Rockbridge Hunt
Introduction to Foxhunting

Sunday, September 3, 2006
10:00 AM near Natural Bridge, Virginia

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The program will start at 10:00 AM with an unmounted session. Rockbridge Hunt’s professional huntsman, David Conner, and members of the Hunt Staff will discuss topics which include:
The basics of mounted foxhunting,
Horsemanship and safety in the hunt field,
Breeding and training a pack of foxhounds.

Following the discussion, there will be a tour of the kennels and an opportunity to see the hounds, up close and personal!

After lunch there will be a mounted instructional session. We’ll start in the riding ring and review training techniques to prepare horse and rider for the hunt field. We’ll use a brief trail ride to demonstrate and practice these techniques.

For more information, please contact Cindy Morton (current Master, office 540-458-8109, home 540-463-6025, email mortonc@wlu.edu) or Carol Atwood (current President, home 540-463-1000, email cfta@planetcomm.net).

In addition, we're available to make presentations about foxhunting and the Rockbridge Hunt to groups or meetings. We have a slide show for more formal meetings. We are also happy to come to riding clubs or local stable groups, for formal presentations or informal discussions.

If there is a group of riders who might be interested in coming out to hunt, we are available for mounted educational programs. We're happy to travel to a local stable, with horses, to do this or we can host a program at the Hunt's property. Generally, a mounted program would start with a brief overview of the basics. The rest of the time might be spent in a trail riding situation to simulate various parts of a day of hunting. If you're interested in something like this, contact Cindy or Carol, as listed above.

Directions From Interstate 81 take Exit 180 (one of two Natural Bridge exits) and go north on Route 11 (Lee Highway) for about two miles. Turn left on Fox Hunt Road (Route 739). When the road forks, stay to the left on Fox Hunt Road. Take the next possible right turn (Harkto Loop) into the parking lot. There is overflow parking on the opposite side of Fox Hunt Road. It's a grassy spot just across from Harkto Loop.