A celebrity in the hunting field, Miss Rodeo USA 2020
In any sport, there are many terms that might be unfamiliar to anyone outside the circle. In rodeo, for example, not everyone might know the term bufford, dog fall, or union animal.* It was the same for me stepping out of my comfort zone to learn new terms in the foxhunting community. I rightfully earned the title of cropper within the first five minutes of the hunt. This is how it went.
The author meets her 18-hand field hunter
If you have been following along with my blogs throughout the year, you might recall my first experience with foxhunting. In September, I was attending a rodeo close by a hunt club. Through my host home connections, I was invited to attend a foxhunt in Georgia with the Belle Meade Hunt. I had an absolute blast and was informed there was a hunt club in my home state of Kansas. I was intrigued to have another go at this new and exciting sport. Naturally upon returning to Kansas I made contact with the Fort Leavenworth Hunt club and set a date to join them.
I arrived at Easton, Kansas, to embark on my new journey made possible because of my title as Miss Rodeo USA. I was kindly greeted by the Master of Foxhounds, Steve Smith, who introduced me to the hunt group. Shortly after introductions I met my mount, Cadbury. Now this wasn’t just any horse. Cadbury was an eighteen-hand cross between a Thoroughbred, draft, and Holsteiner. Talk about a big horse. Not only was he big but he was also a beautiful dapple grey. I have had my fair share of riding big horses but nothing quite like this. Steve went on to explain some of Cadbury’s quirks. He said he needs a good squeeze over the coops (jumps). He tends to throw his head a bit when he gets impatient, and he typically likes to kick up his heels at the beginning of the hunt. I had been warned and was ready to mount and head to the hunt field.
In my defense, the last club I went with did a good amount of long trotting right at the beginning as a warm up. Naturally I was just going with what I knew, and what I knew was not the case here. We started walking up the drive following the hounds and all of the sudden we turn the corner and take off toward a coop! I just followed right in suit but in my mind I said, “Ready or not, here we come.” After making the jump we then galloped off into a field and, well, let me say this four year old mammoth of a horse was feeling a bit frisky with the cold wind whipping across the open field.
This is where the term cropper comes into play. A “cropper” is one who does an unscheduled dismount from their horse to inspect the crops. I’m sure you can read between the lines here without me explaining any further. The hardest part of it all wasn’t coming off the horse, it was getting back on. I was lucky enough to get a leg up on the initial mount up, but this time it was all on me to swing my leg high enough to put my boot in the stirrup iron.
Some may try to blame the fact that I wasn’t used to an English saddle, but it is actually quite the contrary. I have been riding in an English saddle since my teenage years. I would like to have an excuse but I don’t. I couldn’t react quickly enough to Cadbury’s energetic and frisky antics. You all know how much I like to make a grand entrance!
After some good chuckles with the riders behind me, I remounted and it was smooth sailing from then on. We rode in and out of wooded areas and up and down creek beds, all at a swift pace may I add. This was not the typical trail ride some of you may be picturing. It was a fast paced, adrenaline rushing, whirlwind of a ride. We would go full tilt boogie then stop, wait and listen, then hustle back to it. Being from the rodeo industry I’m used to what many refer to as “cowboy up,” but this experience had its own whole new definition of that expression.
On the narrow and winding paths through wooded terrain there was a lot of ducking low tree branches and dodging tree trunks. As we were following each other quite close, a branch got stuck on the rider in front of me and snapped back to wack me! We were moving along so quickly I didn’t have a chance to use my ‘catlike reflexes!’
At one point we were galloping along a narrow trail when a doe suddenly leapt out across the path ahead of us. I know for sure at that point my horses back home would have screeched to a halt, but Cadbury wasn’t a bit fazed. This group of horses were extraordinary athletes. The stamina and sure footing floored me as we traveling up rocky terrain or down slick hills. Out of everything I was definitely most impressed by that. You had to trust your mount and not second guess anything.
I have heard before that this is one of those addictive sports. Multiple folks have mentioned this to me when we talk about foxhunting. I am partially biased because to me anything on a horse is an addictive vice, but I now truly know what they mean. I can’t thank Steve and the entire Fort Leavenworth Hunt club enough for an amazing time and the full experience of a Kansas foxhunt. It is a day I will not forget and definitely plan to be back for more!
Posted February 1, 2021
* Rodeo terms
bufford: coward
dog fall: illegal maneuver in steer wrestling
union animal: animal that bucks until hearing the 8-second whistle, then quits.