# What does an ideal hunter horse look like?



## roro

Well, I was asking a sales clerk about a brown bridle because I am planning on jumping my horse a bit over the winter (with a trainer's help of course), to give him some breaks from dressage every once in a while. I was asking about whether it would be okay for a show ring to ride with a bridle that had a flash strap but no flash ( I am not planning on doing any jumping or hunter shows so far, I was just curious). And she said that "oh you don't have to worry about it, he doesn't look like a good hunter anyway so you won't do any serious shows" so now my offended horsey-parental instinct have kicked in. Nobody says that about my boy without a reasonable explanation! But she had to take a call, and now I look to you for the answer. So first of all, what does the "ideal" hunter horse look like? Pictures are welcome. Here is my horse: well most of him anyways. The children on the playground proved to be very distracting and MUCH more important than looking good for one's conformation shots.







what about him is not good for a hunter horse? Again, I am not considering doing any hunter jumper what not I am just curious.


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## SFMoneyMarket

Honestly, he looks pretty ideal to me.
He's got a beautiful shoulder, nice hip, and nice sturdy legs as well as a beautiful neck that ties in in a great spot.

What breed is he and how tall? I think he would make a stellar hunter, even at big competitions.


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## roro

woops I forgot to add* be brutally honest and as detailed as possible, I will not be offended. I would rather get some heart-ripping comments than something sugar coated and vague comments. This is your chance to unleash any rage from the hunter world horses to the dressage world horses.


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## roro

SFMoneyMarket said:


> Honestly, he looks pretty ideal to me.
> He's got a beautiful shoulder, nice hip, and nice sturdy legs as well as a beautiful neck that ties in in a great spot.
> 
> What breed is he and how tall? I think he would make a stellar hunter, even at big competitions.


Thanks! Well he is a Swedish/Dutch Warmblood gelding but registered as Swedish. He is just 5 years old and 16.3 hands although he is going through some sort of growth spurt right now, hopefully not a height spurt lol


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## 1dog3cats17rodents

I agree with SFmoney market, I'd get him for a hunter (if I didn't already have one). Obviously is depends on whether he's got a nice jump, but he looks like a very nice hunter hore. He could do well in at least the A rated shows judging by his confo.


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## upnover

How in the world can she tell he won't be a good hunter without watching him move or jump?! That's pretty ridiculous. I agree, he's cute! I think his pasterns are a little on the short side, which can lead to future unsoundness like ringbone. But movement, quality of jump, and attitude are mainly what the judges are looking for.


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## ridergirl23

i think he looks like a perfect hunter!!  i dont know much about it but to me his whole all round body shape reminds me of some of the hunters ihave seen at really big compititions. dont listen to anybody else opinion about your horse ( ok maybe the vet and a few other people.....) but certainly not somebody selling you a bridle!!!! i think you show do a hunter compotition and win and go back and see her with your first place ribbon....lol


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## XxHunterJumperxX

I personally see no issue whatsoever.
I think that clerk was just looney, I cannot spot one error for hunter.


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## Ne0n Zero

I honestly think he looks like a great hunter.. I don't see what she was talking about at all.


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## roro

Thank you for the feedback, but can anybody tell me what an ideal hunter horse has? Not in comparison to my horse but just in general?


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

See my recent thread...I asked the same question you did! 

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-shows/another-hunter-question-35126/ 

...and LOL to your comment that your "offended horsey-parental instinct" came out hahaha I know what you mean


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## TroubledTB

This is the legendary Rox Dene and she pretty much set the bar for what an "ideal" hunter horse is.








This is a picture of her as an older lady, but she is still beautiful. Your horse is very nicely put together and though I don't know that he would be "ideal" I don't see any flaws that would immediately eliminate him from the hunter ring. I will say that you omitted his head in this picture and that head shape, size, and attractiveness can make a difference in a winning conformation hunter. If the person was making this judgement solely on your horses conformation, then I would say they are rather silly, because your horse looks perfectly suitable to most AA rated horse show hunter rings. But you could be hiding a roman nose, pig eyed, demon horned head, and then they might have a point about your beast. Though conformation plays a big part, it still only counts for 25% of a *conformation* hunter's round, with movement, jumping style, stride, and overall round (finding eight good distances, perfect flying changes, all on an ever steady rythym surrounded by an illusion of an effortless easy ride that the judge deems enjoyable). Many horses who show in the hunters do not specialize in the division, and most classes aren't particularly concerned with confomation, but rather how the horse uses what it has. I wouldn't allow one bad opinion deter you from a really fun experience. There are also many different divisions of hunters, some you might find more suitable for your horse than others. Unfortunately even with a very nice hunter and a very nice round, you can be outplaced by one that is considered fancier. In those cases, you simply do your best, and hope the judge is fair about considering talent and a good ride equally. Unfortunately there are those few times where you might feel a judge placed a fancier horse with a bad round over a nice horse with an "ideal" round, but that is why it is a sport based on opinions, and that is when you remember the judge, and kindly refuse to attend a show where they will be in control of the ribbons, or just chalk it up to character building and be a good sport. Most importantly work on your own goals, and don't allow the competetion to deter you.


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## xxBarry Godden

A hunter is a horse to go hunting on. Your fellow _looks_ from the photo par for the course so long as it passed a veterinary examination. The big question is whether you would feel happy to ride this horse for a days hunting? A hunter is a type of animal to be fit for purpose. 
How do you feel sitting up on its back? Can you ride it? Can you stop it? Is it surefooted|? Is it safe in open country.? Does your stomach feel it is good for you? Do you actually like the animal? Has it got a kind eye?

I own a beautiful Irish Draught mare; she was bred to go hunting. She has a kind temperament and she has the conformation for a hard day’s work. But bless her cotton socks, I’d never go hunting on her. She is as skittish as you can get and in a herd of horses she would be uncontrollable. If she hears the horn she is on her tip toes. But she might well win a hunter show class if I starved her for a few weeks.


However if you really want to know whether or not your horse would please a judge’s eye, then look at the breed standards for hunters. It will be on the Internet somewhere.


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## roro

TroubledTB said:


> Your horse is very nicely put together and though I don't know that he would be "ideal" I don't see any flaws that would immediately eliminate him from the hunter ring. I will say that you omitted his head in this picture and that head shape, size, and attractiveness can make a difference in a winning conformation hunter. If the person was making this judgement solely on your horses conformation, then I would say they are rather silly, because your horse looks perfectly suitable to most AA rated horse show hunter rings. But you could be hiding a roman nose, pig eyed, demon horned head, and then they might have a point about your beast. Though conformation plays a big part, it still only counts for 25% of a *conformation* hunter's round, with movement, jumping style, stride, and overall round (finding eight good distances, perfect flying changes, all on an ever steady rythym surrounded by an illusion of an effortless easy ride that the judge deems enjoyable). Many horses who show in the hunters do not specialize in the division, and most classes aren't particularly concerned with confomation, but rather how the horse uses what it has. I wouldn't allow one bad opinion deter you from a really fun experience. There are also many different divisions of hunters, some you might find more suitable for your horse than others. Unfortunately even with a very nice hunter and a very nice round, you can be outplaced by one that is considered fancier. In those cases, you simply do your best, and hope the judge is fair about considering talent and a good ride equally. Unfortunately there are those few times where you might feel a judge placed a fancier horse with a bad round over a nice horse with an "ideal" round, but that is why it is a sport based on opinions, and that is when you remember the judge, and kindly refuse to attend a show where they will be in control of the ribbons, or just chalk it up to character building and be a good sport. Most importantly work on your own goals, and don't allow the competetion to deter you.


Here he is with his face:







It's not the greatest head but I think it is normal-looking, and I have to note that his neck muscling is much finer now than it is in this picture (the clerk saw him this week). Thank you for posting...too bad I will probably never do hunters lol


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## upnover

Barry Goden- 'Hunters' is an english discipline in America that is BASED off of hunting. 



roro said:


> Thank you for the feedback, but can anybody tell me what an ideal hunter horse has? Not in comparison to my horse but just in general?


The vast majority of what a hunter judge looks for is movement, soundness, jumping style, and attitude. The movement (very important) should be a long low with a floating sweepy stride that moves from his shoulder (instead of just elbow) wiht little to no knee action (meaning, doesn't really bend his knees). Should push off well with his hind end and little hock action as well. His strides should be fluid and supple with no lameness. His head should go in a nicely relaxed carriage that's not too high or too low. He should have a happy easy going disposition that's attentive to your aids, appears to be easy to ride, no pinned ears or angry tail swishing. His jump should have plenty of bascule (nice arc, isn't flat), bring his knees up high and even (hanging knees is a big no-no, so is uneven knees), uses his hind end well over the fence. A MAJOR part of what a judge looks for is pace and distance to the fences. Every step should be the same rhythm (not too fast or slow), and the jump is just like another stride without breaking that rhythm. Chipping in (leaving too close to the fence) or leaving long (leaving too far) will make you lose lots of points. It's important to make everything as fluid as possible so you must be on the correct lead. if your horse lands on the wrong lead you must change it with a flying change. Breaking down to a trot (at any point) puts you from a score of 100 (perfect) to an automatically 50, regardless of how the rest of your course goes. 

While conformation is important it's not the MOST important (unless you're doing a conformational class, the vast majority of divisions aren't). That's why it's ridiculous that someone looked at a picture of your horse and said it couldn't do the hunters. Turn out (cleanliness, braids, clipped, clean well fitting tack, etc) is also important. If it ever comes down to a tie between your horse and another, the judge will pick the better turned out horse. However, if an unbraided horse is hands down the best mover? He'll pin higher then the best turned out horse in the ring.


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## upnover

TroubledTB- Rox Dene is BEAUTIFUL. Yes, I would say she has the look of an ideal hunter.


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## SuperStarsSugar

I can kind of see where she's coming from, in that he does look MORE like a dressage horse or jumper than he does a hunter, simply because he's not as rounded or refined as the ideal hunter, but to me, he looks like he would make a fantastic hunter even in the upper levels.


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