Dan's Papers - September 21, 2007 -

Although the beach bunnies are sulking in their cabanas right about now, horseback riders all over the East Coast are celebrating the return of our favorite riding season. The sun is still warm and shining and cool, refreshing breezes have replaced the hot summer winds that made our show jackets cling to our skin over every fence. Of course, there is only one way to really usher in this perfect riding season with style - the foxhunt.

For centuries, riders from around the world - most notably Europe and the United States - have been celebrating the beauty of fall and their love of fast horses with a heart-pumping hunt all season long.

Some riders, myself included, have been smitten with the idea of traveling to Europe, the traditional home of the hunt, to try the sport for the first time in style. I have often imagined checking in to the Dunraven Arms in Ireland, hunting in the mist on a powerful Irish steed with feathered feet and massive hooves, then recounting the day's excitement over a neat tumbler of Scotch. I would sink into a huge feather bed and awaken with my riding habit neatly pressed and my boots perfectly clean, ready for another day chasing the hounds.

This dream was inspired by the hundreds of glossy catalogues I have been sent over the years by Cross Country International, a company that promises seamless hunting excursions from the rolling hills of Italy and Ireland to the fields of France, where riders can test their skills hunting a decidedly faster (and higher jumping) animal - the stag.

Stateside, fox hunting opportunities abound, from drag hunting in South Carolina and Hampton Bays to chasing real foxes with the famous hunts in Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia and Millbrook, New York.

Although fox hunting began as a way to turn culling pesky, chicken-eating foxes into a day of sport, most hunts recognize that even though the fox usually escapes, letting the hounds rip one to shreds when they do catch it is an inhumane and uncomfortable way to end a glorious day of riding. Since the practice of chasing a live fox was outlawed in Great Britain a few years ago, scent trailing has become the most popular substitute for the real thing. The hounds think they are on to something the whole time they are chasing the scent, but instead of a snarling fox, they get doggie treats at the end of the trail. This has also given the hunters more control as to which path they hunt follows, making it easier to comply with neighbors' requests to stay off their land and to pick and choose which obstacles would be the most fun to jump. Of course, if you want to hunt a live animal, the stag hunt in France is a bit more evenly matched than the fox hunts of yore - if a little hound outruns a huge, leaping buck and manages to take it down, who are we to tell him he can't at least try to eat it?

Although we have all heard of ruddy Irishmen who have a few nips of Scotch before mounting up, riding cross-country over natural obstacles should not be taken lightly. Although the fences and stone walls in the United States are seldom higher than three feet, fox hunting is fast-paced and unpredictable, so wear an approved helmet and be sure to have your wits about you before you decide to join the hunt.

Most hunt clubs are private and require their members to coordinate transportation for their horses from the barn to the starting place of the hunt. However, many hunts will allow you to take a practice run, or refer you to a member who can show you the ropes and perhaps even lend you a horse.

For more information on hunting in Hampton Bays, contact the Smithtown Hunt at www.smithtownhunt.org. If you would rather try your hand at hunting across the pond, contact Cross Country International at www.equestrianvacations.com.