last) day out, gate shutting for the Cheshire Forest on Xmas eve 2008, the day he gave me my confidence back.

And here he is doing his 'proper' job:
http://www.sweetphotography.com/Gal...Point2Point2007/Cheshire/slides/IMG_0138.html
http://www.sweetphotography.com/Gal...Point2Point2007/Cheshire/slides/IMG_0127.html


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## SusannaF (8 August 2010)

Simsar said:



			OK I will start tonight. x
		
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Would love to see them. As book research I read lots of the classic sidesaddle manuals and stablecare books from that period, and got fascinated.


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## Simsar (8 August 2010)

Hi I have started a new post didn't want to hijack this post.  There are a lot of photo's and I have named a few of the people so you know who's who enjoy. x


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## Alec Swan (8 August 2010)

Laura,

what a delightful thread.  The loved,  the good and the great.  Excellent!

Alec.


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## LauraWheeler (9 August 2010)

PickledOnions you pony looks great and i hope you have better luck with your TB and get loads more days this season. 

 Grey_Eventer what a lovely pic you look so happy to be out and your pony looks lovely and clean.  I'm guessing it didn't look that clean at the end of the day   

AML real hunters are worth there weight in gold. I know what you mean when you say about horses that "horses that go hunting" they just can't compare to proper hunting horses or ponies esp ponies like Lucy who lived for her hunting. 

faerie666 he looked like a lovely chap. I'm glad he gave you your confidance back and your last day was one to remember.

thankyou Alec Swan

Simsar off to have a look at your new thread. Pics of the good old days


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## chestnut cob (9 August 2010)

If these work, they are the only photos anyone has taken of us out hunting... I've linked to the website.  This was the first time I took him hunting, had had him about 4 weeks and I think it was the first time I'd even jumped him.  He has hunted a lot (several full seasons before I got him), I've only taken him a handful of times and he was great at this meet (2 seasons ago) but I couldn't settle him at all last season so we only went a handful of times.  I'm hoping to try bloodhounds this season to see if we get on better with that...

At the meet (Farmers Bloodhounds first autumn hunting meet, 2 years ago nearly now!)  He is a star at the meet then turns into a devil once you move off:

http://www.richardsloman.com/photos/equine/farm_blood_2008/page/1/6339753174508121684

Itching to get going:  http://www.richardsloman.com/photos/equine/farm_blood_2008/page/1/8532151412853792218

Absolutely shocking riding from me but it was our first time jumping - that's my excuse and i'm sticking to it  http://www.richardsloman.com/photos/equine/farm_blood_2008/page/2/8233257132330620798

Sorry they're not better but I don't think I have any from last season...


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## faerie666 (9 August 2010)

LauraWheeler said:



			faerie666 he looked like a lovely chap. I'm glad he gave you your confidance back and your last day was one to remember.
		
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He's still alive, but he'll never be sound enough to go hunting again, sadly.
Oh, and he could be a git too, first jump of the day usually looked a bit like this :
http://www.mrbphotography.co.uk/photos/view/19415/


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## LauraWheeler (9 August 2010)

faerie666 bless him he looks like he's having fun. Glad he's still with you even if he can't hunt anymore 

chestnut cob he looks cute bless him a real butter wouldn't melt look in the first pic and don't worry about the jumping pic your position is way better than mine  Thats why i don't post any jumping pics LOL


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## TGM (9 August 2010)

My daughter's pony loves her hunting - this is the day she was lucky enough to be allowed to ride with the huntsman:


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## LauraWheeler (9 August 2010)

what a georgous pony TGM and lucky daughter getting to ride with the huntsman. Lucy loved whipping in but secretly she wanted to be the huntsmans horse. If only she was 4 hands bigger


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## chestnut cob (9 August 2010)

LauraWheeler said:



			chestnut cob he looks cute bless him a real butter wouldn't melt look in the first pic and don't worry about the jumping pic your position is way better than mine  Thats why i don't post any jumping pics LOL 

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LOL yes butter wouldn't melt... he was a paragon of virtue at the meet in the pics.  When I took him with foxhounds last season (so a year later) he was a pain in the ar£e every time.  Spent the first 1.5hours of every day spinning round, going backwards and rearing.  He was great once he got that out of his system... 

If you click on my profile, there should be a link to my Webshots profile so you can have a look at some more recent pics (some from a HT at Eland Lodge a couple of months ago, along with some SJ on Sunday gone) if you're really bored!


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## Simsar (10 August 2010)

TGM Looks like OS&B?????????


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## TGM (10 August 2010)

Simsar said:



			TGM Looks like OS&B?????????
		
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 Actually it is SD&E!


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## Simsar (10 August 2010)

Sorry beg your pardon.  Super pictures anyway.


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## TGM (10 August 2010)

Simsar said:



			Sorry beg your pardon.  Super pictures anyway.
		
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 Thanks - you weren't really that far off, geographically speaking!


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## Simsar (10 August 2010)

No it just looked liked MB huntsman, don't know collar colours not that on the ball. LOL


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## JenHunt (10 August 2010)

Simsar said:



			No it just looked liked MB huntsman, don't know collar colours not that on the ball. LOL
		
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ahh... if we were going on collar colours I'd have said South durham or middleton... one of them's sandy and the other one's blue but can't remember which way round they are!


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