So tempting - first hunt- report pt 13, question pt 16, btw

[asanders]

You go 2fat!!!

I had the wonderful good fortune to be introduced to hunting in Maryland, and the terrible misfortune to love it, but have no time or $$ for it (poor starving student). I managed to get out several times, always on a different horse, and always one that had never hunted. (Yes, I know…, but of course I didn’t then --I was just a dumb kid who would get on anything).

Your story reminded me of the benefits and dangers of hacking a horse to their first meet. I hacked my own horse to a meet. We rode on the fixture basically every day. We came out of the familiar woods, and my wonderful boy saw all those horses and hounds in HIS park and had a minor brain freeze. It was a rainy day, and the secretary saw us and started to walk over, but apparently looked like an alien in her Barbour, because my horse decided to rear. I think it is the only time he ever did that in his life. I was MORTIFIED. But he made up for it by behaving like a champ the rest of the day.

I have made it my still unrealized goal to find a career amenable to weekday hunting. Maybe since I am actually back to being a poor starving student, this will be the year…

[twofatponies]

[QUOTE=asanders;3508505]

I have made it my still unrealized goal to find a career amenable to weekday hunting. Maybe since I am actually back to being a poor starving student, this will be the year…[/QUOTE]

Working from home has many(!!) downsides, but the flexibility is something I am forever thankful for. Poor starving student life isn’t half bad either (spent plenty of years there!).

[Whisper]

It sounds like you had a blast! I hope you can keep going frequently.

[Frecklefacedfrannie]

You go girl!!!
I loved your tale. The I woke at 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 reminded me so much of my first hunt.
Hunting makes a great horse, a great horse makes a hunter and that training in-between is essential.
Send the note. I wish I had because the MFH really appreciates it. Also, if you go to a volunteer hunt, thank all the staff after each hunt.
Fran

[cjmicro]

Glad you had such a good time!! I’d love to use your story for the foxhuntva.com website. It’s a great one to help others feel that first-time excitement of hunting!! Staff are used to people not getting out of the way correctly, and it sounds like they explained it so you’d know how and why for next time, so don’t worry. We have all made our hunting faux pas at some point

It is really nice to thank the staff all at the end of the meet, and sending a card would be really great too.

As far as your horse’s feet I pack mine with forshener’s hoof packing after a day where we’ve done a lot on harder ground, it’s not expensive and couldn’t hurt. I keep it in my trailer and pack the hooves after the ride.

Can you email or PM me and let me know if I can reprint your story? Thanks!

[CarrieK]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us! I enjoyed reading it and am feeling envious.

[twofatponies]

[QUOTE=cjmicro;3510131]

It is really nice to thank the staff all at the end of the meet, and sending a card would be really great too.

As far as your horse’s feet I pack mine with forshener’s hoof packing after a day where we’ve done a lot on harder ground, it’s not expensive and couldn’t hurt. I keep it in my trailer and pack the hooves after the ride.

Can you email or PM me and let me know if I can reprint your story? Thanks![/QUOTE]

I did stop and thank and chat with every person as I was leaving, especially staff. I didn’t want to just ride off without proper good-byes.

I had to laugh at some of the introductions I had, too - one woman asked me what my name was again as we were cantering through a field, but then we had to go single file over a fallen wall, and so there I am spelling my name over my shoulder and trying to hear her reply without us raising our voices. It was funny.

Thanks for the tip on hoof packing!

(I pm’d you about the reprint.)

[Rt66Kix]

2FP, you sound just like me last year! That was my first time out hunting, and I also woke up every hour on the hour.

Hacking to the meet is such a luxury. I have to drive 110 miles, which is about 2 hours 15 minutes.

I also made some mistakes, and was politely corrected. I don’t think anyone expects you to be perfect the first time out; they are just darn glad you are showing an interest in the sport!

This year I am taking a friend along who hunted once in VA, but that was it. She is excited about it, and I can’t WAIT to have a buddy to carpool with, and then dissect the hunt on the drive home.

We start on Sunday, and my Buddy jammed his shoulder last Saturday. I sure hope he’s good to go this Sunday!

Now, for the 2 most important questions.

1. When are you going out again?

2. What will you put in your flask? :lol:

[SEPowell]

[QUOTE=twofatponies;3505137]
Okay, that was fun! Wow!

So here’s my report: please forgive my lack of correct terminology!

So I woke up at 2, 3, 4, and 5 am, afraid I’d overslept my alarm. [/QUOTE]

:lol::lol::lol: Oh, that’s so funny. I still have trouble sleeping before hunting and I’ve been doing this for VERY many years. It gets tough during hound jogging and cubbing and by Sunday I’m exhausted :dead:

[SLW]

[QUOTE=asanders;3508505]

I have made it my still unrealized goal to find a career amenable to weekday hunting. Maybe since I am actually back to being a poor starving student, this will be the year…[/QUOTE]

I have done just that this year, this week, I feel like a Princess! At the conclusion of the hunting season last spring I pulled Doc aside and said “we gotta talk about me not working on Weds next fall” Bless his heart a couple weeks back he said “when do we need to schedule you off on Weds?”. Happy Camper + Happy Worker = Great Employee.

Farrier came tonight…Cub Hunting starts in less than 48 hours…weather forecast to be perfect!

[SLW]

[QUOTE=twofatponies;3505137]
Okay, that was fun! Wow!

So here’s my report: please forgive my lack of correct terminology!

So I woke up at 2, 3, 4, and 5 am, afraid I’d overslept my alarm.

I would do it again in a heartbeat![/QUOTE]

Perfect, perfect!!! You and your mare did fine!

Here’s a hint…Tylenol P.M. can be your best friend the night before!

[strawberry_roan]

Great report! Thrilled that you loved it–it is just the best. I usually wake up an hour before I need to–which is 4:30 am for cubbing! Just get too excited! :)

[armandh]

[QUOTE=asanders;3508505]

I have made it my still unrealized goal to find a career amenable to weekday hunting. Maybe since I am actually back to being a poor starving student, this will be the year…[/QUOTE]

for many years I took my vacation one week day at a time
after enough years there are enough days

[wateryglen]

yowza!

Well…you could use the flask the night before! Nobody said it HAS to be used just on the ACTUAL hunting day ya know!!! :winkgrin: Funny how I almost never need that clock alarm on hunting mornings too.

Keep posting everybody!

[twofatponies]

I do think it’s a little amusing that this is one of the only sports I can think of where one is supposed to drink!

I remember when I was a teen, living with my cousin in the UK, she prompted several raidings of my aunt’s liquor cabinet because “if we’re going to fox hunt one day we need to practice…”

[SLW]

[QUOTE=twofatponies;3520512]
I do think it’s a little amusing that this is one of the only sports I can think of where one is supposed to drink!

I remember when I was a teen, living with my cousin in the UK, she prompted several raidings of my aunt’s liquor cabinet because “if we’re going to fox hunt one day we need to practice…” :D[/QUOTE]

That happens in the UK too, I mean, I’m from the deep south where any story that begins “my cousin and I” means t.r.o.u.b.l.e.!!!

Extreme example, hubba has a cousin that did a horrid wicked thing to a highway patrol officer in Florida (hubba was NOT with him that day) which meant that for many years we got a Christmas Card with the State Pen in Starke, Florida as the return address. Eee gazooks, that was embarrassing to explain to my postal carrier out here in Kansas.

[system]

HI… Are you doing a Hunter Pace?? Or “Fox Hunting”… you know… with the hounds? If its a Hunter Pace… You don’t need a coat… In fact… you could get away with your “regular” riding clothes… Just clean everything up… and off you go…

[twofatponies]

[QUOTE=horsechick1212;3523056]
HI… Are you doing a Hunter Pace?? Or “Fox Hunting”… you know… with the hounds? If its a Hunter Pace… You don’t need a coat… In fact… you could get away with your “regular” riding clothes… Just clean everything up… and off you go…:)[/QUOTE]

A real fox hunt - check out post 13 for my account of the adventure. It went well!