I swear on everything that is dear to me that I am going to attend this fine event next year, with or without my own horse. Hope you all have fun!
Can’t wait for the full report… you had absolutely perfect weather! Was thinking about all of you last night… If my dear boy, Spencer, wasn’t costing me a fortune in vet bills I would have been there… maybe in the spring HR will have another go at it? Also waiting to hear what outfit was deemed suitable by BIL!
A great time was had (at least by me).
Here are some pictures Yventer took.
It WAS a great time! The weather was absolutey gorgeous and everyone was so happy to be there sharing in the day and experience. Scooter had a great introduction to fox hunting and he was a super star. There were definitely times he wasn’t quite sure what to think about things but he never put a foot wrong.
The bluegrass was spectacular and JSwan’s bbq was delicious! We met so many cool and interesting people this weekend - so many great conversations and laughs were shared.
My biggest regret is that I didn’t take ANY pictures! I’m usually the one with the camera in my hand non-stop.
Thank you Hunter’s Rest and Old Dominion Hounds for making this weekend available!
I’m glad to hear that you had great weather and a lot of fun. Was Mr. Fox spotted?
B Street, don’t worry…even without pictures you will remember the experience. I always do!
I don’t know about the rest of you but I need a weekend to recover from this weekend!!
Lying awake in the quiet stillness of Sunday night counting my blessings on my fingers (and toes) and still bubbling with joy and gratitude for The. Best. Weekend Ever.
<3<3<3
Thanks to ALL who made this weekend happen.
Not the least of which Jess, Star, Robin, my mom Jackie, my bf Tom, my boarders, friends, clients, tenants, neighbors and assorted others.
Working on photo editing now.
Look on my facebook page - if you’re not my ‘friend’ already, go to my website - I think you can link direct to my page from there.
More coming later - full hunt report, more pix.
ODH last Saturday
The only thing better than going hunting or bluegrass music is going hunting and bluegrass music. Thanks again, Betsy for all you did, and thanks to last Saturday’s third field for making the experience such grand fun.
I’m officially a “Coth Hunting Princess”!
Thanks to Hunter’s Rest I can now claim the title of Hunting Princess. I had such a great time and HR had me prepared for the hunt on Saturday morning. It was such a great time from meeting fellow Cothers, to the riding and scenery, to the blue grass music and food, I could not have had a better time nor a better first fox hunting experience.
During the hunt I had an older lady, Dione, riding behind me. I had introduced myself and told her that this was my first hunt. Every so often I would hear this voice behind me saying, “You are doing fine, Marcia”. Oh, what wonderful, friendly, supportive people I rode with.
DH enjoyed himself as well, following in a car with HR’s mom, Jackie, filling him in on what was happening. He was so supportive of this endeavor that HR dubbed him a Coth enabler:D He has already stated that he thinks I should join in the fun next year as well.:yes:
So, when do we start planning?:lol:
Bahahahaaaa you are One Of Us now! Bahahahahaaaaa!!!
There will probably be another COTH hunt in the Spring, but I am not sure. I believe there was one last year.
It was so wonderful to meet both of you and I enjoyed hunting with you and just visiting. Hope the rest of your vacation was enjoyable and DH’s eye is better. Now you know we are a crazy bunch.
You did go basseting, didn’t you?
Teeeeeeaaaaahhhhhrrrrraaaahhhsss. Say it all together now…“where is my teeeeeaaaaaaahhhhrrrrahhhh???”
There was not a crazy one among you!:rolleyes:
We did go bassetting the next day and spent some quality time with Wateryglen. I absolutely loved the happy hunters and their little clown trailer.:lol:
DH’s eye got worse and we ended up at the doctor’s office on Tuesday. On the plus side, most of Monday was overcast, so he could see, and on Tuesday it was raining so we spent our non-doctor time in the dark depths of the Luray Carverns. New meds put him on the mend and he could even go out at night without his sunglasses.
I heard some plans for a March get together…we’ll have to see what HR and Pleasant Meadow Farm can cook up for us. And yes, I want my teeeahhhhhra. (Have to pronounce it like a Bostonian you know;))
By the way, our roving reporter (the other reporter, Steve Price from NYC) has a great report out today, with lovely pix, on FoxhuntingLife.com. He may also report on it in his column in Prac. Horseman.
Yes let’s plan a spring hunt though one of you all might want to start its very own chat thread when someone wants to hop in as Troop Leader. : )
I’m happy that you all liked the kool aid! It does change your life in a very magical time traveling way, doesn’t it? I’m always overwhelmed by the feeling of being being back in the centuries, tuning to the weaving of the animal’s knowledge, the archaic language of the huntsman and the long views across the mountain and river valleys.
I love watching the fox outwit the hounds. The fox can go to ground in any hole along the way, and knows it. There is a reason that there are tales of cunning, mischievous fox personalities. Bamboozling hounds is fun!
Since there are now so many hunting princesses, I humbly suggest that at future coth meets, each princess bring her own tiara. Then the tiara would actually fit the head and personality of the princess. The current ones in the treasury are too fragile to really travel and be used again. Returning princesses will be all set for the next meet, too.
Anyone know where to get the feather headdresses for the horses for an earlier in the weekend parade and adventure? Perhaps Sir Bradley can teach us some of the swashbuckling knights on horseback games…:eek::winkgrin::lol:
I’m baaaack!!
Whoa, had some forum access issues there for a bit and couldn’t chime in. God forbid I not be able to SAY something! about anything!!
I had an absolute blast. Exhausted from the whole weekend!
Fri we had 23 for dinner and about freaked out our waitress. Thanks to JSwan the drinks were all on her!! Now THAT's generous and we thanks ya deeply!!Enjoyed meeting our local girls from Purcellville, the cowboy & wife from Idaho, the Yankees from Boston, the Jersey girls,
Manydogs, the author from NYC, etc.
We gave out tiaras and wore them for dinner. Men too. The blaze orange feathered ones are good for deer hunting season. We initiated the Hunting Princesses. Thank gawd the restaurant gave us our own room to be rowdy in!
Sat. I arrived late to the meet and did some catch up with the field as they’d already moved on. Arrived in second field to see pleasantmeadow & guest and others. Pleasantmeadows gray mare is as spectacular in real life as her pictures…:winkgrin: Janets big bay horse is to die for. We covered a good bit of distance. Eventually I joined up with the 3rd flight to socialize with most of the HP’s including the cowboy. HR set a nice steady forward trot (if you’re on a long legged tb) to slow canter (if you’re on my perch/qh cross! :lol:) pace while hounds worked forward on the lines. Scenting deteriorated in the warm, dry air & ground as the morning went on. This was perfect for many of us outashapegaspingforoxygen types. Or those whose horses were cooked at the 2 hour mark or so. About a third of the field went in on the road while they drew home.
Sat evening turned out perfect, just perfect. Lotsa food/drinks. Outside in the yard/garden next to the 2 foals & moms charming us in the pasture. The bluegrass jam lasted from 6 to about midnight. Various folks came & went & contributed & played and sang. HR’s place was so festive. Christmas lights on the bushes, chimineria, torches, candles. We sat on hay bales to hear the music. Drinks/hors d’hoerves in the garage, food in dining room, desserts in the basement, porches & decks to chat. She even had tiki torches out in the pastures where we parked so we could find our cars out there!! All the hunt members, members of the field, HR’s neighbors & friends and all our SO’s came for a crowd of…I’d say…125?
Sunday we bassetted in warm, dry weather again with a few runs but nothing sustained. The Yankees seemed to enjoy themselves! :winkgrin: Ashland Bassets are hilarious and uproarious to watch & listen to. Tailgating followed.
Some of us had to leave early to get to our local foxhunts Landowners Party which included an outside tent/dinner with bluegrass music! Thank you Warrenton Hunt.
The whole weekend reminds me that foxhunting folk are a kick in the pants! Fun, loving life, appreciating beauty & sport and not real shy!! :eek: I am really proud of ManyDogs! She rocked that paint horse. Looked like a natural to me. Yay All!!
All Hail the Sept 2012 COTH Hunt/ Hunting Princesses!!
Thanks
Now I just have to find someone who thinks his “to buy for”!
He went out twice with Blue Ridge last week, and with Fairfax this morning (with Yvonne, not with me- I’m sitting at my desk). Apparently he was “eyeing” the cross country jumps at Surefire as they rode by.
Why thank you, HP Star!!! I had a blast, too, just a little stiff and creaky once I dismounted. Gotta love them paint hosses!!! After instruction from Betsy the day before out in the field (she was verrrry patient ) everything seemed to fall (bad word selection, probably) into place Saturday morning for the most part. GLAD YOU FOUND THIRD FLIGHT!!!
Your description of the weekend is tip-top. I am sorry I missed the bassets but was a bit worried about DH and his BP/blood sugar levels so I headed home.
Woooooohoooooooooooooooo HPs, Woooooohooooooo!!!
We Yankees did enjoy the bassetting! They were such fun loving, happy dogs. And loved their little clown trailer:lol:
Who is that handsome cowboy in the white hat?
The cowboy and his family were visiting from southern Idaho. They are relatives of Hunter’s Rest’s awesome BF. The cowboy had one of those HUGE trophy belt buckles. Turns out he was a champion bareback bronc rider. He was mounted on HR’s ex-racehorse and went first field in full western regalia and saddle. One of the most graceful riders I have had the pleasure to watch… Light, sensitive and gentle- The horse loved him! He JUMPED in the western saddle well!!:eek:
Said the horse wanted to jump, and he jumps sagebrush at home when he is working cattle. Easy.
Beverley, you have to get him out to Red Rock!
The cowboy was Justin Oleson, b.f. Tom’s cousin from southeast Idaho. He was indeed a championship bareback rider in his younger days but he practices law now and leaves the cowboy-ing to his brother Sean, even more attractive and even a better rider (if you can believe it.) They are so light in the tack.
Their granddad is one of the few remaining real old-timey cowboys. They work 1000’s of acres of irrigated alfalfa and run about 1000 cows on a cow-calf operation. Summertime they’re up on the range in the Blackfoot Hills; wintertime they’re down on the ranches along the Blackfoot and Snake Rivers.
Meant to add - the Idaho boys are quite accustomed to hunting big game with hounds - they run bear hounds and cat hounds out in the mountains (Centennial Range, Blackfoot Hills, Sawtooth) though they follow on atv’s, not horseback. They are avid hunters and he was pretty excited to see ‘how we do it’ out east!
