What is the background/history making it tacky/incorrect to wear your colors when a guest at another hunt??
My husband has a theory it’s steeped in some long forgotten cat fight between two hunts. 
What is the story?? 
Well, since I only have one jacket, what am I to do? Wear tweed?
Actually, that sounds plausible!
I don’t know why it’s incorrect - normally you just pick up the phone and ask if it’s ok - and the Masters says sure - wear them.
Could it have something to do with Colors being an indicator that you know the terrain, etc. Even though not the same as the visiting hunt? Could it have a military background or a background in Livery? Oh, wait, I’m sure it has something to do with our inferiority as Americans…roll eyes.
Good hunch about the terrain xeroxchick, plausible. I don’t see a military protocol being a factor given the sports origin.
J Swan, keep dogging, or hounding 
, this question! If anyone can find the real reason behind this protocol it is you!!!
Foxtrot- maybe put duct tape over your colors then use black marker on the duct tape. VBG. 
Yowza! This IS a good question! It’s a bitch to replace colors to solid black collar again too especially if the previous top layer was removed when they were put on. I’ve priced good quality wool melton; trying to match the thickness/color/texture of my meltons with newer material. It’s impossible. If you are going to be a professional guest then you gotta have a guest coat or replace your collar. It’s impossible to get by with one coat anymore. I guess they figure poor people shouldn’t hunt!!! :winkgrin:
In our area, you rarely see other hunts colors in the field so they must be abiding by it! I’m going for removable, changeable collars!! Yep that’s the ticket!! And since a lotta folks here move around the hunts; this can be a problem. EX: there’s this phenomenon of “associate” memberships in our area.
I distinctly remember about 25 yrs ago that if you were joining a new hunt; and if the MFH’s said it was ok; you could wear your old hunts colors for the years until you earned your new colors in your new hunt. BTW- a lot of hunts are using 3 yrs as the automatic eligibility time to get colors. 3 yrs and an enhanced level of participation of course!! 
And you can wear your buttons anytime/anywhere/any situations right!??
The collars the thing, right?!!
I don’t think there was a “cat fight” to start this tradition. Colors denote territory, so it just is logical to ask permission to wear one’s color when visiting another hunt because, frankly, you ARE a guest in someone else’s territory. If permission to wear colors was only about knowledge of terrain, someone with different colors would certainly stand out as the person NOT to ask about where the nearest gate is, etc. :lol: If it were to denote a knowledge of foxhunting in general, however, then of course the colors would indicate that yes, this is the person you’d want to ask about foxhunting protocol, etc.
That’s probably why other hunts’ colors are generally given the gracious nod – on the theory you have to earn those colors with knowledge of hunting and seasons of following the hounds in general. A mark of distinction to be recognized and honored. JMHO
Re: buttons. I asked that same question yesterday (of the Master) while out hunting, and was told it was fine if I wanted to wear my jacket with my former hunt’s buttons. Don’t think I will, however.
Ok here is another question for the hunting rules mavens:
I have been a member of a hunt for 9 years served as staff etc. I am still a member of that hunt, and also joined another hunt recently. I have colors with the first hunt, and am planning to buy another plain black coat as soon as I get the extra $$/find one on sale, but in the meantime is it a major deal to wear my coat with the colors on it from the first hunt when hunting with the second hunt? And actually there may be a third hunt I may be joining soon but that remains to be seen
(yes I plan to ask at the second hunt etc but just thought it was an interesting question)
It is up to the hunt’s MFH, just explain your situation and and ask if it is ok.
Hint, for those of you looking for or considering a second coat for guesting or whatever, bear in mind that both navy and dark oxford grey are both equally proper colours for formal days.
It can be nice to broaden one’s horizons and expand the jacket colours in the closet!
Just turn the coat inside out and if anyone asks, tell them it is “all the rage” in England.
Next meet everyone will be doing the same thing. Trust me.
That’s funny. Seriously I do plan to get another coat, since I will be a hunting fool this fall I think one coat would get pretty funky pretty quick. But I was just wondering
I don’t think it’s a big deal. The Master may feel differently, of course. What you may want to do is just remove the colors so you don’t have to worry about any hunt you’re out with. If you can do it without ruining the coat, of course.
For some reason, I collect Meltons. Don’t ask me why - I just can’t help myself. I see them on sale and I’m like - OOOOOO - bargain.
Ovation makes a very nice one for about 100$. Oh wait - I think it’s a medium weight. Is that too warm for your climate? If not it might be a good choice as a backup/2nd coat.
I got mine at Saddlery Liquidators - I think they have stuff for sale on ebay. Here’s the contact info: http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Saddlery.Liquidators.703-753-9583
Ask for Mark. They are starting to carry a lot of foxhunting stuff and much of it is competitively priced. (it’s not handmade in England by a half blind tailor working out of a 300 year old cottage with a thatched roof - but still - good quality)
I thought about taking them off, but I want to at least wear the colors with the hunt I earned them with. I can’t sew so it would be a pain for me to do it.
It won’t be a big deal for me to get another black coat, it just might be awhile til I get one. The big shows are coming here in Jan so I’m going to look at the vendors then and see what i can get in a nice charcoal or black.
I don’t know the answer but
Speaking personally, I always enjoy it when guests wear their colors. It always leads to conversation (AFTER the hunt, of course!) - where are you from, whose colors are those, what sort of hounds/country/quarry do you hunt, etc.
What I would do is call the Master you’re visiting and say ‘gee, my only formal coat has my colors on it, would you prefer I wore my tweed?’ 99 times out of 100 the Master will invite you to wear your coat with colors.
I don’t know the answer to the original question offhand, either, though to me a good reason is to avoid confusion as to who might or might not know the territory. Because, it stands to reason that some guest might not know the host hunt’s colors and might follow another guest with the ‘wrong’ colors.
Not foolproof, though. Once guesting in California and wearing a plain black coat, hounds screaming, I was intentionally going a bit slow to save my horse- fast enough to keep in touch with first flight, though. Had never hunted there before. I looked behind me and had 20 people following me! I strongly recommended they move on and they all said something like ‘oh no we are happy to follow you.’ Boy, could they have been in trouble.
Many hunts (Arapahoe comes to mind) just put on their announcements/ fixture cards ‘members of other hunts with colors are welcome to wear their colors here’ which obviates the need to call and ask.
The bigger issue is wearing scarlet when hunting away. A big no-no, should have a black coat, because too many wearing scarlet can be really confusing for the host hunt.
And yes, it’s always fine to wear the buttons, even if you are no longer a member of the hunt that awarded you colors.
HHHMMM,some hunts it can take 20 years to get your colours,others hand them out like candy.:lol:
Unless your hunt,for example Misty Morning has been invited to hunt with another pack,say Liveoak as a “group”.then it would be fine.
But if as an individual you are going to pop up to Liveoak on your own,you should not wear your colours.
Old school reply here.
Dark jacket,NO ShINY Buttons ect.
Good turnout,well mannered horse,because even without colours you are basically representing your hunt,and before the day is done,they will know from whence you came…:winkgrin:
I forgot.
Your colours DO NOT stay with you for life.
Once you are no longer a member of the hunt,you should NOT wear their colours anymore.
Actually since you mentioned it, Live Oak is the other hunt that I just joined. So I won’t be just “popping up”. But I do plan to ask the Masters, since I am a member and not a guest, for the final word until I can get another coat to wear. I just thought it was an interesting question.
And yes I had also always understood that you cannot continue wearing colors of a hunt if you are no longer a member.
Okay…what about boots? My favorite black boots have patent tops, but when I cap with other hunts I wear these horrid Ariats I bought by mistake (no tops). To be correct, I assumed. Although I am at the point in my life where I do not think I will be asked to leave if I wasn’t totally correct, and from observing those around me I feel pretty safe in this assumption, what actually is correct?
I always tell poeple that I am not a roll model, just a horrible and cautionary example.
You do mean “role model”, right? Or is “roll” a pun? I’m picturing someone flattening the turf after an impromtu dismount mid-gallop – a horrible and cautionary example, indeed! :eek:
I’d say plain black boots are correct. No patent tops.
JMHO - I look at hunting attire as akin to a “blend into the crowd and don’t stand out” requirement for a Hollywood movie. They don’t want to see you. A quiet black, white and tan ensamble means that all mistakes are minimized (if they can’t pick you out from 50 other black coats/tan britches/solid black boots, you’re safe) you don’t draw anyone’s eyes away from the real point of action (hounds), and your horse tends to be better mannered (I figure it must be the doppler effect).
I like to be invisible in this sport, and I love the tradition, so I dress to seamlessly blend in with the crowds.
(OTOH color me vibrant purple, pink, and lime green for Endurance – and that’s just my tack! You should see the colors I wear – my clothing could signal in planes from 6,000 feet!!! :lol::lol:)
