How Fit for Hunting?

[Rarah]

Just curious really. Some people from my yard go hunting (I assume drag hunting?). One of the girls was saying that she was out for 4 hours on Sunday.

It's something that I might like to try in the future - possibly next year.

How fit would we need to be?

I've had my horse 6 months and have been gradually building her fitness up. The terrain in our area is pretty tough and she did get tired easily at first.

At the moment she has
2 x 1½ hour hacks with her sharer (probably fairly gentle hacks),
3 x 2-2½ hacks with me (quite demanding) and
a couple of half hour schooling sessions a week.

She manages very well, but still cannot canter uphill for any sustained period.

Do you think that with this amount of work, she'd be fit enough to try hunting?

Thanks

[DITZ]

I would say so yes. Its mental energy they expand as much as anything but remember you dont have to stay out the whole time, you can leave after an hour or so if you both feel like you've had enough.