The focus of the riders in the field should be on
the progress and conduct of the hunt while the hounds are hunting.
There are proper conventions and etiquette that participants are
expected to follow, most of which are for the safety as well as the
pleasure of all involved.
Arrive at the meet on time. Meet one-half hour before the scheduled time
so that you are tacked and mounted before the hunt moves off. If you hack to the meet, do not ride through any coverts or across any
country that is going to be hunted that day. Park your van or trailer in a spot so as not to damage
fields, lawns, trees, plantings, etc. If in doubt, ask a Master or
member of the Staff.
Always greet your host
landowner, his or her family or farm manager and thank them for
their generosity. Do not muck out your vehicle or leave any
other trash before leaving for the day.
Greet your Masters with "Good morning,
Master," regardless of the time of day. Introduce any guests, and locate the Field Secretary to sign waivers and
pay capping fees. You must obtain permission to bring guests no
later than the day before the meet. It is your responsibility to
inform your guests of proper etiquette and to ride with them.
Once you move off, be quiet. Listen for
instructions and pass them on to the person behind you - don't try
to yell it to the rear of the field. Generally, if you are warning
of a danger, say "Ware hole" or "Ware wire," but, if you are
requesting a courtesy such as allowing staff or hounds to pass, say
"Staff, please" or "Hounds, please".
When the Huntsman or another staff member passes
you, turn your horse's head towards them. If you are on
a trail, move off to the side and allow them to pass. The same holds
true if the field reverses.
If you see a fox, don't say "Tally-ho" - that fox
might not be the hunted fox, and even if it is you might scare him
and turn him. Get word to your Field Master - quietly - and, after
making sure the fox is safely on his way, the Field Master will
signal a Whip or the Huntsman by pointing their horse's head and cap
at the spot the fox was last seen and, if necessary, calling
"Tally-ho."
Watch the hounds work - that's the fun
part. Some are best in a covert; some are best when
running a line in the open field; some are good with a cold
line and others are great with a hot one; some go on their
own and others need the encouragement of the Huntsman. Never
rate a hound. Never use your whip on a hound
in any manner - dropping your lash to discourage a hound from going
near or underneath your horse is acceptable. Keep your horse's head
pointed toward passing hounds. Let the hounds proceed over coops
before you jump - do not ride or jump into hounds. Never let
your horse kick a hound. It is a sure way to draw the ire of the
Huntsman and Masters.
Watch the horse in front of you. Do not crowd
other horses. If you cannot see the heels of the horse in front, you
are too close. Be particularly careful at jumps - give the rider in
front "room to fall." At a check, stand still. Horses pawing or
walking about make it very difficult for the Huntsman to hear his
hounds.
If your horse is green, ride to the rear of the
field. If you suspect that your horse might kick, put a red ribbon
in his tail. If he is a confirmed kicker, find another horse.
Keep up! If your horse is unfit or too
green, you may want to join the second field. It is unfair to the
people behind you to allow large gaps to occur and eventually become
detached from the main field. If you do, there is an excellent
chance that you will find yourself interfering with the hounds and
possibly turning the fox.
If your horse refuses a jump, go to the back of
the line and try again - do not continue to school your horse at the
jump and do not prevent others from taking the jump and following
the hunt. If you need a lead, ask a friend to stay back to give you
one.
If a field is seeded, freshly plowed, or very wet,
ride on the edge. When in doubt, never cross a field,
always stay on the edge. Never gallop through livestock. Slow down, go
around and ride carefully and quietly. Always close a gate if you
found it that way and listen carefully if you are at the back of the
field so as not to close one that has been left open.
Go out of your way to greet and generally
be
courteous to any farmers or landowners. Remember that
landowners today, unlike years ago, often do not ride to hounds, so
their generosity in allowing us to ride over their land is really
quite extraordinary and not to be taken for granted ...
Avoid confrontations with landowners. Refer
questions and issues to one of the Masters. Report any damage the
hunt may have caused to a Master, and report any problems or
landowner complaints to a Master immediately - get the name of the
person to whom you are speaking and tell them that a Master will
call them. If a jump, gate, or fence is broken and no longer
stock-proof, make what repairs you can and report it to a Master as
quickly as possible. Never trail ride without personal permission from that landowner
of the property over which we hunt.
Do not block roads. Allow traffic to get
past as quickly as possible. Thank all drivers that wait or slow
down, giving them a smile and perhaps a tip of the cap as you do so.
Never smoke while hunting. Not only might it be
objectionable to other riders, but it can be very dangerous given
the often dry conditions we encounter in the autumn and winter.
If you must leave the field, ask permission of the
Field Master. You will be given directions so as not to interfere in
the direction the hounds are drawing or hunting. Avoid jumps where
possible - larking can be dangerous on a tired horse.
At the end of the day, thank your Masters,
Huntsman and Staff. Remember that the Staff has duties from well
before the hunt until all hounds and horses are safely returned to
the kennels, so please understand if they are unable to socialize at
times.
