A Brief Hound Story

[ecileh]

Yesterday was our Opening Day, so energy levels were running high for humans, horses, and hounds alike.

Early on, we were checked in a narrow lane with no room to back off the trail on either side. I was leading third field, so I was trying to keep an eye on my group and the other on the rest of the field when I hear a quiet “hound” from the last rider in line.

Moments later, something slams into my horse’s hocks–hard enough to jolt her forward a little bit. I looked down to see Able, one of our young entry shaking his head and seeing stars. He was so focused on catching up with the pack that he literally crashed into us at top speed. It was a true cartoon moment for him…standing there confused and a little dazed with little birdies flying in circles around his head.

The field erupted into gales of laughter and he shook it off when the next horn call came.

BestMare didn’t even think about picking up a foot toward him!

(I checked on him in the van before breakfast–no worse for wear.)

[jawa]

Good story!

I’m 5’8" and for a while I was hunting a 14.1 hand pony. We were walking along when a hound came bounding by. His head hit my foot in the stirrup. He yowled as if he had been assaulted. Everyone had a giggle at his expense.

[ecileh]

@jawa wow!

[CPL713]

I don’t hunt, but I do own a bird dog, and this sounds exactly like something he would do. They get very single-minded and excited! :lol::lol:

[SonnysMom]

I had a pair of young hounds run directly under my horse’s belly one time. Thankfully it was his 2nd season so was chill about the whole thing. The first year he would have launched me.

[ecileh]

When I was whipping, I once “lost” a hound only to figure out that he was trotting along happily directly under my mare, using her for shade. I only discovered him because when we stopped, she stuck her head between her knees to look at him and I saw him peeping out near her shoulder.

[jawa]

We were running a red fox around and around the same circuit, until he decided to go a slightly different route. He ran under a horse that was in 2nd flight. Hounds were in hot pursuit! It was funny to see everyone RESPECT the line of the fox. No one wanted to have a pack of screaming hounds running under foot.