Some beginner hunting questions

[FitToBeTied]

As always when as king a question about hunting, the correct response is to ask the hunt secretary.

As far as tan boot tops go, the very traditional view is that they were worn by gentlemen with colors when wearing their colors. Women with colors wore the patent leather tops when wearing their colors. The very traditional was that women wore the standard melton with the collar colors. Over time some hunts have allowed women staff to wear scarlet as well. I have no problem with that.

I agree with the above comment that there are two many people wearing scarlet in the field. When I first started hunting many decades ago, I asked the master how one got colors. The answer was that you had to be competent enough in knowledge of the territory, of hunting, and riding ability to step in and lead the field or staff. So it was pretty limiting. It was basically a way to designate in the field people who were capable of leading in case of emergency.

Hunting has evolved and not everyone who hunts owns land. Many members come out from the suburbs to where their horses are boarded and then hunt. Hunts have evolved to reward members for other significant contributions to the hunt sometimes including money (buying your colors). Many hunts now award colors for non-hunting contributions to the hunt.

Personally, and I have my colors, I wish it was really just masters and staff wearing scarlet in the field. I think the specialness of scarlet has been worn away from people who ride badly, don’t really know anything about hunting or don’t even know the territory but instead are wearing scarlet because they are good at organizing balls, show up for every work party, etc. These efforts should be significantly recognize but not with a scarlet coat.

Old crotchety man vent over. Git off mah lawn.

[wookiee]

I am MFH of a drag pack in New England and we use spray bottles to lay our scent instead of a traditional drag. Our coverts are very dense and while we enjoy a good run, we also want the hounds to work so we instruct our “fox” to go deep into covert to lay the scent. A true drag would become quickly tangled. She will often dismount and lay the scent by hand with another “fox” ponying her horse along the trail the field will use to watch the action. So for us, we get a more “live-feel” to working the scent out from our pack with a spray bottle in deep covert than scent laid on an open trail or field. Hounds are very clever and even with a wealth of different territories to change things up, our hounds figured out where we always wanted a run and would “find” in the same spots whether a scent was laid or not. So we changed our strategy a couple of years ago to end the “steeplechasing”. We work very hard to discourage babbling along trails, including blank casts, lost foxes, treed foxes, etc. Sometimes it means we walk beside the best line of jumps while the hounds work it out but, hey, that’s hunting!

As for attire, Masters and hound staff, even honorary, wear scarlet, regardless of gender. Gentleman with colors also wear scarlet, as is traditional. Ladies with colors do not. FitToBeTied is very correct that you could end up with scarlet in the field who could not lead others out of a wet paper bag, so looking for the scarlet coat if one becomes lost is not always a good strategy. We have some long time (as in, decades) gentleman members with scarlet and they would be quite put out of we asked them to switch to a black coat, same as ladies with colors, so the tradition remains.

[gumtree]

Everything as been pretty well covered. I will add, hilltoppers can be on foot, on horse and by car for the older and or “retired” members.

As far as members wearing Scarlet also referred to as Pink it seems that is totally regional. With our local Hunt, Cheshire pretty much the only members wearing Scarlet are the Masters and the odd senior members in the field.

[RiderInTheRain]

In the Midwestern hunt that I ride with gentlemen with colors and staff (male and female) wear scarlet. Currently, the only men with colors are staff or masters so it is generally a safe bet that someone in a bright coat can help you out if need be.

I’m an honorary whipper-in and wear a scarlet coat with regular dress boots at this point in time. Other lady staff members can and do wear tan boot tops in our hunt, but luckily the masters are understanding of my limited budget as a graduate student and are fine with me continuing to wear my black boots while I save my pennies. I whipped in for several seasons (first riding with experienced whips, then on my own) before I was listed as a whip for our hunt and encouraged to acquire a scarlet coat. I liked “earning” the coat and really whether I wear a black coat or a red one, my job and enjoyment of the hunt are the same!

[GrayMare]

I think you’ve had most of your questions answered, but things do vary hunt to hunt regarding attire. Also, it varies as to what is acceptable for a newcomer. For example, most hunts are very generous and welcoming to newcomers and would not expect a newcomer to arrive decked out in brand spanking new perfect attire. With this in mind, the best course of action is to consult with the master or a knowledgeable member of the hunt regarding specific attire questions. I’m also of the opinion that while it’s nice to be properly turned out, the reality is that people care a lot more as to whether or not you are suitably mounted and conduct yourself with proper manners. When I say “manners” I mean being able to do things like follow at a proper distance without running into people or passing them willy nilly and get your horse out of the way (but facing towards) passing staff, and paying attention that you don’t step on a hound–things like that.

You might want to check out the Anonymous Foxhunter’s videos on Facebook/Youtube–very entertaining.

As far as following what is happening in the field or knowing when you are done, sometimes no one knows! Once in a while you will be headed home when the hounds pick up a scent and you end up hunting for another two hours.

For the tea, just ask–every hunt does it differently. Our hunt eats following the hunt after horses have been untacked, wiped down, and given some hay and water. Horses are either left tied to the trailer or loaded on the trailers. It gives both horses and humans a chance to relax a bit before driving home. If you can cook and have a tasty dish to share you will be extra popular.