What is the difference between an equitation horse and a hunter horse?

horselover359: What is the difference between an equitation horse and a hunter horse?
I think hunters judges the horse and equitation judges the rider. Is that correct?
If you plan to do a high level equitation or hunter show(which im not im just curious) do you use a specific type of horse?

Are there horses that look/jump well in only hunters?
Or are there no differences?
Is there a specific way a hunter/equation horse jumps?
Pictures(if possible) are appreciated.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Katey Kearey
I don’t know everything as I’ve only shown hunter but this is what I do know.
Hunter horses have really nice form over fences and keep a nice steady pace around a course( although you need that for eq too) they have nice floaty trots not too much knee action, same for canter.
For an eq horse you what them to have an easy jump to follow so your position will be more consistent but your horse does not have to have perfect form over fences.
I’m pretty sure hunter is judged on the horse but the rider still needs a good position and you need to have good distances to jumps..
Eq is judged more on the rider and you also need good distances to your jumps. I’m sure I’m missing a lot of stuff but like I said I really don’t know everything 🙂

Answer by Leslie N
Hunters is all about the horse. They must carry themselves in a frame, big flat kneed trot, smooth flowing canter, big round jumps with knees tight. Equitation is all about the rider, posture, position, how well you fit your horse, and subtle you cue your horse. You can use a hunter horse for equitation but equitation horses don’t always make the best hunters. I once won an equitation class and thought I didn’t deserve b/c when asking to canter from a halt my horse bucked. I went to the judge b/c I didn’t want something I didn’t earn, She said I sat quietly and softly rode my horse through the buck into the canter with no visible signs of correction or anything and thats what equitation was all about.

Answer by Road Apples
Hunters is the broader term… like Jumpers or Dressage. Within Hunters, there are classes that judge the horse, classes that judge the rider, and classes that judge them as a team. Equitation classes are the classes in which the rider must ride properly, regardless of what their horse might do. An “Equitation Horse” makes it easier for the rider to ride in the correct form, without having to worry about any antics their horse might pull in the ring.

In Over Fences classes that judge the horse, the horse must have even, tucked knees, a nice bascule, and lots of enthusiasm- the horse must look pretty and travel in the “Hunter” fashion.

Of course, good equitation is the basics of safe riding, so someone with poor equitation skills may be more likely to come off the horse as they try to jump higher or if their horse spooks. So an “Equitation Horse” can be really good for someone who wants to work on jumping higher, since the rider can focus more on improving their equitation than worrying about controlling the horse.

Answer by emma96
You’re right about the judging part. Yes to the second!
A hunter is about conformation, they should have a slower pace, they should seem relaxed. As they jump, they should sail over the rails with their legs tightly folded and a lot of power but make it look effortless. Their head should be fairly low.

This horse is a great hunter
An equitation horse should jump with their head higher. They still shouldn’t knock rails and should jump well but they should jump softer and less powerfully. That makes them a good equitation horse because it is easier to look good on them.

Don’t emulate this person’s eq but the horse jumps like a classic equitation horse.
In lower level hunters and equitation classes a horse that jumps well can do both but it’s hard to find a horse that would do well in hunters that would be easy to look good on. If you did it would be out of mostly anyone’s price rance.