Field hunting
A scope to keep up with hounds over any country
A horse with the intelligence to cope with all types of terrains
A field hunter, or a fox hunter, is a type of horse used in the hunt field for fox hunting and stag hunting. In some ways, the field hunter is more similar to a good cross-country horse seen in eventing than a show-ring hunter, as it must gallop and jump over varied terrain, jump ditches, coops, up and down banks, and occasionally go through water.
Working terrain
All surfaces but mainly grass
Rest place/daily stay
Box
Horse characteristics
The field hunter is a thoroughbred fast horse with jumping ability. Field hunters are mainly used for fast riding in hunts across open ground.
Horses behaviour
Because of the thoroughbred influence, these horses are often more restless than their more warmblooded species. It is possible that these horses are most calm when shod in their box.
Shoeing location
In the box or at a quiet place in familiar surroundings.
Advice
For these horses, the same applies as for all hunting horses. The shoe should be fitted short and tight to reduce the danger of injury and to minimise the danger of a shoe being cast because of tiredness. At the same time one should make sure that a shoe is fitted which has a good profile (eg. Eventer, Advantage, Concorde, Concorde Xtra etc.) with a good protection against slipping (eg. studs). The fitting through the hoof wall means that the interval between shoeing sessions should be kept very short. A hunting horse must therefore be shod every 4 - 5 weeks.