A hunting we will go...

My sister and I decided yesterday that we are going to go fox hunting on Thanksgiving morning for the annual opening meet of the Tennessee Valley Hounds. And, when I say "hunting," I mean "chasing," because the TVH is a "no kill" hunt. I hunted with them last year, and it was amazing fun!!! Their primary hunt country is 2,000 acres along the Holston River in west Jefferson County, TN (about 20 minutes up US 11E from my place) and we ride in the valley along the river, cross the river and ride on an island, then cross back over the river and up into the hills. Eddie was a fox hunter for 2 seasons with a member of a hunt in middle-Tennessee, before I got him a few years ago. He's such a good little hunt pony (he's a good EVERYTHING pony, though) and I can't wait to get out there with him again this year. It's great exercise/conditioning for an off-season eventer, so hopefully this will help keep us sharp going into our competition season next spring.

My sister will be taking my mom's Tennessee Walking Horse ("Rebel") who jumps a little, but not the bigger types of coops, brushes, and paneling that are found in the TVH's hunt country. So, we'll most likely ride in the third flight and I can jump fences if we come to something that has an option where Melissa can also go around, but if we mostly end up just galloping around only jumping logs and ditches, then that's ok with me and Eddie too. Who knows, maybe Rebel will surprise us and really bust it all out. I always thought that he would love fox hunting.