If you want new members to continue the sport for generations to come....

[Leggomyalterfox]

If you want new members to continue the sport for generations to come… or if you just want new members to boost the influx of dollars for right now… either way, you should strive to make the new members feel welcome - especially of they are going out of their way to try.

If you have new members at an event, perhaps go out of your way to talk to / sit with / engage them. Otherwise, next year they may be former members.

That is all. Just something to keep in mind. Thank you on behalf of my alter “eggo” ???

[Leggomyalterfox]

*if they are going out of their way to try.

Edit function doesn’t work here. My apologies for the grammar error.

[Leggomyalterfox]

Just a PSA as the hunt balls approach :winkgrin:

[mvp]

Thank you.

It should not have to be said… but I guess that in some parts of the country it’s not a normal part of manners to go out of one’s way to be welcoming. I don’t say this as someone who has been given the cold shoulder (I’m pretty gregarious and thick skinned). Rather, I say this as someone who spent her first bit of extended time in the Southeast and was deeply impressed by the friendliness I encountered there among any and all.

Hunt balls and (drunken) behavior there is another topic. Things got a tad too friendly as I recall. This was on the West Coast when I was in college long ago.

I recall some dude seeing me dressed for hunting on Sunday morning, having seen me in a strapless dress the night before and commenting that my boobs were real. Yesindeedy. They are real (and I don’t think they are interestingly big) so I filed that under “Whatever.”

[Foxglove]

Don’t know where you’ve been hunting, but take yourself out to my hunt club at Battle Creek Hunt and you will be warmly welcomed! After trying for some time to find a member who would sponsor to ladies to guest hunt (before www), my friend and I were invited to BCHC. We were greeted by the master, introduced to the staff, taken by our host to the hilltop group (he was a whip and could not ride out with us), and given the most exciting, thrilling ride of our lives --complete with local color commentary by the hilltop leader. We were set to say thank you and leave, but no, we were given stalls (complete with clean bedding and fresh water/hay) and asked to stay for the brunch. After (what we thought was) the brunch, lovely light buffet, we were shepherded into to the main dining room for the dinner! After dessert, we were rolled out to our trailers, had help loading, and sent on our way with an invitation to come back! We did and by the next year were asked to join (I didn’t need colors as I was an MFH from another hunt). And that’s how we treat guests at Battle Creek!! I’ve been a member of 5 hunts in my life. Even as a teenager, I always felt welcomed. Since people hunt to be social, it would seem to me that it would be natural for hunt clubs to welcome new riders.

[Leggomyalterfox]

Thank you for the warm (and funny!) sentiment. My brother, his wife, and I attended an event a few weeks ago. I was pleasant with everyone that passed, went and extended myself, introduced myself, was polite. The majority didn’t seem to be “not nice” they were just unaware and apathetic.

[Leggomyalterfox]

We have had several experiences just like this at other previous events, so when I got my hunt ball invitation, I realized I am just not looking forward to it (still going though, ticket paid).

[Leggomyalterfox]

Nobody was “mean”, they just certainly didn’t come over, and the only time someone spoke to us was to get us to pass something (salt, chair, napkins, etc).

[Foxglove]

Again, every hunt is as different as the people that make up the membership. For me (and I suspect many other members) the Battle Creek Hunt Ball is the social event of our year! Some members travel to big cities in search of the perfect dress --others have dresses made --and then their’s me --I make my own dress every year --but my ma was a fashion designer so I have a bit of an edge! The gentlemen wear red tail coats --and it seems everyone knows how to dance and does! The Master’s wife generally selects bands that are good --although I’ve heard there’s a movement afoot to use a DJ. There’s also some discussion of the music --our membership is aged 15-80 so trying to find music that everyone likes and can/will dance to is a challenge. As far as drunken or boorish behavior, if it is happening, it must be out of my view. The only one who drinks too much is my husband who, although a fantastic ballroom dancer who makes me look good, starts to combine his dances --the Rumba becomes mixed with the Swing, and we have a new dance! The Sa-rumba! But except that he has on occasion stepped on my toes --no one would notice he’s had a few too many. But it only takes one person to spoil the party --fortunately, he must be attending someone else’s hunt ball! I’ve posted before that the gentlemen members have ridden out the next day dressed in their formal tail coats --implying that they did not go home that night --but since the lady member have yet to appear riding out in formal dresses, we wonder with whom they spent the night!

[lmlacross]

Additionally, if you seek to grow your membership:

Offer graduated membership options beyond those for “young” members. As a rule, thirty-somethings may not be able to drop several thousands of dollars annually in order to hunt. These would-be members often have full time careers that are still on the rise and young children whose associated costs and activities constrain these youngish members’ involvement. Work to develop a full slate of membership options, including a limited hunting option beyond simple social membership to accommodate those who might love to join, but for whom three days’ hunting each week is neither financially for logistically feasible.

Consider opening the season with an open, no-cap, informal hunt that’s actively publicized to local barns and trainers to bring in new blood. Offer low cost clinics for those who may have never hunted (or ridden outside a ring) before. Then, host a tack swap or maintain an online listing of available tack, attire, and appointments in order to make the extensive list of must-haves less off-putting.

[BigMick]

lmlacross, I agree with your entire post whole-heartedly!

I think that not all hunts have had this shift in mindset because many of them historically looked primarily to wealthy land-owners for membership. With the increasing encroachment of urban and suburban growth, lands are disappearing and membership demographics are changing. However, not all hunt leadership “sees” this and the growth and marketing plan for these organizations aren’t as progressive or inclusive as they could be. I’d say this largely depends on who is on the board.

We do offer the “open” hunt once a year in hopes of bringing in eventers and others and several of the local eventing trainers are members or will cap occasionally. This cross-pollination is good in breaking down misconceptions about our sport and generating interest.

[Leggomyalterfox]

Love the other suggestions too. I was surprised at the lack of “friendly ness” especially since this hunt did a great job with “introduction clinics” this year.

[Foxglove]

ImIacross --or any one else --what would you offer at at foxhunting clinic? Clearly a meet and greet with the master and staff, tour the kennels, talk about traditions, and then ride the hunt country (divided into groups for jumping, sort of jumping, and not jumping at all, then meet with the general membership? Would that be enough to attract someone to attend a clinic? Perhaps, horse-meet-hound would be good too --in the arena on the ground, hounds on leashes wandering around the horses at a safe distance? What else???

[lmlacross]

I think all of the above sounds great, Foxglove-- and very similar to what our hunt has done in the past. If possible, start riders out in a ring talking about spacing, remaining behind your field leader, mounted etiquette, etc. Then move out to a field and out across the country. Practice riding away from the group. Practice a check. Practice letting hounds and staff members by safely (with or without actual hounds).

Our master also demonstrated different calls on his horn and described purpose of each, members showed both cubbing and formal attire (men/women, colors/without). Presented horses appropriately tacked and turned out, discussed bitting, the need for a properly trained horse, and the importance of a well-installed “whoa.”

I’d give everyone who attended the full clinic a cap at the for the cubbing date of their choice. Our hunt did, and i know I appreciated it.

[Foxglove]

Great ideas! I thought a light breakfast with huntsman and staff --the clinic --then a lunch or snacks with the membership after --I LOVE the idea of a free capping!

[lmlacross]

Yes. Food is always a winner.

[mvp]

[QUOTE=Foxglove;9044067]
ImIacross --or any one else --what would you offer at at foxhunting clinic? Clearly a meet and greet with the master and staff, tour the kennels, talk about traditions, and then ride the hunt country (divided into groups for jumping, sort of jumping, and not jumping at all, then meet with the general membership? Would that be enough to attract someone to attend a clinic? Perhaps, horse-meet-hound would be good too --in the arena on the ground, hounds on leashes wandering around the horses at a safe distance? What else???[/QUOTE]

This and lots of invites to roading, please.

I hunted as a kid in NorCal and-- sooner or later (by God) I’ll move to a new part of the country where there is a hunt. I’ll be an old lady by then and maybe (ok… now I’m asking God, not telling Him), I’ll still ride well enough to hunt.

But! I’ll need an intro to the people and current/local etiquette of that hunt. Oh, and the horse and I will probably need some basic education/mileage. I’m a big fan of riding a well-trained field hunter (I used to make those), so I welcome things like hunter paces which include horse education and socializing with hunt members. And what I have always really needed was an opportunity to go out and road the hounds with the hunt staff.

Training a horse to hunt in the field can be hard, especially as more and more hunts resort to drag hunting. I know I can go with the hill toppers, but usually there’s not an option to take the horse off and school him a bit in any field.

Any chance I can get to ride a horse the way I think he needs to be ridden and hang out with the hunt’s members and staff is a “killing two birds with one stone” for me. That’s what I need in my busy life.

[Rallycairn]

As for what to include in an intro clinic/workshop: I went to a Casanova Hunt Intro Clinic many years ago. As I recall, after everyone was mounted, we were divided into groups in a field, then the first thing they did was a quick tack check – things like making sure riders knew to only use standing martingales and how to put the keeper on correctly (a lot of folks don’t know this), etc. Safety more than etiquette based, though etiquette too if anyone had questions. Basically, they had everyone line up and then went down the line and gave a quick glance and answered tack/attire questions if anyone had them. Then everyone practiced moving off and keeping the correct distance, first on the flat, then over some jumps (optional).

So, really starting at a very basic level – doing some really basic things in what was essentially a training field before even moving into a covert. It was great but maybe even more basic/elementary than some of the things presented here. Or at least things to review first before even going out into the fields/coverts.

[Foxglove]

Good ideas mvp and Rallycairn! Rallycairn, how long did your clinic last? I hope to attract riders from as far as an hour and a half away (90 min) as that’s about as far as I’d be willing to drive on a regular basis for hunting (and that’s about what I do drive). If I drove 90 min for a clinic that I was paying for, I’d expect it to last from 9-3 or so --what do you think? That’s why I was thinking start with a breakfast of some kind (our hunt club has 80 stalls available for guests since the members wont be using them in the summer), meet the staff, and then have participants get their horses and meet in the indoor or outdoor ring where attire and tack would be addressed as hounds on leashes walk around (very carefully). Once the hounds are put away, then working mounted (still in the ring) on distance and allowing horses to pass and passing other horses --turning toward the passing huntsman and staff while at a stop --and maybe following a staff member over or around cavaletti --then off to the hunting grounds (we have 1500 acres in three sections) in small groups where people feel comfortable riding. That takes us to 12 or 1 --put horses away, come back to the club house (ours is lovely) for a meet and greet of members and more food . . .that puts everyone on the road by 4 ish --a nice day --and I love the idea of a free capping at the hunt of ones choice! More ideas??? I’ve got a board member to present the clinic idea at the next meeting --we MUST have huntsman’s approval --without him, it won’t fly. .

[Hinderella]

I attended the clinics run by Tanheath Hunt several times. They were very well run and very helpful. It began with a seated presentation of hunting history, basics and attire while our horses munched hay in the trailers. The mounted portion started with elements of riding in a group: passing safely, maintaining proper speed and distance, halting. Those who wished to jump had an opportunity to do so in a practice setting in a cross country field. Then the Huntsman would bring out a group of hounds. After a brief introduction to hounds, the hounds were put away and the attendees broke into groups for “first field” and hilltoppers and general instruction on hunt riding etiquette continued in the field. We wrapped up with sandwiches and soft drinks and any final questions.