How old were you when you started hunting?

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I guess this is my version of a mid-life crisis - I want to go fox hunting!

I understand this will take a while, since I don’t even jump (well, not intentionally) yet. But the little paint horse does - he loves it, in fact, and has never ever (knock wood-er, well, y’know;)) refused a jump with his trainer. So I’ll have some lessons to catch up with him. I plan to start out slowly - maybe the spring hunter paces, and then see if anyone would let me go out cubbing with them next season.

Most of the people with whom I’ve shared my ambition think I’ve either lost touch with reality or developed a suicidal streak. But I’ve always thought the best way to deal with those birthdays that end in zero is to embrace a new challenge. I turned forty my first year of law school, and I have a couple of years yet before the next one happens.

I know there are people who hunt into their seventies and even eighties. But I bet those folks grew up hunting. Is it possible to begin hunting in middle age? Or is it just early-onset dementia that makes me think I can do this?:lol:

[Jaegermonster]

I was 29 when I started hunting. I just went on a lark, I had grown up showing huntersblah blah blah, got back into horses after college etc, and decided I wanted to try it since it was something I have always wanted to do. Then I caught the fever, joined and the rest is history. I do really wish I had discovered it when I was a kid and my bones were still soft

Flash forward and I am now on my second generation hunt horse, I hunt with two hunts regularly and have colors with both. I was staff at one for about 6 years, still fill in in various capacities (mostly whipping in) and at the other I am also staff, I am a whipper in.

Hunting is a wonderful sport, great "training’ for both horse and rider, and tons of fun.
Most hunts are very accomodating and helpful to newbies and will keep an eye out for you.

If you are interested , you should contact a hunt in your area and see if they have car followers or something for the first time you go out. Or if you just want to jump in and ride, go with the hilltoppers group til you know what’s going on.

I would highly recommend that if you can at all do it, lease an experienced hunt horse for your first few hunts (again the hunt secretary can help you with that). It will greatly increase your enjoyment if at least one of you knows whats going on, and you can just worry about the hunt and not what your horse is doing. Trust me on this one. I didn’t have that luxury and my first season was a little hairy since I took an OTTB out of the show ring into the hunt field. That mare ended up being a stellar field masters horse and an even better whips horse, she stepped up and did everything I asked her to do, so you never know. The horse I am hunting now is her 5 year old baby. But I learned, read everything I could about hunting, studied up on it and you can too.

Try it you won’t be sorry

ps as far as the age thing, I turned 40 this summer. We have a couple of folks in our hunt who are in their 70’s and still hunting. They are treasured members of our hunt and treated with a great deal of respect. They usually go in the hilltoppers group these days (they are fieldmasters), but hunting isn’t about trying to impress anyone

[Ray]

its not too late, trust me!

I started at 42. And I was really an not-all-that advanced beginner rider at that point. Hunting has done tremendous things for my riding and fitness, and my horse just loves it

you are lucky; hunting in SC goes thru the winter :winkgrin:

[strawberry_roan]

What a fun question! I was 12 years old. Hunted for 6 years until I went away to college. Came back to it in my 40s. You are never too old!! I had hoped to get back to it one day, just took a lot longer than I thought. But love it just as much as when I was a kid! :)

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=Jaegermonster;3546869]

If you are interested , you should contact a hunt in your area and see if they have car followers or something for the first time you go out.

I would highly recommend that if you can at all do it, lease an experienced hunt horse for your first few hunts (again the hunt secretary can help you with that). It will greatly increase your enjoyment if at least one of you knows whats going on, and you can just worry about the hunt and not what your horse is doing. Trust me on this one. :)[/QUOTE]

Oh, good idea! I’ve been lurking in this forum for awhile, and have read wateryglen and others on car following. I could do that this season!:yes: The hunts closest to me are Moore County Hounds (in Southern Pines) then Camden and after that I suppose Middleton Place. Just in case anyone from any of those hunts happens to read this.

And if I car-followed this season, I could get to know people and find out who has hunt horses for lease. That’s also an excellent suggestion. Taking nothing away from the little paint horse, but you’re right - he’d feel a alot better about his first hunt if I could reassure him that I’d done this before.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

Thanks, Roy and strawberry roan. I cross-posted with you. Y’all are both making me feel better about forty-something (novice and semi-novice) foxhunters. I reckon we could hunt throught the winter here. If we’re going to put our horses up for a season, it’s usually summer.:yes:

[Hunter_s_Rest]

I started when I was 3 or 4 – on a leadline beside my parent(s). Still hunting 2-3-4+ days a week, 40 years later!! Love it. Try it. No need for jumping. Its overrated. You want to watch the hounds work, not watch the butt of the horse in front of you. REAL foxhunters hilltop by choice. Jump, naturally, when required, but always at all times in all cases do real legitimate hunters (riding to hunt, not hunting to ride) need not jump.

[altjaeger]

Do I win a prize or something? :lol: I was 58 when I started (last year).

[linquest]

I met an interesting woman this summer. She started riding in her 40’s because she moved to hunt country “and that’s just what people do around here”. Apparently, her instructor was of the belief that once you learned how to canter, you had to hunt to really learn how to ride. So she started hunting just a few months after she started taking lessons! She is still hunting now, a quarter century later, and also teaches and takes her own students hunting. Now there’s your inspiration!

[Thomas_1]

![]( was 2 when I was taken to my first opening meet on the back of a pony and 5 when I first hunted.

We’re following the family tradition and this is my grandson’s first meet

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/flodden_edge/hunting/7ee0re2.jpg)

I have taken plenty of more riders out to start hunting first time in maturity though.

[Elghund2]

I turned 42 during my first season hunting. When I started riding in my late 30’s it was always a goal to hunt. This year I’ll be able to go out twice a week. I’ve only missed one meet so far this season.

[fernie_fox]

First time mounted at 3 years old.

Chucked in the back of the terrier truck from birth.

[KateDB]

In utero - until my Mother ran out of room for moving her buttons on her drop-front breeches. She found safety in one of her follow hunters being an OB/GYN!

[armandh]

huntintg started at 45 yrs old

riding in a horse friendly county park http://www.qpee.org/docs/home.html I came across two other riders. I asked to ride along and at one point excused my self to jump up a bank and over a post and rail along side the path. one [our MFH emeritus] inquired if I showed, no I answered, I just ride for fun. she suggested I try hunting. 17 years ago

[Painted_Wings]

I was 22

My boyfriend at the time was a hunt member. He invited me opening meet and the Hunt Ball as his guest. Ended up marrying the son of a different member. Does that sound incestuous? He’s actually never been that much into hunting. The in-laws became landowners. We used to hunt as their guests a few times a year. Then they got old and quit hunting. So I didn’t go out again until one of the current masters decided I could hunt as a landowner due to the in-laws property. Then the hunt club moved away due to subdivisions popping up all over so now I am a full dues paying member.

We do still have the farm which is 165 acres that I keep my horses on. There is also a 400 acre park next door with riding trails in what used to be hunt country. The Beer heir that bought the old club still lets members ride on that 130 acres so that’s another bonus of hunt membership.

But the club now has almost 1400 acres for their 130 in what is fast becoming suburbia. But I have to drive an hour instead of a 15 minute hack.

I’ve been hunting 6 years since I restarted. It’s been great fun. We have a great group.

[SLW]

I hunted as a 11 & 12 year old Pony Clubber in upstate South Carolina. When we moved to VA I hunted with many hunts as a guest.

Go for it, no matter what your age. In my current hunt there are many members who did not start hunting, in some cases even riding, until they empty nested in their 40’s. They inspire me as do the even more mature members who are still riding, and expert at hound work, well into their 70’s.

[Rt66Kix]

I started at 47! I began riding at 40, and foxhunting was a goal of mine. I figured if I could foxhunt, I might be somewhat of a good rider.

It took me a few years to get the right skills and horse, but I did it. It governs my life from Sept-Feb, and has changed my outlook about a lot of things.

The right horse is a must. Find an equine “pro” to take you out for the first season. Right now I have a proven, made foxhunter that I rescued. I’m rehabbing a lot of lameness issues.

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=169005

I think by next fall he’ll be ready to go out hunting. He’s a packer, and just a dollbaby. I’m hoping that I’ll find someone new to hunting that will ride him for me. It will do both of them good!

Quite possibly someone will have a field hunter that is just standing around, getting stiff and fat. My friend is hunting with us this year, and she has the use of a horse for the entire season for free. The owner has too many horses, and this horse needs more hunting experience. Julie is a great rider, and the horse is doing quite well. So find someone with an older, BTDT horse and I bet they will be THRILLED to have their horse getting exercise.

And chances are the horse will be happy, too. I know my Buddy showed an entire new side to his personality when we went hunting for the first time. He perked up and just strutted down the road when he saw the hounds and heard the horn. He is another proven field hunter that I rehabbed, and he has taught me so much.

Go for it! Don’t worry about jumping. Many times the second flight has more views, and sees better hound work.

[Painted_Wings]

Hey, fat little paint horses make the best hunt mounts for middle aged women.

http://www.pbase.com/lesliegra/image/103789828

[Beverley]

I started hunting in college, at age 19. I picked a college in Virginia because I wanted to give hunting a try.

[rivenoak]

I also started hunting at 19, whilst in college. The barn where I rode kept a small drag pack.

Had a hiatus, but am back at it with 2 different packs.

My son hunted in utero, attended his 1st opening hunt as an 8 week-old, and I hope will be a hunter.