Covertside Fall 2013

THE MAGAZINE OF MOUNTED FOXHUNTING

SPLURGE VS. DEAL • HUNT HORSE FITNESS • FOOT PACKS IN DEPTH

FALL 2013 • $5.00

THE MAGAZINE OF MOUNTED FOXHUNTING

THOMAS AND TALBOT REAL ESTATE(540) 687-6500 Middleburg, Virginia 20118

(540) 270-0094

SpriNg hiLL

Comprised of 4 farms this magnificent 2426 acrehorse propertyconsist of 3 Main homes, 11 tenant houses, 8 horse barns with174 stalls including a 32 stall foaling barn, 72 gently rolling fields& paddocks with miles of white board fencing, interior privateroads, 11 Run-in Sheds, beautiful lake and bold stream.

$25,000,000

cANTerbury orANge hiLL

miDDLeburg TrAiNiNg ceNTer peLhAmmeADowgrove

AShLeigh grAcewooD

fox vALLeymArLeA

Exquisite details throughout this incredible 12 bedroom GeorgianRevival manor home built in 1936. Situated on over 191 acres. Thislovely home boasts a Reception Hall and a white Carrara marbleFlying Staircase accessing 3 levels. Over 1/2 mile of RappahannockRiver frontage, spectacular views, springs, ponds and rolling pasture

$9,750,000

199 acres in the heart of the Orange County Hunt Territorys 5 Bedroom Georgian Manor sFormal living and diningroomssSolarium s Pools c.1801 Patent house, 2 tenanthouses Horse facilities include an indoor arena with 13 stalls,paddocks and fields with run-ins. & apartment and pond. InVOF Conservation Easement. $4,900,000

Circa 1878 sExquisite 6000 square ft. brick Victorian on52 open acres near Middleburg sElegant Dining RoomsFormal Living Room s12' Ceilings s4 Levels sGreatMountain Views sBeautiful 6 stall Center-Aisle Brick Stablewith 1 Bedroom Apartment,Tack Room and LoungesRiding arena with all weather footing $3,750,000

Active Horse training center on 148+ Acres. The facilitiesinclude 11 barns with a total of 220 stalls. Each barn has accessto 2 paddocks for a total of 22 paddocks. Within the premisesare tack rooms, grooms quarters, office, a vet office and 3 baymachine shop. There is a 7/8’s mile race track with a 4 stallstarting gate. 3 wells service the property. $3,900,000

Extraordinary estate on over 180 acres sIdeal for horsess 7 Bedrooms sNew Gourmet State of the Art Kitchen& Baths s gorgeous full wall windows, overlooking 10acre lake s10 stall stable sPaddocks with run-in shedssPool and poolhouse with fireplace, spa and new tenniscourts. $3,900,000

c.1845 listed on National Register of Historic Places.Surrounded by beautiful gardens on 98 acres sGrandentrance s Pool with 2 Bedroom Pool Houses 2 BedroomGuest Cottage s10 stall, 4 stall, and 3 stall barn with appropriatetack rooms, several run in sheds and a large machine shed.Attached to the10 stall barn are two separate living quarters forfarm managers.Magnificent views $2,900,000

Elegant custom manor home sited on 28 acres. The exquisitehome features 4 Bedrooms, 4 ½ Baths, 12’ ceiling height, 5 fire-places, extensive mouldings, wide width flooring, and advancedair filtration system. Heated pool within formal garden. Eques-trian facilities include a 7 stall barn and arena. Minutes from I-66and convenient to Dulles International Airport. $2,499,000

90 acres w/approx. 45 fenced acres and 45 acres in woods. 3bedroom manor home, Indoor and Outdoor Arenas, 2 barnsopen into the indoor arena, Main barn has 20 stalls, Show Barn,5 oversized stalls, 3 tack rooms, office, 2 wash stalls, 2 bathrooms,laundry room, 14 paddocks. Manager’s cottage. 2 add’l DUR’sand is in land use. $2,359,000

The26 acre estatesits in magnificent horse country approx. onemile west of Middleburg just off the much desired Zulla Road,this estate includes the 1½ story white brick manor home w/2car attached garage, 4 car detached garage, heated pool, 3 stallbarn with run-in shed, 2 large paddocks and offers tremendousride out potential. $2,450,000

foxLeigh

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

s J o h n C o l e s 2 013 s

www.Thomas-Talbot.com

LOGANS MILL - Extraordinary, private es-tate area on 179+ acres with frontage on LittleRiver, Open Space Easement, rolling fields withmature hardwood forest, Orange County HuntTerritory, great ride out, very private, less than10 minutes from Middleburg, views in alldirections. $3,500,000

BLUEMONT - 2 parcels Mostly open,rolling and fully fenced land and accessed from 3roads. 1 homes of clapboard enhance this beau-tiful property. Options for purchase include:50+ acres $588,00071+ acres with a clapboard 3 BR home (2parcels) $995,000

Historic circa 1845 home on 32 acres in Orange CountyHunt s1st floor Master sDen sDramatic Grand SalonsEnglish Kitchen slarge Dining Rooms Billiard RoomsSmall 2nd Kitchen/Bar leads to Patio, Pool & charmingGuest Cottage s7 Stall barn adjoins 3 bedroom, 2 bathManagers house. $1,895,000

LAND

JC.Covertside.09.2013_Layout 1 7/9/13 1:16 PM Page 1

FALL 2013 | 1

FALL 2013

FULL CRY

18 LOVE IN THE HUNT FIELD True stories of romance sparked by a mutual love of foxhunting. BY AMY ENGLE

24 SPLURGE VS. DEAL Looking for some new hunt clothes? Check out what you can get for the money. STYLED BY CHASING A FOXPHOTOS BY LLEWELLYN PHOTOGRAPHY

28 THOUGHTS ON FOOT HUNTING Foot packs can provide blazing good sport.BY BENNETT BARCLAY

DEPARTMENTS 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT

4 FROM THE PUBLISHER

48 LAST RUN OF THE DAY

THE MEET6 MFHA NEWS

THE VIEW 8 SPEAKING

To Become a Master BY HARRY KUNIANSKY, MFH

11 YOUNG ENTRY The Young and the Engergetic BY NANCY AMBROSIANO

14 HISTORY The Mile High Club BY ROB KORNACKI

GOING HOME34 ABOUT HOUNDS

Building a FoundationBY ANDREW BARCLAY

37 ABOUT HORSES Legging Up Your Hunter BY MARC PATOILE

40 THE KITPerfect Fit BY CHRISTOPHER OAKFORD

42 PRACTICAL FOXHUNTERHunt for Quarry, Not for GearBY AMY ENGLE

45 COVERTSIDE AT BREAKFAST

Thoroughbred Pie in a BreezeBY MARK THOMPSON

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3

ON OUR COVER: The Piedmont Foxhounds in Upperville, Virginia, after the 2012 season blessing of the hounds at Trinity Church.

PHOTO BY DOUG GEHLSEN, MIDDLEBURG PHOTO

4BUILDING A

FOUNDATION

IRO

QU

OIS

PU

PP

IES

BY

DA

VID

TR

AX

LER

THOMAS AND TALBOT REAL ESTATE(540) 687-6500 Middleburg, Virginia 20118

(540) 270-0094

SpriNg hiLL

Comprised of 4 farms this magnificent 2426 acrehorse propertyconsist of 3 Main homes, 11 tenant houses, 8 horse barns with174 stalls including a 32 stall foaling barn, 72 gently rolling fields& paddocks with miles of white board fencing, interior privateroads, 11 Run-in Sheds, beautiful lake and bold stream.

$25,000,000

cANTerbury orANge hiLL

miDDLeburg TrAiNiNg ceNTer peLhAmmeADowgrove

AShLeigh grAcewooD

fox vALLeymArLeA

Exquisite details throughout this incredible 12 bedroom GeorgianRevival manor home built in 1936. Situated on over 191 acres. Thislovely home boasts a Reception Hall and a white Carrara marbleFlying Staircase accessing 3 levels. Over 1/2 mile of RappahannockRiver frontage, spectacular views, springs, ponds and rolling pasture

$9,750,000

199 acres in the heart of the Orange County Hunt Territorys 5 Bedroom Georgian Manor sFormal living and diningroomssSolarium s Pools c.1801 Patent house, 2 tenanthouses Horse facilities include an indoor arena with 13 stalls,paddocks and fields with run-ins. & apartment and pond. InVOF Conservation Easement. $4,900,000

Circa 1878 sExquisite 6000 square ft. brick Victorian on52 open acres near Middleburg sElegant Dining RoomsFormal Living Room s12' Ceilings s4 Levels sGreatMountain Views sBeautiful 6 stall Center-Aisle Brick Stablewith 1 Bedroom Apartment,Tack Room and LoungesRiding arena with all weather footing $3,750,000

Active Horse training center on 148+ Acres. The facilitiesinclude 11 barns with a total of 220 stalls. Each barn has accessto 2 paddocks for a total of 22 paddocks. Within the premisesare tack rooms, grooms quarters, office, a vet office and 3 baymachine shop. There is a 7/8’s mile race track with a 4 stallstarting gate. 3 wells service the property. $3,900,000

Extraordinary estate on over 180 acres sIdeal for horsess 7 Bedrooms sNew Gourmet State of the Art Kitchen& Baths s gorgeous full wall windows, overlooking 10acre lake s10 stall stable sPaddocks with run-in shedssPool and poolhouse with fireplace, spa and new tenniscourts. $3,900,000

c.1845 listed on National Register of Historic Places.Surrounded by beautiful gardens on 98 acres sGrandentrance s Pool with 2 Bedroom Pool Houses 2 BedroomGuest Cottage s10 stall, 4 stall, and 3 stall barn with appropriatetack rooms, several run in sheds and a large machine shed.Attached to the10 stall barn are two separate living quarters forfarm managers.Magnificent views $2,900,000

Elegant custom manor home sited on 28 acres. The exquisitehome features 4 Bedrooms, 4 ½ Baths, 12’ ceiling height, 5 fire-places, extensive mouldings, wide width flooring, and advancedair filtration system. Heated pool within formal garden. Eques-trian facilities include a 7 stall barn and arena. Minutes from I-66and convenient to Dulles International Airport. $2,499,000

90 acres w/approx. 45 fenced acres and 45 acres in woods. 3bedroom manor home, Indoor and Outdoor Arenas, 2 barnsopen into the indoor arena, Main barn has 20 stalls, Show Barn,5 oversized stalls, 3 tack rooms, office, 2 wash stalls, 2 bathrooms,laundry room, 14 paddocks. Manager’s cottage. 2 add’l DUR’sand is in land use. $2,359,000

The26 acre estatesits in magnificent horse country approx. onemile west of Middleburg just off the much desired Zulla Road,this estate includes the 1½ story white brick manor home w/2car attached garage, 4 car detached garage, heated pool, 3 stallbarn with run-in shed, 2 large paddocks and offers tremendousride out potential. $2,450,000

foxLeigh

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

s J o h n C o l e s 2 013 s

www.Thomas-Talbot.com

LOGANS MILL - Extraordinary, private es-tate area on 179+ acres with frontage on LittleRiver, Open Space Easement, rolling fields withmature hardwood forest, Orange County HuntTerritory, great ride out, very private, less than10 minutes from Middleburg, views in alldirections. $3,500,000

BLUEMONT - 2 parcels Mostly open,rolling and fully fenced land and accessed from 3roads. 1 homes of clapboard enhance this beau-tiful property. Options for purchase include:50+ acres $588,00071+ acres with a clapboard 3 BR home (2parcels) $995,000

Historic circa 1845 home on 32 acres in Orange CountyHunt s1st floor Master sDen sDramatic Grand SalonsEnglish Kitchen slarge Dining Rooms Billiard RoomsSmall 2nd Kitchen/Bar leads to Patio, Pool & charmingGuest Cottage s7 Stall barn adjoins 3 bedroom, 2 bathManagers house. $1,895,000

LAND

JC.Covertside.09.2013_Layout 1 7/9/13 1:16 PM Page 1

2 | COVERTSIDE

Here in New York, we had a most unusual sequence of seven days over 90 degrees and it is hard to imagine that cubbing season

is just around the corner. I’m quite confi -dent this intense weather will pass.

Representatives from ten nations will attend the International Union of Hunting with Hounds’ annual meeting, which will be held this year in New Zealand, delegates discuss the animal rights movement in their respective countries and what they are do-ing about it. In each country “puppy mill” legislation threatens hunting. If enacted, it would ban the ability to own, train and breed a pack of hounds. We must stay ever vigilant and our most effective tool is to educate our legislators.

To that point, we are sending copies of Covertside as an introduction to our sport to all state legislators who sit on Agriculture, Fish and Game or Natural Resource commit-tees. We would appreciate any help you could provide by giving us the names and addresses of your state legislators to ensure they are getting a copy. We have had many wonder-ful responses from legislators upon receiving Covertside and hopefully we can spread the good word of all the positive things that we foxhunters do for our communities.

The Virginia Foxhound Club prepared a very fi ne brochure about foxhunting in Virginia. It identifi es the location of hunts, history, and the accomplishments such as conservation efforts. The MFHA is working with each state monitor to prepare a similar brochure. The intent is to hand it to legisla-tors so they have a better understanding of mounted foxhunting. It also serves as an ex-cellent introductory piece for future members. Please contact the offi ce if you would like to help with your state’s promotional piece.

As we approach election season, I want to remind everyone that we do have a Politi-cal Action Committee ready to support any state legislator who is helpful with our cause. Please call the MFHA offi ce if you know of a

legislator worthy of receiving a contribution. Also, please contribute to our PAC as it is the only legal vehicle available to make contribu-tions to candidates.

We had an extremely successful whipper-in seminar the Saturday preceding the Virginia Hound Show. We will offer it every few years. Also, I am delighted to announce that Epp Wilson, Master of Belle Meade Hunt in Thomasville, Georgia, Epp Wilson, has agreed to join our board as chair of the Pro-fessionals Outreach Committee. This com-mittee will coordinate any issues including educational opportunities for our huntsmen and whippers-in.

We hope you are having a magnifi cent cub-bing season and your association will do every-thing it can to promote and preserve mounted foxhunting. Thank you for your support.

Cordially,

Ed Kelly, MFHMFHA President

Reaching OutBY ED KELLY, MFH

FROM THE PRESIDENT

BILL A

TH

ER

TON

MASTERS OF FOXHOUNDS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

www.mfha.com

OFFICERSEdward Kelly, MFH • President

Dr. John R. van Nagell, MFH • First Vice-PresidentPatrick A. Leahy, MFH • Second Vice-President

Rene Latiolais, MFH • Secretary-TreasurerLt. Col. Dennis J. Foster, ex-MFH • Executive Director

MFHA FOUNDATIONEdward Kelly, MFH • Chairman

PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646(540) 955-5680

HUNT STAFF BENEFIT FOUNDATIONNancy Stahl, MFH • Chairman

PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646 (540) 955-5680

COVERTSIDE EDITORIAL BOARDEmily Esterson • Editor-in-Chief

Dennis J. Foster • ex-MFHEdward Kelly • MFH

Dr. John R. van Nagell• MFH

DIRECTORSCanada • Laurel Byrne, MFH

Carolinas • Linda Knox McLean, MFHCentral • Joseph C. Kent, MFH

Great Plains • Thomas Ghrist Jr., MFHMaryland-Delaware • Sheila Brown, MFHMidsouth • Dinwiddie Lampton III, MFH

Midwest •Keith Gray, MFHNew England • Vernon Studer, MFH Interim

New York-New Jersey • Marion Thorne, MFHNorthern Virginia-West Virginia •

A.A. Zimmerman, MFHPacifi c • Paul McEnroe, MFH

Pennsylvania • Russell B. Jones, Jr., MFHRocky Mountain • Paul T. Delaney, MFH

Southern • Sally RasmussenVirginia • Bob Ferrer, MFH

Western • John P. Dorrier Jr., MFHAt Large • Mrs. C. Martin Wood, III, MFH

At Large • Mason H. Lampton, MFHAt Large • Dr. G. Marvin Beeman, MFH

COVERTSIDE (ISSN 1547-4216) is published quarterly (February, June, August and November) by the Masters of Foxhounds Association 675 Lime Marl Lane, Berryville, VA 22611. Periodical Postage Paid at Winchester, VA 22601 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MFHA, PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646. COVERTSIDE READERS: Direct all correspondence to the same address. Tel: (540) 955-5680. Website: www.mfha.com

Sheik Island FarmAmerica’s Land Auctioneers offers

Home is Where Your Horse is! 36225 Covington Rd. Dade City, FL

Auction | September 26th | 11AM

MYERS JACKSON 229.726.0065Auction Marketing Producer - AU2726

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KIMBERLY WILSON 813.810.0042Equine Property Specialist, Broker

www.PremierFarmsandRanches.com

Powered by iNational, High Velocity Marketing, produced by My-ers Jackson-AB2845, AU2726. In cooperation with Chad Johnson, AU2947. Mike Nall, AU4123. Kimberly Wilson, Equine Property Specialist. All property may be subject to Buyers Premium, Closing Costs and Fees. Subject to all terms posted online prior to sale, On-line Bidding may apply. Minimum 10% Buyers Premium Added.

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Sheik Island FarmSheik Island FarmAmerica’s Land Auctioneers offers

Home is Where Your Horse is! 36225 Covington Rd. Dade City, FL

Auction | September 26th | 11AM

MYERS JACKSON 229.726.0065Auction Marketing Producer - AU2726

www.Certi�edLandAuction.com

KIMBERLY WILSON 813.810.0042Equine Property Specialist, Broker

www.PremierFarmsandRanches.com

4 | COVERTSIDE

FROM THE PUBLISHER

We foxhunters tend to be a pri-vate bunch. We like our clubs and our sport a little bit under the radar. Maybe we prefer

our privacy because we don’t want to defend ourselves against the antis, or our sport is hard to explain clearly to the uninitiated, or we get tired of fi ghting all the myths that surround foxhunting. (I recently had all three of these experiences at one dinner party.)

And so it is not surprising that we were a little bit late to the social media party. It used to be that the only real forums for Internet-based foxhunting discussion were Foxhunters Online (FOL) and the hunting forum on the Chronicle of the Horse. Now foxhunters are online and on Facebook.

Witness the recent launch of the interna-tional Foxhunters on Facebook; Covertside’sFacebook page (which went live in 2011); and now MFHA (“like” us!). Hunts themselves have Facebook pages and websites, both of which are excellent tools for communicat-ing with members. Hunt business can be conducted behind password protected walls (in the case of websites) and members-only Facebook pages. We can build loyalty among our own members, fostering and extending the camaraderie of the hunt fi eld into the pages of Facebook. We can market ourselves to potential new members, by inviting them to join the online party and learn about our sport. I, for one, like nothing better than reliv-ing a particularly great hunting day through the pictures and comments on our hunt’s Facebook page (members only).

Tools such as these are, to be cliché about it, double-edged swords. There’s an equal dan-ger of something that should not have been posted going viral and causing harm. We urge

you to go forth into the social media, but do so with a lot of thought and perhaps a copy of MFHA’s Social Media Guidelines memorized.

Still, when handled well, social media outlets can be fantastic ways to do so many of the following: Post fi xture cards, hunt activi-ties, and changes to the schedule; swap hunt breakfast recipes; notify members of clinics; post interesting horse care tips; post pictures of the hunt’s newest litter of puppies (this one’s always a winner); have contests; and whatever else you can think of. What’s fun about social media is that it’s just that — fun!

Joining a public forum, such as MFHA’s or Covertside’s Facebook page (both, if you please), connects you with foxhunters around the world — a big, small town, lots of people, all connected through the love of this wonderful sport.

Enjoy our Fall “Get Ready to Hunt” issue. There are trailer organizing tips and clothing tips and a lot of great information to make your season the best yet. And coming up in the Winter issue: All About Kids!

Happy Hunting,

Emily EstersonEditor-in-Chief/Publisher

Getting Social

you to go forth into the social media, but do

JOA

NN

DE

LAN

EY

FALL 2013EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/PUBLISHER

EMILY ESTERSON

[email protected]

505-553-2671

ART DIRECTORGLENNA STOCKS

[email protected]

EDITORIAL

ASSISTANT EDITORKATY CARTER

[email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

AMY ENGLE

MARCIA BRODY

GLENYE CAIN OAKFORD

SUSAN HOFFMAN

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING

EASTERN SEABOARDCHERYL MICROUTSICOS

[email protected]

434-664-7057

NATIONAL ACCOUNTSKATHY DRESS

[email protected]

Covertside is the o� cial publication of

the Masters of Foxhounds Association

Published by

E-Squared Editorial Services LLC

2329 Lakeview Rd. SW

Albuquerque, NM 87105

Telephone: 505-553-2671

Fax: 505-873-0091

Web Address: www.ecovertside.net

www.mfha.com

DEAR EDITOR,I am a member of the Midland Fox Hounds and just fi nished reading the article, “Horses from The Farm” (Summer 2013). I was at the auction in 2011 and bought two horses at the sale. Both horses were introduced to foxhunting last season. My horse, “641”, is a beautiful, great temperament, TB Percheron cross and since Percherons are of French heritage and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6PIEDMONT OFFICE

132A East Main Street, Orange, VA 22960

(540) 672-3903 Fax: (540) 672-3906

www.farmandestate.net

Eldon Farm: 372 acres along a tree lined drive in the beautiful Keswick area. There is a manor home, connected by a breezeway to a detached 3 car garage with a spacious and comfortable apartment. Additional buildings include a tenant house and other original buildings. Equestrian facilities include a 9 stall stable and 14 stall barn of exceptional quality. The land is mostly open and gently rolling with numerous paddocks, two lakes and the bold Mechunk Creek flowing through the property. $5,950,000

Living In Virginia’s Hunt Country

Contact Don Skelly at (540)406-1370 [email protected]

Locust Hill: Built in 1826, "Locust Hill" is a 3,210 Ft2, Flemish bond brick house. Unique oversized tripartite windows, high ceilings, and gracious central hall with Federal style stairway with mahogany handrail all make for distinguished and light filled interiors. Tucked more than three-quarters of a mile from the road on 323 acres of improved pastureland studded with small woodlots. Spectacular Blue Ridge views. Less than 15 minutes from the VA Horse Center. $2,375,000

Dunn Hill Farm: Beautifully restored historic c. 1860 house on 139 acres of rolling improved pastureland, with large beautiful guest house constructed from reclaimed materials. Features include a custom mural by Michael Brown and double staircase. The property contains a large spring fed pond and pool. There are three bedrooms and two baths in the main house and three bedrooms, two baths and a full kitchen featuring custom kitchen cabinets made from reclaimed heart pine in the guest house. Can be purchased with less acreage.$895,000

Woodlynne Farm: 110 Acre Orange County horse farm with an architecturally distinguished, renovated and expanded c. 1870 home. The home features 4 zone HVAC, mahogany doors w/bespoke hardware, large open country kitchen with custom cabinets, commercial grade range, cedar closets, multiple porches and patios, salt water gunnite pool, 8 stall barn, with 1 foaling stall and sprinkler system. Multiple board fenced paddocks, 120' x 250' riding ring, large hay barn with large 800 +/- Ft2 office. Large pond. Completely private. $2,200,000

Watson Farm: Beautiful 144 acre parcel nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains offers total privacy, a large stocked pond, a 2-stall barn created from an historic structure built with hand-hewn logs and fenced paddock, 32 acres of open land with 25 acres in Orchard Grass/Alfalfa. Miles of exceptionally well groomed. Property is subject to a VOF Conservation Easement. Located on a quiet country lane, surrounded by large farms. Property includes a rustic 2 BR house and trailer. $575,000

Heah Ton Cottage: Architecturally distinguished, exceptionally private 3224 sq. ft. Chalet style home with high ceilings, great room with built-in bookcases, large fireplace and reclaimed beams, a gracious master suite with fireplace, large bluestone patio, library, and a large gourmet kitchen. All on 29+/- private acres of well managed improved, fenced pasture with a large barn and stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. $775,000

PIEDMONT OFFICE

132A East Main Street, Orange, VA 22960

(540) 672-3903 Fax: (540) 672-3906

www.farmandestate.net

Eldon Farm: 372 acres along a tree lined drive in the beautiful Keswick area. There is a manor home, connected by a breezeway to a detached 3 car garage with a spacious and comfortable apartment. Additional buildings include a tenant house and other original buildings. Equestrian facilities include a 9 stall stable and 14 stall barn of exceptional quality. The land is mostly open and gently rolling with numerous paddocks, two lakes and the bold Mechunk Creek flowing through the property. $5,950,000

Living In Virginia’s Hunt Country

Contact Don Skelly at (540)406-1370 [email protected]

Locust Hill: Built in 1826, "Locust Hill" is a 3,210 Ft2, Flemish bond brick house. Unique oversized tripartite windows, high ceilings, and gracious central hall with Federal style stairway with mahogany handrail all make for distinguished and light filled interiors. Tucked more than three-quarters of a mile from the road on 323 acres of improved pastureland studded with small woodlots. Spectacular Blue Ridge views. Less than 15 minutes from the VA Horse Center. $2,375,000

Dunn Hill Farm: Beautifully restored historic c. 1860 house on 139 acres of rolling improved pastureland, with large beautiful guest house constructed from reclaimed materials. Features include a custom mural by Michael Brown and double staircase. The property contains a large spring fed pond and pool. There are three bedrooms and two baths in the main house and three bedrooms, two baths and a full kitchen featuring custom kitchen cabinets made from reclaimed heart pine in the guest house. Can be purchased with less acreage.$895,000

Woodlynne Farm: 110 Acre Orange County horse farm with an architecturally distinguished, renovated and expanded c. 1870 home. The home features 4 zone HVAC, mahogany doors w/bespoke hardware, large open country kitchen with custom cabinets, commercial grade range, cedar closets, multiple porches and patios, salt water gunnite pool, 8 stall barn, with 1 foaling stall and sprinkler system. Multiple board fenced paddocks, 120' x 250' riding ring, large hay barn with large 800 +/- Ft2 office. Large pond. Completely private. $2,200,000

Watson Farm: Beautiful 144 acre parcel nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains offers total privacy, a large stocked pond, a 2-stall barn created from an historic structure built with hand-hewn logs and fenced paddock, 32 acres of open land with 25 acres in Orchard Grass/Alfalfa. Miles of exceptionally well groomed. Property is subject to a VOF Conservation Easement. Located on a quiet country lane, surrounded by large farms. Property includes a rustic 2 BR house and trailer. $575,000

Heah Ton Cottage: Architecturally distinguished, exceptionally private 3224 sq. ft. Chalet style home with high ceilings, great room with built-in bookcases, large fireplace and reclaimed beams, a gracious master suite with fireplace, large bluestone patio, library, and a large gourmet kitchen. All on 29+/- private acres of well managed improved, fenced pasture with a large barn and stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. $775,000

6 | COVERTSIDE

MFHA NEWS THE 2014 BIENNIAL STAFF

SEMINAR returns to the heart of

horse country. To be held in Lex-

ington, Kentucky, the seminar will

take place on April 12 and 13 at the

Gri� n Gate Marriott.

The location is just a few min-

utes from the Kentucky Horse Park

and home to world class Thor-

oughbred breeding farms. Events

will begin Saturday, April 12, with a

special tour for seminar attendees

of Gainesway Farm. The farm is

located one exit south of the Mar-

riott, 2.5 miles o� I-75. You may

go to the website for a preview

— www.gainesway.com. This 1,500-

acre commercial TB breeding farm

is a spectacular facility, and in April

they will have many foals on the

ground and the breeding shed will

be fully operational.

The MFHA and Covertside will

be o� ering a foxhunting-specifi c

trade show at the seminar location.

Covertside advertisers will be ex-

hibiting their wares in person in the

lobby outside the seminar rooms

on Saturday and Sunday. Artists,

hunt appointments and other ven-

dors with a strong connection to

foxhunting will be on hand for your

shopping pleasure.

On Saturday evening, the

festivities continue with a dinner

and party at the Marriott at 6:30

p.m. and will include a silent auc-

tion, which is a fundraiser for the

organization. During the dinner, the

recipient of the Ian Milne Award

will be announced.

On Sunday, the educational

program (details to be deter-

mined) will be sure to educate

and entertain everyone. To

attend, you must be an MFHA

subscribing member.

Check MFHA’s Facebook page

and upcoming issues of eco-

vertside.net for more details on

seminar topics, the trade show and

other special workshops.

IT’S TIME TO PLAN THE ANNU-AL MEETING NEW YORK. EVENTS BEGIN ON JANUARY 23. Here’s a

schedule for early planning:

Master’s Dinner (Union Club)Price: $275Jan. 23: Cocktails at 7 p.m./Dinner at 8:00 p.m.Masters & ex-Masters only

Annual Members Meeting (Union Club)Jacket and tie requiredJan. 24: 9:00 a.m.Current subscribing members

Masters’ Ball (The Pierre) Price: $275 Jan. 24: Cocktails at 7:00 p.m./Dinner at 8:00 p.m.Current subscribing members

Room Block - The Pierre(800) 743-7734$350 (standard)/$410 (city view) per nightReserve by Dec. 21

THE MFHA NOW HAS ITS OWN FACEBOOK PAGE, in addi-

tion to Covertside’s page. “Like”

MFHA’s page to keep up-to-date

on activities, policy changes, and

foxhunting news.

TWO NEW PUBLICATIONS produced by the MFHA Founda-

tion are in the works. Both are

geared toward educating and

attracting more young people

to foxhunting. “The Foxhunting

Coloring Book” details the story

of a day out hunting; the “Youth

Guide to Foxhunting” is a fun

booklet that is a young version

of the popular “Introduction to

Foxhunting,” published last year.

OCTOBER 1 IS THE DEADLINEfor the TB Field Horse of the Year

and the Sta� Horse of the Year.

Visit mfha.com for guidelines and

entry documents.

Follow. Connect. Interact.™

CONTINUED FROM P. 4Louisiana is of French heritage and foxhunting can be argued to be of French heritage, I have changed her name from 641, to Bijou, French for Jewel. She is a jewel and I am enjoying getting to know her and she is begin-ning to like her life after prison. I say that, as I think prison life might have been a more restful lifestyle than the work she is fi nding in hunting with Mason Lampton in Midland. I speak for both of us when I say that, as we are exhausted at the end of most hunts, but love every minute.

I am retired to a family farm in Dooly County, Georgia, but was born and raised in Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. I now have a bond with my Louisiana roots through this magnifi cent purchase from the Angola Prison Horse Sale. I enjoyed the well-written article and got to relive my

experience from October 2011, by reading it. I think people who have Angola horses will look at the brand as a symbol similar to the

Polo emblem of Ralph Lauren.Congratulations to Glenye

Cain Oakford for excellent cover-age of an outstanding program!

Sincerely,Jim Shirah

Midland Foxhounds

STAFF SEMINAR

2014

The Biennial Sta Seminar is coming: April 12th and 13th, Gri� n Gate Marriott, Lexington, KY

EDUCATION FOR ALL, PRODUCT EXPOS, TOURS

Save the Date!

FALL 2013 | 7

Follow. Connect. Interact.™

The Biennial Sta� Seminar is coming: April 12th and 13th, Gri� n Gate Marriott, Lexington, KY

EDUCATION FOR ALL, PRODUCT EXPOS, TOURS

W hen I opened my letter from Dennis Foster inform-ing me that I was now a Master of the Misty River

Hounds, and learned that “you were elected unanimously [emphasis added] to mem-bership,” I was, to say the least, stunned. Certainly there was at least one person on the board who knew me. As an aside, many of my friends have described me (and most charitably I might add) as an acquired taste — in this respect think haggis, mountain oysters and chicken nuggets with honey mustard sauce. When one friend learned

of my new position, he commented that he understood what the “MF” stood for, but was stymied by the “H.” Since there is no actual manual to instruct members of a hunt how to elevate themselves from hunt member to Master, I thought this essay might prove instructive.

Before I get ahead of myself, I should explain how I came to foxhunting in the first place. Approximately twenty years ago, after moving to a rural area just south of Atlanta, I resumed my childhood passion of horseback riding, although my style at the time was seat-of-the-pants, self-taught

western. I bought a nine-year-old zebra dun Quarter Horse stallion, whom I immedi-ately converted to gelding status, although he never got the memo. Many years later he gained the honor of being the first (and only) mount asked to leave the Bear Creek hunt field for fractious behavior.

One day at our stabling barn, my friend and sometimes riding partner, Dorrie Fletcher, said that if I liked riding I might want to try foxhunting. Knowing that foxhunters rode in English saddles, I next asked our barn manager, a grizzled country gentleman who had never ridden a horse but knew everything about caring for them, what the difference between English and western riding was. After thinking it over for a moment, he said there was really no difference, except that the English riders never quit taking lessons.

Armed with that knowledge I borrowed an English saddle (the hunt was my first experience with one) and went to a vintage clothing store where I bought a black jacket and a Tattersall vest ($30.00 total). I invested in a pair of black hunt boots and a stock tie, tucked the collar of a white dress shirt under, and I was then prepared for my first hunt as a guest with the Midland Foxhounds, if not sartorially splendid, at least no embarrassment to my host. I was, after that first hunt, hooked. In my prime, I rode with Misty River (colors), Bear Creek (colors) and Midland. Although I did not receive colors from Midland, upon learn-ing I had become a Master, Mason sent a gracious note acknowledging that had he suspected there may have been income on the horizon he might have viewed my hunt performance in a different light.

If you follow my path to becoming a Master, the first thing you must do, although it appears counter-intuitive, is quit hunting. Six years ago I had the perfect storm of excuses to retire from the field; the confluence of a nearly fatal infection that left me alive but weak, a hunt horse with an injury that prevented him from hunting and an economy that was not friendly to

8 | Covertside

speaking

To Become a MasterThe following essay is dedicated to the three Masters who benefitted most from my vast knowledge of breakfast traditions in particular and foxhunting in general: Hal Barry, MFH, Bear Creek Hounds, Mason Lampton, MFH, Midland Foxhounds and Dina Del Guercio, MFH, Misty River Hounds.

By Harry KuniansKy, MFH, Misty river Hounds

The author, who tried to retire from the hunt field, found that doing so is like telling the Mafia you no longer want to be a member.

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10 | COVERTSIDE

real estate lawyers. At that point I resigned from Bear Creek and Misty River, but resigning from Midland proved problematic — Mason wouldn’t allow it, even though I failed to tender my dues, leading me to compare Midland to the Mafi a, two orga-nizations from which you can not withdraw voluntarily.

Next, in addition to with-drawing from hunting, you must be quite vocal that hunt-ing is a facet of your life that is in the past and that you are moving on to other interests. You must also go so far as to describe your affl iction as hunt-ing HDAD, the inability to focus on it for more than two hours coupled with a fi xation on get-ting to the hunt breakfast.

Finally, in order to prepare you for the conversation you will no doubt have with your future Joint Master, you must view The Godfather (original

version as well as Part Three), where two scenes will be in-structive. The fi rst scene will be Michael Corleone, at the wed-ding, telling his date, Kay, about Lucca Brazzi making the movie director an offer he couldn’t refuse. Then, once your Joint Master-to-be makes you an offer you cannot refuse, you must lament, “Just when I thought I was out, they keep pulling me back in.” I also discovered that once you have accepted your new position, it is helpful to tie your checking account to some form of overdraft protection.

Now, as a new Master, I intend to set about correcting the behavior of my hunt members which may fall below the bar. So in closing, let this be fair warn-ing: just as you would never ride past me in the fi eld, don’t even entertain the thought of entering the food line at a breakfast ahead of me.

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A t Green Spring Valley Hounds in Maryland, the recipe for the perfect hunt

camp has been in development for more than 40 years, maturing as do all fine things. The vintage program, run currently by Holly Bricken and Amy Fenwick, is providing a remarkable oppor-tunity for some 40 young riders at a time, some with their own mounts and some, leaving their show ponies at home, on bor-rowed, steady-Eddy hunt types.

In terms of develop-ing youth membership, said Bricken, who also serves as hunt secretary, “It’s not a formal program, but we’re always eager to see kids and include them, to make them a part of the action.” The two-week June camp, it would appear, is a significant boost to that effort, and over time it has become a true community effort. For two weeks, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the fields are full of 40 learners and their coaches.

The WashingTon sTaTe WayOther foxhunters take on the camp challenge, but in a more compressed time frame. For Woodbrook Hunt-area juniors in Washington State, a one-day mock hunt program crams a full education into a single day in late July. It is coordinated by Meggie Elledge, the hunt’s kennelman, and pulls in the experienced Mas-ters and Field Masters as well.

Linda Hagerman, Woodbrook Field Master, who also chairs the

United States Pony Clubs, Inc. Foxhunting Committee, said it is open to all local pony clubbers and their families. They spend the day learning how to make friends with the hounds, attend a fox-hunting class in the clubhouse, get a view of traditional attire with Joint MFH Mike Wager, as well as seeing Hagerman riding aside in sidesaddle attire.

After the unmounted sessions, MFH Jean Brooks leads a short hunt from the kennels, taking ad-vantage of the nearby woods and meadows to let the riders feel the flow of the sport. Dozens of local riders come out for the education day and for the youth hunts sched-uled during Woodbrook’s season.

neTWorking for successGreen Spring Valley has a superb bench of experienced horsemen available, and through networking, the hunt has developed a range of willing instructors. Between foxhunters, show riders who hunt, and eight Maryland Hunt Cup-winning riders and trainers this year alone, the skilled teaching resources are beyond compare.

“The challenge,” Bricken noted, “is to get the kids out of the ring.” To do this, the two-week camp is set up with groups that go out, gradually, to explore the open space available, trail ride, and generally work past that sense that life outside an arena railing is perilous and strange. “Amy and I are pretty happy when they get that first canter out in a big field,” she said.

Once the young riders are moving along in the open, spe-cific skill building gets under-way, such as familiarizing the

Young EntrY

The Young and the EnergeticThe future of our sport depends on getting kids involved.

By NaNcy ambrosiaNo | PhoTo by carol FeNwick

scarlet Davies and Tommy fenwick present their hound to judge J.W.Y. Martin at the green Spring Valley Pony Camp Hound Show.

12 | Covertside

riders with moving up and down hills and group adventures such as stops and reverses, all things that feel very different from the standard arena experience.

“One of the things that can help out there, actually, is peer pressure,” Bricken said, “as sometimes they’ll go ahead and do something they wouldn’t have done by themselves.” Jumping in pairs and teams helps the kids get a feel for the field experience, and for how horses behave in the more hunt-like environment.

Not all of the riders are from foxhunting families, Bricken pointed out, some are eventers and show jumpers, dressage riders, foxhunting and non-foxhunting, a wide variety of disciplines, but that just adds to the flavor of the camp. And not all are local — as the camp’s fame has spread, participants

have signed up from Georgia, Pennsylvania and other states.

GSVH also offers a 3-day “cubbing camp” in August, preparing kids and some adults for the coming hunting season. For the busy families of local pony club members, that seems to be the most effective event, Bricken said.

Junior-Senior CombinationSAnother Maryland foxhunter, Marcia Brody, has coordinated hunt education programs over the years for a variety of young riders and even parent-child outings. Both with New Market-Middle-ton Valley and independently, she says it’s been a way to get new families, both junior and adult, involved in the sport.

“Many of the kids are already riding with trainers who fox-hunt and we have done this as a

cooperative effort among a few of us,” she said. “Many do not have hunting parents, but some of the families have become involved with the local beagling club as an introductory step.”

“Probably the best camp I have done was a compressed weekend ‘clinic’,” Brody noted. “We had a range of ages participate and even mother/daughter combos.”

Her schedule for the long weekend was as follows: Day 1 - Arrive, settle in, riding assessments in ring, intro dinner with quick presentations on basics of foxhunting.Day 2 - Barn, walk hound pups, cross-country riding, social event at night.Day 3 - Actual hunt in the morning and home.

Large-SCaLe SuCCeSSIn Kentucky, the Iroquois Hunt has had success in summer pro-grams that vary from a full-on, off-season “hunt” for about 100 USPC Festival competitors, to weekend outings. Most recently, Iroquois held a simpler children’s ride on a weekend. Said Glenye Cain Oakford, who videotaped the event (available on ecovert-side.net and Covertside’s Face-book page), “It was a combined trail ride and mock hunt, to give some local young riders some idea of what hunting is like: there were three fields of riders, from walk-only to hilltoppers to jumping, and Iroquois members also talked to them about some of the hunt field etiquette.”

When the hunt coordinates to provide a hands-on experience to the USPC riders for Festival, it’s a short but big-impact sort of event. USPC holds championships in the East, West and Midwest every year, but only every three years does everyone come together at the Kentucky Horse Park for the grand combination of multi-disci-pline championships plus several days of clinics, all combined to be called “USPC Festival.”

During the clinic phase, which occurs after the riding competition is complete, hundreds of families are all over the park, in dressage, show jumping, cross country, tet-rathlon, quiz, trail riding, vaulting and unmounted clinics. Wood-ford Hounds and Iroquois Hunt members have long offered both mounted and unmounted training sessions over the years, and one of the most popular is the two days of “hunting” that occur in the early summer mornings. Fields of PC riders, more than 100 strong, get their first and sometimes only exposure to the full grandeur of hunt staff (sweltering in full formal attire) taking hounds out, despite the less-than-traditional seasonal weather of late July.

Multiple Field Masters and a strong buddy system keep the entourage from racing off in all directions, and for riders from hunt-less parts of the country, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

nancy ambrosiano is presi-dent of Caza Ladron, in santa Fe, N.M. and MFHA/Us Pony Clubs liaison.

recipe for building a healthy hunt membership:• start with several kid-friendly, enthusiastic foxhunters.• Add patient hunt staff and hounds.• stir in some open space.• Blend in a few steady borrow-able mounts. • season with puppies, humor, unmounted activities.• Cook for a few hours/days/weeks of summer camp time.• serves up a learning experience that gives them the skills for years of future hunting adventures.

OLD PICKERING HUNT

Fabulous restored c. 1800 barn/residence on 63

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On 63+ park-like acres, Fineskinde Farm is

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Set on 74 acre, the charming c.1806, 5BR, 4.1BA

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This 5.9 acre farm features a privately set 5BR, 3.2

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OLD PICKERING HUNT

This 4BR 3.2BA on 11 ac. has incredible

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This is a great opportunity to own a 22 ac. farm in

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Located in the township historic district, sits this

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N ow that I have your attention, let’s talk about a foxhunt that hunts at almost

6,000 feet. The Fort Carson Hounds went from concept to reality in 2005 and registered with the Masters of Foxhounds Association in 2011. Founder Lt. Col. Jared Norrell’s multiple com-bat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and Ranger battalion command kept him away from the hunt, but nonetheless, Joint MFHs Alison Brown and Sal D’Alessandro kept the hunt viable. The ability to speak “Army-ese” and fully understand the Army system and its requirements for on-post access had been understandably Jared’s alone. Make no mistake, this was and still is a team effort. Wife Deb-bie’s contributions as foxhunt head logistician, gate guard, quarter-

ing party, et al., are critical to this hunt’s present success.

Every one of us understands the requirement to be guard-ians of the land and to satisfy the concerns of the landowners with regard to safety and other particu-lars. Fort Carson has a lot of land. The post proper is some 217,000 acres and Piñon Canyon, an adjunctive training area, holds an-other 275,000 acres. Well, Jared is back and now places “U.S. Army, Retired” after his name. He is again fully and permanently positioned to fulfill the liaison function with Fort Carson. Once the concept of riding to hounds over the training areas was again blessed, the me-chanics were addressed. Getting access to a fixture is little different (albeit understandably of lower priority) from an infantry com-mander getting permission to take

his battalion to the field for train-ing. A training area must be open; once it is scheduled, the hunt’s officer in charge must completely control ingress into and egress from the area while maintaining 100 percent radio contact with Fort Carson Range Control when in the training area.

A LittLe HistoryThe Army-named and -affiliated foxhunt is now a rarity. Long gone are the days when virtually every Army post that had a cav-alry unit also had a foxhunt. The “why” for Army foxhunting then was simple. Riding to hounds at speed over broken terrain was absolutely consistent with devel-oping the riding skills of horse cavalrymen. Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Benning, Georgia, Fort

Leavenworth, Kansas, and many other Army posts, some them-selves long gone, had foxhunts. Only the Fort Leavenworth Hunt in eastern Kansas still maintains a foxhound kennel on an Army post, although its ability to hunt or exercise hounds on that post has been curtailed.

But we were in a Fort Carson training area. This closing hunt weekend for the Fort Carson Hounds was special, as Den-nis Foster, executive director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, flew in to make this his 400th foxhunt. As Jared explained to the field, it cer-tainly wasn’t Dennis’ 400th time foxhunting. He has many more than that. Rather, the Fort Carson Hounds was the 400th foxhunt-ing organization with which he has ridden, in eleven countries. For those of us who think, “Can that be right?” do remember that while there are something fewer than two hundred hunts in the United States and Canada, Eng-land has hundreds and France has hundreds. And don’t forget that other countries such as New Zealand are also as blessed with foxhunting, complete with wire fences to jump. Riding to hounds with 400 different hunts is quite a mark!

I remember several years ago when I was asked to co-judge the Western Hunt Challenge with MFH Susan Gentry from Cloudline. Since Dennis Foster had judged the first one, I called and asked what he thought. He said it would be the opportunity of a lifetime, providing I weren’t “pretzled” by the less than stel-

14 | Covertside

history

The Mile High ClubExecutive Director Dennis Foster celebrates his 400th pack in Rocky Mountain style.

Story and PhotograPh By Rob KoRnacKi

Dr. Marvin Beeman offers words of wisdom to Fort Carson huntsman Jared Norrell. Fort Carson was registered in 2011 and is one of only two remaining hunts based on a military installation.

Fall 2013 | 15

lar loaner horses that might be provided. MFH Paul Delaney of Grand Canyon Hounds was in charge of the event our year and took great care, assuring we were well mounted at every stop.

a day OutI had this in mind as I looked to see what Jared, or more appro-priately his Joint Master Alison Brown, had provided Foster on this day. Ah, there stood a beauti-ful, almost pure white Irish sport horse. But “’Andsome is as ’and-some does,” heh? I did notice as announcements were being made prior to moving off that Dennis was slowly backing up. I thought perhaps he wished to sit on a low hill behind us so that when introduced, his rugged features could be silhouetted against the brilliantly blue Colorado sky. Well, not exactly. Alison was also kind enough to bring another horse for novice foxhunter Army Captain Tracy Reade. These two horses when hunted separately went famously, but when in the same general area, their love affair begged for togetherness. The common sense solution was to have the young captain follow Dennis on both days. That made both horses and riders happy.

Jared is a new huntsman and what is refreshing is that he is a true student of the sport. He started riding and foxhunting concurrently at Fort Leavenworth in 2004. Fast forward to today as he demonstrated perfect control

of his eight couple who were not only happy but very biddable. When cast, there was no “run for the roses” by greyhound wan-nabees in big country. Rather, they spread out and worked the ground diligently searching for scent, mindful of where he was. I was fortunate to be asked to whip-in. Although at different times I observed pronghorns, mule deer and many, many jackrabbits, there was but passing hound interest and that was in bunnies only and quickly dis-pelled. On the second day, new whipper-in Kelsey Wright learned from unimpeachable authority that hounds can be stopped in riot if and when the whipper-in gets to their head.

Before I mounted, I grabbed a pile of soil and showed it to my wife Cathie, a past MFH of Fort Leavenworth. Despite the fact that the fort had a very late snow-fall, the dirt was talcum powder dry. I remarked to her, “Tough scenting day.”

The huntsman decided that only foxes and coyotes will be legitimate quarry and since foxes are almost as scarce at Fort Car-son as alligators, that leaves Mr. Coyote as the legitimate quarry. Hounds would open, be off in full cry for 300 yards or so, then lose and be unable to reacquire the scent in the warm, dry condi-tions. So it went for the two plus hours we were out on day one, although we covered many miles in the attempt to find our coyote.

In honor of MFHa Executive Director Dennis Foster’s 400th foxhunting orga-nization hunt, this knob was named Hill 400-Mount Foster.

16 | COVERTSIDE

I followed either Ted Maynard or Pam Taylor, both whippers-in, on a fl ank. Jared had told me earli-er that while they are all constantly picking up the many nuances of foxhunting, he does have the smartest whippers-in in the land. Pam’s a cardiologist and Ted’s a pediatrician and both are capable riders. I have always believed that medical doctors and a veterinar-ian at hand in a foxhunt can be of great potential benefi t. I also used this opportunity later to discuss my search for good heart health and weight control with Pam. Diet and exercise came through loud and clear. I have thus learned even more of life’s secrets through the foxhunting venue.

The next day, Dr. Marvin Beeman joined us. Dr. Beeman is a foxhunting luminary, Joint MFH of Arapahoe, past MFHA president and distinguished vet-erinarian. He was accompanied by wife Euni and Arapahoe Joint MFH Mary Ewing. They trailered in from the Denver area to join us. Dr. Beeman rode with Jared, who took full advantage of any suggestions Dr. Beeman had to offer. Of course with Dennis and Dr. Beeman up there, Jared likely understood the concept of perfor-mance anxiety, foxhunting style.

One of Dr. Beeman’s observa-tions this day is one we can all use in dry and windy condi-

tions. He explained that when a trusted hound begins to open, it is imperative that the hunts-man be able to move his pack immediately to that spot. Did he say, “immediately?” Yes! Seconds count! Several lines were run, but the ability of the pack to fi nd and then hold the lines was halting at best. They certainly tried, as we were out over three hours over beautiful and challenging terrain.

It was a wonderful weekend of two hunts separated by a grand social opportunity at Ted and Pam’s house high above Colorado Springs. Dennis gave a very informative and poignant talk on animal rights versus ani-mal welfare and then presented our hosts copies of his book, “Whipper-in.” The opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones made it one of these times we typically associate with foxhunting, gaining experiences and having stories to tell for years. Why, we even named a terrain feature on Fort Carson. It was a rather small, barren, pointy hill, jutting into the sky like one-half of Madonna’s bra in that old video. We called it “Hill 400 — Mount Foster.”

Rob Kornacki is a seasoned fox-hunter, introduced to both the sport and to his wife by Dennis Foster 30 years ago. Neverthe-less, they are still friends.

Nancy Kleck’s portrait of Dennis Foster and his loyal hunt partner Fargon, de-picts Foster with three favorite hounds: Mooreland’s Mason 1983, English; Pied-mont Watchman 1989, Crossbred, and Orange County Melody 1999, American.

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LOVE inthe Hunt Field

TALES OF LOVE,PASSION AND

DANGEROUS LIAISONSBY AMY ENGLE

inthe Hunt Field

“‘Hunting’s like adultery,’ he said. ‘Endless hanging about, interspersed with frenzied moments of excitement, very expensive and morally indefensible.’”

— FROM “RIDERS,” BY JILLY COOPER

20 | Covertside

hearts pounding with the excitement of the hunt … and the promise of something more salacious after the last of the revelers has departed the hunt breakfast. As most seasoned foxhunters will tell you, there’s something undeniably sexy about the sport — something to do with the formal nature of the dress, the adrenaline-charged chase, and the champagne … all that champagne.

And while the hunting world is full of tales of the “morally indefensible” consequences of its dangerously arousing mix of rank, glamor and excitement, there are also plenty of stories of men and women who have found lasting love in a world of hot-blooded passion and ephem-eral affairs. As we get ready for

hunt season, we offer the stories of five couples whose passion for riding to hounds led them to long-term love in the hunt field.

“No oNe else Really Gets It”Laura and Steven Parker, Paradise Valley Beagles, High Country and Grand Canyon Hounds, Flagstaff, Arizona

In 1997, when a group of friends from the Paradise Valley Beagles organized a hunting trip to Ireland, Laura was deter-mined to take part. “I decided that I was going — by hook or by crook,” recalls Laura.

At the time, Laura had begun to take note of a casual member of the hunt, Steve Parker, who was living in Tucson and hunt-ing regularly with High Country

Hounds, and occasionally with the Paradise Valley Beagles. Although Laura was married at the time, by the date of the Ire-land trip that relationship was drawing to a close — leaving open the possibility for a new romance. “I don’t know whether it was the glorious green coun-tryside, the Irish sport horses, or the Jameson,” she says, “but while we were in Ireland Steve and I decided that we had some romantic inclinations. And when we returned to the States, we soon started dating.

“Fifteen years later, we’re having more fun than ever,” says Laura. The couple belongs to the Grand Canyon Hounds (the Paradise Valley Beagles recently transitioned to Flagstaff and Grand Canyon’s whipper-

in Amanda Wilson), and they enjoy joint meets with other Western district packs. In ad-dition to foxhunting, Steve and Laura enjoy trail riding and taking part in mounted search and rescue near their home in Flagstaff, Arizona.

All in all, says Laura, there’s very little to complain about when you have the good fortune of finding a partner that shares your passion. “Sharing the sport of foxhunting with one’s spouse is truly wonderful. No one else really gets it,” she says.

“I fIRst NotIced the cute hoRse ... theN I No-tIced the Guy oN hIm.” Kathy and Steve Viele, Fort Leav-enworth and Mission Valley hunts

There’s not a horse-crazy girl out there who hasn’t dreamed about being swept off her feet by a knight (or modern day knight-equivalent) on a stun-ning white horse. For Kathy Viele, that dream became a reality when she first met her husband-to-be, Steve, during a joint meet of the Fort Leaven-worth and Mission Valley hunts. “He was riding a glorious, white Percheron,” she recalls, “and I first noticed the cute horse … then I noticed the guy on him.”

After that storybook mo-

It’s the stuff of breathless romance novels: the strIkIng gentleman atop hIs noble steed, the elegant woman besIde, theIr horses keepIng strIde as they gallop over hIll and dale,

M y husband, John, and i have been married 33 years as of december 15, 2012, an event marked by attending

not a cruise, or a table for two at dinner, but joyfully venturing out to our hunt’s holiday party. oh, and i got him a canary vest, since he’s now, after 32 of those years, become a foxhunter. second field, no less, not just hacking out to hilltop!

originally trained as a theoretical phys-icist, he was never someone who would come along to shows and hunts, lessons and horse-shopping trips. this is, in fact,

someone who 25 years ago brought along a physics textbook to the hospital mater-nity ward, so he’d “have something to do” while i was delivering a baby. My horse thing was an addiction, a distraction, an expense, a seriously annoying component of my life, not part of his. We muddled along and loved each other anyway, but it was, frankly, a big disconnect.

the key to this new phase seems to have been that our hunt club is a marvel-ous little group with a special chemistry, warm and welcoming to an introverted, non-riding scientist. the summer trail

rides, potluck meals, cheerful work days and general camaraderie finally drew him into the vortex, and it helps greatly that i stumbled across a sweet mare with whom he’s bonded. it’s his first horsie, his own, at age 60. if anything, she is “the other woman” in his life now, and that’s fine with me.

Just when many couples are looking at each other askance, seeking trophy wives, considering “cougar” adventures, we’re galloping out across the desert and dodg-ing cactus as a team. tally ho!

—Nancy Ambrosiano

HuNTING For THe PerFeCT NexT AdVeNTure

22 | COVERTSIDE SPRING 2013 | 22

IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT MANY hunting couples choose to celebrate their union in the presence of foxhunting friends and family. Some choose a small, simple

ceremony, celebrated with an après hunt toast, while others choose to make the hunt part of their special day.

When Monica Baze and Ray Henderson met and fell in love in the fi eld at Red Rock Hounds, there was never any question that foxhunting would play a central role in their marriage ceremony.

“We wanted to share our special day with the horses, hounds and people that made up our hunting family, and we wanted to do it at the most beautiful place we knew of,” recalls Monica — it was, of course, Lynn Lloyd’s Ross Creek Ranch. MFH John Scha-fer was invited to perform the ceremony, while kennel huntsman Tommie Campbell had the special privilege of escorting the bride. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the wedding party recessed by taking a spir-ited victory gallop around the pasture.

“The most amazing part was that we never really had a rehearsal,” says Monica, “and yet the whole thing turned out beauti-fully. There’s no way we could have planned it any better.” The only worry of the day? “I just really didn’t want to fall o� ,” says Monica, who was dressed in a gorgeous white gown with scarlet and gold detailing.

Like Monica and Ray, Solange and David Ellis chose to make hunting the focus of their

marriage ceremony. However, the Ellis’ very traditional hunt country wedding began in a very untraditional fashion — on a social media website.

Solange, owner of Horsehaven Stables in Hinckley, Ohio, and a member of the Chagrin Valley Hunt, was used to checking Foxhunt-ers Online for used tack and made fi eld hunters, but she never expected that this virtual community would lead her to a real foxhunting romance.

Through an FOL MySpace group that Solange and a few other Chagrin Valley members started in order to better share photos and information, Solange eventually connected with David, a Welshman who was attending fl ight school in Florida and hunt-ing with the Misty Morning Hounds. Soon David was putting his pilot skills to good use, fl ying up to visit Solange in Ohio. After months of long-distance dating, David in-vited Solange to join him on a trip to Wales, where he asked her to marry him.

“I knew immediately that I wanted a hunt wedding,” she says. “They are like our family. Plus, it meant that I didn’t have to buy a dress,” she adds. After discussing their plans with the Masters of Chagrin Val-ley, they decided to schedule their wedding to coincide with one of the hunt’s high holy days: The Blessing of the Hounds. After a quick ceremony they shared a champagne toast and then, what else? “We went hunt-ing!” says Solange.

ment, the couple experienced a series of missed connections … and misperceptions. Later that season at a regional joint meet in Omaha, Steve noticed Kathy in their hotel lobby. “I was with a friend’s high school daughter,” says Kathy, “and he thought that I was maybe still in high school myself! Not surprisingly, he didn’t get around to asking me out for another couple of years.”

Eventually, however, it be-came diffi cult for Kathy to ignore the attraction. “I was hunting with a friend of mine at Fort Leavenworth, and I was riding a big Thoroughbred ex-steeple-chaser, and this giant draft horse ke pt ending up next to me in the hunt fi eld,” says Kathy. “So I started thinking, ‘Hmmm, maybe he’s interested.’”

Finally, Steve invited Kathy to the hunt ball at Fort Leaven-worth, and eight months later they were married. “It didn’t take us long to realize that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together … after he fi nally got around to asking me out!” says Kathy. The couple just celebrated their 20th anniversary and are now living and hunting together in Aiken, South Carolina.

“The best part about being married to a foxhunter is that he would never ever ask me to give up my horse,” says Kathy. “He gets it. He knows that this is what I do and that it’s in my blood.” And because Kathy is staff, Steve does get dragged along on occa-sion when he might otherwise not want to hunt — but even that has its benefi ts.

“We had a hunt a few week-ends ago where the weather was rainy and cold, and the only people that showed up were staff. I was whipping-in and Steve was the only person in the fi eld that showed up — well, he had to go because I was going. But he ended up getting a private hunt and it was a great day,” she says. “Both of us hunting is absolutely the ideal situation.”

A HUNT COUNTRY WEDDING

Hunt NightPA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center u 2300 North Cameron St u Harrisburg, PA u October 10-19, 2013

Hunt Night at

The Pennsylvania National Horse ShowOctober 14, 2013

Tickets Available at the Door or

www.PAnational.orgor call 717-770-0222 Free Parking!

Reception for Members of Recognized Hunts5:00 p.m. till... $25 includes Show AdmissionCash Bar

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13-PNHS-Covertside.indd 1 8/1/13 10:26 AM

Hunt NightPA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center u 2300 North Cameron St u Harrisburg, PA u October 10-19, 2013

Hunt Night at

The Pennsylvania National Horse ShowOctober 14, 2013

Tickets Available at the Door or

www.PAnational.orgor call 717-770-0222 Free Parking!

Reception for Members of Recognized Hunts5:00 p.m. till... $25 includes Show AdmissionCash Bar

Phot

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13-PNHS-Covertside.indd 1 8/1/13 10:26 AM

1. How long sHould it take me to condition my field Hunter? wHen sHould i start? Cubbing starts in late summer/early fall and is a perfect time for you to start physically preparing your field hunter for a long and rigorous hunt season. Having your horse fully conditioned and prepared for the hunt season can increase the personal experience and quality of this equestrian endeavor. But even prior to the more casual, informal cub-bing season it is imperative that you evaluate your hunter’s level of conditioning. Under normal healthy circumstances, I recommend that you exercise your horse regularly at least 3 to 5 days per week for at least a month prior to cubbing season.

2. is tHere any difference at-taining fitness levels between a young vs. an old Horse and wHat common issues can com-promise tHese goals?Since most field hunters are older and more experienced athletes this conditioning and practice is critical prior to and during the hunt season. Injuries do occur and since

most field hunters are experienced they usu-ally have pre-existing conditions from their past (i.e. ex racehorses). Old tendon issues, suspensory problems and arthritis are all problems that can and will occur in the field hunter. As is the case with all equine athletes, a consistent exam and monitoring routine works best. As your hunter is groomed and prepared for his regular exercise it is wise to develop a checklist to follow that will give you early recognition of problems prior to them becoming major setbacks to your hunt agenda. Checking legs for heat or swelling, picking and inspecting feet, along with jog-ging your horse prior to exercise should be-come habits. You should know your horse’s normal gait and if it varies after exercise or difficult or taxing hunts.

3. wHat are common injuries and ailments and How can i avoid tHem?Field hunting can be quite rigorous. It can de-mand that a horse gallop miles at a moderate to an open gallop. A horse and rider may en-counter obstacles both manmade and natural (coops, logs, creeks and fences) that must be

maneuvered by either jumping at a high rate of speed or bypassed. And, they have to keep pace with a sometimes sizable group of hunt enthusiasts across all kinds of surfaces which can include grassy fields, rocky terrain, ice and snow, dirt roads, mud and bogs. Collectively these conditions can cause injuries to your horse if you have not done your homework. Exercising your horse 3 to 5 days per week will help tendons and ligaments to stretch and muscles to tone; typically at least 15-20 min-utes of long trotting to warm up followed by long canters. Once your horse starts to show that it is tucking up and attaining better aero-bic fitness then easy galloping at least a mile during your regular routine is necessary. In addition, jumping some obstacles prior to join-ing a hunt activity will be necessary. Depend-ing on where your hunts are held, the size of the obstacles encountered can vary in size and shape. Jumping an under-conditioned horse can cause injuries. The goal of your condition-ing is to attain fitness while improving you and your horse’s timing in dealing with obstacles encountered.Since most field hunters are more experienced athletes this conditioning is criti-cal prior to and during the hunt season.

24 | Covertside

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FALL 2013 | 25

4. HOW SHOULD I ADDRESS MY HORSE’S FEET AS I START GETTING HIM FIT? Regular shoeing should include monitoring shoe wear and how often your horse requires shoeing. I prefer steel on fi eld hunters because you usually get better wear than aluminum and it is easier to add borium to shoes once ice and snow occurs during hunt season. Once you are on track in your conditioning and the hunt season is in full swing, regular adjustments may be necessary in order to keep your hunter’s legs tight and sound. Inter-mittent application of ice boots and poultice may be required after long and tiring outings. Sometimes utilizing sweats to keep soft tissue structures tight may be necessary. As condi-tions differ during the hunt seasonal adjust-ments like this will need to be made.

5. HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY HORSE’S OPTIMUM HEALTH?All of the factors discussed in the previous questions are vital to maintaining the health of your equine partner; proper conditioning and preparation, exams and consistent monitor-ing, and regular shoeing are an important part of their regiment. Other integral elements include stabling, especially dry and suitable bedding, and feed. Choosing the right feed for your horse can vary from one horse to another and can depend on factors such as age, activ-ity level, and health issues.Supplements also play a signifi cant role in the overall health. As always I recommend LubriSyn to keep joints healthy and to minimize or eliminate injecting your horse. I also utilize Re-Borne if a hunter gets a little tired and down in weight during the season. Together both will ensure that your hunter will start and end the season in the best condition possible. Applying these principles and developing healthy daily habits will lead to a more fulfi lling hunt season for both you and your equine partner with little or no setbacks.

Dr. Steve Allday specializes in equine sports medicine with a focus on thoroughbred racehorses. Dr. Allday’s veterinary creden-tials include fi ve Thoroughbred Horses of the Year, thirteen Triple Crown and twenty-nine Breeders Cup race winners. His 25+ year practice has spanned the world. Top owners and trainers worldwide have all de-manded his time and expertise. Dr. Allday’s career and natural equine health approach have inspired a new website promoting total equine health: The Allday Way (www.thealldayway.com).

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26 | COVERTSIDE26 | COVERTSIDE

VS

SPLURGE

DEAL

We’ve stolen the Splurge vs. Deal idea from fash-ion magazine Lucky, which routinely o� ers up two versions of every outfi t — one for the fl ush-of-cash days and another for when you’re hankering for a new pair of breeches but are looking to keep at least a little cash on hand to pay the farrier.

PHOTOS BY LLEWELLYN PHOTOGRAPHY

FALL 2013 | 27

YOU WON’T FIND MANY FOXHUNTERS at Macy’s or Neiman Marcus on a winter Saturday. But stop in at Middleburg Tack Exchange, Tri-County Feeds, Etc. (arguably

the chicest feed store on the planet), or the venerable Horse Country and you’re bound to fi nd us perusing the racks looking for an addition to the foxhunting closet. Whether purchasing the perfect fi tting coat sown by the gentlemen of London’s Savile Row (see related story page 40) but on sale, or searching for a pair of bargain breeches that doesn’t ever bind behind the knee or cramp your riding style, we’re passionate about our clothes.

ON NICHOLASBreeches – Alexander James Huntsman’s Breech ($125 at Tri County Feed, Marshall, Va.)

Scarlet Hunt Coat- John Morgan & Company, London - Tel 020 7629 5835

Boots - Davies London, Bespoke - Tel 01495 313 045 / email: [email protected]

Helmet- Patey LG*

Stock Tie - Chasing a Fox Cotton Luxe 4-Fold Stock Tie ($55.00/ [email protected])

Gloves - SSG Extreme Hybrid ($32.95 at Dover Saddlery)

ON NELLEBoots – Der Dau French Calf Hunt Boot ($2400 at Der Dau, New York, NY)

Breeches – Pikeur Ciara Knee Patch in Safari ($299.99 at Dover Saddlery)

Women’s Frock Coat- John Morgan & Company, London - Tel 020 7629 5835

Hunt Cap – Patey LG

Stock Tie - Chasing a Fox Cotton Luxe 4-Fold Stock Tie ($55.00/ [email protected])

Gloves - Roeckl 201 ($46.80 at Dover Saddlery)

*While Pateys are traditional and oh-so-stylish, the MFHA strongly recommends ATSM/SEI helmets with chin straps.

ON NICHOLASBreeches - Ovation Men’s - CR 3848-36283 ($43.98 at Dover Saddlery)

Hunt Coat – Alexander James Men’s Scarlet Hunt Coat ($1,200 from Tri-County Feed, Etc., Marshall, Va.)

Boots - Aigle Boots Jumping 2 Bordeaux $219; limited inventory, contact [email protected]

Helmet - Charles Owen Hampton ($194.40 at The Equestrian Shop, Ipswich, MA)

Stock Tie - Shires Pique Stock Tie ($14.99 at Dover Saddlery)

Gloves - SSG Pro Show Deer-skin in Acorn ($19.99 at Dover Saddlery)

ON NELLEBreeches – Ariat Heritage Low Rise Breech ($94.95 at Dover Saddlery)

Frock Coat- Shires Frock Coat #9503 ($299.00 at Dover Saddlery)

Boots - Mountain Horse Firenze Zip Dress Boot ($238 at Dover Saddlery)

Helmet - Charles Owen Hampton ($194.40 at The Equestrian Shop, Ipswich, Mass.)

Stock Tie - FITS Wa© e Tech Stock Tie ($29.99 at Dover Saddlery)

Gloves - SSG Deerskin Rancher Glove in Natural ($33.99 at Dover Saddlery)

Huge thanks to foxhunting style guide, Chasing a Fox in a Little Black Dress (chasingafox.com), which produced the fashion spreads on these two pages.

DEAL

DEALSPLURGE

28 | COVERTSIDE

THOUGHTS ON

FOOT HUN TING IN WHICH A YOUNG MAN DISCUSSES THE JOYS OF BASSET AND BEAGLE HUNTING

FALL 2013 | 29

MANY READERS are familiar with my father’s work, which includes a series of articles in Covertside (see page 34) and his book “Letters to a Young Hunts-man.” His work is lauded as deeply insightful, beautifully written, and incredibly fun to read. I make no such

claims, but I hope you can bear me long enough for me to make my points about foot hunting.

In my experience, attitudes among foxhunters toward foot hunt-ing range from a passion almost equal to their love of foxhunting to complete disdain for what is generally considered a lesser form of hunting. However, the two extremes are rather rare, and most fox-hunters’ feelings tend to fall in the middle: a mild curiosity mixed with a vague disinterest. They don’t really understand what it is that we do, but they sense that there might be something more going on than casual observation reveals. With a little push, a little closer observation, and a little explanation, they might see the complexi-ties and intricacies of foot hunting as intriguing and stimulating as those of foxhunting in their own way.

In the United States, the foot hound is generally divided into two groups: the beagle and the basset. The two hunt the same quarry, have the same agendas, and sometimes hunt the same terri-tory, yet they are very different hounds. They hunt differently, work differently, and must be handled differently.

FLEET OF FOOTThe beagle is a more agile hound, lighter on his feet and more graceful than the basset. In general, he tends to stick tighter to the line, cast him-self at a check, and not overrun very far. Being smaller, he can slip into thick coverts and work his way through them fairly easily. The beagle tends to be a very precise hound, with a high degree of line control. However, don’t expect the beagle to be a hound that just plods along. Once he gets a rabbit up and moving, he pursues it with great drive and a surprising amount of speed. If you’re not prepared for that, you’ll have a hard time catching up.

There are several other aspects of the beagle that make him desirable. When his conformation is correct, he resembles a miniature foxhound. He is also an eternally cheerful animal, and his good mood is often infec-tious. Many a bad mood has been changed for me because of my time with my own pack of beagles. He is also great with children, as he can

THOUGHTS ON

FOOT HUN TING IN WHICH A YOUNG MAN DISCUSSES THE JOYS OF BASSET AND BEAGLE HUNTING BY BENNETT BARCLAY

Calf Pasture Bassets and Bennett Barclay, Jeep Cochran, Master and huntsman, and Moira Hoen.

30 | Covertside

be very gentle and often doesn’t mind being hugged by the smaller ones. This makes him an excellent community ambassador.

There are several tradeoffs for the beagle’s good attributes. As I have a new pack with mostly older hounds, I have not had a great deal of experience with this, but I know (from hunting with other packs and listening to older huntsmen) that the beagle can be stubborn. This is true of any hound, but the beagle seems to have a bit of a reputation. He also tends to have a high-pitched cry. In many packs, this produces a music that, for lack of a better comparison, is like a violin quartet; light and flighty, but pleasant. However, there are some hounds (and I do have a few) with truly bloodcurdling voices. When the shrieks of these banshees erupt from the covert, the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. These voices have given the beagle an

unfortunate reputation for being screechy, and for those of us who like a lower voice, this is defi-nitely a concern. As such, deeper voiced beagles are always highly valued, and I am very lucky to have several of these deep voices in my own pack.

Before I move on, I must pro-vide a disclaimer. I am speaking here of the pack beagle, the type of hound that has been bred and brought up with a pack mentality, mostly from pack bloodlines. The mentality of this hound and the way it is handled is very similar to the beagle packs in England. There are other types of beagles, such as gun dogs, SPO hounds, and brace beagles. I have almost no experience with these, and so cannot say anything about them at all, other than these provide a very different experience from the pack hounds. If you are curious about them, I suggest finding your local gun dog club and read-ing the magazine Better Beagling.

The Cello of houndsThe basset is a very different type of hound from the beagle. First, let me begin my discussion of him by saying that I am speak-ing of the type of basset that has been carefully bred by packs in this country and England, not the AKC basset. I am of the opinion that the AKC has created a basset that is ugly, unintelligent, and has lost all desire to hunt. This is a very broad generalization, and I hope that I am proven wrong, but as it stands, most basset packs avoid the AKC type.

Basset hounds are larger than the beagle, by far. The basset is basically a big dog on short legs. He has great drive, is quite bidda-ble, and has a truly awe-inspiring cry. I am well aware that this will anger many of my readers, but I will venture to say that a pack of bassets screaming after a rabbit on a foggy morning produces a cry that rivals the cry of even the best pack of foxhounds. If the beagle

is a violin, the basset is a cross be-tween a cello and the entire brass section of an orchestra.

Some scoff, but the basset can provide truly amazing sport. Not as subtle as a beagle, he pushes his way through covert diligently and easily, forcing the rabbit up and moving quickly. Where a pack of beagles might not ever truly push a rabbit, a basset pack will push him and won’t stop until the quarry does something to elude it. This is because the basset is fast, much faster than the beagle. I know many do not believe this, but I whip-in to Jeep Cochran’s Calf Pasture Bassets, and I can testify to the basset’s speed. When out with a basset pack, you had bet-ter be paying attention and be ready to get on with it, or you will get left behind.

The basset can be a very biddable hound. In my opinion, he is respectful and biddable to those he trusts, but strang-

Fall 2013 | 31

ers have no influence with him whatsoever. Once he knows you, he will work with you eas-ily and will follow his huntsman to the ends of the earth.

Just like the beagle, the basset is not without his faults. Because he is so fast, his legs tend to work faster than his nose, and when he overruns he takes longer to correct himself than the beagle. The basset also takes much, much more food to be kept properly. He is not for those with a tight pocketbook. The amount of food a pack of bassets goes through can be truly staggering, especially to a beagler, who feeds a tiny frac-tion of that amount.

The basset also requires more territory than the beagle. There is a particular hillside in my territory that I share with the Calf Pasture. I can take my beagles there and spend two hours on that hill, and have some very nice sport. The bassets will blow through that hill in half an hour (assuming no rabbit is found, which isn’t likely), look around and say, “All right, what now?”

The basset and the beagle are both wonderful hounds, and if you can become involved

with either of them, you are truly privileged.

Hare TodayOne of the blocks between fox-hunters and foot hunting is the assumption that foot hunting is simple compared to foxhunting, lacking complexity or mystery. Having experience with both, I’d argue that this is far from true. The foot pack presents a different type of intricacy, but it is just as intriguing as the best day’s foxhunting.

Before I go on, I should point out that the ideal quarry of foot hounds, the holy grail of this branch of hunting, is the hare. This is what is hunted in England, and it was imported to this country, where it was hunted for many years. How-ever, in the last two decades the hare have disappeared, taking up residence in the northern reaches of the territory. I have almost no experience with the hare, but I will venture to explain a few things.

The hare is much larger than a cottontail, faster, and smarter. She is an object of mystery, swift and elusive, with a level of cunning that is unnerving at times. She runs in circles almost

Huntsman Bennett, andrew and Dawn Barclay hunting three couple of the Hermit Hollow Beagles at the National Beagle Club Spring Trials.

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32 | Covertside

rivaling those of a red fox. She doesn’t go to ground, and a hare hunt ends with a loss or a kill. She is an amazing creature, and a hare hunt is well worth the time spent on it.

Compared to the hare, the cottontail might be considered a lesser quarry, yet she presents her own set of challenges, challenges that make her as intriguing and baffling as the hare. The cottontail runs in tight circles, twisting and weaving her way through covert, crossing her own lines, and ulti-mately creating a labyrinthine line of scent. To run her well, a hound must be precise and have good rabbit sense. She can squeeze through the tiniest hole, burrow through briars, navigate swamps, and generally lay a trail that a hound must be truly game to fol-low, and staff and field must be as quiet as possible. As tricky as the fox, the cottontail on a good day can provide sport that is just as thrilling as a great day’s foxhunt-The author, Bennett Barclay, with the Hermit Hollow Beagles. covertside half page

Fall 2013 | 33

ing. This is especially true in March, when the rabbits are start-ing to have young ones. At this time of year, they run in much larger, wider circles at surprising speed. This is usually the end of our season, and it is a great way to bring our hunting to a close.

Foot hunting also provides a better venue for the observers to see some great hound work. Since you are not working nearly as hard to keep up, and you are usually fairly close to the hounds, you can watch them as they work on the line of their quarry. You can see the thoughts running through their heads as they work a line. Through careful observa-tion, you can see how feather-ing can give you an idea of how strong scent is, how carefully a hound will work a line before he speaks, how precise a hound must be to run a line well, and how important it is for his pack mates to honor him and pay at-tention to him. All of this will give

you a deeper understanding of the work that a hound puts into hunting, and that understanding can only deepen your apprecia-tion of the work that foxhounds put into their sport.

Good AmbAssAdors Besides the sheer enjoyment of foot hunting, having a foot pack in your hunt country has many benefits for foxhunters. The foot hounds are representatives of country life just as much as the foxhounds. Their presence can remind landowners that we are all here just to have some fun. Foot hounds are also an avenue for those who are unable to foxhunt, to be out in the country and experience the joy of hunt-ing with hounds.

Foot hunting is also an excel-lent way to interest the youth in hunting. It is much more approachable than foxhunting, and a good huntsman will recruit youngsters to accompany his

whips and learn from them. This increases the number of young people who might eventually take a shining to foxhunting. I have a great interest in this point, as it has certainly proven true with me. I started hunting my pack at age sixteen. By age nineteen, I had registered my pack with the Na-tional Beagle Club (which handles beagles and bassets, despite the name) and I have a much deeper appreciation for foxhunting, something that would not have happened without these beagles.

The points I have made are ones that I feel are important, and I hope you find them illuminating. However, every-thing I have said so far pales in comparison to the truth behind all forms of hunting: This is supposed to be fun. We are not doing this to dress up, to drink whisky out of a stirrup cup, gossip, and have tea in the clubhouse. We are hunting for the sheer enjoyment of it. We

are hunting to rock and roll, listen to the music of hounds, and watch them hunting an elusive and tricky quarry — all for the excitement and the joy of it. I sincerely hope that any foxhunter reading this article remembers this, and takes this attitude to foot hunting. It’s all meant to be fun, and if you set skepticism aside, I truly believe you will find the pleasure in it that I have. I hope I see you out in my field one day soon!

If you are curious about foot hunting and would like to learn more, the Hunt Roster enclosed in this issue contains contact information for the National Beagle Club and all the NBC packs. The club also puts on performance trials for beagle and basset packs in the spring and fall at Aldie, Virginia.

bennett barclay lives in Green Spring country, where he is Joint Master and huntsman of the Hermit Hollow Beagles.

34 | Covertside

about hounds

Young EntryCubbing season is the foundation of building

a great foxhunter, whether canine, equine, or human.

By andrew barClay | PhotograPh david traxler

C ub hunting — “au-tumn hunting” as it’s called now — is a magical time.

Hounds have been preparing since the end of the previous season. Young hounds have been pack broke, have gone to puppy shows and maybe even one of the big shows. Hounds have been walking out all spring and summer. Over time their work has picked up at a slow

but steady pace. Horses are introduced to the mix and the excitement starts to grow daily, as the time to put hounds into the covert for the first time gets closer. While in many packs the first few days of cub hunting are a staff-only affair, those first few days are very special.

Young hounds do funny things those first few mornings. After months of being restricted to the pack, to be given a taste

of freedom can be a bit confus-ing. I remember one year we had crossed one of our best “old” Green Spring Valley lines with one of Mr. Hardaway’s best Midland lines. That cross had the potential to be very special. There was one dog hound that I was particularly fond of — Inshore ’91. He pack-broke well, had a great personality and might even have won a ribbon at a show. On our first

day hunting I put hounds into the covert and he flew in. A few minutes later I saw him on the horizon running flat out. ... Moments later I saw him at the other end of the big corn field, still going as hard as he could. Every few minutes I’d catch a flash of him in a different part of the field. It was a short morning and we ran a fox or two, and he might have passed by as they were running, but I doubt if he

Play time will soon be over for these

iroquois hound pups.

Fall 2013 | 35

stayed with the pack for long. My whips handled the situation very well — they just left him alone and let him do his thing. He came home with us when we picked up and he was too tired even to eat. That evening after dinner I walked over to the kennels to check on things and Inshore was lying on a bench, just melted. He rolled his eyes toward me and the only thing he could move was the very tip of his stern. I wondered if we had made a mistake with that cross but he came around. He became one of my best hounds and a real favorite. The whole litter was special.

Mellow outCub hunting in many clubs is really divided into three seasons: staff hunting, informal and formal. Things that happen on those first few days stay with a hound for life. For that reason Masters and staff will often try to get in a couple of days hunt-ing with no field. This gives the young entries a chance to get an idea what is going to be expect-ed of them without the worry of a field of fractious horses. A hound that gets rattled in those first days can be ruined for life. It’s also important that the staff that are helping on those days understand the importance of keeping things mellow. These are the days of letting hounds find their own fox, with mini-mum noise from staff. The more human voices, the more confus-ing for the puppies. As long as the older hounds are running, the puppies will get involved in the chase eventually.

I once had a hound that was a bit slow going into the covert, a fault I could tolerate in the early days of the puppies’ first season, as they really didn’t know what they were supposed to do. On the second or third day a new whipper-in tried to

bully him into the covert. He got scared and ran back to the ken-nel. It took most of the rest of that cubbing season to get him confident again. He too went on to be a very good hound, but it was very upsetting. (I’m not sure the whipper-in ever got my confidence again.)

listenIn our country we hunted the red fox exclusively. We also had a lot of corn fields. These corn fields held foxes, and they were a wonderful place to enter puppies. With any kind of scent at all hounds will find and have a wonderful run around. If the puppies don’t get in on the run the first time around they will usually get in on it the next time. In the early days of the season, foxes tend not to break covert but will just run in the corn until pressed enough to go to ground. Splits in the corn are inevitable but as long as no hounds are allowed to get away they cause no real harm. It’s best to allow the hounds to run!

Informal cub hunting is that time of the year when a field is allowed but when the dress code is a little more relaxed. It’s a wonderful time for those who are truly interested in hounds to have a chance to really listen to them run. There is a lot of standing around corn fields while hounds make loops. For those listening closely, they can hear what is happening during the run by the cry of the pack. They can pick up the cry of a lost puppy. They can differenti-ate between hounds working an older line and when they have worked up to their fox. The cry of hounds pressing their fox and the sudden silence as they make a loss or the fox goes to ground will paint a vivid picture in the minds of those who listen closely. It can be a wonderful thing to have the ability to stand

For more information contact Oldfields School [email protected]

410-472-4800 www.OldfieldsSchool.org

Oldfields School is located in the heart of Maryland hunt country.

Oldfields School is located in the heart of Maryland hunt country.

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36 | Covertside

and listen. All this standing around can be a little boring for some, but for others it is the best time of year.

Informal cub hunting is also a time for people to bring out their young or green prospective field hunters. While the pace is slower and there is less to blow the mind of a young horse, from a hound standpoint it really can be an unfortunate practice. While I am very aware that it is the best time to see if a horse will take to hunting, every precaution should be taken to insure that the horse doesn’t kick or inter-fere with hounds in any way. While all cub hunting is for the benefit of hounds, this informal cubbing is even more so.

Formal cub hunting is differ-ent in more ways than just the clothing. By this time, with any luck, puppies will be starting to get a vague idea what it’s all about. The huntsman will often have puppies hunting in

two or more groups. I always had my best group of puppies in the schedule for Saturdays. Cub hunting may be for the hounds but once things get to the formal part of the season most huntsmen are becoming aware of a field behind them. The pace of the day quickens and the mornings are longer. Hounds are also hunting farther from home; this too will some-times determine which puppies are hunted. I always tended to hack to meets unless they were at the other end of the coun-try. I felt that this helped any hound temporarily lost or left behind have a better idea how to get home. Obviously, this works only if you have con-tiguous country. By this time of year there will start to be more jumping. This can cause a difficulty for the field from time to time. If hounds are having trouble getting over or through a jump you may have to hold

an anxious horse while they figure it out. Usually a Mas-ter or staff will happen along and help rectify the situation; however, unless there is a gate convenient it is best if the field keeps quiet and does not speak to the hound. If a hound can’t negotiate a jump, it is probably a puppy and your well-meaning help might just rattle an already anxious hound.

It is also around this time where the best of the year’s puppies will start to think they are getting the hang of the game. They rapidly become like teenage boys about six months after they get their drivers’ licenses. They think they can go as fast as they want and that all things are fun to chase. This is an especially difficult time for staff. They are really starting to think along the lines of provid-ing sport for their field and the puppies are starting to become interested in deer and whatever other riot is in the country. Staff goes through this every year and things turn out all right, but at the time it’s always “the worst group of puppies ever raised.”

In countries where deer are prevalent, this problem is easier to rectify. If deer are an occasional occurrence then the problem is harder to handle. Here in the Mid-Atlantic deer are abundant and hounds see and smell them constantly while on exercise as well as out hunt-ing. The preceding generations of hunt staff had a much more difficult time when they would run across deer only from time to time. They had to deal with the problem from a breeding aspect as well as from a disci-pline aspect. Their hard work has made hounds of today more biddable than they were right after World War II. Nowadays a well-handled pack of hounds can be pretty good on deer; however, any hound will be tempted by injured deer during the deer-hunting season.

PuPs of Another sortThere is another young entry that can gain a lot of experi-ence during cub hunting: that is the children. The informal cub hunting season is a great time to get the younger children out. The pace is slower, the mornings are still hot so ponies are better behaved, there is no school, and a child that has been awakened at an ungodly hour of the morning might sleep much of the afternoon. Dur-ing the informal time of year the Masters and staff will pay attention to and encourage the youngsters. Later in the season they won’t have time, as they’ll have to pay more attention to providing sport for the entire field. But just as they know they must encourage the puppies and educate them because they are the future of the pack, they are also aware that the child out on an early cub hunting day is the future of the hunt, and he or she needs encouragement and education. Those early days are a wonderful time to teach the next generation of foxhunters. In our country it is not unusual to have children go to an earth with the huntsman and watch hounds mark. It’s a great sight to see a bunch of children crowded around watching hounds worry the earth. Cub hunting camp is another great way to introduce children to foxhunting. Just as the puppies are the future of the pack, the children are the future of the sport. The more attention and education we can give them about our sport, the stronger our sport will be.

Cub hunting can give a won-derful base to the young entry: human, hound or equine. From there you can build each into a true foxhunter.

Andrew Barclay is former hunts-man of Green spring valley, and now runs the MFHA’s Profes-sional development Program. His most recent book is “Letters to a Young Huntsman.”

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Fall 2013 | 37

about horses

T he foxhunting sea-son proper is soon upon us and if you have not started

legging up your hunt horses for the season, now is the time. Many foxhunters continue to use their hunt horses through-out the summer months for showing, eventing, polo, trail riding or pleasure riding, thereby eliminating or reducing the need for a lot of legging up. But many others give their field hunters some well-deserved time off at the end of the sea-son and conditioning for when

hunting starts becomes an an-nual ritual.

We have been fortunate to enjoy field hunters who lead double lives, also excelling as polo ponies or show jumpers in the summer. We have also been fortunate to have field hunters who simply enjoyed three or more months off in a pasture, not having been ridden at all in the off-season. There is no right answer to the “to turn out or not to turn out” question. Some horses seem to do better being in work all season, while others seem to benefit from the time

off and develop a bad attitude if they don’t have some time just to be horses.

Even if your field hunters remain in work, you may expe-rience the need to bring them into better shape for the season or you may have the need to recondition after a layup from injury of horse or rider.

Different breeds of horses, different speeds of hunting (whether that is a result of the speed of hounds in differ-ent countries or your chosen flight within a given hunt, or both) and different terrains for

hunting may require differ-ent conditioning, so no one program may address every need or circumstance, nor every discipline. Surely, a staff horse needs more conditioning than most hilltoppers. Then again, we have all enjoyed some hunts where the unique terrain may enable a hilltopper to see more miles than the staff at hunts with small, flat and wooded countries.

For foxhunting, all experts would agree that condition-ing should come into line with actual hunting conditions as the program progresses. But where to start? There are a myriad of answers to this question.

In order to make any gener-alizations about a program for getting horses fit for the rigors of hunting season, we have to start with a few assumptions. We have asked these experts to base their recommendations for a condi-tioning program on the criteria that the horse has not been recently injured, that it is sound, that it is not a youngster, and that the person conditioning it has access to a variety of terrains. Obviously, if the horse hasn’t been sound, is young, or if you have only an arena and no place to hack out, you will have to adapt your program accordingly.

Dr. G. Marvin Beeman is nationally known for his veteri-nary lectures on lameness and conformation issues. He is also

Field hunters need a fitness plan that’s tailored to their age, experience and individual metabo-lisms. these two had the summer off, grazing on pasture and just being horses.

Legging Up Your HunterExperts weigh in on how best to condition your horse.

By Marc c. PatoilE | PhotograPh rEbEcca PatoilE

38 | Covertside

the past president of the Masters of Foxhounds of America and Joint Master and huntsman to the Arapahoe Hunt. As he has been riding to hounds for over 70 years, we wanted to know his take on several conditioning questions based upon the expe-rience of hard knocks coupled with veterinary acumen.

While Dr. Beeman has used hunt horses for horse show-ing and polo, he is primarily a life-long huntsman who hunts and exercises his hounds six days a week. Few of us, outside of staff, will have that sort of luxury for conditioning options.

So, we wanted another crossover opinion, from Charlie Dennehy, a professional hunter/jumper trainer and grand prix rider, whose parents rode to the hunt as well as having been nominated to the Show Jump-ing Hall of Fame. The Dennehys

are well known in the show world and were all formerly members or junior members of the Arapahoe Hunt. Charlie admits that as a full-time profes-sional show jumping trainer, he’s ridden 99 percent of the time in arenas for the past de-cade or more. His father, Wilson Dennehy, was present as these issues were discussed.

Interestingly enough, we heard the same general rou-tine recommended by all. So it seems that the old and the new schools of thought for conditioning, whether for show jumping in the arena or for foxhunting, are aligned, as least among these experts.

Dr. Beeman explains, “You’d be surprised how much more fit horses stay in large grass pastures, as opposed to those confined to stalls and small pad-docks. But for either, it is best

to start slow and work them every day when conditioning, starting with 20-30 minutes of walking, adding five minutes of trotting each week until you are up to 20 minutes. Obviously you have to do some walking to cool them out. You want them to work up a sweat each time,

without their respiration being labored. Then after a good four weeks of this program you can start adding five minutes of cantering to the program each week, in intervals, until you are up to 20 minutes of canter-

ing, added to the 20 minutes of walking and 20 minutes of trotting. Interval training was tested on racehorses and was found not to be effective, so I don’t concentrate on watching the clock for these intervals of walk-trot-canter, I focus on the horse. You want him to

get a good workout, but you obviously don’t want to have labored breathing, so use com-mon sense.”

Both Dr. Beeman and the Dennehys recommended incor-porating different terrain and

Both Dr. Beeman and the Dennehys recom-mended incorporating different terrain and footing into your conditioning program, especially if that is what you will be hunting.

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Fall 2013 | 39

footing into your conditioning program, especially if that is what you will be hunting.

When asked about adding jumping into the condition-ing program, Wilson Dennehy responded that the horses can be “jumping fit and showing fit in 60 more days, once they are properly conditioned.” Follow-ing the same general condi-tioning guidelines outlined by Dr. Beeman, Dennehy added, “Assuming the horse has been trained for jumping and just had the summer off, you can start right back at jumping, once the horse is fit again. We like to jump every other day for eight to twelve days. Add three to four jumps each day. After 10 sessions, they should be going good again over fences, but you do not need more than 15 jumps in any session.”

Once they are fit and hunt-ing again, Dr. Beeman said,

“the key is regular exercise for at least six days per week. A little bit of walking, a lot of trotting and cantering (not over 15 mph) with occasional extended galloping.”

And as for keeping them sound and fit while hunting, he recommends, “Gallop down-hill and let them slow down as they go uphill; when at the top allow them to take three or four deep breaths by walking a few steps, then proceed on.” Many people do the reverse, as the horse will generally want to gallop uphill, but letting him do so is bad planning for conserving your horse.

Dr. Beeman also recom-mends, “Slow down in deep footing.” It may seem that the deep footing is softer (and it is if you have to land in it), but “Going fast through heavy going, especially on a tired horse, can cause tendon and

ligament injuries.” Dr. Beeman said, “If your horse is get-ting tired, use good judgment about pressing on!”

Marc Patoile hunts with arapa-hoe Hunt in Colorado. He plays polo in the off-season.

A Guideline for Interval Training for Foxhunters:Here is a basic program for legging up your hunter. Vary this according to the footing and how your horse feels.

Week 1: 20 minutes walk, 5 minutes trot




Week 5: 20 minutes walk, 20 minutes trot, 5 minutes canter




40 | Covertside

the kit

Perfect FitFinding the right fit in a coat, whether new or used, is more art than science. By Christopher oakFord

A s a rule of thumb, it doesn’t ‘do’ to pay too much attention to your

clothes. Foppishness attracts suspicion … like speaking French. And no one wants to do that. Literary fiction reinforces this impression. From P.G. Wodehouse’s Lord Emsworth on down, there are numerous tales in which aristocrats and gentlemen are mistaken for their gardeners. But there are rather fewer in which the gardener is so elegantly dressed that he

is mistaken for the lord. Real life, too, has its examples. For instance, My late godfather was frequently believed to be a tramp, such was his sarto-rial style, but not when he was hunting. Then only the finest, most immaculately built attire would do; all lovingly cleaned, buffed, and polished to glossy perfection before each day out. As the huntsman of our local pack says, “Hunting is one of the few activities where the more correctly dressed you are, the better you are likely to be at

it.” Or to put it another way, people with long years of experi-ence know that every piece of kit serves a purpose, and sometimes several purposes. The functional nature of the garments makes all the difference.

Achieving such perfection is no easy task. How, for example, to find the ideal hunt coat? Two leading makers of hunting clothes, Nicholas De’Ath, head cutter at Savile Row tailors Dege & Skinner, and Mark Little of Alexander James, gave us the benefit of their years of experience to compose the fol-lowing guide.

Durability heads the list, according to both men. “It is a working garment,” says De’Ath. “The first question we ask of our customers at Dege & Skin-ner is, ‘How long do you want it to last?’” When the answer is not just a lifetime, but several lifetimes (Dege often refurbishes coats passed down from father to son, and not infrequently grandfather to grandson), the standard cloth they use for their coats is “a 32-ounce that is almost bullet-proof.” For every bespoke coat, Nicholas De’Ath and his colleagues take a series

of 35 separate measurements of the customer and, starting from a single line on a piece of paper, construct a normal suit pattern which they then adapt into the standard hunting frock coat, all before a piece of cloth is cut or a stitch is sewn. Of course, 32-ounce cloth might be fine, or even required, for hunting in mid-winter England, but it isn’t necessarily suitable for some U.S. climates where temperatures are warmer and rain is less frequent. Both Dege & Skinner and Alexander James offer lighter-weight cloths for their American customers that “are still quite robust,” remarks Mark Little. So the next piece of advice is, choose the weight of your coat with care.

Second only to durability and weight is fit. Here the normal laws of judging what looks right go out the window. If the finished article looks like something you’d be happy to be seen in at a cocktail party, then chances are it won’t serve you very well in the field. For a start, should you find yourself in the vicinity of London’s Savile Row and choose to pop in to Dege & Skinner to ask Nicholas to measure you for a new hunt coat, or if you visit the Alexander James stall at the Virginia Hound Show, the first thing they’ll do is sit you in a

A well-fit and well-made coat may last generations, and is a prized possession of many a foxhunter.

Fall 2013 | 41

saddle or possibly on a suitcase, if no saddle is available. Like other working garments, there has to be enough room to allow the wearer to complete the wide range of movement involved in riding a horse at speed and over jumps. This means a lot of extra room through the back. Oddly, though, all that extra room is not neces-sarily at all obvious when looking at the coat — the shoulders shouldn’t be any wider than on your regular coats — and the best way to tell is to sit as though your are on a horse and go through the motions of jumping and posting, hence the saddle/suitcase.

Other differences are more ob-vious. For example, sleeves should be longer than normal, so they don’t ride up (forgive the pun!) and the skirts of the coat should be longer to cover the saddle when mounted. Just how much longer is, to some extent, a matter of in-dividual taste; some prefer a lot of leg coverage, others not so much.

So far, so good. But what of individuality? As General Eisen-hower once said, “When you put on a uniform, there are certain inhibitions you accept.” Admitted-ly, the inhibitions he had in mind might have been aimed more at the wayward behavior of General MacArthur than the style of some-one’s hunt coat, but like all good

tailors we can stretch the point a little. Hunting attire is a uniform; it is meant to look the same as the others. As Nicholas De’Ath com-ments, “We always make sure to use the same cloth for members of the same hunt. That way, if several members ask us for new coats, we know they won’t look different from each other on the first day of the season.” That is not to say, however, that Dege & Skinner and Alexander James don’t cater to requests. Both often create special pockets for cell phones and flasks, and both are expectantly awaiting the first request for an iPad pocket. In England, where at certain hunts it is common to wear an air vest under, rather than over your coat, extra room often has to be added to allow for inflation. “We haven’t had any repairs to make, so far, which says a lot about the quality of construction. But one lady did apparently have to have her but-tons cut off before she could get out of her coat when her air vest went off. The coat held up fine.”

In summary, a hunt coat needs to be durable, suitable for the climate, with plenty of room, and shouldn’t stand out from the crowd.

Christopher Oakford lives in lexington, Ky., and is a member of the Iroquois Hunt.

preserving, promoting and sharing the literature, art and culture of equestrian, angling and field sports

Dege & Skinner makes coats for members of hunts using the same fabrics so all the coats match. It is, after all, a uniform.

42 | Covertside

PraCtiCal Foxhunter

Hunt for Quarry, Not Your GearAn organized trailer can mean the difference between hunt morning chaos and calm.

By Amy EnglE

A long with rodeo and endurance riders, foxhunters certainly rank among the equestrian world’s most demanding trailer owners.

For six months or more out of the year, we put our trailers — and our organizational skills — to the test. While we all start the season with grand plans for keeping trailers neat and orderly, it usually doesn’t work out quite as we’d hoped.

Bridles flung on the floor, crumpled paper napkins and beverage containers from the hunt breakfast potluck stuffed into dark corners — we’ve all been there, and it isn’t pretty. By mid-season it can sometimes be a struggle to find anything in these cramped, cluttered spaces, let alone a square of floor to use for changing clothes or, God forbid, an extra safety pin or hairnet. Not to men-tion that chaos in the tack room can trans-late to chaos upon arriving at the fixture — not the way anyone wants to start a hunt.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little planning, some organizational aplomb, and a few simple tools, you can create a trailer tack room that will hold up to a season’s worth of use and abuse. And as a bonus, you’ll have a space that easily transi-tions from tack storage to dressing room, to a post-hunt lounge and refreshment center.

Because everyone has different tack room sizes and designs, we’ve tried to keep our organizational advice simple enough to be applicable to almost any trailer with a tack compartment. Surely not all of what we rec-ommend will work for you or your trailer, but we hope there’s enough here to give you a good place to start.

Budget Building BlocksThe best place to start is with the first rule of trailer organization: whenever possible, get things off the ground. If you have to stand on, climb over, shuffle around or pull out ev-erything in your tack room in order to access your gear or find a spot to change into your breeches, your system isn’t working (or isn’t really a system in the first place).

stackable, see-through drawers contain odds

and ends such as rope, duct tape, wraps, hair-

nets and safety pins.

fall 2013 | 43

If your trailer didn’t come with built-in saddle racks, your first priority should be to install as many as you think you’ll need or as many as you can reasonably fit without sacrificing all the space in your tack room (one per horse is ideal). If you’re not confi-dent installing them yourself, don’t be shy about hiring out to a professional. The last thing you want is for your saddles to come crashing down unexpectedly on the way to the fixture.

Once you have the saddles squared away, your next priority should be to use whatever you can find — portable bridle racks, hooks, or even over-the-door coat racks from a big-box store — to create hanging space, not just for halters and bridles, but for all manner of objects from manure forks and brooms to folding chairs and hunt coats (on hangers, of course). You can also add a few carabiners for items that don’t easily fit on the hooks, or to clip multiple pieces of gear to a loop of bailing twine. Blanket racks are another must-have for storing coolers and saddle pads, but be sure that you leave enough space to allow for some clearance between the rack and the trailer wall so you don’t have to play the stuff-it game every time you need to hang something up.

Next, work on a plan to corral grooming items and other things you’ll want to have at the ready. Several manufacturers, includ-ing Professional’s Choice and Roma, make hanging mesh organizers designed to hang on the inside of a trailer tack room door, or somewhere along an interior wall. These ex-cellent organizers help take the “get it off the floor” maxim to the next level by providing a handy home for items that would usually wind up in a bucket or grooming caddy: brushes, sprays, hoof picks, sponges, etc. If you’re not willing to shell out $20 to $30 for a name-brand version, however, a hanging pocket shoe organizer is a very acceptable substitute, though the size makes those bet-ter suited to smaller items like sunscreen, hair brushes and curry combs.

Once you’ve used every available inch of hanging space, your next step should be to invest in some stackable, heavy-duty totes with snap-on lids, or, better yet, a few sets of stackable, multi-drawer organizers. Ideally these should be the clear, see-through variety so you won’t have to guess at the contents or re-label every time you decide to move things around. These totes and drawers can

hold everything from grain and grooming gear to emergency supplies and extra tack.

Finally, there’s no substitute for a small ar-senal of bungee cords, rope in different diam-eters and lengths, and, of course, duct tape. Sometimes you just need to strap something to the wall, tie it up, or tape it down. Toss some of the above into one of your stackable plastic drawers, and you’ll be ready for any organizing emergency that might arise.

Better Built-insWhile you can do a lot with prefab plastic drawers and hanging racks, sometimes it’s nice to have a system that doesn’t allow for quite so much shifting during flight. Several companies, including The Organized Barn and Trailer (www.organizedbarn.com), offer trailer-organizing kits comprising steel grid wall panels and a wide array of storage acces-sories (baskets, bins, shelves, hooks, etc.).

For a relatively small investment (around $150 for a standard setup), these systems offer the advantage of maximizing vertical wall space, and allowing you to store even more tools and supplies up off the floor and out of the way.

There’s a do-it-yourself option here too: used wall grid can often be found at retail store going-out-of-business sales and even on eBay. You’ll have to get a bit more cre-ative with mounting hardware and accesso-ries, but you might be surprised at the kind of creative storage solutions you can devise from an old retail display.

In addition to wall grid and accessory storage containers, there are several other items that can easily be mounted to the walls or door of your tack room to help make space. Human and equine first aid kits are prime candidates for door/wall mounting since you want to have them handy when needed, but don’t need access to them every day (hopefully). The Horse Trailer Accessory Store (www.horsetrailerac-cessorystore.com) also carries mountable brush boxes, cup holders, paper towel racks, whip holders, and many other prod-ucts that can be easily installed along a tack room wall to create a permanent, out-of-the-way spot to store just about anything.

Custom touChesFor some, however, plastic totes and a bit of wall grid just don’t quite cut it. For those individuals, a little more customization may be required. Thankfully, the wealth of prefab

More Trailer organizaTion

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“Everything comes out after every hunt (even on back-to-back hunting days), whether I like it or not. That way I don’t assume any-thing was left in there from the time before. and don’t vary your packing routine at all! You will for-get something that way (like the huntsman’s and your bridles at closing meet!).” — Shannon R.

“We have two sets of every-thing (bridles, helmets, blankets, etc.) that are left in the trailer. If it comes out, it only comes out to get cleaned and is put right back in. — SaRah l.

“Everyone has a drawer (helmet, stock pin, spurs, gloves, etc.)/hook (bridle, breastplate)/rack (saddle, pad, girth) and is respon-sible for ensuring their stuff is in there. Thank you to the United States Pony Club for teaching my kids what to pack.” — TJ W.

“Two sets of tack, and everything in the trailer gets cleaned and put right back after it’s used — no midnight cleaning the night before!” — SUSan J.

“I bought a clear plastic hanging shoe organizer and hung it up in the dressing room of the trailer. It keeps all the little stuff organized and where you can see every-thing, different gloves, hair pins, first aid, etc.” — MaRTha a.

“I have a mesh laundry bag and store my gloves in there. It lets them dry and keeps them organized; a laundry line I can hook across the room, cup hold-ers mounted to the inside of the door, and a little hand brush and dustpan to sweep up the dirt off the indoor/outdoor carpeting! and for sponging, a Gatorade cooler keeps water warm even on cold days.” — ChERYl M.

44 | COVERTSIDE

options available at most home improvement retailers (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) make trailer tack room customization well within the reach of both the average budget and the average do-it-yourself skill set.

Though your little tack room may initially seem like too small a space for fancy custom built-ins, just think of what people do with sailboat cabins and tiny, pull-behind travel trailers. That being said, the fi rst step in tack room customization should be to maximize the space you have by eliminating anything that does not absolutely have to remain in the tack room. For instance, if you have a spare tire in there, ask your trailer mechanic or auto body guy to take it out and mount it on the outside. For about $50 for an outside mount, plus $15 for a cover and lock, you can free up some extra space for new add-ins.

Once you have a basic plan in mind, step into your tack room and do some measuring and marking with painter’s tape. See what size cabinets you can fi t, and what, if any, modifi cations you’ll need to make to be sure they fi t the space. When you have a good idea of what you’re looking for, it’s time to pick up some supplies. Most home improvement stores carry a wide variety of cabinets, panel-

ing, countertop materials and carpeting that can easily be installed to create a truly one-of-a-kind space for your gear, and an après-hunt hangout that will be the envy of all.

Finally, if you don’t feel like you have the skill set necessary to complete the job yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, hunt members, or the local handyman for help with tasks too involved to do yourself.

But most of all, don’t be intimidated — with a little sweat equity, you can make improve-ments to your trailer that will help it maintain its value for many years to come, and help minimize clutter and frustration during those busy hunt mornings.

Amy Engle is a very organized writer and foxhunter. She lives in Los Alamos, N.M.

The maxim of the organized trailer owner should be “get it o the fl oor.” Here, hanging vegetable baskets and a closet organizer grid system contain and store the little stu .

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FALL 2013 | 45

BREAKFAST AT COVERTSIDE

Thoroughbred Pie in a BreezeThrow this together before breezing horses at the track (or heading to the meet).

BY MARK THOMPSON

Thoroughbred Pie PIE CRUST:

• 2 1/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

• 1 teaspoon SUGAR

• 1 CUP BUTTER, cut up

• 1/4 CUP ICE WATER, more or less

FILLING:

• 1/2 CUP BUTTER, unsalted, melted and cooled

• 2 EGGS

• 1 CUP SUGAR

• 1/2 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

• 1 CUP SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS

• 1 1/2 CUPS CHOPPED PECANS

• 2 tablespoons KENTUCKY BOURBON

PREPARATION:

CRUST: Mix all except water in food processor until crumbly. Slowly add ice water until mixture just holds together. Shape into a hockey puck and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill overnight. Roll out and form into pie pan. Nick said if you are in a hurry to breeze horses at the track and whipping this pie up at 4:00 a.m., skip this whole step and save the hassle with a ready-made dough from the frozen foods aisle and throw it into a pie tin. He challenged your guests to notice a di� erence.

FILLING: Beat eggs with the melted and cooled butter. Add the fl our and sugar. Beat until mixed well. Gently fold in the pecans, chocolate and bourbon. Add mixture to a pie shell. Bake at 350° F, for about 30 minutes, or until set. Serve with fresh whipped cream. J ust a few short months ago we

were watching the Kentucky Derby and a friend of ours brought a pie, which he called “Thoroughbred Pie.”

Now, being a Yankee who spends more time foxhunting and playing polo than hanging out at the track, I already had two strikes against me when I tasted it and asked, “Hey, I think I have had this before, this is Derby Pie, right?”

The answer, it seems, is complicated. Nick Serracino, who spends a lot of time at the track, explained that, “Derby Pie or Thor-oughbred Pie is something of a cross between a pecan pie and a chocolate chip cookie. This recipe calls for bourbon which adds a little nip to the very sweet decadence,” which we found especially delicious if topped off with some fresh whipped cream.

It seems that the original “Derby pie” is a specialty of the Melrose Inn in Prospect,

Kentucky. In the 1968, the pie, marketed by the Kern family became a registered and well-defended trademark, Derby-Pie®. Kern’s Kitchen in Louisville is run by the grandson of the founders, but they proudly proclaim on their website that in their well-guarded secret recipe that they use chocolate chips, English walnuts and vanilla.

So while the Kern family holds the original name, this pie is a classic Kentucky dessert and is entered in more pie contests than thorough-breds entered at Kentucky race-tracks. So it turns out that Thor-oughbred Pie may be the real secret of Louisville and there are about as many variations as there are horses in the Derby. Nick Serracino likes this one:

A pie so speedy it can be whipped up in just minutes before leaving for

the hunt meet (give yourself 30 minutes

for baking).

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46 | COVERTSIDE

Fox Hunters for Sale

Cathy Carr Taber (229) 403-4554 Carrdian.com

HOODORNAMENTS

www.louislejeune.com

Louis Lejeune Ltd.Wilburton Ely

Cambs. CB6 3RAENGLAND

Tel : +44 1353 740444

[email protected]

covertside_spring13_Layout 1 22/01/2013 20:48 Page 1

PRE-ORDER YOUR

2014 CALENDAR

TODAY!

North American Foxhunting

2014CALENDAR

It’s time to pre-order your 2014 MFHA Foxhunting Calendar! These calendars make great gifts for hunt members,

landowners, friends and family. Profi ts from sales support the MFHA’s efforts to preserve, protect and promote

foxhunting. Calendars mail in October.

PRICE: $21.00 each + $7.00 shipping and handling

ORDER: www.ecovertside.net/calendar

PHONE: (505) 553-2671

MAIL: E-Squared Editorial Services 2329 Lakeview Rd. SW Albuquerque, NM 87105

PHOTO: Sewickley Hunt Club Opening Meet, October 27, 2012., Snuggery Farm in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. BY RAY CORDERO

FALL 2013 | 47

Market Stall

B on n i e l i nger f e ltEquestrian Properties & Fine Country Homes

Advantage Realty 177 N. Trade St. Tryon, NC 28782

Specializing in Equestrian Properties in Tryon,

North Carolina Horse Country

TryonProperties.com866-691-2291

Equestrian Properties & Fine Country HomesEquestrian Properties & Fine Country Homes

Advantage Realty

Specializing in Equestrian Properties in Tryon,

North Carolina Horse CountryNorth Carolina Horse Country

TryonProperties.comTryonProperties.com866-691-2291

Custom Equestrian Chapeaux forAprés Hunt • Steeplechase

Polo • Carriage Driving • Derby

Define your Style

1-866-609-HATS (4287) • www.bydiana.com

SADDLERY • CLOTHING • GIFTSEVENTING - FOX HUNTING - PONY CLUB - SHOWING

667 Zachary Taylor Hwy (Rt.522)Flint Hill, VA 22627 • 540-675-1650

Store Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10am - 5pm

For your online needs visit: www.horsenhound.com

Many leading Brand Name Productsfor Horse and Rider at Competitive Prices.

FOR YOUR PETS: ALL NATURAL PET FOODS

Pet tags engraved while you wait.

48 | COVERTSIDE

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a photo, story or essay to share with Covertside? Send high-resolution, 300 dpi photographs or essays to [email protected], or snail mail to Covertside, 2329 Lakeview Rd. SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105

AblazeTHE NORTH HILLS HUNT’s 20th an-

niversary of hunting at its western-most fi xture, Burwell, Neb., took place in

October 2012. The meet opened under a canopy of fall foliage. Red Rock Hounds, Ft. Carson Hounds, Mission Valley Hunt

and The Moingona Hunt all came to help us celebrate. What a grand day: We hunted for fi ve hours, we viewed several times and gave chase, riding hard across the beautiful Sandhills.—CARINE STAVA

LAST RUN OF THE DAYPhotograph by Larry Stava

Classic ladies ready-to-wear for country lifestylesFor more information or to host a trunk show call (917) 226-7594www.lachassemillbrook.com

La C

hass

e 20

13

Phot

o cr

edit

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leen

Har

tling

La Chasse

115 NORTH 21ST STREET PURCELLVILLE VA | 10 E. WASHINGTON STREET MIDDLEBURG, VA

Custom all brick ranch with amazing views. Spacious open � oor plan with over 6,000 sq/ft of � nished space. Listing includes two other lots totaling 73+ acres. Large new barn/ man cave for all your toys. Daylight basement with rear brick terrace. Extensive landscaping and very private. LO8092159 $2,100,000

Peter Pejacsevich 540-270-3835Scott Buzzelli 540-454-1399

FOGGY BOTTOM

TILTHAMMER MILL RD - BOYCE

With 3DUR’s convenient to John Mosby Highway just outside of Millwood, Virginia. Beautiful land with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. CL8028260 $990,000

Anne McIntosh (703) 509-4499 Peter Pejacsevich 540-270-3835

JOHN MOSBY - 90 ACRES

Horses Welcome in this small community with Equestrian Trails. Hard Surfaced roads, 3 minutes to Route 7 by-pass and 30 mins to Dulles Airport. Solid custom home with 3 � nished level, 5/6 bedrooms- fantastic lower level leads to Town & Country gunite pool & hot tub. Board fences. LO8057336. $1,195,000

Sam Rees 703-408-4261

WINSOME TRAIL

Classic updated � eldstone farmhouse on 5 open acres with 7 stall barn full size dressage arena $549,000


AIRMONT RD - BLUEMONT

Beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains on 20 acres. Built in 2007 with a large kitchen, spacious dinning room, a cov-ered porch, patio and a guest house. Perfect for entertaining.CL8055171 $980,000


HERITAGE FARM

Fantastic opportunity. Rarely available large parcel. 296 Acres. Zoned RA. Potential Easement Credit. Main Stucco Home plus 2 tenant houses. Large pond. � is is 3 separate parcels in prime Orange County Foxhunting Territory. FQ7935337 $6,833,300


Windamere is located in the heart of Orange County Hunt ter-ritory. � e farm o¡ ers beautiful rolling pastures - two ponds 7 stall barn and a fully restored Manor House. � is private setting features great mountain views. FQ8111344 $3,100,000


ROCK HILL MILL

TOWNESEND - 225 OPEN ACRES

Rarely available large parcel in conservation easement. Build your dream home w spectacular views. FQ7964634 $3,150,000


DRESDEN FARM - MIDDLEBURG

A beautifully maintained 115 acre horse farm includes a circa 1785 5 bedroom main house, a 12 stall Belmont barn with 8 paddocks. � ere are 4 additional newly renovated dwellings, extensive greenhouses, gardens, a pool, and a 5 acre pond. LO7610514 $4,900,000


ATOKA CHASE

Spacious brick house w/roof top OBSERVATORY in private setting. Large master suite w/ lots of closets. Family room w/� replace connects to open kitchen. Large mud room and 4 car garage w/ work benches. Finished lower level w/ in-law suite includes BR, Liv w/� replace, media room and several work rooms. Pond. Mint condition. LO8105401 $1,495,000

Peter Pejacsevich 540-270-3835Bundles Murdock 540-454-3499

SOUTH GATE FARM - MILLWOOD

A beautiful turnkey horse farm near Millwood. � e custom, high-ly upgraded 4,300 sq ft stone and stucco home includes a gourmet kitchen, custom millwork throughout, geothermal heat, and sits amidst 126 acres of manicured, conservation easement land with a � rst rate barn and horse infrastructure. CL7939070 $2,999,000

Peter Pejacsevich 540-270-3835Anne McIntosh 703-509-4499

CLOVER HILL - BERRYVILLE

� is carefully renovated log cabin has 4/5 bedroom, 3.5 bath-rooms, and sits on 20 acres. open kitchen, sun room, family room, mud room, patio more. Separate guest cottage/rental, barn and equipment shed. Great property for horses in the heart of Blue Ridge hunt country. CL8028527 $1,195,000

Anne McIntosh (703) 509-4499

MIDDLEBURG REAL ESTATEwww.middleburgrealestate.comOffi ce: 540.687.6321 Fax: 540.687.3966

ATOKA PROPERTIESwww.atokaproperties.comOffi ce: 540.338.7770 Fax: 540.338.2248

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