Its’ at this time of year I realize there may be few opportunities to go hunting before the weather closes in and the Meet is cancelled because the ground is to icy, snow too deep or its just too darn cold. So armed with toe warmers, thermal boots and gloves, I felt duly prepared to go foxhunting. It was a hopeful field of 10 that braved the day. I assumed that several were recovering from the excellent AVH Christmas Party kindly hosted by the Feldmans’, and some, looked at the temperature gauge and opted to continue with planning for the Holiday Season in the warm!
We met at Mrs. Schwabb’s Farm and Master Cindy led First Flight and Master Joanne second. Mr. Farin had 171/2 couple of hounds out, and a team of dedicated Whips, Master Brian, Lisa, MP, Richard and Robin. Our friends from Paws and Rewind were also out to capture the day.
It took all of 3 mins for our hounds to quickly pick up a scent and get on the trail of a fox, so we were off at a gallop, they seemed to lose it but then took off in the opposite direction, so either the heal line or another fox. This gave everyone a chance to warm up, and coupled with the watery sunshine meant I actually got hot.
We traversed a few fields and once again hounds picked up, probably the scent of the first fox and off we zipped. We popped the Virginia Coup (so named after a Joint Meet with what was then Fairfax Hounds from Virginia who on one day we jumped it six times!) took a nifty right turn and then looped around again, this time hopping over the same coup with a left turn.
The hounds worked furiously and Master Cindy held the field on Mr. and Mrs. Zugners Farm (who came out to wave but shot back inside probably due to the cold!), as we watched hounds work the distant hedgerow. Gradually, I realized standing still on that ridge the temperature was dropping, and wondered why oh why doesn’t someone make traditional hunt clothing in high tech materials? Despite being in exactly the right place to see a fox pop out none did, so we moved on past Fox Volcano and forward to Big Sky Farm. The sky at that time looked cold and gray so it was no surprise to see the first snowflakes fluttered around.
Just when I was thinking, OK chaps lets head in, hounds took off and Bruce and Laurie got a great view of Charlie Fox as he raced off across the green fields. As hounds picked up the scent he looked around calmly and sensibly went to ground. Hounds were rewarded for their effort and we turned for home, now heading into the frigid wind.
For different reasons the field diminished and consisted of the three Masters, Lisa, Steve, Claire and myself. Master Joanne decided it was cold and we should take things up a notched and roared by on Mr. Nicholas who seemed equally intent on blowing past his stable mates and “get on with things”. So home we went.
The day ended with some pizza curtesy of Scott, hot chocolate and coffee, and amongst other treats a mountain of cake from Nadia. Pictured here is the hardy crew!
Hot Tip for super cold days…. Put one of those disposable pain relief heat pads on the base of your spine, keeps you toasty and your muscles warmed up! (Which I stupidly forgot about!)
With toes utterly numb we all left for home, car heaters on the roast setting and when I turned on the radio, yes Michael Bubble was singing “Baby its Cold outside”.
Cheryl
We met at Mrs. Schwabb’s Farm and Master Cindy led First Flight and Master Joanne second. Mr. Farin had 171/2 couple of hounds out, and a team of dedicated Whips, Master Brian, Lisa, MP, Richard and Robin. Our friends from Paws and Rewind were also out to capture the day.
It took all of 3 mins for our hounds to quickly pick up a scent and get on the trail of a fox, so we were off at a gallop, they seemed to lose it but then took off in the opposite direction, so either the heal line or another fox. This gave everyone a chance to warm up, and coupled with the watery sunshine meant I actually got hot.
We traversed a few fields and once again hounds picked up, probably the scent of the first fox and off we zipped. We popped the Virginia Coup (so named after a Joint Meet with what was then Fairfax Hounds from Virginia who on one day we jumped it six times!) took a nifty right turn and then looped around again, this time hopping over the same coup with a left turn.
The hounds worked furiously and Master Cindy held the field on Mr. and Mrs. Zugners Farm (who came out to wave but shot back inside probably due to the cold!), as we watched hounds work the distant hedgerow. Gradually, I realized standing still on that ridge the temperature was dropping, and wondered why oh why doesn’t someone make traditional hunt clothing in high tech materials? Despite being in exactly the right place to see a fox pop out none did, so we moved on past Fox Volcano and forward to Big Sky Farm. The sky at that time looked cold and gray so it was no surprise to see the first snowflakes fluttered around.
Just when I was thinking, OK chaps lets head in, hounds took off and Bruce and Laurie got a great view of Charlie Fox as he raced off across the green fields. As hounds picked up the scent he looked around calmly and sensibly went to ground. Hounds were rewarded for their effort and we turned for home, now heading into the frigid wind.
For different reasons the field diminished and consisted of the three Masters, Lisa, Steve, Claire and myself. Master Joanne decided it was cold and we should take things up a notched and roared by on Mr. Nicholas who seemed equally intent on blowing past his stable mates and “get on with things”. So home we went.
The day ended with some pizza curtesy of Scott, hot chocolate and coffee, and amongst other treats a mountain of cake from Nadia. Pictured here is the hardy crew!
Hot Tip for super cold days…. Put one of those disposable pain relief heat pads on the base of your spine, keeps you toasty and your muscles warmed up! (Which I stupidly forgot about!)
With toes utterly numb we all left for home, car heaters on the roast setting and when I turned on the radio, yes Michael Bubble was singing “Baby its Cold outside”.
Cheryl