Rob Rates His Experiences

    Mon, 03/30/2009 - 20:58

    Favorite historical foxhunter -
    Theodore Roosevelt, who once was among a
    handful of finishers of a run of the season with Genesee Valley, even though on that same hunt he had earlier fallen and broken his arm.

    Favorite foxhunting quote -
    from William Wadsworth, MFH -
    "The most important gait in a field hunter is standing quietly. If your horse won't stand, train it. If your horse won't train, sell it. If your
    horse won't sell, shoot it."

    Best foxhunting advice -
    from Dennis Foster just before my first trip to England..."When asked about your riding ability incident to being horsed, be conservative. Tell them you can ride anything and someone will be challenged to prove you wrong."

    Unique moment up -
    Being allowed to take Grand National finisher
    Alpenstock, cross-country over fences from the Royal Military Academy stable at Sandhurst in 1988.

    Best enjoyed huntsman's horn usage -
    The late Tommy Haney, then huntsman of Mooreland ("funning" around, could play three horns at once). His "Gone Away" southern style could cause a tear without running with a frigid breeze in the face.

    Dumbest move with best outcome?-
    The little and obviously brain-challenged buck which somehow jumped into my brother's hound
    exercise yard at Lonesome Palm Hounds in northern Florida this week...over a 7 foot fence and obviously before hounds were let out of kennel in the morning.