RULES of the Field
- Be punctual. Arrive before the moment hounds are to move off.
- Greet the Master on your arrival. Boys or men tip their hats.
- Walk your horse around to accustom him to the other horses.
- Stay off the heels of the horse in front of you.
- Stand still at a check and Do Not Talk.
- Don’t Halloa, but hold up your cap if you see the fox, and the Master can then please himself what he does.
- If a fox passes close to you, watch carefully to see the last spot you see him.
- It will save time if you are able to point where you last saw the fox.
- When possible, ride on the downwind side of the pack; but always give it plenty of room to swing by keeping behind.
- Take your turn at fences and do not cut off another rider.
- If you get a refusal, go to the back of the line immediately.
- If you hear the words ‘Hold hard’, stop immediately. Try to keep your horse from pawing, rustling leaves, or rattling his bit; the staff is trying to listen to hounds.
- If you hear the words ‘Staff please’ or Ware staff’’ or ‘Ware huntsman’ it means the hunt staff plans to double back and pass the field. No matter how dense the underbrush, etc., you must pull off the trail with your horse’s head facing the trail and his hindqurters and heels away from the passing horses.
- All gates found closed must be closed by the last rider through them. To indicate that the gate is to be closed, pass the words ‘Gate please’ back to the last rider. The next to last rider should wait with the last rider until the gate is closed, especially if it is necessary to dismount to close the gate.
- If your horse breaks a rail in jumping a fence, stop immediately, repair it as best you can, and report it to the MFH as soon as you can.
- The field must skirt the edge of seeded fields and of grass fields when wet.
- When jumping, make sure the pack is well ahead and there are no strays which you might jump on.
- Be careful not to jump too closely behind the rider in front of you. He should take the jump and land safely before you start your approach. If your horse will not wait his turn easily, turn him sideways to the jump, and only turn him back when ready to start your approach.
- If someone falls and a rider is in a position to aid him or catch his horse, he should, of course, do so.
- If a hound or hounds approach from behind, the rider should slow his horse, give the hound room to pass, and call to the rider ahead ‘Ware hound’.
- Be sure to pass back a warning of any hazard, such as a hole, ‘Ware hole’.
- Never pull out and leave the field without first gaining permission from the Field Master or MFH.
- Always try to thank the Master for the sport after the hunt is over.
- There are times when hounds must be stopped from running riot (other, forbidden game), entering a forbidden area, running out onto a highway, or chasing sheep, etc. In all these cases, a crack of a whip at the head of the pack, before it is in full swing, would do the trick. If a member of the field carrying a crop with a thong and lash happens to be in a position to perform this service, it is expected.
