Belle Meade Hunt Ball

Joanie Martin and I had a great time hunting with Belle Meade. The guys made it down for the Hunt Ball and then we were able to stop in Charlotte and see Will and Annie for a night. Drive was manageable and the horses were awesome. Red had to hunt all 5 days, what a warhorse! Hopefully it is going to warm up a little tomorrow and I can ride again. Need to get Polly out before hunting Sunday!

Back to the frozen north!

A week ago we were in shirtsleeves sweating after long gallops with our Belle Meade Hunt friends.  This picture is in Aiken where we met up with Val and Kara Levin. What fun and what a wonderful temperature ( about 72)! Now, in Maryland it is barely 20 degrees and everyone is in the barn, under blankets and still cold. Hoses frozen, bucket latches frozen, ice in the buckets!!! Retirement some day in Georgia seems like a pretty good idea about now! The new mare Hallowed Dream arrived yesterday from Kentucky, poor girl, traveling on the coldest night of the year. However she has settled in fine and seems a wonderful addition to the broodmare band. Now she just has to win over Lily, the resident bitch and boss mare, but shivering together may work. There is warmth in numbers at this point. Glad to be home and sleeping in my own bed. It was a wonderful southern break and I recommend hunting with Belle Meade for everyone. It was the most fun and challenging hunting/riding I have done in a long time. Red and Polly were champions. We are all planning the trip for next year.

11 miles, many trails, 90 minutes at 22 mph chasing coyote

Day 3 was simply awesome. We were again in part of the 40,000 acres that is Belle Meade's Hunt country and about 4:30 pm we struck the first of several coyote. The hounds take off in full cry like a bat of a hell and we do not really see them again for 90 minutes. There are several views but it is breakneck galloping until we finally stop near a stream where the horses ALL drink.  Thought about it myself, and in fact, kinda missed the beer guy who appeared at dark on Monday. We gathered hounds and returned in the dark again - dirty, muddy, happy and tired. We joined Belle Meade members at the clubhouse for dinner and funny stories and shared enjoyment of a wonderful day. There is really nothing better than a day hunting with great people!

Penn-Marydel hounds -drag hunting in Aiken SC

I feel as if I have ridden for a week and it is only Day 2 of our hunt vacation. Today we were privileged to hunt with the Aiken Hounds in the Hitchcock Woods, a beautiful conservancy in downtown Aiken! This is a Penn-Marydel pack that drag hunts amongst the manicured trails and paths that make up this incredible hunting/conservation land space. As we gallop and follow the Master of the Hunt we come upon people walking trails as the hounds follow the "fox" through the lovely Southern Pines. They casually move aside as 50 or so riders gallop  single file over the famous Aiken fences- 3 1/2 foot stacks of brush and wood stretching across the whole width of the paths. It was incredibly fun. The hunt was different, seemed basically an excuse to run and jump in a more controlled manner than the usual "regular" fox hunt. More like roads and tracks in the steeplechase phase of 3-day eventing. We flew over 30 or 40 big jumps as we circled the hounds and were done in an hour and half with several long checks. Really, really fun and the best part was we were invited to ride right behind the Master. So appreciative of Belle Meade Hunt to have organized this for us. Tonight we were presented with BMH pins in recognition of their first hunt week. Thanks - we are having a great time!!!

Hunting at Belle Meade day 1

Belle Meade Hunt goes out at 3PM and they mention they come in after dusk. What an understatement! We hacked back 1 hour in complete darkness under a crescent moon and stars.  It was a balmy 75 degrees and their spring peepers are already "singing" in the woods at night. Luckily I followed the white butt of the big paint horse in front of me, all you could see were the white shirts and the occasional white saddle pad. And the best end to this day was perhaps the lovely gentleman who met us, in the dark, about 20 minutes from the barn with beer! I am not a beer drinker but it tasted so good and I was so thirsty- truly on a hot day after 2 hours of bursts of  prolonged breakneck speed it was the best thing I ever tasted! About 5 pm we chased a coyote for 30 minutes FAST and FAR, ending at a highway that was too treacherous for hounds. The whips were excellent and hounds safe but OMG. And they were impressed that we were able to stay with them! Lovely breakfast after, in their clubhouse which these two tired ladies appreciated. The horses were tired too, barely looking up at us as we gave them a final check. Awesome start to our adventure at Belle Meade Hunt.

new horses and new hunt adventures

This is a picture of my new broodmare. She has wonderful European bloodlines, looks terrific and is in foal to new sire Munnings. She was in my price range due to an old knee injury that has left her with a significant limp but seems OK.  Group 1 placed, Group 3 winner. For those who know very impressive. The prices at Keeneland were up and we did not buy anything else but I am delighted with her. Now I have finished packing for my next hunting adventure. My friend Joanie and I are going south to Atlanta GA area to hunt with Belle Meade for a week. Taking three horses and looking forward to some coyote chasing! Ends with their hunt ball which we have been told is the highlight of the social season with 500 attendees! Mike and E flying down to escort their ladies and see the final day of hunting. Then we are coming back thru Charlotte in order to see Will and Annie for a night. I hope to post some lovely pictures.

Sunrise 2013! My wish for a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone. Love to all, we made it. Another year-we get to start a new book, a new page, hopefully with the lessons we learned from the last one. We do not have to worry about what the Mayans think anymore!, we have already slipped down a fiscal cliff (whatever that really means), we know we are pretty good about climbing back up. So let's enjoy this brand new day, make somebody smile, adopt a dog, hug a baby-I did that yesterday and ooh! love that baby skin and baby smell!- do something that scares you just a little, it builds character. Remember those random acts of kindness, we need more! Enjoy your life and your body -it is all a gift and does not have to be perfect to be amazing. Be amazed! Choose to be happy! It is what we go around wishing for everyone! Happy New Year !