I Wish I were Out Hunting

I couldn’t hunt today but at least I can dream about it. This postcard is from the early 1900s. It looks idyllic to me! Freedom is being a good boy and eating his Doxy without complaint. Life is so much easier with a horse that doesn’t require meds in a syringe. That really only works […]

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Early fall hunting is the best

Saturday was one of those perfect riding days. It was clear and crisp, without a bug in sight. In foxhunting terms, we are “cubbing”. Traditionally in the early fall this is when you take out the hounds, who have been mostly roaded or walked over the summer, and get them fit. It’s a time to […]

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Helmets and hair styles

I understand why horse people get locked into their hairstyles. After all, once you’ve spent $300+ on a helmet you think long and hard about making a change that will alter the fit so much that you need a replacement. Of course you can buy less expensive helmets. In fact, as long as a helmet […]

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The Spring Season ends on Monument Street

The last few hunts of our Spring season were in the territories off of Monument Street in Concord. This is one of the most beautiful areas that we hunt — there are huge fields, wooded pathways and river views. Cross country jumps are built into the trail system at regular intervals — nice inviting stone […]

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Fox Hunting in Thoreau’s Back Yard

One of my favorite places to hunt is on the trails behind Walden Pond. While we don’t see the pond on our route, we do ride along the edge of Fairhaven Bay, which offers beautiful vistas. We take for granted being able to ride in such a special place. Even if it hadn’t been singled […]

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Don’t forget about dressage

During hunting season it’s tempting focus only on conditioning and jumping.  It’s all too easy to forget about dressage. Not the dressage as in riding the movements for perfection, but rather the dressage that helps your horse stay supple, strong and stretched — able to dodge that tree with a quick leg yield or to […]

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Reflections on Cubbing Season

It’s hard to accept that the Spring hunting season is already half over. Cubbing season never lasts long enough. The first hunt of the season arrived so early that I didn’t feel quite ready. Freedom was still starting out each ride a bit off (from what I think is a pulled muscle) and I didn’t […]

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Riding in between the raindrops

It was the first day of hunting and despite the light rain and the gloomy skies we had an awesome ride. The field was small, but dedicated. The hounds were spot on and horses had a great time. Freedom was just so excited to be out hunting again. He watched the hounds like a hawk […]

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