Showing good sport is the prime objective of the Masters and the Staff (Fieldmaster, Huntsman, Whippers-In, and Honorary Secretary), and to achieve this, certain conduct is required and expected to be adhered to encourage such caution as is necessary to ensure the safety of riders and mounts.

Respect For Master and Staff:

To help Masters and Staff provide the opportunity for showing good sport; riders with our hunt will observe the following rules of etiquette and responsibilities:

1. The Fieldmaster represents the authority of the MFH. Listen carefully to his announcements and never pass or interfere with him. Observe proper respect to members of the field who wear colors.

2. Arrive at the fixture properly attired and tacked in sufficient time to be mounted at the appointed hour and choose your field.

3. Upon arriving at the hunt, present yourself to the Honorary Secretary and take care of the capping fee and Release if necessary. Always thank the Masters, Huntsman and the Field Master at the end of the hunt.

4. Position yourself comfortably in the field and stay there for the entire hunt. There are no reserved places. Riding alongside the Fieldmaster or “in his pocket” is only appropriate upon his invitation. Always try to speak very softly and briefly. Do not hold lectures in the field.

5. Be very cautious of our hounds. Always turn your horse’s head towards the pack and the staff. Make way for the hunt staff at all times. Ride wide on the hounds, not behind or alongside them. Never speak to the hounds unless specifically requested by the staff.

6. Take cognizance of the fact that the Fieldmaster knows his country and anticipates the line the quarry runs. It is mandatory to observe his leadership. Always remember, not to override the hounds or interfere with the staff.

7. Keep up close and don’t lay behind the field. Do not straggle, you may get lost. Always excuse yourself from the Master and Fieldmaster before leaving the field. He can show you the way home, listen to him and possibly prevent your “heading a fox”.

Foxhunting requires large areas of undeveloped land. Such areas are no longer available within a short hack of the kennels; therefore, we must rely upon the generosity of landowners in order to continue our sport. Good hunt country can be lost because of carelessness, tactlessness and bad manners on the part of a few. Failure to comply with these rules could result in the loss of hunt country.

1. Do not ride over plowed or planted ground, lawns, or soft and marshy areas, unless the Fieldmaster so instructs.

In following the hounds all riders are eager for sport, and certain rules are established to minimize the risk and are not to be ignored.

1. Always maintain a safe distance between your horse and other riders. Do not crowd jumps, jump unnecessarily, or cross in front of other riders. Do not jump in company unless you are both on sure, safe horses and both are willing. Ride straight and collected at all jumps. If you horse has a refusal, go immediately to the rear of the line. Never try again and again when others are waiting their turn.

2. If you cannot get your horse over by the third try, look for a gate. It will probably be faster and safer for you and your horse and save mending a cracked panel and rib.

3. Don’t take foolish chances, and avoid riding directly behind others. Especially on narrow downhill trails, leave safe distances between mounts. While climbing steep hills, do not stop and obstruct the path of the horses behind you. After you reach the top, clear the area as quickly as possible.

4. A hunter is expected to be a capable horseman and have a reliable mount. Do not bring green or problem horses into the field. If you are new stay to the extreme rear.

5. If your horse is a kicker, tie a red ribbon on its tail and ride him at the extreme end of the field to avoid incidents. A red ribbon is not a license to bring a disobedient horse into close company with others.

6. Don’t bump your horse into others or permit him to thrust forward onto others. Control your horse so that his nose will not come into contact with other horses. Do not permit him to rub his head on other mounts in the field.

7. Hunting requires courtesy and tact. Assist guests and new riders in every way you can. We are here for the sport; avoid unnecessary conversation and chatter while hounds are cast or running. Stay close to the field. Do not lark over fences or obstacles, race or trailride.

9. Members without colors, juniors and guests should always ride at the rear of the field unless invited to the front.

10. Try to warn riders following you of hounds and dangerous obstacles in the field

All of the members of the Mill Creek Hunt desire great sport and fun, consistent with the formal traditions and history of foxhunting. We ask you to help us achieve that objective.

There usually is a second field. Riders whose horses are new or potential discipline problems or who themselves new to the sport should ride in the second field. In the second field, safety and information are primary. The appointed Fieldmaster of the second field tries to select a less demanding line. The field moves in a more conservative fashion. The Fieldmaster will explain the working of the staff, hounds and field. In this field, all members will stay behind the two Fieldmasters at all times. Riders will not leave the field without first excusing themselves from the Fieldmaster.

Mill Creek Hunt

SUMMARY OF PROPER HUNTING ATTIRE

INFORMAL KIT:

RATCATCHER (worn during cub hunting and, after formal season begins on weekdays.)

FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

Coat: A dark solid color, muted tweed, or check riding

coat.

Waistcoat: Canary.

Breeches: Buff, Sand, or Rust.

Boots: Plain Black Boots, Black or Brown Field Boots.

Hat: Black Velvet Safety Helmet with harness. Hair, if long, confined neatly.

Please, no ponytails hanging down. This applies to both ladies

and gentlemen.

Neckwear: Collar and tie for gentlemen, choker for ladies; Stock ties, fastened with plain gold safety pin, required on weekdays after Opening Meet. No other jewelry should be visible.

Gloves: String, or Brown Leather.

JUNIORS: Same as adults, but jodhpurs, leather garter straps and jodhpur boots

FORMAL HUNTING DRESS:

FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN NOT WEARING HUNT COLORS:

Coat: Plain Black, Dark Navy or Oxford Grey with plain matching buttons. Pinstripes are not permitted.

Waistcoat: Canary, or Tattersall. Plain bone buttons.

Breeches: Buff, Sand, or Canary

Boots: Plain Black Calf, with Black Garter Straps. Black Field Boots are not

permitted, nor are top boots for gentlemen. Regular Hunting Spurs optional; no rowels.

Gloves: Brown Leather; White String carried in case of wet weather.

Hat: Black Velvet Safety Helmet with harness. Hair, if long, confined neatly.

This applies to both ladies and gentlemen.

Neckwear: White Stock Tie, fastened with plain gold safety pin. No other jewelry should be visible.

Wire Cutters: Wire cutters may be carried in a leather case attached to the saddle.

Flask and Sandwich Case: Gentlemen may carry either a flask or a sandwich case. Ladies may carry either a sandwich case, a combination flask and sandwich case or ladies small bayonet flask.

JUNIORS: Same as adults, but jodhpurs, leather garter straps and jodhpur boots.

Coat: Scarlet, with rounded comers in front. Hunt colors on collar and gold hunt

Boots: Black Calf, with Brown Tops. White Garter Straps. Brown tab on outside of cuff

Hat: Reinforced Top Hat, or Safety Helmet in Black Velvet with Harness. Hair, if

Wire Cutters: Wire cutters may be carried in a leather case attached to the saddle.

Coat: (Astride) Black, Dark Navy Blue, or Oxford Grey. Hunt colors on collar, and black hunt buttons with white insignia. (Side Saddle) Habit of Black Melton, suitably cut. Hunt colors and buttons as above.

Boots: Black Calf with Black Patent Leather Tops optional. Black Patent Garter straps if Patent Tops are worn otherwise Plain Black Garter Straps. Regular Hunting spurs optional; no rowels.

Hat: (Astride) Black Hunting Derby, or Safety Helmet in Black Velvet with Harness worn with plain jacket; Black Top Hat worm with double breasted dress hunting coat.

(Side Saddle) Black Top Hat and Veil to be worn with double breasted dress hunting coat; Black Hunting Derby or Safety Helmet in Black Velvet with Harness to be worn with plain jacket. Hair, to be confined neatly. Please, no ponytails hanging down. Hairnets are advisable and correct.

Neckwear: White Stock Tie, fastened with Plain Gold Safety Pin. No other jewelry should be visible.

Sandwich Case: Sandwich case, a combination flask and sandwich case or ladies small bayonet flask, Optional.

ONLY MASTERS OF HOUNDS, HUNTSMEN, WHIPPERS-IN, HONORARY SECRETARIES AND FORMER MASTERS ARE ENTITLED TO WEAR A HUNTING CAP WITHOUT PERMISSION

How to Tie a Hunting Stock

(Courtesy of the MFHA, Covertside Article July 1999)

“I see a surprising number of people in the hunting field with improperly tied and pinned stocks,” writes Daphne Wood, MFH of the Live Oak Hounds (FL). “Also, I don’t think a lot of field members realize that the only appropriate stock tie pin is a plain one, pinned horizontally,” she adds. “Don’t you think these instructions on how to tie a stock would make a good piece for Covertside?” she concludes.

We agree. It’s really not that hard to do! I took the following instructions and a stock tie to my mirror to test them out—sort of like testing a recipe before serving the dish to guests. I found it worked perfectly, although I think Steps 4 and 5 are more complicated than they need to be.

All you need to do at Step 5 is tie a

Step 1. The normal stock has a buttonhole in the front with a slot in the band.

Step. 2. Toss one end over each shoulder so the ends hang down the back. Fasten the front buttonhole to the shirt stud or collar button at the front. Push the longest end through the slot in the band behind the neck, from the inside to the outside, and bring both ends onto the chest.

simple square knot, which most people who tie their own shoelaces can do. (Of course, there are people whose shoelaces are always coming undone; these people invariably are tying granny knots rather than a true square knot.) To tie a square knot, if your first knot is left-over-right, then the second knot must be right-

Step 3. Make a single right-over-left knot close into the neck so that one end will be over the right shoulder and the other on the chest. A safety pin may be used to secure the knot to avoid movement.

Step 4. Place the end on the chest over the left shoulder, folding it upward and over.

Step 5. Then bring down the other end over and through the fold at the right.

over-left. Or visa versa. Anyhow, give this a try. You’ve got all summer to practice.

The drawings and much of the instructions are courtesy of Hows Racesafe, manufacturers and wholesalers of equestrian clothing and accessories.

-NMF

Step 6. Now pull the ends upward.

Step 7. Cross both sides of the stock to hide the knot, and secure in place with a stock pin, horizontally, through both ends of the stock and into the knot (or into the shirt Just below the knot). Safety pins may be used to secure the very ends of the stock to the shirt to prevent them from riding up.

Step 8. The tie illustrated here Is an alternative. To achieve this effect, pull the ends tighter than indicated in Step 6, then fold down over the knot and smooth the stock out. Again, the stock pin should secure the stock to the knot horizontally.