Not because I have any desire to kill a fox but the riding seems amazing and watching the hounds work looks fascinating. I have been dreaming of going foxhunting for some time but never felt that my riding was up to snuff. Well, after a few of these frankly mental trail rides I've been on, I think I could make it, at least in the hill-toppers field.
They don't have mounted foxhunts here in SK but I could always go over to Ireland to check some out. Clonshire Equestrian, a very nice stables run by the lovely Sue Foley, has trips that allow one to cap on some hunts. Clonshire also has a great cross country training course of their own, so one could practice jumping before going out.
http://www.clonshire.com/about-clonshire-equestrian-centre
The Chronicle of the Horse Hunting forum currently has a thread going about a women's novice hunt weekend at an Inn called The Hunter's Rest.
http://www.huntersrest.net/
This looks like so much fun, and the people involved seem so fun-loving and mellow! I would love to go on one of these one day, but will have to wait til I spend more time in the States.
I think in Ireland it is even possible to follow hounds on foot as they hunt hare.
I know many people are against fox hunting, but unless they are vegetarians, or even vegans, I really think they haven't ANY room to talk about animal cruelty, given the conditions in factory farms.
So, I spend alot of time reading foxhunting reports, books about foxhunting, foxhunting websites etc until the day I can finally be out there, listening to the horn, hearing the thrilling baying of the hounds and feeling the wind whistle by my ears as my horse flies along with the field!
If anyone has spent some time doing this I would love to hear about it!
My daughter started foxhunting with our local club this year and she loves it. She has been able to ride a very tried and true foxhunting horse, though, which I think makes all the difference starting out. A few of her pony club peers rode mounts who were not used to the hounds and the horns and one girl had to go back, in tears, because her horse was so out of control.
ReplyDeleteYou might enjoy Rita Mae Brown's foxhunting novel series - I started it this year and am on book three. I love the way she gives the animals points of view in the novel - very fun reads.