• Stay with your Field Master. For example, if you know hounds are moving off to the right and
your Field Master is staying straight, do not leave the field. If you do not wish to go as fast as
the field is going, pull well aside, so those behind you can keep up, thus reducing the chance that
part of the field may be left behind and lose the hounds altogether. The field must stay together.
• If you wish to leave early, be sure to do so without interfering with the work of the hounds. You must let
the Field Master know that you wish to leave the field. Hack home either on a road or through country the
hounds have hunted.
• This fall, we will be hunting in new country, owned by people we don’t know well. We hope everyone will
be as polite to our landowners and careful of their property and stock as we have been in the past. Please
keep in mind that we are able to hunt our lovely country due to the kindness and generosity of a large
number of individual landowners. Their permission can be revoked at any time, should the hunt or any of
its members abuse our privileges. Should you encounter anyone while out hunting, please give them a
friendly “hello.” They are probably the owner of the property you are on.
• Please ride the edges of all seeded and crop fields. Never ride upon lawns. Keep in mind that these are
people’s homes, who permit us to ride on, not ruin, their property.
• Each person is responsible for keeping all gates secured and in their original position. Repair any broken
fence as well as possible and report it immediately to the Field Master or a member of the staff.
• Hounds always have the right-of-way. The cardinal sin in the hunting field is for a horse to either ride
over or kick a hound. It is bad enough to kick another horse, but to kick a defenseless hound is
inexcusable. Offenders may be excused from the hunting field.
• Please refrain from talking when hounds are drawing a covert or are trying to pick up a lost line, in
order to avoid distracting the hounds. If you must speak, use a very hushed tone. No member of the field
should either call to, interfere with, or attempt to aid in the control of hounds unless asked to do so.
• When you hear “Ware whip, Staff, Huntsman,” etc., move off the path, so that a member of the staff may
get through rapidly. Move quickly, and move your horse’s hindquarters away from the oncoming horse.
This also applies when the Field Master is reversing direction. The cry “Ware hound” means be aware that
a hound is coming up from behind—take care. “Ware hole” is self-explanatory!
• Should anyone have a complaint about manners in the field, please direct it to the attention
of the Field Master.
• Any member or guest who is consistently inconsiderate of others, fails to control their
mount, or exhibits bad manners will be asked to leave the field.
The traditions of hunting are largely responsible for its unique flavor as
a sport, and have, for the most part, remained unchanged for the past
200 years.
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