Today we had a lovely hunt through the historic territory of Old Millwood Hounds and in the backyard of the Longfellow’s Wayside Inn. It was only 34 degrees this morning and it only warmed up to the low 50s, but that meant perfect hunting weather.

We had a small field today and I was invited to ride up front with the huntsman as a back up whip. I’ve never had the chance to whip off Zelda before and she had a blast. She was full of energy but most of it went toward watching the hounds, rather than acting naughty.

I think this was a good learning experience for her, though. After 10 miles she was dog tired — to the point where she almost slept through her dinner. We haven’t been able to hunt much this spring and Zelda is not as fit as she is at the end of the season.

Riding with the huntsman is a real treat. There’s no better way to watch the hounds work. I wish I had been able to take pictures, but I had my hands full most of the time. It was one of the times that I wished I had a “Go Pro” camera!

Here are a few pictures from the beginning and end of the hunt.