On Sunday I finally took off the training wheels and hunted Mahindra the red pony! While I have hunted on made horses, this was the pony’s first time out. We had a beautiful day, sunny, but not too warm, with beautiful colors in the trees. I had hoped for a good scenting day, as we’d had some light rain the night before and a slowly warming morning. However, the wind picked up and dried things out by the time the six couple of hounds were cast. There were about 10 riders in first field, and 10 in our second field/hilltoppers. Mahindra was understandably excited when we mounted up, but she settled well when our field master had us do some spacing exercises in the field before hounds were cast.
Hunting in New England is certainly very different from my previous experiences of hunting in Virginia. The fixture was steep, trappy and heavily wooded. I was a little concerned about being on a barefoot pony on the rocky trails but she seemed unfazed and was none the worse for the wear. The streams were just trickles, but Mahindra did the crossings quietly and without complaint. We had a green horse behind us who was a little excited, whose rider had to circle at checks, and she was good about that, only throwing couple of cranky mare looks over her shoulder. We kept a good distance from the rider in front of us when moving, but she did get a little close at the first couple of checks. Once I knew that was happening, I could prepare for it.
We only got to see hounds work twice, and they passed us once. The fixture simply doesn’t allow for long views, and it was a difficult scenting day to boot. The one time that hounds came up the trail to pass by, Mahindra was well behaved (yeah pony!) and stood quietly as hounds circled about in front of her.
We took a spot three horses back from our field master (I know, I’m pushy, aren’t I?) to have the best possible viewing. All morning long I found myself reaching into my “Hunters Rest Hunting Tool Kit”. Trotting up a steep hill? Get in your half seat and grab mane or hook a finger in the breastplate. Down a steep rocky hill? Give the pony the reins, lean back, feet forward, keep her aimed straight down. Picking up a trot or canter? Bridge the reins, half seat. Coming to a sudden halt? Use my body, not the bit to tell the horse to stop.
Hunters’ Rest, I truly can’t thank you enough for the tool kit. All my training trips have pretty much made those things automatic. It’s not quite muscle memory yet, but we’re getting there.
I am so very grateful for the hunting knowledge that I’ve gained from all of my Virginia COTH friends and enablers: I know to be on time, ready to go, with my capping fee in hand. When we’re in the field , I know to keep quiet. When staff or hounds come through, I know to get my horse offthe*trail now! When I hear the huntsman’s horn at a check, I know to point, not speak. And while I know that beginners are often forgiven their mistakes, I’m glad to have the teaching that can allow a hunt to want to have me back.
So thank you, thank you, thank you, to Whicker for inviting me down and kicking off this obsession, to Hunters' rest for my training, and to Waterglen, JSwan, Jawa, TimelyImpulse and the rest of the VA Hunting crew for setting me up for success.
Our intrepid photographer made it 2 miles on foot, and got more pics when we returned. You can see them all here:http://baskwoodphotos.smugmug.com/Horse-Events/Ayer-Moutain-Farm-Foxhunt-1020/i-FSG2bps
I knew you wouldn’t have any problems. You ride much better than you give yourself credit for! Cute pony. Is that Jackie I see in the photos? So glad you’re having a great time. 
