Hunt weekend

This is my hunting steed Blue. At least a half clydesdale from the back of Taumaranui somewhere which is basically no where. I think he is about 10? Mostly hunted and done lower level stuff, I'm told he isn't a showjumper, but he would make a nice hunter, his jump is nice enough to oversome his knee action. He is quite strong but look at the length and thickness of the neck! He has been ridden by a few different people, the last of whom had a wicked set of bad hands so a lot of his stress and behaviour makes sense. He normally hits the first couple of spars because his jump shuts down behind while he waits for me to grab his face, which I don't of course, and then he starts giving me some shape. This year was the first year hunting a made hunter and I find it really hard to let go and just let him run especially over uneven country. The catch is the more I try and control every detail and micro manage, the less control I have of him and the more he fights. This is good for me as a rider though, make me more focused on the ride and the less on the worries and what ifs flying around inside my head. This weekend I was away for the whole weekend and got to hunt both days and for the first time I think I might actually have the hunting bug. We were way out in the sticks, no cell coverage, and believe me if Eastern Bay of Plenty hunt says it's big country, be prepared for some really steep hills. It was so steep Blue climbed part of a hill on his knees and my cousin had to talk me down off the top. Descents still scare the shit out of me after breaking all my hand bones 6 or so years ago. Blue is a sensible kid though, he wont run himself into trouble I just have to trust his desire to keep his feet. He is much more likely to slip and fall if I over manage and prevent him watching the ground and looking after himself. It's so hard to just let go and trust. Especially seeing as I don't know the horse that well, having only ridden him for the last 4 weeks. I love hunting, I love the wildness of it. The galloping across strange terrain, the thrill of the chase, wanting to get that hare, jumping wire fences in awkward places at pace, knowing the danger and doing it anyway. It's so exciting. There have been a lot of hunt photos taken so as soon as I get my hands on them I'll put them up. Also Blue has been clipped now, and for clipping him in the dark with blades that had done four other horses he actually looked pretty damn good. Thank jeebers, because I thought he would look like 15 five year olds high on coca-cola with those crazy plastic sissors had clipped him.