Hi all,
If you could escape the frozen tundra for 3 months during the winter and take your horse with you for a little bit of fox-hunting in warmer climes: where would you go?
Miles of open country, where it only rains at night, where the frost lifts in time to provide perfect scent, where everyone is neighborly and eschews politics in favor of sport and kennel cough doesn’t exist… Dream on.
I guest hunted with Bellemeade last year while on a trip to Aiken. We had a fabulous time, good sport, and they were supreme hosts. I highly recommend!!
We also hunted with Low Country while we were there. Also an excellent experience.
I’d set up in Aiken and then guest hunt with those in the surrounding area.
You guys are great! I’ll definitely check out Bellemeade. Thanks!
I second Low Country (they have a Hunt Weekend); Whiskey Road (in Aiken - they have a hunt week); Aiken (drag, but voluptuous and fun); several others in both locales; Tryon (also Green Creek - you could make your own ‘hunt week’); Belle Meade certainly.
I’ve not hunted at Camden but have done the racehorse thing there and I know their hunting is fab.
You could easily base in/around Aiken (tons of farmette rentals, or house or apartment rentals+seasonal boarding) and amuse yourself for months hunting in the 'hood as well as within 3 hours (all the others are within that radius) plus of course hack and run and jump to your heart’s content in the Hitchcock Woods.
If I had a different set-up here (i.e., no livestock; live-in hired help) I’d easily base there for 6 weeks - New Year’s to Valentine’s Day …
I’ll be another vote for Aiken, there are multiple hunts to choose from, the footing is fantastic, and the city is lovely. Went for the first time in January and hope to go back again this season.
My home hunt is in north Alabama, we have lots of mud and drizzly days but thankfully not too many days under freezing. I can’t imagine having to dress for the arctic cold on a regular basis.
Oh my, I have been drooling at pictures of farmette rentals in the Aiken area… Thanks for sharing you guys!
Southern Yankee, one of my colleagues’ mother hunts in Eastern Alabama (Phenix City area I believe). Do you know anything about the area? Is it “worth” the trip?
[QUOTE=Rohello;8409691]
Southern Yankee, one of my colleagues’ mother hunts in Eastern Alabama (Phenix City area I believe). Do you know anything about the area? Is it “worth” the trip?[/QUOTE]
That may be Midland? I’ve heard wonderful things about them and hope to visit this season. It’s about 3-4 hours from me and I’d consider it ‘worth the trip’. I’m in north Alabama and have 2 hunts very close and even more to choose from in Tennessee that are all within an hour from my farm.
[QUOTE=SouthernYankee;8427238]
That may be Midland? I’ve heard wonderful things about them and hope to visit this season. It’s about 3-4 hours from me and I’d consider it ‘worth the trip’. I’m in north Alabama and have 2 hunts very close and even more to choose from in Tennessee that are all within an hour from my farm.[/QUOTE]
That would be Midland. It’s a lovely hunt with truly welcoming people. I had health and horse issues the last two years, so I only went out with them once, but it was wonderful. The hounds are amazing --their cry actually stirred chills up my spine.
Camden is fun-- both the territory and the people. It’s a smaller fixture, but we had a bunch of views and the footing can’t be beat. The only thing to watch out for are the holes in the woods caused by the old pine tap roots.
Belle Meade is an experience unto itself. It’s an afternoon hunt, so you’ll hunt until dark, or later. It’s fast, fast, fast. Did I mention it’s fast? 
If you make it back in, you can buy a t-shirt at the clubhouse “I survived Belle Meade Hunt”. Wonderful people too- wish I could remember more of them, but they pour generously at the breakfast.
Back in the day, I went to Aiken at every opportunity. Midland is worth the detour as well.
