Foxhunting Life with Horse and Hound

(l-r) Maria Stine, MFH, Mecklenburg Hounds (NC); Tommy Gesell, whipper-in-in-training, Lowcountry Hunt (center foreground); Doug Russell, huntsman, Windy Hollow Hunt (NY); Anthony Gibbs, huntsman, Lowcountry Hunt; Jay Thomas, MFH and huntsman, Mecklenburg Hounds  /  Erik Olsen photo

Plantation Hunt Weekend with the Lowcountry Hunt envelops visitors into the iconic imagery of the old south and its fabled hospitality. Held this year from January 19–22, the long weekend included two hunts, an introductory trail ride, and parties galore. Hunting was enjoyed on two of the oldest and most beautiful plantations in South Carolina’s magnificent Lowcountry. From the salt marshes to the groves of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish Moss, the landscapes are dramatic and stirring.

Here is Chapter 7 of The Mardale Hunt by Ron Black. Through the courtesy of the author, Foxhunting Life brings you the entire book in installments every two weeks. You are free to download the book to your computer. We hope you have enjoyed the previous installments.

Excerpt from Chapter 7
Visitors to Mardale Shepherd’s Meet—and they came from all parts of England, from Kent to Newcastle—are not likely to forget this year’s experience as the weather was of the vilest and stormiest character. Nevertheless this did not deter a large gathering from assembling for this time-honoured institution, and the visitors included many who have attended the gathering for very many years.

The Mardale Shepherd’s Meet may be classified in three epochs. There was the ancient period of Mardale, when tradition says its prestige began with the outlaw Hugh Holme who took refuge from a persecuting monarch in a cave, which today bears his name, though the tenant nowadays is generally a fox. The next period may be termed the “Joe Bowman Chapter”, and this is how Mardale has won its popularity. Its giant hills and peculiar mountain solitude have ever had an attraction for lovers of all that is best in nature, but it remained to Joe Bowman and the Ullswater Foxhounds to introduce these charms to the world outside. The writer remembers Mardale Shepherds Meet when, at the height of the proceedings on the Saturday afternoon, the roll would not have exceeded thirty or forty. Nowadays, the motorcars themselves number about a hundred.

The next period may be classified as the Manchester Waterworks regime, for the Corporation has secured Mardale’s romantic lake for its supplementary water supply, and the work is to commence next year. When completed it is stated, Mardale Church and the “Dun Bull” will be twenty feet below the surface of the water.

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(To access downloads of previous installments, click here.)

Posted January 26, 2012

Five-year-old Charlie Eifler shows his delight in meeting a foxhound of the Loudoun Hunt West. His dad Scott Van Pelt facilitates the introduction.  Photo by Austin Kaseman

Here’s another Video Hunt Report by foxhunter/steeplechase trainer Pat Cooney. The Blue Ridge hounds are heard early on, but the field soon finds itself playing catch-up, and the gallop over open country taking the coops as they come make this a fun video.

We invite action videos from your hunt!

Posted January 18, 2012

Andrew Clarke on his neice's pony, Happy, the latter being the only foxhunter in the photo“As a foxhunter husband, I've never heard why it's called a Hunt Breakfast when it's usually the afternoon when the hunt breakfast is served,” writes a mystified Andrew Clarke from Ontario.

Surely there are many practicing foxhunters equally mystified by this question. For the answer we turned to our resident etymologist, author-editor Steven Price.

How many huntsmen are hunting hounds at eighty years of age? Or to add a twist to that question, how many huntsmen having achieved that age have already hunted hounds for the previous fifty seasons?

Billy Vance, Joint-Master and huntsman of the Fermanagh Harriers, has achieved this milestone. To see him hunting hounds is inspiring, humbling, and brings home just how lucky we all are to be able to follow great horsemen like him across the countryside.