In order to build more esprit d’corps, the hunt wants to do more informal fun things. We already have the trail rides, hunter paces etc. We were thinking of pub rides, but what do y’all do for fun? 
Um, well, what could be more fun than hunting?
Oh, maybe you meant, during the off season.
When not paneling, or walking hounds, or bathing hounds for hound shows.
Hmmm. Over and above what you’ve mentioned, nothing is springing to my mind. Well, one thing, maybe. I’ve long thought that hunts ought to be doing more to establish presence and good pr in their communities, away from horses and hounds. I think one thing could be to adopt a piece of highway (or road), and have a group cleanup or two over the summer. Sweat all morning doing Good Deeds, repair to say, a pub, for lunch
hunt night at the race track
and plenty of other theme parties over the years.
Wow that sounds just AWESOME! I wish there were more hunt trail rides in my area. I haven’t really heard of any thus far. What exactly would a pub ride involve? It sounds very fun…
What about a Hunt camping weekend?? There are some very fun horse camping sites in our area and horse camping is just so fun, cheap and relaxing when your with a good group of people. You can ride all day and sit by a fire, relax, chat and eat all night.
Well, considering we do our own trail clearing, and the only part that is even vaguely fun is the extra marital tick search:lol:, I think road clean up might not go over too well! Track or Polo night is a good idea. Off seasons are tough! I feel like Julie on the “Love Boat”!
Most of them wouldn’t clean up their own yard they have “people” for that!!! (members not staff) Hmmm let me think…I suggest that in the calender they use more shots of the membership (think higher sales) …not that I don’t love the landscape and the beauty of the country etc if you want to sell calenders you better make me the centerfold! (GACK!!!) I like the pub crawl thing but how would do that? Maybe more pleasure rides? I have to think about this one during the day and get back to you later…
How 'bout a poker ride?
I’m not sure what normal people do for fun.
[QUOTE=LookinSouth;3250868]
What about a Hunt camping weekend?? There are some very fun horse camping sites in our area and horse camping is just so fun, cheap and relaxing when your with a good group of people. You can ride all day and sit by a fire, relax, chat and eat all night.[/QUOTE]
+1 for horse camping
Our club hosts a camping weekend that is very posh. You have to ride to the camp which is deep in the mountains. But the caterers drive trucks that have plenty of space for luggage and extras.
In recent years, members from other hunts have joined us, making it even more fun.
[QUOTE=Jumphigh83;3251031]
If you want to sell calenders you better make me the centerfold! (GACK!!!)[/QUOTE]
Hey, you should have been our hunt mascot this year! I think you were in almost every photo in the Hunt ball slide show. As opposed to me where the only picture was me letting the hounds out of the truck the day after I got all four wisdom teeth out. To say I looked like a chipmunk would be putting it politely. :lol:
speaking of poker rides…
Our hunt is holding our second annual poker ride next month…it was a great novel idea of somebody’ s last year and really took off. Its really laid back…you can take a high course over jumps (hunter pace style) or just walk along at a leisurely pace (so beginner riders/ non- hunting spouses can participate). We then do a fabulous pig roast to follow.
Circus
We’re going to the circus week after next as a group. We get backstage passes and such. It’s a great show.
You guys are great! Some good easy, cheap ideas. Betsy, if you are the centerfold, I’ll buy enough calendars to wallpaper a room! The mental picture of your big paint horse with surgical glove udders (Halloween) is still burned on to my retina. See, some of us are fun!
How do you do a poker ride?
OK, I admit it - I’m “sosh”…!!!
POOL PARTIES!! Lots of them. One a month during hot summer at some rich members house. Potluck of course. OR hosts provide meat and attendees provide side dishes, booze, floaties, noodles and water cannons! One of our traditions is the “drown” the huntsman and or MFH or whomever is important and a good sport!! Funny how the Hunt Husbands group (and every hunt DOES have one) always gets rowdy and has waterfights.
THEME BBQ’s - Luau’s work, tropical theme & dress. Picture your MFH in a straw hat, grass skirt, aloha shirt, lei and carrying a large fruity drink with an umbrella in it…
POLO TAILGATE PARTIES - I’ve done Polo tailgates. It’s horses and food. Always my requisites to have a good time! We’re lucky to have soooooo much free polo round these parts.
HORSE SHOW tailgate parties. It’s horses & food…Our Warrenton Horse show has a hunt night and it’s so fun to see each other compete & eat & drink.
HUNT night at the theater - one time we all got together and went to a local dinner theater during the summer.
PUPPY SHOWS! Quite the bbq’s or picnics round here. Lots of them! Hounds and food!! Also good and of course the members show the puppies for prizes and laughs. At the kennels!
WINE & CHEESE PARTY/SILENT AUCTION - potluck tailgatey food with lots of wines & cheeses. Donations for silent auctions items and spirited bidding as more wine is consumed. Fundraising fun!! Held at the kennels!
HUNT trailrides, members only - for first exposures to newly opened territories - followed by tailgate of course! Can make it a fundraiser.
LANDOWNER PARTY - can be combined with any of the above; come to think of it, most of the above!!! 
Oh and be sure to invite me!! :winkgrin:
We take our horses swimming in the deep section of the creek. It’s much more pleasant this time of year when the water is above freezing
With high fuel prices, I don’t see myself getting out to do too much with the hunt this summer since it’s 50 miles away. I’m not sure if there are any extra fun activities besides the few trail rides planned. We’ll see…
My horse on the other hand is doing amazing and only getting ridden for our dressage lesson or going to the jumping arena around 1x a week. He’s not complaining though :lol: I’m wondering if I can get him to do a jumper show the day after a dressage show though. The biggest equation in solving that is whether or not he will allow me to catch him after a day of torture… I mean dressage. 
I figured out why he stays sounder as a hunt horse than as a show horse though- he gets plenty of time off compaired to the amount of frequent hard work during hunting season.
[QUOTE=eventamy;3251776]
How do you do a poker ride?[/QUOTE]
The ones I’ve been on are done this way: Every rider is assigned a number and paid $10 to ride. As you start out you draw a card and your number is written in permanent marker on it. Throughout the ride you draw 4 additional cards from helpers stationed along the ride and you get your last card when you get back to the start. You have 6 cards total and poker winning rules apply. I’m not up on them but I won $420 on a poker ride having four "6"s and two “low” cards in my hand.
Usually half the entry fees goes to the club/group/charity hosting the ride. The other half is divided up so the winner gets 50% of it, second place 30% and low hand gets 20%.
What was sweet is I was riding the little mare I bought for $600. Applying the winnings of $420, my capital outlay for my hunting horse is $180. How White Trash is that??? That makes Reynard Ridges “$700 Pony” look outrageously pricey.
Big words!
CAPITAL OUTLAY!!! ON A HORSE!! whaaaaaaaa??!!! SURELY you aren’t suggesting we can actually MAKE money on a horse are you!!???
Sheeeesh, silly girl!! You forgot depreciation!
I like throwing big words around…haven’t got a clue what capital outlay is but that was fun anyway…
[QUOTE=wateryglen;3254189]
CAPITAL OUTLAY!!! ON A HORSE!! whaaaaaaaa??!!! SURELY you aren’t suggesting we can actually MAKE money on a horse are you!!???
Sheeeesh, silly girl!! You forgot depreciation!
I like throwing big words around…haven’t got a clue what capital outlay is but that was fun anyway…:D[/QUOTE]
I’m a conservative capitalist to my core. It’s all about making $$$ so I can spend it on my hobby.
Well, we’re just about finished building a lovely hunter trial/low level event/ cross country schooling course and when it’s done we’ll be schooling hunting prospects over natural terrain and jumps of various heights. I plan to invite members of the local foxhunts to come school their greenies…or oldies and have a picnic or cookout. Eventers will be welcome, too.
