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 Members of Wintergreen PC and Oakside Riding Center Thanks to Maria for sending in the photo!
Ears Flapping, Pigtails Bouncing and Celtic Hoof Beats. Pony Club Hunt with Woodbrook Hunt Club By Linda Hagerman
Fox Hunting Sidesaddle or Think Young, Ride on, and Pray Often by Linda Hagerman Have you ever thought of the ladies of the past who fell in love with the hunt? What they must have endured to be apart of the field! The acrobatic skills in staying atop the horse while balancing with one stirrup, the bruised thighs from the lightly padded leaping horn, the thin dresses designed for fashion and certainly not warmth, all add up the obvious question…why? The wind in the face, a mount of utmost dependability and courage, and the sight of and sound of the hounds on a line could certainly draw me out of a sewing room with the little elderly ladies sipping tea. Unfortunately, the only way that was socially acceptable for a lady to cross into the hunt field was to ride in a sidesaddle dress costume. Now, let’s talk about what kind of horse should be chosen for this adventure. I can think of two absolute musts for this mount. First, he has to have withers! Have you ever put too much weight in one stirrup on a horse with no withers? Now, try taking a jump with your weight unevenly balanced on a horse with no withers. Under the belly and on the ground comes quickly to mind. The second important thing in selecting the perfect sidesaddle mount is ensuring that he only shies to the left. After all, you don’t have a right leg to hold you on, and going over backwards with petticoats a fly is not a desirable way to dismount. If you are lucky enough to have a horse who will stand still while being mounted, consider this to be a blessing. Today, we can mount from a block and adjust skirts before making our public débuts. In the days of old, a lady would pick out a strong young man who could lift her body weight. Then, they would practice this exercise behind the stable until it could be done with grace when performed in pubic. The thanks given to this strapping young man was a glimpse of a small part of the lady’s ankle as he adjusted the strap under her foot. This particular strap was used to hold her dress down when riding and jumping fences. Few have mastered the technique of seeing the proper approach to a fence with a dress blowing over her head! Moving onto the next challenge, have you ever thought how the off-side of the horse is kept in line without a leg to guide him? The only aid on the right side of the horse is a whip. A horse who has been properly schooled in dressage by an indirect rein is also a huge help. A lady is permitted a spur on her left boot, but the right foot and leg lies on the horse’s near shoulder. If a spur were to be worn on this boot, it would serve no purpose other than to perpetually bruise the inside of the left thigh. I have the honor of owning a sidesaddle that once belonged to a dear friend of mine, Toby; she is now hunting in heaven. Her saddle was made in Oxford, England with King William’s seal of approval by order of his majesty, the King, in the 1800’s. Even though I have padded the leaping horn of this living piece of history, my thighs still bear the bruises of a hunt worth riding a few days after the ride. At the USPC Championships a few years ago, I was pleased (and honored!) that I was called from the eventing barn to conduct a safety check on a Pony Club member riding sidesaddle in dressage. Our tradition has carried on was my thought! I sincerely hope that all women will one day have the unique opportunity to sit on a sidesaddle and think about the tallyhos from the past. Heel down, petticoats in place, a prayer from my lips, and off I go.
I hope the following propositions, which are literally true, will help to encourage you to an understanding, amusement, exercise, and discipline that you will find helpful at best. The following quotes are taken from Horsemanship for Women, written by Theodore H. Mead in 1887. 1. If, as is very likely, you feel a little afraid of your horse, you may be assured that your horse is a great deal more afraid of you. 2. If you can only make a clear to him what you wish him to do, he will try his best to do it, and will feel amply repaid for his efforts by a few kind words and caresses. 3. His narrow brain can entertain only one idea at once, and therefore only one problem, and that a simple one, must be given to him at a time. Whoa is a good place to start. 4. Once the problem is mastered, a very little practice makes the performance of the task instinctive, so that it will be performed at the proper signal, even against his own will, provided his mind isn’t occupied with something else. *(Good-looking mares, oats in the barn, or a charge of one hundred horses following the hounds on a line.) *Wording addition my own
The Lakeville Pony Club, puppy walking with the Millbrook Hunt and Millbrook Pony Club A little history first: Not everyone knows that the United
States Pony Clubs were started by foxhunters who were concerned that young
people were not learning effective riding nor the proper care of horses. Most of
the first Pony Clubs were affiliated with organized foxhunts. Lakeville Pony
Club was one of the few that was begun without a hunt affiliation.
The Blessing of the Hounds
Fall is nearly upon us again, and I thought that I would tell you a little
holiday story about the "Blessing of the Hounds." A lot of people have asked me
how the celebration began and just who was this St. Hubert fellow anyway?
In the late autumn -- around the time of our opening day's hunt, we have a hunt
called "Blessing of the Hounds." It comes with all the fanfare of scarlet coats,
tailed coats (shadbellies), top hats, well turned out horses, and a priest that
conducts a church service from a platform outdoors in the middle of the
gathering of foxhunters and the hounds. Most members can't explain the why or
where this tradition came from, but the story begins in the middle ages with the
tale of St. Hubert.
Hubert was later proclaimed by the Church as the Patron Saint of Hunters. The
relationship of St. Hubert's Opening Meet and "The Blessing of the Hounds" comes
from the European Catholic tradition honoring Saints. At our hunt, St. Hubert's
Festival is November 3rd and the blessing is usually performed by our local
clergy. It includes a medal with St. Hubert's image on it, given to the riders
of that hunt, with protection and favor to a grand hunting season. "Protection
and favors for your year to come and Bless you and your families and furry noses
with carrots."
FOXHUNTING STORIESBY HAGERMAN OUT WESTJust a small introduction is in order for those of you I have never had the opportunity to meet. I have been in pony club and hunted with Woodbrook Hunt Club since the fifties and I have a lot of entertaining stories from my past to share. I was the person sitting at the foxhunting table at the national convention along with Kristin Noggle, our USPC Foxhunting Chairman. I'm also the Chief Horse Management judge that has horn blowing and whip cracking contests in the barns. Have any of you ever had the experience of trying to dislodge a wedged in round rock from your horses hoof without a hoof pick? How about a very cheeky thoroughbred on a cold morning with the rest of the field moving off in front of him? The last straw in the equation is that it has to be a hind foot. Our hunt club has the wonderful privilege of being allowed to ride on the 40,000 acres of the Fort Lewis Reservation. The large fir trees with trails connect the open grass fields and many gravel sand roads that tanks travel during maneuvers. I grew up hearing "ware tank" and "ware bunkers" as part of my hunting jargon. We are considered a drag hunt but the hounds do love their coyotes .They manage to cross the applied scent at least once during a hunt and work as a tag team to entice our pack. As we first ride out from our clubhouse, our horses are not very level. to say the least. After we get to the railroad crossing, they settle down and a nice order is established. One morning about half way to the railroad crossing, my horse, Karats, picked up a large, round rock in his hind foot. The item that I was missing was my hoof pick. After jumping up and down on this foot about three times, I finally stopped him. The rock was completely wedged, with no crawl space. With his ears pricked and his muscles quivering he stood like a good field masters horse should. Sticks were broken and still no movement. The second most important thing that I do ride with is spurs. They can be used for many things including a prod to remove an immoveable object. After a bit of pounding, the rock hit the ground and a vaulting mount, on the horse that had used all of his patience, was done. I think that horses can do more than 550 meters a minute in a hand gallop when in the hunting field. If you don't have a sandwich case to carry a hoof pick, maybe a folding one in your pocket would be a good thing. I have gone to wearing a belt that the buckle is a folding hoof pick and I can snap it off if I feel the need. If you would like to ask questions about foxhunting on both east or west coast, please send it to Erin Woodall at USPC and she can pass it on to: BUGLE ANN LANDERS COLUMN Tally Ho to you all, Linda M. Hagerman |
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