POINTS OF ETIQUETTE

For

FOX HUNTING

CORRECT HUNTING ATTIRE

Nashoba Valley Hunt

BROWN RD, ROYALSTON, MA

www.nashobavalleyhunt.org

LADIES:

Astride:

Those invited by the Master to wear the Hunt buttons and colors:

Hair should be neatly confined. Hair nets are advisable and correct.

Safety helmet in black with chin harness fastened or black velvet hunting cap. Ribbon should be up. With the permission of the Master: Black bowler or silk top hat (the crown should be at least six inches and worn only with a frock coat).

Black coat with scarlet collar, black bone Hunt buttons.

Buff or yellow vest with metal Hunt buttons (buff preferred).

White hunting stock with horizontal plain pin.

Canary, buff, rust or grey twill breeches.

Black, well-polished boots, with or without black patent leather tops.

Blunt spurs (optional).

Sandwich case or combination flask and sandwich case (optional); flask case is not customary.

Those who have not yet been invited to wear the Hunt colors:

The same, with the exception of colors and buttons on coat and vest, which will be plain black bone for coat, plain metal for waistcoat. Waistcoat may be buff, yellow or tattersall.

Side-Saddle:

Same as Astride except:

Habit in dark melton or other cloth, suitably cut.

Veil must be worn with a top hat but not with a bowler.

Safety headgear in black with chin harness properly fastened. Ribbon should be up. Silk top hat may be worn with double-breasted dress hunting coat (crown should be six inches) or black bowler (derby) with plain jackets.

HONORARY STAFF:

Same as Ladies or Gentlemen with colors except:

Ribbon should be down on safety helmet or hunting cap.

One set of couplings should be fastened to a dee on the off side of saddle.

JUNIORS: (Under 16)

Those invited by the Master to wear the Hunt buttons and colors:

Same as ladies, with the exception of plain boots for boys and scarlet edging on collar instead of scarlet collar.

Those who have not yet been invited to wear the Hunt colors:

Preferred dress - ASTM-approved safety helmet in black with chin harness fastened. Ribbon should be up.

Black coat.

Buff, yellow or tattersall waistcoat.

Hunting stock with horizontal plain pin.

Canary, buff, rust or grey breeches.

Black boots, plain for boys, plain or with patent leather tops for girls.

Blunt spurs permissible.

Due to the fact that Juniors wear their clothing out so quickly, rat-catcher will be allowed, but it is expected that all riding attire will be clean and pressed. Rat-catcher includes a tweed coat, buff, canary or rust-colored breeches or jodhpurs, and brown hunt boots or brown jodhpur boots with jodhpur straps.

ALL:

Gloves – tan leather, or in wet weather yellow or white string gloves will be worn.

POINTS OF ETIQUETTE FOR FOX HUNTING

THE LANDOWNER AND FARMER:

Permission to cross country, so generously extended by landowners, applies only to the Hunt. Individuals have no right to lark over farmers’ land.

Never ride over seeded or wet fields.

Always ride at the edge of cultivated fields.

Never gallop near any sort of farm stock.

Shut all gates; replace any rails lowered.

If you break a fence, or do any damage which you cannot repair, you should report it to the responsible officers of the Hunt, that it may be made good.

Please do not pick other peoples’ apples.

NEVER SMOKE IN THE WOODS. You cannot be too careful about matches and cigarettes.

OF THE HOUNDS:

Keep away from the hounds at all times.

When hounds are off, do not move until the Field Master gives the word and never cut off the tail hounds when you do start off. Good sportsmen seldom ride on the line of the tail hounds.

If hounds need to pass you, give way and turn your horse’s head toward them and his heels away from them.

If hounds check, stand perfectly still and keep quiet.

No hound can hunt while figuring the odds of being bitten, kicked or stepped on.

Never cut tail hounds off from the huntsman – it is very discouraging to them. Do not deliberately ride between hounds and their huntsman.

Please give the young entry a chance to learn about hunting without having to worry about what you might do.

To kick a hound or let your horse step on him is the most heinous of all hunting field crimes.

OF THE RIDER:

“Gentlemen, when hounds are at fault, are too apt themselves to prolong it. They should always stop their horses some distance behind the hounds, and if it is possible, to remain silent, this is the time to be so; they should be careful not to ride before the hounds, or over the scent, nor should they ever meet a hound in the face, unless with a design to stop him. Should you at any time be before the hounds, turn your horse’s head the way they are going, get out of the way, and let them pass by.”

(Peter Beckford 1781)

Never interfere with hounds – never speak to them; never flick at them with your whip lash.

Never ride through the woods or over the fields on the way to a meet – use the roads; otherwise you may foil the scent and spoil a day’s sport for everyone.

If you must leave the hunt to go home early do not ride through coverts that have not been drawn. Again, use the roads, and do not spoil the sport for others.

When making room for the Hunt Staff never let your horse’s heels turn in their direction, especially on a narrow path.

Show every consideration to someone riding a young horse.

Never follow a man too closely, particularly over a jump. Keep you distance from other riders – to “ride in another man’s pocket” is dangerous and unfair.

When jumping, make sure that the rider ahead of you is safe on the landing side before you take off. If you have a refusal, yield your position to those behind you before making another attempt.

It is never any excuse that you cannot hold your horse. If you cannot hold him, GO HOME.

Do not say “ware horse” to the hound, but rather, “ware hound” to the horse.

Nothing is more aggravating to the huntsman than to be crowded by nearby riders. Riding alone, the huntsman may be able to hear hounds distinctly, whereas with many hooves thundering behind him hound voices may become inaudible. If the huntsman stops to listen, followers must stop instantly in their tracks.

At covert side and during checks refrain from “coffee-housing” – the social hour comes after the hunt at the Hunt Breakfast.

For your safety, a safety helmet should always be worn.

Punctuality is a virtue in any foxhunter.

OF THE MASTER:

The Master is supposed by courtesy to know more about his own hounds than outsiders; and all halloaing, calling and attempts at hunting them by others are not only very bad manners, but are apt to spoil sport.

As a general rule, the Master can enjoy your conversation and society more when not in the field with the hounds, riders, foxes and damages on his mind.

CORRECT HUNTING ATTIRE

(During the Regular Season)

Correct attire in the Hunting Field is a sign of respect for the Master, the Hunt and the landowners over whose property we ride. It also adds considerably to the pageantry and beauty of the sport, and is for the most part eminently practical. The following will be considered proper Hunting Attire at the Nashoba Valley Hunt:

GENTLEMEN:

Those who have been invited to wear the Hunt buttons and colors:

Safety helmet in black with chin harness fastened. Ribbon should be up. With the Master’s permission: a top hat may be worn with scarlet coat, frock or shadbelly coat (hat guard optional).

Scarlet coat with Metal Hunt buttons and scarlet collar.

Buff vest with Metal Hunt buttons.

White hunting stock with horizontal plain pin.

White twill breeches.

Black, well-polished boots with tan tops.

White boot garters.

Blunt spurs (optional).

Hunting whip (optional).

Those who have not yet been invited to wear the Hunt colors:

Safety helmet in black with chin harness fastened. Ribbon should be up. With the Master’s permission: Bowler hat with formal black hunting coat.

Black coat.

Buff, yellow or tattersall waistcoat.

Hunting stock with horizontal plain pin.

Buff, grey or rust breeches.

Plain, well-polished boots, no tops.

Black boot garters (optional).

Blunt spurs (optional).

Flask or sandwich case (optional).

Only members of the Hunt Staff, former Masters of recognized Hunts and Juniors may wear hunting caps, except by special dispensation of the Master and Executive Committee.

Tan top boots are worn only with scarlet coats. Patent leather tops are under no circumstances worn by gentlemen.