horse breeds for hunting

[Spencer]

I see that a lot of you are really into the mules for hunting for obvious reasons. But those that are still into horses......what breed do you find to be best for hunting? I know all are individuals but do you find a certain breed stands out above the rest?? Any of you try a mustang?? I know a lot of ranchers have no love for the mustang but they seem as if they are hardy so I wondered if anyone had tried them at all.

Currently I am working with a 3YO Nokota mare. My 24 YO paint is being retired. Waitig for the mud and snow to clear out so I can get off the flat and start seeing how she handles the rough hill country.

[pegleg]

poco bueno lines are my personal favorites. make sure they've been tested negative. They seem to be some of the most level headed out there and if you can get some that are range raised you don't have much work ahead of you. they are damn sure atheletic when needed but have no problems ambling along enjoying the scenery either. the only possible fault is they aren't very tall. however they muscle up great and are easier to get on and off of

[liontracker]

I had a poco bueno grandson I bred to a painted eternal grand daughter. Got a dark bay stud colt, couldn't be registered back then. He finished 15.2 and 1200 pounds...most powerful stud horse I ever sat. One of the worst mistakes I ever made was selling him when I moved out here. Hell of a piece of horse flesh.

[poser]

Spencer, i like quarter horses personally but the last few years we have started a few half drafts. I dont own one myself but some friends have bought them and they are nice ponies. I have been very impressed with them in the mountains and they can sure get around. Tough horses and don't mind packing anything you can put on them.

[liontracker]

Right on Jason. What we found that makes the best mountain horse for around here is a light draft, crossed on a quarter or morgan mare. The best cross so far was a large Welsh Cob crossed on a paint mare. Rock solid, bomb proof, puppy dog in your back pocket. He will pack anything, anytime, all day. He packed out a whole elk in one trip. He is the kind that you can unsaddle and turn loose in a high country park and go hunt all day. When you come back, just whistle and call his name and he comes to you.

[Big Mike]

I like the draft crosses in horses too.

A buddy of mine runs a ranch that borders the indian reservation. Theres a bunch of wild horse/pony's on the reservation. Every now and then the indians will pen a few and sell them for cheap. He will go buy a couple of 2-3 year olds. He said its about 50/50 if they will break. But the ones he gets broke are some rock crunchn go'n dudes. Bad thing is most of them are just large pony size

[liontracker]

Cob x Paint cross, 15.0 hh.

[Mike Leonard]

I use mostly QH cuz that's what I have but like I said I saw a couple Tennessee Walkers here this winter that could flat eat up the rough country, sure footed as heck and lots of bottom in them. They got heads big enough to eat oats our of a 55 gallon drim and still watch for indians but hell I guess you don't ride the head. LOL!


I sort of side with the Texas big ranch cowboys on tuff QH's and sort of like old Red Stagall says the more Leo you can get in one the less you have to change hosses.

[liontracker]

Mike, sure thing on the heads on those TW's!LOL My brother has a black and white one, it's the packinest son of a gun you ever saw. Flat eats the ground like you said.

[J.C. Call]

I'm a huge half draft fan. The outfitter I guide for in Wyoming has 60 or 70 of them. They pack dudes on trail rides all summer, then go every other day hauling hunters all fall. Very, very seldom do you have a lame or sick one. Hands down the very toughest horse I've been around is out of a Mustang mare and a Percheron stud. He will never stop to catch his breath. You'd have to keep an eye on your hunter's horse and stop to let him breathe, cause Xango sure wouldn't need to.

[pegleg]

You guys using fifty fifty crosses on the drafts or a little less? I have a 25% draft paint mare that is tuff and can go all day. problems are shes not real pretty built, over sixteen hand and has that big ol head and I mean big. calm though I'll give her that she slipped in a wet trailer one time and just lay there on her back looking at me the whole time like wth? The best thing about her to me is the draft blood came from the first work horse my grandfather ever bought himself in 1953 or 54. I have a copy of the bank loan on the team and pictures of the team and my uncles and dad driving/riding them. I enjoy knowing that her ancestors and mine worked together doing one thing or another for fifty six years. The mare she was out of died not long ago on my grandfathers uncles homestead ranch in Yoder CO. owned by my uncle. I know off the subject but it means something to me. I have planned on breeding her and keeping the foal to keep it going but they loose the draft looks and I haven't run across a x bred stud that I thought would make a good cross.

[liontracker]

Ours are 50/50. That blood of yours means alot.

[pegleg]

you use the same cross over and over? there's a shire stud in Douglas AZ. of all places. making fertilizer day after day he's a impressive guy for sure he's in his teens and has never been driven or broke to anything. I think its a shame those big ones are getting scarcer and scarcer. they definitely are some eye catching conversation starters.

[J.C. Call]

Here's the Shire stud I breed my mares to. He's only 1600 lbs., so he crosses good on the Q.H. mares.

[Spencer]

stupid question, but can you do live cover with a draft like that and your QH, or do you have to do AI???