Big open fields, a crisp fall day, friends with horses and the scent of anise criss crossing the fields attracting the attention of four couples of hounds — what more could you want?

We spent a glorious afternoon hunting at the High Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a wild place to hunt — fun but not for the faint of heart. The open fields and the ever-present wind makes even the quietest horses a bit frisky and there are always a few who just plain lose their minds.

Freedom came close a few times today and I will admit that I had my hand firmly through the top strap of my breastplate (safety handle) for most of the ride.

I was worried that Freedom’s healing abscess might still be bothering him but he never took a step wrong. He was jumping out of his skin most of the ride and quite annoyed with me for not letting him ride up in the first field. We still had a few good gallops but not as many as he would have preferred.

This is a territory that I rarely hunt because it’s the longest drive for me of any of the places where we hunt. But I’m glad that I made the drive today. It was a blast!