It's time for another COTH hunt!

[jetjocky]

Calling all hunter princesses … COTH hunt alert! Hoping folks can join us the second weekend of December - spoke to Betsy and she has rooms and horses; spoke to Eva and Gregg and the Snickersville Hounds eagerly await your arrival! Hounds are working well for Eva - so come and share the fun.

Snickersville is a wonderful pack - great country (Middleburg, along the Snickersville Turnpike and including Sunnybank Farm, home of Robert E. Lee’s horse Traveler. His barn is still standing - you have to come see it). The people are friendly and welcoming.

Steeplchase jockey Colvin “Gregg” Ryan and racehorse trainer Eva Smithwick are the joint masters at Snickersville. Many of you know them both from their days in the steeplechase world. While still involved in that world, they both have turned their attention to foxhunting. Gregg also is master for Piedmont in Upperville. Eva is married to Speedy Smithwick, whose family has owned Sunnybank for four generations. Many of you remember his mother, Dot, who placed Sunnybank in conservation easement a number of years ago. Sadly, Dot is no longer with us, but her legacy lives on through her family and farm.

In addition to hunting with Snickersville, I’m sure we can put together another fixture or two if folks want more than one day of hunting - that’s in the works.

I’d also like to invite everyone to come for a day in the recently restored Old Town Winchester. There are tons of really cute shops (not a lot of horsey stuff per se, but lots of history: George Washington, TONS of Civil War history since Winchester changed hands 72 times during the War of Northern Agression as it’s sometimes known).

We can have lunch / dinner in Winchester Friday. I’m sure we can find some live music somewhere - there are several venues in Winchester offering it these days. Maybe we will go listen to music at the newly restored George Washington Hotel, a Wyndham Historic property. I have a friend who works there, so they would take excellent care of us.

Once we get a sense of how many are coming, we will firm up the itinerary. My initial proposal is to have folks arrive Thursday, maybe have a lesson/ride with Betsy Friday morning, come to Winchester Friday afternoon/evening. Then hunt Saturday and Sunday if that works out.

Ok, let this be your Christmas present to yourself. Who’s in??

[Hunter_s_Rest]

Yes to all!! And more!!!

[Hunter_s_Rest]

PS Reminder – These hunt weekends started as a way for newbie foxhunters and wanna-be foxhunters could do it (via a friendly, well-led third-field aboard kind veteran fieldhunters.)
I dropped the ball re: hosting here in my third-field at Old Dominion) but am more than willing and eager to ship up to Snickersville, which has eagerly offered our CotH group a third-field to enable this experience.
So, while veterans are absolutely invited to take part, please consider this (I think I’m right in saying) another newbie-friendly experience.

[jetjocky]

Yes, newbies are certainly welcome. There will be a third field - I checked with the masters and it’s a go. I hunt in the second field myself (the pony jumps way better than I do). So there are options for everyone. Follow Gregg in the first field, hang out with me and the pony in the second, or take your time and take in the lovely scenery in the third.

[SLW]

LOL, maybe I am feeling slapstick this morning because I am a little tired from yesterdays fine hunting but I giggled when I read this thread with the words “steeplechase jockey, steeplechase world, fox hunting and newbies welcome”. Only in Virginia!!

Winchester is a beautiful area and this sounds like the start of a perfect hunting weekend!! The weekend before I will be in Culpeper for a wedding but the schedule and travel doesn’t allow for any hunting.

[rivenoak]

Waaaaah, another year I can’t make it.

Next year, I hope!!

Have fun, everyone who attends.

[Laurierace]

Are we to bring our own horse or ride one of yours? Can you give an estimate of the costs?

[see_u_at_x]

Oooooh, as long as there’s a 3rd flight, I might be able to do it!

[tabula_rashah]

hmmm this sounds like a lot of fun to try (venturing over here from Endurance-land). Can someone tell me what 3rd flight is?

[Eleanor]

I would so love to do this, but I need to know costs. Is there some contact info we could get for the B&B so we could work out the over all cost. I already know it is going to cost about $750 for air fair.

[Hunter_s_Rest]

It has to go offsite for more - contact JetJocky or me for details.
Third flight is a hilltoppers group - we move from hilltop to hilltop, skirting and watching the action as opposed to following it. We see 10x more and do 10x less.
That said, there are very serious requirements in terms of seat and competence and fitness and solidness in the saddle. But these things can be taught and learned easily, and once JJ gets a quorom, we’ll begin making suggestions re: fitness and what all to do and practice to get yourself up to speed to do it.
My own 3rd field (i’m field master at ODH) plays to the lowest common denominator so it can be quite slow and gentle indeed.

[J-Lu]

I couldn’t easily bring my horse, and there’s no way my horse would make it through the day in one piece (mentally, that is - and we wouldn’t want to be a “spectacle” on an invitation day). I’d love to know if there’s an option to borrow or rent a packer. I’ve always wanted to try fox hunting and this sounds fun!

[GoneAway]

What I would give to be able to attend! Snickersville is a VERY fun group and I always had a blast out with them. I don’t think this year is the year, but if anyone is on the fence - you should go.

[Janet]

Might - if I can get Music fit.

Chief (the horse I rode last year) has been sold and is hunting full time with his new owner.

Belle is still rehabbing from a check ligament, and isn’t temperamentally suited to hunting even if she were sound.

Tiara is only 2 and not yet backed (though I am looking forward, in the future, to bringing my OWN “tiara” to the hunt).

Spy is a pasture ornament.

That leaves Music who
-hunted (capped with both Bull Run and Casanova) quite nicely in her youth (as well as eventing, show jumping and straight dressage)
-is now 27
-is sound
I have been using her as a pony horse for both Belle and Tiara, so she is not completely out of shape, but she is not hunting fit.

If I can get her even halfway fit, 3rd field would be perfect for her.

[Hunter_s_Rest]

Yes horses and lessons and training and prepping and rooms and concierge service and everything you need is offered and available.

I will see about offering an ‘optional extension’ to go out on Saturday with the Old Dominion Hounds for anyone wanting more! Or perhaps if anyone can’t come for a Wednesday-Friday midweek hunt trip, you could come Thursday-Saturday, or even Sunday.
Ask and ye shall receive …

[WinsomeTK]

Oh, that sounds fun!!! I’ve always dreamed of trying hunting! Maybe in a few years, when I’m used to riding again, and when the stars align well for me, I’ll be able to go.

[jetjocky]

Let me double check, but I believe the cap for Snickersville is $100. I will confirm that by this Sunday at the latest.

[cheval_convert]

I’ll have to live vicariously through the other hunting princesses this year…sigh. I fear my staff would come hunting for me if I were to take any time off during the busiest season of the year.

[SidesaddleRider]

We will probably join you on Sunday, since this is the weekend AFTER our big Christmas in M’burg meet, and it is 5 min down the road. The other COTH hunts were always on “big” meet days for us!

(Just a correction, Snickersville Hounds/Sunnybank aren’t off Snickersville Tpke, they are off Sam Fred Rd/route 50. Snickersville Tpke is Middleburg Hunt territory until you get to Mountville, then MH has the north side to almost Purcellville/Lincoln/Philomont), and Fairfax leases the south side, until Piedmont takes the rest of the southern side towards Bluemont)

[jetjocky]

Update - changing the date to Dec. 8

Hi folks - just wanted to let everyone know that the date for the COTH hunt will be Dec. 8 NOT Dec. 15 and the Sunday cap is $150. Hope you all will come out. It should be a great time.

We hosted a leg of the Junior Field Hunter Championships today and had a great time. Wonderful to see all the juniors out. We had about 40 or so in the field. Most of our fields are a bit smaller, tho, just so you know.

Give Betsy or me a holler.