We have had a winter to remember this year, but to put it all in perspective, I would like to share this. The Hamilton Hunt and Tintern Hare Bassets of Caledonia Ontario, Canada traveled 15 hours to enjoy a ten day joint meet with the Cumberland Mountain Hounds and Upper Bay Bassets of Jamestown, TN February 2010. (Their version of a winter/spring break. Read about their adventure last year at this link.) This was their third annual visit to East Fork Stables which consists of 12,000 acres perfectly suited for hunting with hounds.
For those of you that don't know what fox hunting is - fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, and chase of fox and coyote in their natural habitat (no killing), by trained foxhounds, and a group of followers led by the huntsman, who follow the hounds on horseback. Non-riders are welcome to join the hunt on foot, bicycle or vehicle. In the United States, hunting is not intended to harm the animal, but rather watching and listening to a pack of hounds work together following the scent of a line. The deep voiced Penmarydel Foxhounds sound like a symphony when they speak in unison. Fox hunting originated in its current form in the United Kingdom in the 16th century, but occurs all over the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and the United States.
The basset is perfected to hunt rabbits in very heavy ground cover. The shortness of its legs allows it to keep its head to the scent with a minimum of difficulty. The hunts are on foot and last for hours with many Tally-ho, which is said upon viewing the rabbit, fox, or coyote.
For anyone that is interested in more information about the hunts or how you can get involved in the sport, please contact Phil Hopson at East Fork Stables - 800.978.7245 0r 931.879.1176. To learn more about East Fork Stables, visit them on the web at http://www.eastforkstables.com/. (Photos and information courtesy of Janet Hopson)
For those of you that don't know what fox hunting is - fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, and chase of fox and coyote in their natural habitat (no killing), by trained foxhounds, and a group of followers led by the huntsman, who follow the hounds on horseback. Non-riders are welcome to join the hunt on foot, bicycle or vehicle. In the United States, hunting is not intended to harm the animal, but rather watching and listening to a pack of hounds work together following the scent of a line. The deep voiced Penmarydel Foxhounds sound like a symphony when they speak in unison. Fox hunting originated in its current form in the United Kingdom in the 16th century, but occurs all over the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and the United States.
The basset is perfected to hunt rabbits in very heavy ground cover. The shortness of its legs allows it to keep its head to the scent with a minimum of difficulty. The hunts are on foot and last for hours with many Tally-ho, which is said upon viewing the rabbit, fox, or coyote.
For anyone that is interested in more information about the hunts or how you can get involved in the sport, please contact Phil Hopson at East Fork Stables - 800.978.7245 0r 931.879.1176. To learn more about East Fork Stables, visit them on the web at http://www.eastforkstables.com/. (Photos and information courtesy of Janet Hopson)
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