Sunday November 13th 2016- “Tally Ho, Ho, Ho!”
As we made our way to the meet at Mr. Kanacks, I thought about just how lucky we’ve been with the weather. Today was our 32nd meet this season and as many of you know Mr. Farrin has set a personal goal to get out 50 times. Last year was the first time in the decade he has been our Huntsman that we actually achieved this with 52 hunts. Today, with a light frost, slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky was a day where we couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions.
Master Stephen greeted the field of 17 riders, with Master Cindy taking second flight and Masters Joanne and Brian whipping along with Robyn, Lisa, and Richard to help guide our 16 couple of hounds.
We crossed the stream (which no one knows the name of) and left Mr. Kanack's and joined Mr. Ribbon’s land, coming face to face with his prize alpacas. With the request to spread out so as to minimize any potential damage to the field it seemed we turned in unison and managed a pretty respectable synchronized ride. Three rather large steers in a field opposite did a similar dance together. All I could think was oh lord if the alpacas come dancing over in unison as well many of us will be on the ground! They didn’t, but we did get a fantastic view of a large and healthy fox come out of the woods, across the field and through a farm yard.
We continued on to Big Sky Farm, and just before Amwell Winery put up a second fox which led hounds on a merry chase into the woods parallel to Mrs. Crater’s Drive. We checked to ensure we didn’t cross the fox’s line but he must of doubled back and on we went.
While waiting around I noticed three Red Tailed Hawks flying together, a peregrine falcon, a pair of black vultures and the usual turkey vultures overhead, earlier at Big Sky our hounds disturbed a Blue Herron that languidly took off skimming the ground.
Anyway, we pushed onto Mrs. Schwab’s land, hounds working the woods and as we crossed into Mr. and Mrs. Zugner’s land a third Tally Ho went up! We watched our hounds streaming across the fields, hot on the heels of Charlie; we dashed around the edges of several fields, moving fast onto Bryce Thompson land hounds were baying, they were right on the scent! On the other side of a massive hedge horses were forced to go round the hounds had picked up the scent and off we went jumping the Virginia Coup and hard left back onto Mrs. Scwab's land where Charlie Fox was put to ground. Phew what sport!
Having been out almost three hours it was time to work our way back to the Meet and I realized we had quite a trek back. We met up with Jen Stevenson and her team from Paws and Rewind, waiting with their cameras ready. Jen said they captured some great shots and how much fun they were having compared to being stuck all day at the side of a show ring. The video of the day is now posted on our AVH web site.
Today, was one of those really fun days, great weather, great hound work, great horses, great company and a really great breakfast hosted by our Whips!
Cheryl B
News from our Kennels- I thought every so often I should add a note to provide an update on events at the Kennels, a sort of “look behind the scenes” so here it is. Hounds are doing well apart from Butterfly (the one eyed hound) she suddenly came up with a boil, our vet Dr. Siegel lanced it and Steve took her back the following day to have it drained again- she’s doing well. Giddy has also been in the wars and his front paw swelled up, there was some debate as to whether it was an abscess but Steve and Lisa scrubbed it like mad and Dr. Siegel thought it was more likely a snake or spider bite. Giddy is also doing well and should be out with us in a few weeks.
As we made our way to the meet at Mr. Kanacks, I thought about just how lucky we’ve been with the weather. Today was our 32nd meet this season and as many of you know Mr. Farrin has set a personal goal to get out 50 times. Last year was the first time in the decade he has been our Huntsman that we actually achieved this with 52 hunts. Today, with a light frost, slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky was a day where we couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions.
Master Stephen greeted the field of 17 riders, with Master Cindy taking second flight and Masters Joanne and Brian whipping along with Robyn, Lisa, and Richard to help guide our 16 couple of hounds.
We crossed the stream (which no one knows the name of) and left Mr. Kanack's and joined Mr. Ribbon’s land, coming face to face with his prize alpacas. With the request to spread out so as to minimize any potential damage to the field it seemed we turned in unison and managed a pretty respectable synchronized ride. Three rather large steers in a field opposite did a similar dance together. All I could think was oh lord if the alpacas come dancing over in unison as well many of us will be on the ground! They didn’t, but we did get a fantastic view of a large and healthy fox come out of the woods, across the field and through a farm yard.
We continued on to Big Sky Farm, and just before Amwell Winery put up a second fox which led hounds on a merry chase into the woods parallel to Mrs. Crater’s Drive. We checked to ensure we didn’t cross the fox’s line but he must of doubled back and on we went.
While waiting around I noticed three Red Tailed Hawks flying together, a peregrine falcon, a pair of black vultures and the usual turkey vultures overhead, earlier at Big Sky our hounds disturbed a Blue Herron that languidly took off skimming the ground.
Anyway, we pushed onto Mrs. Schwab’s land, hounds working the woods and as we crossed into Mr. and Mrs. Zugner’s land a third Tally Ho went up! We watched our hounds streaming across the fields, hot on the heels of Charlie; we dashed around the edges of several fields, moving fast onto Bryce Thompson land hounds were baying, they were right on the scent! On the other side of a massive hedge horses were forced to go round the hounds had picked up the scent and off we went jumping the Virginia Coup and hard left back onto Mrs. Scwab's land where Charlie Fox was put to ground. Phew what sport!
Having been out almost three hours it was time to work our way back to the Meet and I realized we had quite a trek back. We met up with Jen Stevenson and her team from Paws and Rewind, waiting with their cameras ready. Jen said they captured some great shots and how much fun they were having compared to being stuck all day at the side of a show ring. The video of the day is now posted on our AVH web site.
Today, was one of those really fun days, great weather, great hound work, great horses, great company and a really great breakfast hosted by our Whips!
Cheryl B
News from our Kennels- I thought every so often I should add a note to provide an update on events at the Kennels, a sort of “look behind the scenes” so here it is. Hounds are doing well apart from Butterfly (the one eyed hound) she suddenly came up with a boil, our vet Dr. Siegel lanced it and Steve took her back the following day to have it drained again- she’s doing well. Giddy has also been in the wars and his front paw swelled up, there was some debate as to whether it was an abscess but Steve and Lisa scrubbed it like mad and Dr. Siegel thought it was more likely a snake or spider bite. Giddy is also doing well and should be out with us in a few weeks.
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