No it doesn't.
Yes it does.
Some have said HA but the reason SS went HX is because it's more effective overall. If you want to really counter HX, your best bet is to play another HX, which further escalates the problem.
No it isn't.
"Countering" means taking on someone who is trying to kill you. It doesn't mean being able to kill a player who stays away from combat and goes 0-0 for a round. You go HX vs HX you are on even ground. You are just as likely to be dehorsed as the other guy. FYI, being dehorsed is a death sentence for HX (but I wouldn't have to say this to someone using the class).
HX have a very very short effective range and with the crossbow you use, shooting from the side is stupid and rarely kills because you don't get the speed bonus that is the killer. To be effective, they have to use the speed bonus, and they have to be close enough to be accurate, and compensate for the rapid bolt drop and pronounced arc.
Any decent archer will win vs HX, period. Dehorse them, then pew them to death on the ground. They can't run, they can't reload, they die. (Or just let lancer cav take them out)
Oh wait, there aren't any archers on the servers.