What I Wish I Knew Before My First Fox Hunt

Our hunt season is winding down, but I had a nice jaunt last weekend on Knight with the Santa Fe Hunt, and while posting about it in my Instagram stories, a friend I have yet to meet in real life sent me this DM: “Tell us about the things you wish you knew on your first hunt.” Almost instantly I thought of about five things I wish I had known before my first fox hunt! And I came up with several others quite easily.

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Although I have been riding to hounds for three seasons now, I still feel like a newbie since I don’t get to go regularly (thanks, day job and long commute to the barn!). This request sounded like a very practical blog post in the making, and because I think all riders should experience the thrill and joy of a fox hunt at least once in their lives, I want to share what I’ve learned in the hopes you or someone you know might benefit.

What I Wish I Knew Before My First Fox Hunt

1. Practice riding with your hair in a hairnet and “done up” in the exact same way you will wear it for the hunt to avoid helmet head pain.

I rode in a hunt clinic for my first fox hunt experience and during the two hours of riding, my riding helmet felt like it was going to bore into my brain. I realized that under normal riding conditions I would go for about 50 minutes to an hour tops. So by the end of my lesson or ride, I was ready to get the helmet off.

If you normally ride with a pony tail hanging out your helmet (which is not allowed nor safe during a hunt) practice ahead of time how to get your hair up just right and be sure to wear your helmet for as long as you think the hunt will be out for. My hunt generally rides for about two hours, but the hunt I’ve ridden as a guest with in Illinois can go out for 3.5 hours. I’ve heard of other hunts that go for up to five hours at a time! If you don’t have the helmet comfort thing figured out ahead of time you might be miserable (although safe) with your tresses tucked up for a significant length of time.

Also, I think different types of hairnets can be more comfortable for whatever reason. This hairnet is a popular option among equestrians.

2. Take tissue!

Not sure why, but riding for that long and typically it’s chilly, your nose might run. If you prefer to keep the sleeves of your hunt coat free from nose “drippings,” you should take along a few tissues in your pocket. You’re welcome. 🙂

3. Lip balm is the bomb.

We ride in a dry climate, and it’s dusty and old westy. I remember early in my hunting experience my lips got so dry and felt chapped. It’s just nice to be able to apply a layer of moisture to your lips and feel human again mid ride. This is my favorite lip balm!

4. If you get hungry easily, stash a small snack in your hunt coat pocket.

On the morning of your first hunt, chances are you will have eaten breakfast earlier than normal and then you won’t eat again until after the hunt. For example, I have to get up around 4:30 a.m. and our hunt moves off either at 8 or 9 a.m. If I eat breakfast at 5ish, and then we don’t eat until after the hunt around 11 or noon-ish, I would be starving. I like these protein bars and they fit nicely in my hunt coat pocket. You can quickly devour one during a check (a breather/rest point during the hunt).

5. Figure out the bathroom situation ahead of time and plan your morning coffee habit accordingly.

This might be a delicate subject, but let’s be real. I drink a fair amount of coffee most mornings. On a hunt morning, I try to go light. Here’s why–our hunts take place on huge cattle ranches. The only place to “relieve oneself” is behind a bush or in the horse trailer.

The good news is if you are riding with a hunt that has a clubhouse or starts from a barn/stable, you might get to use an actual toilet. But the thing to think about is how long the hunt rides. You might have a loo to use before riding, but if you are with a hunt that rides for hours on end, and you chugged the coffee on your drive over, you might be uncomfortable.

6. Check the weather, but ask a seasoned hunter what they would recommend wearing.

Would you rather be too hot or too cold? That’s something to consider when dressing for a hunt. I would rather be too warm. Just checking the weather might not provide enough details. For example, 50 degrees sounds lovely and perfect for any kind of riding. However, 50 degrees with no sun and a breeze can feel much colder. I know this from experience. I have a wool hunt coat I bought at a second hand store during my girls’ trip to fox hunt in Virginia and a modestly-priced, technical fabric hunt coat. One day I wore my technical coat on a hunt and the breeze just whipped right through it and I was c-c-c-cold.

7. Don’t wear your best breeches!

Although fox hunting combines the horse show dress up factor with the thrill of a huge group trail ride, at faster speeds, I wouldn’t recommend wearing your $300 breeches. Why? Well, there are trees and bushes and fence lines and the likelihood you will snag your favorite Italian breeches is quite high. It’s fine to wear your casual Friday, much loved breeches as long as they are the right color. (Check in with your local hunt to be sure what colors are okay.)

8. Don’t break in your boots on a hunt!

Opening day hunt 2019 I rode in my beautiful new Deniro boots I had owned for just a few weeks. That was a big mistake. I thought I’d be fine because I was wearing the heel lifts and ankle protection I talk about in my blog post How to Break in Riding Boots the Easy Way, but what I had not counted on was how in the course of a couple of hours my feet/limbs would swell a bit and the formerly comfortable equiband protectors would make my boots feel one size too small at the ankle. I didn’t get blisters, but I thought I was going to die.

Interestingly enough there was another lady who also was wearing new boots that day. She had tears streaming down her face because her beautiful boots were slicing into her feet and legs in all the wrong places. I had great empathy as the two of us were the slowest of the slow walking in third field (posting a trot became excruciating).

9. Don’t talk too much–especially when you are near the hounds and they are working.

I was inquisitive my first few hunts and really enjoyed learning from the fieldmaster, but what I didn’t realize is although it’s okay to ask questions, if the hounds are nearby and working, it’s best to save your question for later. I got politely shushed a time or two because the timing of my questions was apparently not appropriate.

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A post shared by Susan Friedland (@saddleseekshorse)

More Advice for Your First Fox Hunt

I sought out additional advice from the equestrian Instagram community to find out other things people wish they’d known before their first hunt. Here is what fellow equestrians had to say.

• Be sure to wear gloves or you will end up with blisters.
• Make sure to have some bath salts on hand because your muscles will be sore after the hunt.
• No one cares as much about how you’re dressed as you do.
• Have breeches with a phone pocket.
• Know your horse will be probably be more energetic hunting, than on a trail ride.
• Be prepared for possibly HOURS in the saddle as the hounds determine the length of the chase. Plan your undergarments accordingly.
• Ask someone ahead of time what to do if your horse misbehaves.

Thanks for reading and I hope this gets you motivated to try fox hunting if you haven’t already, or excited to invite a newbie to ride along with you!

Question: What tips do you have for a first time fox hunter? Or what questions do you have if you want to try riding to hounds? Share in the comments section. 

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