Newbie questions/opportunities to hunt in GA

Hello,
I am located in Georgia and I wondered if there were an opportunities to fox hunt in the state. I honestly don’t know a lot about hunting except for the little bit that I’ve read and that it looks like a blast!

Here’s my questions…
What breed of horse is typical?
What do you expect to pay per event?
How often does a group have hunts?
Are there any fox hunting groups in Georgia?

Thoroughbreds seem very popular though many breeds are suitable.

By “paying per event” I take it you mean as a guest of the hunt. That payment is known as a capping fee and it varies from area to area. In my area it averages $30. Most hunts limit the number of times a person may cap as a guest and expect full membership after that.

Most hunts tend to go out twice a week, once during the week and once on weekends.

The Masters of Foxhounds Association has a list of all its member hunts by state and province, plus much more about the sport. It is a recommended read: http://mfha.org/home.html

There are several registered hunts in Georgia, they can all be found on the MFHA website; http://www.mfha.org/hunts.html Do not assume that you can just “go hunting” - it’s a little more involved than turning up and paying. There is nothing more detested than an unsuitable horse and horses don’t come able to hunt. Manners are far more important than papers or conformation. Spend some time thoroughly researching the activity before getting your toes wet.

Ebm91: If you’d like to learn about hunting and don’t mind making a road trip, join one of the CotH foxhunts at Hunter’s Rest in VA this fall (09/24 and 11/5). If you’re not ready to ride out just yet, you can still learn a lot just being there, and there is always a terrific group of car followers who can show/teach/explain as you go. It’s a lot of fun, and can help you decide if you’re ready to hunt.

Check out the related threads in this forum,or PM me and I’ll share my experience.

Just fair warning though, if you’re bitten by the bug, there’s no cure :slight_smile:

There are four hunts in Georgia, plus one more that straddles the Georgia/Florida border, and another that travels from Illinois and spends part of the season near Albany. Packs go out 2-3 times per week (or more) from September through March, depending upon the hunt. Hunts usually last from 2-4 hours, but sometimes go longer.

Cap fees range from $35-75 – that is the fee a guest pays to hunt for a single day. If you catch the bug, membership fees are obviously more, but once a member you can hunt as many times as you like.

The type of horse is unimportant, so long as it is fit enough to do the job you want it to do, and is sensible. A lot goes on during a foxhunt, and some horses take to it, and some don’t; you won’t really know if your horse is suitable until it is faced with the experience.

Foxhunting is open to all levels of riders – there are different “fields,” depending upon how fast you want to go and whether you want to jump – they range from walk-trot groups to those who spend most of their time at a gallop. Those who ride fast and jump tend to prefer Thoroughbreds or mostly-TB crosses, but field members ride any variety of warmbloods, draft crosses, quarterhorses, or any other breed you can think of, with the exception of gaited breeds, which you do not typically see.

To get involved, find someone you know who is a member of a hunt – this is not a situation where you can just show up uninvited. If you do not know any hunt members, call the hunt secretary of the hunt nearest you and express your interest; those numbers are listed on the MFHA web page posted above.

While there are certain protocols and etiquette to follow, you’ll not find a more enjoyable and welcoming group of people. Before you go out, read as much as you can about the history and rituals of hunting, and you’ll have an even better experience.

Another poster asked a similar question earlier this year – here is that post: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294355

Best of luck!

Someone, please, please put something on the Hunting FAQ about “how to start hunting” with a link to these posts.

[QUOTE=xeroxchick;5825849]
Someone, please, please put something on the Hunting FAQ about “how to start hunting” with a link to these posts.[/QUOTE]

Done. Also included the link to the other Ga. hunt thread mentioned above.

(Sorry! I’m a mod on another website and it’s hard to not be a mod over here.)

Thanks for doing that, but you actually linked the same thread twice. Can you edit? :slight_smile:

Done. :smiley: