An Introduction to the Australian Hunter Horse

By Lisa Le Provost and Samantha Watson of the Australian Hunter Horse Association Inc. 

The concept of the show and working hunter horse have been drawn from the aristocratic traditions of fox hunting, which, like many horse sports, developed in Europe. Both show and working hunter horse classes were developed as a demonstration of the power and skill required of both horse and rider on a hunt.

While, hunting as a sport has existed for some time in Australia, it is only in relatively recent times that the hunter horse has developed as a discipline. This interest has been propelled, to a large extent, by the introduction of good quality performance bred bloodlines into Australia such as the Warmblood, Irish Sport Horse, English Riding Pony, Native Pony, Welsh Cob etc. Such breeds excel in the hunter ring where horses are not judged on their appearance alone, but also their suitability to carry their rider safely and comfortably.

The introduction of the hunter discipline in Australia, however, have been marred with some confusion, with riders struggling with the concept of the division between the show hack and the hunter horse. This is easily overcome, however, if one casts their mind back to the origins of the hunter horse and the qualities required of both horse and rider.

The following five factors weigh heavily in the judging of a hunter horse:

1. Manners

The Show Hunter is foremost a weight carrying animal capable of carrying his rider with ease and safety over a period of time with controlled energy and strong, forward paces. A Show hunter must be able to perform calmly and obediently at all times, allowing the overall picture to be one of strength, quality and presence.

A well mannered horse will always place above a disobedient horse in the hunter ring. This is because disobediences such as bucking, rearing, jig-jogging, snatching at the bit etc. demonstrate characteristics that would be intolerable in a horse that one would ride for a full day.

2. Substance and Bone
Often where hunter horses are described one will see the words ‘substance’ and ‘bone’ - but why are they important and what do they really mean?

Hunters were horses which were required to carrying the weight of their rider for a full day's hunting over varying terrain. Thus they are required to have strength and quality without fineness.
Bone has a strong influence in the selection of hunter horses. Bone is measured by the circumference of the horse’s leg taken just below the knee. A Hunter horse over 15hh should carry 8 to 9 inches of bone. Galloways and ponies should contain a similar amount of bone in proportion to their height, shape and overall size. Strong flat bone, large knees and hocks are desirable, however, limbs should be well defined without being coarse.

‘Substance’ refers to the body of the hunter and that he must be in proportion to the bone that he carries. It doesn’t mean that the horse should be overweight, as a true hunter horse must show that he has suitable condition to follow hounds for a days hunting. Thus obese or grossly overweight horses should be penalized in the hunter ring.

Common mistakes:
A horse which is substantial in build yet is underpinned with fine, petite bone is not suitable to be called a Show Hunter.
A horse which has been overfed and is overweight, yet is underpinned with fine, petite bone, is not suitable to be termed a Show Hunter.
3. General Conformation
In addition to the general criteria of good conformation required in any show animal the following should be considered when selecting a hunter horse:
Straight, correctly set legs, front and rear view;
Short, wide cannon bones with clean, well developed tendons;
Large, clean, flat joints (especially knees, hocks and fetlock joints);
Well shaped feet which are in proportion to the horse;
Short, broad and well muscled back and loins;
Scars and splints should not be discriminated against as long as they do not appear to cause unsoundness;
The hunter horse can be of any colour and can include paint, pinto and appaloosa horses.

4. Movement
Movement is also an important feature of a hunter horse. Hunters should not have the flashy, eye catching movement which is commonly associated with a Show Hack. Instead a Hunter horse must display stronger, plainer paces, which are forward, effortless, elevated and clean. Short, choppy movement or high knee action is not acceptable as it would be considered a waste of energy on the hunt field.
In keeping with tradition, a lengthened or extended trot is not performed on a hunt field and should not be asked for in Hunter classes. Rather than requesting a lengthened trot (a big, toe flicking extension should not win a hunter class) a judge may ask for a strong trot with some lengthening to be shown.

5. The Gallop
A gallop is expected of Show Hunters and it should always form part of the workout providing Show Societies allocate adequate space and that the grounds are not dangerous or wet.
A true gallop is immediate, forward and executed out of a canter, without any sign of laziness or disobedience. On the other hand, flat strap and out of control is not correct. The horse must cover the ground in big, easy strides.
A good way to note the difference between correct and an incorrect gallop is that with an incorrect gallop, the faster that the horse travels the shorter the stride becomes. A correct gallop will display four beats and will be a much longer stride. The horse should finish the gallop calmly and without pulling. It is important also that horses must settle after a gallop and be able to execute a long rein walk at the end of a work out.

Turnout
The traditions of turnout for hunting have developed over hundreds of years and are, to a large extent, based on common sense. While any demure colour can be worn in hunter classes (navy blue, dark green etc.) tweed is often the fabric of choice for hunter jackets. This is because tweed is less likely to show up splatters of mud and dirt acquired during a hunt. Bright colours are avoided to allow riders to blend into the landscape, with the exception of the 'Master of the Hunt' who wore red so that he could be seen and followed by the members of his Hunt.

On the hunt, in case of injury, a stock could double as a bandage or could be utilised as a sling whilst the hunt whip could be used as a splint for a broken limb . Hunt whips are often mounted with a deer antler hook which is a useful tool to be used to open or close gates.

The saddlery of a hunter horse should be workmanlike remaining as plain and as practical as possible. As such, white girths, coloured brow bands and excessive makeup is unnecessary and should be avoided in the hunter ring. Neat presentation, on a well groomed horse, however, is still expected as a well turned out animal was a demonstration of a gentleman's standing in society.

 

For further information on show and working hunter horses, memberships, registrations and upcoming events, please visit: or email: [email]info@hunterthorses.com.au[/email]