Train Hunters Under Saddle and Equitation
By Stephanie Lynn
Copyright©2014
Lesson
1 – Suitable for Purpose
Purpose
of the horse
The hunter horse originated in the
field chasing fox.
While the horse and competition classes for
the hunter horse have evolved, the modern hunter characteristics are rooted in
the field hunter.
Today the rider who wants to ride in
traditional hunter tack has many options.
Popular classes for the hunter horse today
are:
▪ Hunter
Under Saddle
▪ Equitation
On The Flat
▪ Hunter
Hack
▪ Working
Hunter
▪ Equitation
Over Fences
All horses must first have a good base
if they are to succeed in events that require more strenuous training,
education and athleticism.
Training at the beginning will be the same for
all classes whether the trainer’s intent is to take the horse over a fence or
not.
This course will concentrate on the
early stages of training giving students the basic training they need in order to
train a hunter prospect for any job that requires a hunt saddle. That job may
be to carry an amateur rider through a hunter under saddle class or jump with
precision and handiness. No matter the final course for the horse, the basics
are all the same.
The
Purpose of the hunter under saddle
is to present and exhibit a horse’s potential to become a working hunter. The
class is an introductory class that should showcase the horse’s future ability
to show over fences. Hunter under saddle is similar to a training level class
in dressage. It should be the beginning of a horse’s career in the hunter
arena. The class is a stepping stone on the way to equitation, hunter hack and
working hunter. It is the initial class a horse shows in, while laying the
foundation for the horse to excel in other hunter competition.
As such, its training is vital to the
way the horse will accept training for future events. Its importance cannot be
overlooked. Without proper training at the early stages, a horse will be less
likely to reach his potential. Training for the hunter under saddle horse
should follow a natural progression from basic colt breaking to a finished
horse.
A finished hunter under saddle horse
should know how to:
Walk, trot and canter on the correct
lead and transition to all gaits from any gait.
▪ Transition
with ease and stop and stand quietly without resistance.
▪ Perform a turn
on the forehand and a turn on the haunches.
▪ Side pass and
move off the rider’s leg laterally.
▪
Leg yield and two-track.
▪ Change leads
correctly.
Taking a horse from the colt stage to
a finished stage will take at least two years, depending, of course, on the age
of the horse when the horse is started and the horse’s natural ability to
accept training as well as their natural athleticism.
Most associations start their class
descriptions with language that begins:
the ideal hunter under saddle horse moves in uphill straight balance
frame, with the poll above the withers showing a bright expression with ears
alert. The poll must be above the withers at all three gaits. The gaits should
represent the rhythm and cadence suitable for the purpose of eventually going
over fences. All gaits should be in an
active working motion exhibiting the horse’s ability to carry the rider across
the ground with smooth comfortable strides. The rider should present the horse
in a light, soft contact. The horse
should be responsive and smooth in transitions. Suitability to purpose is to be
rewarded. Horses carrying their heads below the withers or exhibiting a
downhill carriage will be penalized.
Keep
that language in mind as you evaluate a horse. Suitability to purpose will
determine a horse’s ability to perform.
Traditionally, a hunter horse working in
the field must first be of size and body to bear the weight of its rider.
Carrying the rider across the fields at a high rate of speed requires a field
hunter to be handy and agile with the ability to negotiate any type of footing
or terrain. With the excitement of horses and hounds all chasing down the fox
through a field, it is imperative the hunter be sound of mind. Riding safely at
speed requires the horse to be good minded, strong and physically sound.
All horses share basic conformational
characteristics that make them good performers no matter what field in which
they work. Balance is the key characteristic that all working horses need to
maintain health and wellbeing during their working career.
Keeping in mind the field hunter’s job
description, there are some basic conformation characteristics that are
desirable in today’s hunter prospect.
Built
to carry rider – Conformation Characteristics
The horse must have the size and
stature to carry the rider’s weight over a course or through a field and
maintain stamina. Having enough body under the topline is important. Whether or
not a rider is going over a jump, every rider needs to feel secure in the
saddle. Security comes from a deep heel and strong leg. Having a horse with
enough body to put your leg around provides security and leverage for the
rider. A narrow body or slab sided horse will not have enough bulk under the
saddle for a rider to wrap their leg around. A good hunter should have:
▪ A body big enough to carry the
weight of its rider.
▪ Enough bulk and bone to
withstand the pressures of the job.
▪ A deep heart
girth.
▪ Enough height
to give the horse a long stride.
▪
Prominent wither with muscle to keep the saddle in place.
▪ Proper
structural ratios:
◦ Slope of
shoulder should be about 45 degrees
◦ Topline of
neck to bottom line of neck equal to 2:1
◦
Length and turn of hip – slope of hip should mirror slope of shoulder
◦ Heart girth
and legs should be approximately equal lengths
◦ Wither at same
height or higher than croup
▪
Structural correctness
Although depth of heart girth may not
be as critical to overall balance as the angles of the horse’s structure, it is
an important measure. Not only does it measure the body’s capacity to house the
heart, lungs and other vital organs, without a deep heart girth, the horse
cannot have many other desirable traits. He cannot have a strong body to carry
the weight of the rider or have the body type that allows the rider to have
something to put their leg around. At the same time, a prominent wither,
without a deep heart girth and the muscling that goes with it, will be “sored”
easily by wearing a saddle.
A
common flaw that negatively affects the horse’s balance, and therefore
performance, is a back that is too long in relation to the neck and hip. It is
important to consider the ratio of the topline to the underline when analyzing
balance. The topline is measured from the withers to the point of coupling. The
underline is measured from a point under the belly between the horse’s front legs
to a point roughly even with the stifle. The topline should always be shorter
than the underline in a balanced horse.
A longer topline indicates that the
horse has a long back, which is considered weak and can be problematic. Long backs
have weaker muscling. Longer back length also makes it difficult for the horse
to bring its hind legs up under its body when it moves. The hind legs reaching
under the body are the source of power for the horse to move forward and also
allow the horse to maneuver and adjust easily. If a horse is unable to bring
its hind legs well underneath its body, more weight must be carried on its
front end. This reduces power and maneuverability and leads to a more jarring
impact for the rider.
Horse #1
Horse
#2
When looking at Horse Number 1, you
see that the shoulder, neck, back and hip are all approximately the same
length. Horse number 1 also has a good shoulder angle. Notice the difference
between shoulder angles on the two horses. Notice too that Horse Number 1 also
has a longer underline than topline, another favorable trait. Horse number 1 is
an overall well balanced hunter. Horse Number 1 is also pretty in his head,
clean in the throatlatch and has a big dark eye. It is important that a horse’s
head be flat or a little dished. If the horse has a big Roman nose, he will not
be able to see past it. A big round eye on the corner of the horse’s forehead
provides the best view for the horse. Pig eyed horses are considered flighty by
some. The small eye reduces the horse’s visual field as can placement of the
eye.
Structural
correctness is
paramount to the suitability of the horse. For a thorough look at the correct
structural conformation take Conformation
and Selection for Performance. The course will detail the desirable
traits and goes into depth on structural correctness for a horse’s specific
job. Any performance horse should have
straight, correctly set legs, front and hind. There are several articles that
do an excellent job of describing good conformation. They should be read. *Form
to Function by Marvin Beeman, DVM http://www.aqha.com/Resources.aspx
and Horse Conformation Analysis http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1613/eb1613.pdf
are both excellent publications.
For our purposes know that every
horse’s conformation will affect training. A horse’s ability to perform
specific jobs may be limited by his conformation. Horse’s with long backs will
be weaker and have more difficulty getting over a jump clean. Steeply sloped
horses will be rougher to sit on making it more difficult to teach an amateur
rider to sit properly. A short steep shouldered horse will have a shorter
stride; undesirable for a hunter who needs a long soft stride to carry a rider
down a line to a jump. A horse with straight,
correct legs has maximum range of motion and moves cleanly and correctly
without any interference (hitting one leg against another).
When choosing a horse, keep in mind
that conformation is inheritable. In other words, like mother, like daughter; like
father, like son and so forth. Although there are no perfectly conformed
horses, choosing a horse with minimal deviations will make training easier and
increase the chances of a long career for the horse.
Choosing
a Good Mind
Most
important to your ability
to train the horse will be the horse’s mind. It is critical that the horse have
the mindset to be cooperative and accept training. Understanding a horse’s mind
is not something that translates easily from page to practice. It will take
years of experience and paying particular attention to discover the traits that
you find make training a horse uncomplicated.
Looking at things like a horse’s eye
will become second nature to your choosing a horse. It can be said that a horse
that is broad across the forehead with wide set eyes has a better physical
capacity for trainability. While many may think it is just an old wives’ tale,
you will ultimately decide if a pig-eyed horse is more flighty or difficult to
train.
When looking at a potential horse to train
for hunter under saddle, pay attention to how the horse reacts when entering
the horse’s stall or approaching the horse in the cross tie. Watch how they use
their ears in response to being handled on the ground. This will be telling. If
you are looking at a group of horses in a pasture, does the horse you are
interested in zip off tearing away from the herd? If so, it may be a good
prospect for a speed event. Does the horse you are looking at require quite a
bit of clapping and chasing before it moves away from you? If so, this horse is
probably better suited for training as a youth or amateur hunter under saddle
horse.
Fundamental personality traits that are
desirable for training are:
▪ Quiet and calm
▪ Slow to react to clamor
▪ Big, kind dark
eye set wide on the forehead
▪ Patient – not
antsy, looking behind him when tied or anxious
▪
Secure – often difficult to determine quickly, but sociability offers insight
into horse’s security
Horses have a strong fight or flight
mechanism. It will be important that you learn to understand the qualities that
make one horse good minded, trainable and capable of doing more than his
physical attributes would lead you to believe and another horse with great
physical talent but without the mind to accept training. You will have both in
your career if you spend any amount of time teaching horses and students.
Movement
and Gaits
The best hunter under saddle horses
carry themselves in a balanced frame, rounded in the topline and softly on the
bit. They should have a long, sweeping stride that covers maximum ground with
minimal effort; ideally the horse should carry a 12-foot canter stride.
Generally speaking, the best hunter under
saddle horses have long free flowing gaits. Under saddle horses should be able
to collect easily, but are shown with their frame more “stretched out” than
seen in dressage horses, eventers or show jumpers. Horses are shown to emphasis
a long ground covering stride.
The
walk should be a flat footed, four beat gait that is straight and true; not
too slow where it becomes non-rhythmic or the horse is stopping and starting.
Neither should the walk be on the verge of trotting or jogging. It should be a
relaxed rhythmical forward motion with a definite four beat cadence. An
over-reach of the hind foot beyond that of the front foot shows length of
stride and is desirable.
The
trot should be active
and forward with a defined two-beat cadence. Hind legs tracking up into or
ahead of the front foot step is desirable. Each step should show length of stride
with steady rhythm in each step. A consistent stride that shows drive from the
hindquarters, yet displays a big bold step is credit earning.
A horse that cannot keep the same pace from
step to step, takes a small choppy step or a quick step will be judged
unfavorably.
It is also undesirable for a horse to trot so
fast that the feet spend little time on the ground and in fact, often hit each
other. This is sometimes called “trotting off his feet” and is difficult to
ride and therefore undesirable. Short, up and down or quick strides are
uncomfortable, difficult to ride and undesirable.
Long, sweeping strides that cover the
ground with smoothness are easiest to ride, thus are most desirable and
rewarded in the show arena.
The
canter must be a three
beat cadence with rhythmic and ground covering strides to meet an easy distance
for a working hunter course. Cadence, rhythm and fluidity count over flatness.
Hocks should step deep under the underline powering the gait. Excessive knee
action is undesirable and will be evaluated in a less favorably way.
Ideally the hunter horse engages his
hindquarter to drive deep underneath himself, creating impulsion and suspension
in his cadence. The stride that is easiest to ride is the stride that is long
and slow, covering the ground with softness. When asked, the horse should
readily collect or lengthen according to the rider’s needs.
In
all gaits, the horse
that carries himself on his own, without excessive help from the rider to be
cadenced or held together will earn the most credit. The horse should move
freely from his shoulder without excessive knee action in any gait. Stumbling
and tripping are faults and negatively affect a judge’s perception, while heavy
movers are usually jarring and uncomfortable to ride and will be judged
accordingly.
Never
underestimate the
importance of eye appeal. Hunter horses, whether showing in hunter under
saddle, equitation, hunter hack or working hunter are all being judged – not
timed. Therefore, looks do matter! You are trying to appeal to a judge. Even
with all of the guidelines and criteria used by judges to place each class,
judging is still subjective and eye appeal matters.
Topline is another consideration and
each breed has its own standard for a correct topline. Make sure that you know
the standard for the breed you are showing. Keep in mind that extremes are
never rewarded. Too much is too much. A horse that carries his head too low
will not be able to see the jump in front of him or her and will move off his
front end in a downhill carriage. This creates undue stress with repetition
leading to soundness issues and makes it difficult to develop athleticism.
At the same time, it is undesirable for a
horse to carry his head too high where he can gain advantage over a rider or
run away from his or her rider. Either extreme is disobedience and will be
judged accordingly.
For training purposes, the horse
should be ridden to maximize his or her physical attributes. Each horse has an ideal place to carry
himself for maximum benefit and use of energy. Keep in mind that if you ride a
horse in a position that makes doing a particular maneuver difficult, you are
not making the horse’s job easy. This can lead to soreness, fatigue and
resentment. More will be said about this later.
It
is important to begin with the knowledge that as a trainer it is your job
to teach a horse to perform correctly and willingly.
Let’s
look at some movement:
The
Trot
Horse #1
Horse #2
Horse #3
The trot is a diagonal two beat gait; left
hind moves forward with the right front while the right hind moves forward with
the left front. Longer striding horses are generally smoother to sit on with
less up and down motion making sitting on their backs easier. A short striding
horse usually has a jarring feeling making it more uncomfortable to ride. When
trotting on a short stride, the rider will have to post, rise and sit, rapidly.
This can be difficult and uncomfortable. The horse that carries a long stride
is easier to ride as his legs move more slowly to cover the ground making it
easier for the rider to follow the motion. The quicker the step, the quicker
the jump, the pole or the cone seems to come up. When riding a long stride, it
will feel slower and give the rider more time to feel the ground pass
underneath her; decision making will be more relaxed.
In the photos above, the first horse
appears to have a short stride. The trot seems to have a more up and down
motion than a forward, ground covering motion. Horse number 2 has a good trot,
an uphill carriage, meaning he is using his hindquarters, and a long stride.
His hock appears low and forward making it appear as if the horse would be easy
to post on. Horse number 3 has a big long step, his hind foot is reaching and
stepping into the footfall of the front foot. This is a good trot.
The
Canter
Horse #1
Horse #2
Horse #3
The most important aspect of the
canter is the cadence. The horse that carries a smooth and rhythmic pace is the
easiest to ride. Horses that speed up, slow down, are rough or hit the ground
heavily are jarring, uncomfortable and make the rider’s job more difficult.
Power should come from behind. In order for the impulsion to come from the
hindquarters, the horse will have to stand up in the shoulders. A downhill
carriage places stress on the front end and makes it difficult for the horse to
properly do his job. A good cantering horse will have self-carriage, hold his
shoulders and front end up and create his power from the hindquarters. The
canter should have a definite three beat gait with even rhythm and cadence.
The first horse cantering appears to
be heavy on the forehand with hocks left out behind his body. This would be
considered a downhill canter and is undesirable for any type of hunter horse.
The bay horse in the middle has a very uphill canter with a hind leg that is
deep underneath the body. The horse appears to be moving forward with more
impulsion, perhaps is on his way to a fence. The tension seen in the neck and
expression in Horse #2 is undesirable. Horse #3 is using his hind leg nicely.
It comes up deep under his belly. While it is difficult to see what his front
leg is doing in motion, it appears to be out in front of him, in an uphill,
balanced frame.
Remember
the purpose of the
hunter under saddle is to present and exhibit a horse’s potential to become a
working hunter. Always keep in mind the criteria of the horse’s job when
evaluating a horse. A good steer pulling horse has different characteristics
than a good working hunter. While a good mental attitude makes any training
easier, a horse’s physical attributes will affect the ease at which the horse
can perform his work.
The
Hunter Rider
So far we have focused solely on the
horse. But any horse is only as capable as that which his rider can present.
The ability of the rider determines
whether or not the horse excels, reaching his potential, or flounders around
without knowledge or trust and becomes a lost cause as a result of poor riding.
It is imperative that riders ride correctly if
they want to bring out the best in their horse. While there may be an
occasional rider who defies the odds,
great riders have great horsemanship skills.
No great rider became skilled with
sloppy riding, bad heels, bouncing hands or a loose seat.
Great riding starts from the heels up.
Riding in the correct position is the best way for you to help your horse. The
best riders are good riders first; good riders put the horse’s needs in front
of their own needs.
No matter how advanced you feel, returning to
the basics is not remedial!
You are embarking on a road to professionalism.
Regardless of whether you ever become a professional, you must be able “to do”
before you can understand and/or teach.
Good luck and have fun. Do not
hesitate to email me at Stephanie@stephanielynn.net
with questions as you progress. I am excited that you have chosen this course
and look forward to your success.
Assignment:
1. Read chapters
1-8 pages 4-31 of Equitation 101: A Guide to Good Riding.
2. Please send a
video demonstrating the longe line balance exercises on pages 6-8.
3. Please send a
video demonstrating your
ability to ride at a walk and posting trot in an English saddle.
You can
load the videos to YouTube and send me the links in an email. Stephanie@stephanielynn.net