Maryland racing's future still up in the air.....

The meeting yesterday at Laurel was amazing. The Pennsylvania slots group Penn-National Gaming was sent packing, which was accompanied by thunderous applause by the Md. racing "family" that descended on the Racing Commission's meeting. This means Magna ( Frank Stronach's company ) still owns 100% of the MD tracks, which is a mixed blessing. No Penn. gaming conflict of interest is a good thing, but Magna could conceivably close the tracks itself, if they do not come up with a plan for 2011 race dates in 30 days. It is a mess- the shell game described by the Racing Commission yesterday sounded like a bad script about "good fellas" . Too many subsidiary  companies to keep track of and too many players with personal grievances and/or personal greed at heart. I hope the major players remember that there are a lot of people that love racing and depend on it and they can find a way to smoothly transition into 2011 race dates. That this went down just before the Fasig-Tipton sale this weekend sucks, it will be the talk of the sale for sure.  The little guy just continues to feed, muck, walk and groom  and wonders if it will ever be a good day again. This includes me- I am sorry and glad that I didn't breed this year. This morning is warm , but lots of rain is coming so the babies will come in tonight and probably blankets on the mares. I put my Christmas lights up yesterday, the tree is decorated and I am getting in the mood. Unfortunately my mom is in the hospital, which is also a mixed thing- good care but worrisome anyway. Think I will take a road trip after sale, up North to see her.

Black Friday

Why is today called Black Friday? I could understand "Spend all the money you have not earned yet Day" or "Panicked Buyer Day" or "Lets Forget all our Manners Day" or best " Annual Stay Home Day".  Not a day to go out to the mall for a walk. Just a thought. Thanksgiving was a lovely, kinda rainy, misty day. Hunting was cancelled which was a little odd and threw my whole day out of kilter. That must be an old Scotch phrase. Out of kilter! Anyway, we had celebrated our turkey dinner on Wednesday night to accommodate a son working on Thanksgiving, and various other Thanksgiving Day obligations. It had seemed that it would work perfectly with our hunting on Thanksgiving morning. Oh well - not to be and the rest of the day continued slightly askew. Saw new Harry Potter movie which was very good. I read the book and couldn't remember any of it -odd- but watching these movies is like catching up with old friends. We literally have watched these characters grow up!  Then we came home not really knowing what to do - everyone else is eating turkey. Went for a lovely walk in the woods, fixed some fence, chatted with the broodmares, then decided to go to another movie. It was that kinda day. Went to an even stranger movie, The Rock's Faster. Really dark. Odd choice but we like "shoot-em-up's", thought it would be mindless fun. It was very weird.  I really hope they don't cancel hunting again next year- it started a chain reaction of odd choices. I was thankful to come home , eat pumpkin pie and hug my husband.

Hunt Bowl drag v. fox

Every year when we have the Hunt bowl the last event of the day is a group drag ( no, we do not all get into dresses!) , in order to judge the best hound hunting. We simulate a hunt and the combined three couple from each invited hunt are put together and the "pack" follows a drag, which has been laid moments before by one of our whips. The judge is supposed to get a lead on the hounds that keep their noses down, speak on the line and are leading the pack.  We are the host hunt, so I am usually the only one who is really whipping. I have a great view from a holloa-away of the whole affair.  Well, every year I hold my breath for three reasons: originally because the fox scent stunk so bad it made your eyes tear up,  secondly because we can easily jump a live fox and then all bets are off, and lastly because you have 7 huntsman  with staff and select members from each club all on  fed-up horses, galloping on land they don't know that has lots of groundhog holes. Oh, I forgot to mention the deer everywhere.  This drag started very slowly, the drag scent was either too hot ( literally, meaning too much hot water added) or not strong enough. Anyway they couldn't get it and so no one opened( started speaking) on the line. I knew our huntsman was probably dying inside but he kept on, the hounds silently following the line. I turned back to the river to check on late hounds when I suddenly heard the whole pack in full cry coming at me. I said, "Oh s#$%, they've jumped a live fox". This has happened occasionally and then they are off and we are chasing hounds all over. A combined pack hunts erratically , all strung out and then some always get lost and the huntsman all start blowing. The hounds get confused and it is a mess. So, I was not thrilled, but turned around and sure enough here they come. I stopped them at the river and urged them back to huntsman. This real fox must have slipped by me unseen because they picked up again near kennels and took off again. They were flying back the way we had come, it seemed perhaps they were running tail on the drag line. I actually don't know,  but as it was the end of the day, we stopped them again. We hoped the judge has seen some hound work , even if it was in reverse and /or on the real line! One huntsman had a deer apparently flee the woods and try to go under his horse! Well the deer broke its neck, twitching a death throe under the horse, in front of the spectators. I heard that huntsman and horse were OK. All hounds eventually came in and no one stepped in a groundhog hole.
Much liquor later and after breakfast ( at 5PM) I believe Potomac won. Our huntsman and I breathed a sigh of relief , we both find this day difficult,  but the other clubs love getting together and all visiting each other . It was a good day, with no serious mishap. Yahoo!

post exam

Thanks to my friends that wished me luck on my exams-I survived! But, they were hard. As I have said before I have soooo much more sympathy for my kids- I had no idea school was this hard. Back in my day!!!!! it wasn't!  I think I did Ok but it took at least 2 1/2 hrs.  of the three alloted. Few people left by then- I did wonder if they were smarter or I just cared more to finish?   Then I drove to Philadelphia to watch basketball tournament . Will's team won both games. It was really fun to watch college ball again. He doesn't get in as much as he would like but is very effective when playing. Took a horrendous charge in first game of season to win the game in last seconds, literally. I am very proud of him. Today is our Hunt Bowl where most of the Maryland Hunts participate. Huntsman, some staff and 6 hounds from each hunt are shown and judged against each other , then pooled together for a judged drag hunt. Very fun and enormously enjoyed by all the various staff who talk and party for hours. Hunt people can party now! I am still trying to recover this morning from a friend's 50th birthday party last night. My head is hurting and I have to go feed but we did have some fun! Younger people said " we can't dance to that music"- how can you not dance to "Superstition"? They just knew we could all dance better!!

win some, lose some.....

The Eagles beat The Redskins badly. It makes me sad, I don't know whether to be  mad at "my" team, the 'Skins or to graciously salute a better foe and their leader, Michael Vick, who played a tremendous game. Kinda like watching Blame beat Zenyatta.  I wanted Zenyatta to win ("Skins), but had to acknowledge that Blame (Eagles) was the better horse in that race. Vick was really good, even I have to admit it and watching an athlete reach a personal best is always amazing. ( I kinda just want some dog to take a big bite out of him).   Just sucks tho'. On a happier note for me, my son's basketball team won their opener. He had been worried that he wouldn't play much but, in fact, he got the game winning "stop"in the final 10 seconds. He took a charge and they won by 2 points. Woohoo!!
I have 2 exams this week and the amount of reading is killing me. Can't wait for them to be done.  

my friendly furry audience

Feeding this morning was very funny. While feeding the mares in the very back, a huge buck ran across the field. He has been around for awhile and I always like catching a look at him, very majestic. This morning he stopped and watched me for a couple of minutes. Just turned that regal head with its big rack and stared at me. Maybe they have become accustomed to the sound of the Gator or they clean up the grain behind the horses, I don't know but he wasn't particularly concerned, just watching. Two minutes later , my friendly local fox hurried across the same field within a stone's throw from me. He glanced up, as though to say, "Hey, What's up, nice morning" and kept right on going. Then he stopped, saw the buck, looked back at me and shrugged, then kept trotting by. His tail is very skimpy. I worry about him, hope he doesn't have parvo or something. I see him and another with a full tail, who I assume is his mate ( or vice versa- don't really know). Then I had a feeling somebody was watching me , turned around and saw a huge black dog or coyote by the stream staring at me. He was kinda spooky. I took a step and he fled. From the side I am pretty sure it was a big, black German Shepherd. There is a deer carcass in the woods nearby and I wonder if he is a wild dog. The deer carcass is slowly being devoured. Foxes I am happy to feed, big wild dogs are a little scarier. Life is wonderfully entertaining out in the woods! And I think I am the main act- they wait for me to appear every morning!

Veteran's Day

Thank you to all the men and women who have defended our freedoms here and everywhere. You are remembered every day and  thanks to your families who have sacrificed too. I hope everyone takes a moment today to reflect on the many patriots who have let us stand on their shoulders to get to the heights of personal freedom that is taken for granted in America today. My hat is forever off in salute.
The leaves are quickly falling now, I think more are on the ground than on the trees. While standing at a check,  hunting yesterday, I was stroking my chestnut gelding's mane and looking at the carpet of leaves around me and up at the trees in front and I realized he was the exact same color as the red in the autumn leaves. It was a perfect moment of feeling in harmony with nature. God made animals to "wear" beautiful colors and we appreciate all the variety and beauty. Red, my horse, was so perfectly coordinating with the beauty of the Fall I was awestruck for a moment. The sun was glinting off his his freshly cleaned and groomed mane and the russet color was shining. It was warm to the touch and he was quiet ( for a change), just relaxed, standing. The pine trees I had just come through smelled "pine-y" and wonderful. The hounds were in the distance and for a minute I just "being here now!". To all my old hippie friends, Here's to more moments like this.

dark daylight savings mornings

The dogs don't know about daylights savings, so it is very dark in the mornings when those cold noses hit the face. Gradually I hope they get it, but in the meantime I can get up and blog! Went to Parent's weekend in Lexington over the weekend and somehow managed to miss hunting- nobody told me they changed to Saturday- not that anyone was supposed to- but I am very bad about checking things like a change of day!! I just finally got better at checking time and fixture, so was very surprised to get a "where are you?" phone call!  Oh well - it all was OK I heard. It was a beautiful weekend and I loved seeing my son- this is the youngest and sooner than later there will be no more college football games. Washington & Lee has the strangest, nicest tradition of partying with parents!- like frat party-beer pong- party with the parents. Some of these parents can really get into this , we usually make it to about 10pm , but have heard of the cops throwing the parents out finally!! Basketball season has started and I am going to try to get down to U VA tonight for his exhibition game- Charlottesville is doable.
I saw Blame was retired immediately after Breeder's Cup - nice horse, but I wish Zenyatta had beat him, she ran such a game race, he was just probably better than most of her competition. Too bad, didn't diminish her star power tho' she is still awesome. I am very undecided about selling my weanlings in Dec - what is going to happen to MD racing? Nobody seems to know. Can't be good!

Guy Fawkes Day

I think today is Guy Fawkes Day- great day for a bonfire. A lot of my friends have gone to Lexington to the Breeder's Cup. I am jealous- would love to see Zenyatta try for that 20th win- her style of running is soooo nerve wracking, that come from behind, do just enough to win,  late charge to the wire is so thrilling.  There are a lot of other good horses in there so fingers crossed that she can do it. The slots thing in Maryland is so disappointing and now they are threatening to close Bowie and Laurel by Dec 18th- where will 2000 horses go!! What are they thinking?  I am very worried about Dec Fasig-Tipton sale- I had a couple of weanlings to sell but wonder if I should even try?
This weekend I am going to Parent's Weekend at my youngest son's college. Also very important , hopefully not as thrilling as Breeder's Cup. . Tho' one year there were so many people on a "college house" porch that it detached and fell 20 ft down to the ground-- BAD. These college kids know how to party and at this school , so do the parents! Parents Weekend is a tradition , it seems, to watch kids' parents get stupid too.  Not me!  But I am looking forward to seeing my son and watching a little BB practice and not feed horses at the crack of dawn!! Thanks Laura!

Dodon hunt

We had a great hunt yesterday at Dodon Farm. It was Nancy's birthday and we were invited in to some great Pittman hospitality. One gracious fox gave us a run for about a hour, making a huge circle around the whole property. We tried to stay ahead of him to keep him turning left and not going out of country. For the most part we succeeded and had a lovely, long run. Lily and I enjoyed jumping all the logs on I-95. Polly, another ex-racehorse was out with a friend and she did great. Folks, she is for sale!- a lovely first flight foxhunter , she is a super jumper. On a humorous note, as I was on the edges whipping, I noticed a large groundhog in the middle of a field we were skirting. He was sitting up in his "hole", just watching everyone pass. I expected him to quickly retreat, but he didn't, staying up in full view, little paws folded over his tummy, just watching hounds and riders go by. About 1 hr later on the second swing by, he was still there, haughtily watching again, like a grumpy landowner watching the hunt cross his land! Cheeky fellow!  Today is rainy and cool- blankets on everybody.

Nov 2

Election Day- get out and vote.  My friend asked if we saw a ghost fox while hunting on Hallowe'en? No, but the headless horseman appeared at the breakfast , and stayed until he couldn't stand up anymore! There is a ton of frost this morning, so cool.

Opening Hunt on Hallowe'en 2010

It was a beautiful day for Opening Hunt, we were at Mt. Airy Mansion for the usual Blessing of Hounds which I always love. Though it is very difficult to keep hounds together and quiet for an extra twenty minutes, it is a lovely tradition. We ran and viewed several fox, the views were great but the scenting was not. One determined fox wanted to get to Osbourne Rd, he braved two whips chasing him trying to turn him three times! He turned twice then successfully  ran through a suburb to get around us. He was not going to be thwarted! There was a huge turnout of riders which was beautiful to watch. As a whip I get great views of the field and enjoy seeing all the finery on our opening day. Then we headed to the club for a wonderful Hallowe'en themed breakfast, with  spiders and severed fingers and ghouls etc.  It is definitely cooler now and I realize November means holidays are just around the corner.