The Hunter horse
This horse must be courageous, bold, and docile. Resistant, enduring, powerful and active, he’ll be fast and good at jumping. Comfortable gaits. Straight and frank action.
Caractère et aptitudes du cheval
The English Hunter is the result of crossing a Thoroughbred stallion with a Suffolk, Cleveland Bay, or Connemara draft mare. The Irish Hunter, one of the most highly regarded, is a cross between a Thoroughbred and an Irish Draught, Irish Cob, or Cleveland Bay mare.
The contemporary Hunter is a combination of a half-blood mare with Hunters in her pedigree and a stocky, well-built Thoroughbred stallion with excellent gaits. Depending on the hunting terrain, a heavier or lighter type of Hunter is preferred. Depending on the rider’s weight, which he’s likely to carry for hours on end, there are several categories of horse (heavy, medium, and light), not to mention Ladies’ Hunters, which are smaller, reserved for ladies and ridden in amazon.
Utilisations du cheval
The Hunter or “hunting horse”, commonly used for hunting with a pack of hounds (= Hunting), the national sport in Great Britain, must be considered more as a type than as a breed due to the absence of stable characteristics. It’s a half-blood of variable type, sometimes very close to the Thoroughbred.
Morphologie du cheval
Constitution of a Thoroughbred built strong, powerful, very well-built. Compact body. Strong, long neck. High withers. Long, well sloping shoulders. Deep, ample chest. Short, strong back. Strong loins. Powerful hindquarters. Croup muscular and moderately sloping. Strong, solid limbs. Strong joints. Tendons dry, clean. Strong cannons. Strong feet. Coat: all colors possible. Size: average 1.60 m. Hunter Irish, up to 1.70 m.
