# Hunting a 4 year old



## MuffettMischief (8 October 2019)

Hi,

Iâ€™ve got a lovely 4 year old who did at bit of hunting in Ireland at the end of his 3rd year last season. Heâ€™s had a couple of days out this year and is a dream.
How much hunting do you do with your 4 year olds? I am having to sit on my hands (heâ€™s just so wonderful!) and remind myself heâ€™s only 4 and not to over do it but interested to hear others thoughts. We hunt with bloodhounds mainly so not usually really long days for the horses and I can pull out whenever I feel I need to as I have at the first two this season.
Would love to hear your thoughts/experiences.


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## TGM (8 October 2019)

When ours was four he just did a couple of autumn puppy hunts with the bloodhounds and no more as he was still growing and maturing.


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## Goldenstar (8 October 2019)

For me hunting at three is a complete no no and I wonâ€™t buy a horse that has that on its CV .
I liked my four year olds if mature enough to do some autumn hunting and then stop at opening meet time .
I might have then do some Mondays ( quiet day ) at the end of season but no more than two hours .
my experience of horses that lasted is that they where seven before they are expected to hunt hard .
Big horses might take longer H was eight before he was ready .
Fatty did autumn hunting at four two years gate shutting and came to us in the February of his eight year old year .


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## L&M (8 October 2019)

A lot of horses over from Ireland have hunted as 3 yr olds - my little cob had.

At 4yrs he did 1 short day a week, usually finishing around 1pm. As a 5 yr old he did longer days, and by 6yrs hunting twice weekly.

This may sound a lot but our country is trappy woodland and hill country, rare to have a long galloping day and not a huge amount of jumping bar high days.

So does depend on the country, and type of horse.......


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## ycbm (8 October 2019)

I have drag hunted a four year old when I was a lot younger and in too much of a hurry. I wouldn't do it now, I don't think many  four year olds are mature enough skeletally and strength wise. 

.


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## MuffettMischief (10 October 2019)

Thanks. Hunting lightly at three doesnâ€™t bother me and heâ€™s not for sale so it matters not if anyone would buy a horse that had hunted at 3.

Iâ€™ll sit on my hands for a bit longer and just hack and do some showing clinics over the winter!


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## Goldenstar (10 October 2019)

Great hack last night really really good


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## Jellymoon (17 October 2019)

I think you could take him out for a little spin 2/3 times a month couldnâ€™t you? If you are careful with him, just do a couple of lines and then pull out maybe? Thereâ€™s hunting and thereâ€™s hunting, isnâ€™t there, iykwim!


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## Clodagh (18 October 2019)

Bloodhounds gallop like mad though when on a line, don't they? Or is that draghounds! I would do as Goldenstar does as a four year old,


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## MuffettMischief (13 November 2019)

Clodagh said:



			Bloodhounds gallop like mad though when on a line, don't they? Or is that draghounds! I would do as Goldenstar does as a four year old,
		
Click to expand...

No not really. I am a bit of a wimp anyway and stick at the back and go slow as much as I can. I took him out last weekend and only 'opened him up' once! He was fab!! 
He was looking a bit bored/left out but really has his spark back again now hes been out. Hes feeling very important!


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## Bernster (13 November 2019)

I bought my boy just turned 5 in June that year.  I hunted him twice that winter just to get an idea how he would behave but wouldn't do anything regular until 6 personally.  Lots to do otherwise in getting them fit, supple, building up muscle and generally getting a bit of life experience.  I'm pretty cautious as a rule but I think with younger ones I'd rather do that and hope to preserve them into later life.


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## Orangehorse (17 November 2019)

Hunt him a bit up until Christmas and then end your season.  Hunting as a 4 year old, quiet and short days, was the Pony Club recommended training schedule!

Priceless, the eventer, did a full season stag hunting on Exmoor at 4.


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