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Foxchasing
Protocol
As information and guidance for members and guests, the following
is a ready reference concerning the policy of the Howard County-Iron
Bridge Hounds. The protocol described is applied common sense
and polite behavior for all who wish to enjoy the sport of
foxchasing with our club.
Before
the Meet
Primary consideration goes to the landowners, hounds, staff,
fellow riders and your horse (in that order).
Always do your best to arrive at the meet early. Never ride
through coverts on the way to the meet, even if it is longer
to go around by the roadway. Coverts constantly disturbed
will not hold foxes. Upon arriving at a meet, it is traditional
to greet the Masters and their staff.
Where to
Ride
Do not pass the field master. Past members of the staff, senior
members, those awarded colors and invited by the Master, may
ride to the front of the field, while less experienced members
and juniors should remain to the rear of the field unless
it is indicated by the Master for them to come forward. Any
member who expects to ride to the front must be prepared to
move and be mounted on a properly conditioned and disciplined
horse.
Avoid crowding the Master and others who are intently watching
hounds work or listening for the huntsman as hounds are being
worked. Idle, distracting conversation can spoil efforts to
provide sport.
Total attention to the foxchase is your reason for coming.
All other conversations should be very limited and softly
spoken. Any conversation at checks or while hounds are working
is inappropriate.
When hounds are being cast, keep still. If a hound should
pass, get to the side of the path and let him rejoin the pack.
Never do anything that might harm a hound. Do not jump a fence
before all hounds are clear. Turn your horse's head toward
passing hounds to prevent kicking one.
The huntsman is a professional. Do not approach him in the
field. If he needs your help, he will ask for it. Never ride
between the huntsman and the hounds or distract staff members
during the course of the day.
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Polite
Horsemanship
Remember to leave a safe distance between you and the horse
in front of you. If you can see the heels of the horse in
front of you between the ears of your mount, you are at a
good distance. Do not crowd the horse ahead of you. It is
neither polite nor safe. It may result in a kick. As a matter
of safety and courtesy to your fellow riders, tie a red ribbon
to your horse's tail to warn the riders behind you if your
horse is likely to kick on provocation. A rider with his/her
arm held horizontally behind his back is warning you that
his horse is annoyed and may kick.
Be prepared for sudden stops and do not let your horse "bounce"
off the horse in front of you. Injury to that horse or rider
is a serious consideration, much less the unpleasantness of
being bumped.
"Hold hard", signaled by a vertically raised forearm,
requires that you stop where you are, standing still and quietly.
Raise your own arm while stopping to alert riders behind you.
When "moving on", it is inappropriate to be a distance
of more than three horse lengths behind. Do not lag behind.
Please keep up with the Field Master. Do not follow a rider
who seems to take his own line or tries to cut corners. Foxes
are headed or turned by riders taking short cuts.
At jumps, jump in order and do not cut in front of another
rider. If your horse refuses to jump an obstacle, immediately
go to the rear before making another try.
Riders having difficulty with their horses should stay to
the rear. If your ineptitude or your mount's misbehavior interferes
or slows the rest of the field, ask permission to return to
the stable. This courtesy to the other riders also saves you
the embarrassment of being asked to leave by the Field Master.
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Foxchasing
Dialogue
"Reverse please" is the signal for each member of
the field to back off the path. Allow hounds, staff and those
previously ahead of you to pass.
"Staff please" requires your immediate yielding
of the right-of-way to the huntsman or whipper-in. Back your
horse off the trail with its head to the passerby and remain
until the staff member has passed.
"Hounds please" is the signal for members to be
aware of the approach of hounds either from the back, front
or side of the path. As the hound begins to pass, signal the
next rider that the hound is approaching.
When a warning ("ware wire" or "ware hole",
etc.) is passed back, it should be in a voice suitable to
carry only to the next rider. Watch for the hazard and as
you pass it, pass the warning and point to the hazard.
When a fox is viewed by a member of the field:
a) Tip your cap in the direction of the view.
b) It is acceptable to softly "Tally Ho" once or
twice for the benefit of the other members. Remember that
a loud voice when hounds are working may cause them to raise
their heads resulting in a check.
c) If asked by the Master to identify the location of the
fox: go to the last positive site of the view, point your
horse in the direction taken by the fox and raise your hat
in the air.
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Leaving
the Field
It is improper to leave the field whether temporarily or permanently
without personally informing the Master. If injury to yourself
or mount occurs, and you are unable to continue, please try
to inform another member and have him/her report back to the
Master.
The only appropriate time to ask permission to leave the field
is while the hounds are not working. The most important hound
work is done at checks. Please do not ask to leave at this
time. When permission is given to leave the field, if unsure
of the returning route without interference to the hounds,
please ask the Master.
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Landowner
Considerations
If you should become separated from the rest of the field,
return quietly to a spot where you think the Master will most
likely return and remain there until you are picked up. Do
not travel or roam around and remain as quiet as possible.
Stay to the edges of the fields or "headlands" and
avoid unharvested crops and seeded ground. Always follow the
field master, thus preventing overrunning the scent or damaging
the landowner's property. If the mounted field must skirt
the edge of any seeded field or traverse a wet grass field,
remember that the club is a guest of the landowner. Be sure
to stay as close to the edge of the field as possible and
travel very slowly in any field which has animals.
Never damage a landowner's property or allow his livestock
to escape. It is much better for the club if you are left
behind than for a landowner to be annoyed. If you have knocked
a rail down and livestock are in the field and the fence cannot
be fixed, you must wait until help arrives. If you damage
a jump (no livestock involved) you must tell the Master and/or
return as soon as possible to repair it.
The "last rider" has the responsibility of closing
any open gate or raising any bar that might have been let
down. The nearest rider should wait and assist him. Junior
riders should readily offer assistance.
The club has permission to ride over certain terrain - you
as an individual do not. Respect this by not hacking over
country without the landowner's express permission even though
you may have "foxchased there only yesterday".
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Courtesies
Do not cut branches or undertake any other forms of trail
clearing during foxchasing. It is extremely unpleasant to
the rider behind you and quite excitable to his horse.
Smoking is not permitted while foxchasing.
Cell phones are to be used for emergencies only. Please respect
foxchasing tradition and do not abuse the privilege.
At the end of the day, thank your Field Master, huntsman and
staff. They work hard to ensure good sport.
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Guests
Any member in good standing may bring a guest but that guest
may not foxchase in such capacity more than twice in any one
foxchasing season, not including Thanksgiving Day.
If you desire to bring a guest foxchasing, you should get
permission for this guest from a Master the night before that
guest wishes to cap. It is the responsibility of the host
to see to the guest's comfort and observance of the foxchasing
protocol in the field as to attire and courtesies.
At the meet, in ample time prior to moving off, contact the
Field Secretary who has been appointed by the Master.
The cap fee should be tendered at this time along with a note
stating the name of the guest, if they are a member or not
of a recognized foxchasing club and identification of the
mount in the event it is to be qualified for certain events.
All guests must sign a waiver (release) form and return it
to the secretary. If the fee is not presented, the member
will be billed the fee plus an additional surcharge. Any capping
fee not acknowledged or tendered prior or at the time of the
meet will be subsequently billed to the host member. Thanksgiving
Day is a traditional open-guest day, however a capping fee
is still required.
An Associate Member who may wish to cub does so at the invitation
of the Joint-Masters and tenders a cap fee. An Associate Member
may foxchase five times in addition to Thanksgiving Day during
the regular season.
Guests during the cubbing season are by invitation of the
Joint-Masters.
Cap and groom fees are part of the Master's Fund, which is
used to panel and maintain foxchasing country.
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Grooms
Realizing that foxchasing members may want to have their grooms
present in the field, the Board of Governors has initiated
the following policy:
1. The groom must be a full-time employee of the foxchasing
member.
2. For unlimited attendance, a "groom's assessment fee"
is required. This fee will go into the Master's Fund
3. Grooms should generally ride toward the rear. The groom
may try the member's horse near or at the front by invitation
of the Joint-Masters. |
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