A JOURNAL FOR MEMBERS OF BIG SKY HOUNDS September/October 2022 BEIGH FOXHUNTING MONTANA STYLE www.BigSkyHounds.com IVOLUME1Issue noun:[bey]adeep,prolongedhowl,asofahoundonthescentwhenheardfromthebackofahorse. ZEUS The Original Photo by Tom Grett
Welcome to the first issue of Beigh, Big Sky Hounds’ official digital newsletter. Published every few weeks, Beigh will keep you informed about what’s happening, upcoming events, schedule and fixture cards, useful tidbits, interesting articles, membership, and entertaining reads about the heartbeats surrounding BSH and foxhunting. Find issues at www.bigskyhounds.com, where you can sign up to receive it by email, or on Facebook.com/BigSkyHounds. Make Beigh better by contributing ideas, photos, stories, events, and information. Promote your business, services, things for sale, or opportunities. (The small charge to advertise will help feed and support the hounds and get you in front of a few hundred, very enthusiastic, fellow foxhunters.) BEIGH BIG SKY HOUNDS Kennels: 9667 Clarkston Rd. Three Forks, MT 59752 Mailing address: PO Box 405 Manhattan, MT 59741 (406) 579 4060 | www.BigSkyHounds.comhounds@montanahorses.com Masters: Renee Daniels Mantle and Lori Dooley Past Masters: Marie Griffis, Lynn Lloyd Honorary Secretary: Liz Richards Huntsman: Renee Daniels Mantle Colors: sky blue and black Territory: registered throughout Montana Meets: Wednesdays and Sundays, September to April September October 2022
BSH is a PRIVATE SUBSCRIPTION hunt, recognized by MFHA, managed and maintained by its MASTERS, directed by an EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (made up of the Masters, the Honorary Secretary, and a Controller) and the CHRISTOPHER COMMITTEE (donors, volunteers, and supporters), owned and operated by MONTANA HORSES, INC., and funded by SUPPORTERS, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEMBERS.
Foxhuntingwww.BigSkyHounds.comMontanaStyle
beigh noun /bey/ a deep, prolonged howl, as of a hound on the scent when heard from the back of a horse the name of the BSH enewsletter that comes with your membership in Big Sky Hounds a totally made up word
BSH Honorary Secretary
HATS OFF TO LIZ RICHARDS!
Meet Elizabeth (Liz) Richards!
Liz was born in Virginia and grew up in Maryland, where she always wanted a horse. She finally got one when she moved to Montana in 2004 and in her words, “that was the beginning of the end.” Her first hunt was in 2010 with Treasure State Hunt and Red Rock Hounds in Montana, but it wasn’t until she traveled with BSH founding members Catherine Mee and Marie Griffis (MFH) for two weeks of foxhunting immersion in Reno, NV that she became fully hooked. Liz has been hunting with Big Sky Hounds since the very first year (2012) and became Honorary Secretary four years ago. She maintains membership in both RRH and BSH. Liz and her husband David ranch and farm off Reese Creek in Belgrade, MT, offering hay and straw sales, horse boarding, and even house a brand new cross country course at the fixture called The Grain Bins. Among many other outdoor pursuits, she is also interested in eventing and especially dedicated to encouraging the younger generations to become involved with horses and agriculture. She loves the friends she’s made while hunting and we love her beautiful smile, infectious enthusiasm, style, grace, class, and amazing impromptu tailgates. Thank you Liz, for all you do to support Big Sky Hounds and Foxhunting Montana Style. We love you.
Mount Vernon? Yes. Montana Mountains? Not so much. It is not something you expect to see in Montana. You’ll do a double take and rub your eyes the first time you round the bend in ranch country and catch a glimpse of a pack of foxhounds followed by a bunch of people horseback, some wearing scarlet coats and hunt caps, some Carharts and cowboy hats. You’ll want to stop and watch as some sail over a jump put across a barbed wire fence in the middle of a cow pasture. You will probably hear the huntsman’s horn and the hounds in full cry. And if you look way, way ahead, you might catch a glimpse of a very nonplussed coyote. Not a fox. This is fox hunting, Montana style. Even though there usually isn’t a fox involved and it’s not really hunting like most people in the state have seen, for those of us who ride to the Big Sky Hounds, it is a helluva lot of
Photofun.byValWestover cont. next page
Story by Renee Daniels Mantle
First, no one in Montana knows what foxhunting is and we’re all a little suspicious of outsiders. Try explaining it to the type of person here who could enjoy it. The concept of “just plain fun” isn’t in most Montana horsemen’s realm of understanding. They equate riding with a purpose, or at least an economical gain. That resolution isn’t readily available to most neophytes. It takes a while for some to loosen up to the idea of self indulgence. Plus, who pays to Then,ride? there’s the unusually harsh weather that most clubs do not deal with. We hunt from when the crops come out of the fields (September) to when the crops go back in the fields (April). Normally in Montana, we pull shoes, turn out, and go to the NFR or the Bahamas for a rest. Now, we put on sharp shoes and snow poppers, keep the horses close to home and in shape, and spend our free time and money in the elements grinning like idiots because it’s exhilarating.
I first became blushingly enamored with the sport when it came to Montana twenty two years ago. Master and huntsman Lynn Lloyd brought her traditionally English Red Rock Hounds from Reno to hunt ranches surrounding Three Forks, where one of her members owned the Sacajawea Hotel (before its present day splendor, back when the toilets flushed hot water and the showers did not). Hundreds of people from all over the world flocked to the annual April three day event in the middle of Cowboy Country, USA. We mounted those who did not bring their own on our breediest dude horses, pulling them off winter pasture a few weeks early. They were rough haired and didn’t look at all like the “fancy horses,” with their evening clothes and slick, clipped hides. But, they knew the country, were fit from being out on range, and really didn’t care what kind of saddle we threw on them.
I tried very hard to maintain a stoic suspicion.
“
Like any loyal western rancher, I tried very hard to maintain a stoic suspicion of the tiny little saddles, ridiculous clothing, and excessively long legged thoroughbreds with entirely too little hair. But, fast forward fourteen affairs with Red Rock and there I was sitting at the Sacajawea having dinner with Lynn and the rest of the intrepid gang, consuming my share of scotch and a bit more to make up for those who don’t like the stuff. She turned to me and said, “I think you need a couple hounds.” I, of course, responded, “That is a great idea.” The next morning, I woke up with a headache, two hounds, and the beginning of Montana’s only Masters of Foxhounds Assn. (MFHA) recognized foxhunt. And that’s a big deal if you’re a hunt. I was utterly powerless against it.
Eventually, with the help of joint Master Marie Griffis and an incredibly talented and enthusiastic group of people, we endeared ourselves to the community. Ranches opened across Montana. Locals frequently join the hunt. If nothing else, foxhunters are the most accepting and accommodating people I have ever met. They are exceptional riders and die hard sportsmen. They ride hard. They are game. It didn’t take long for us, and all our ranching neighbors, to gain respect for this mostly female fearless group of crazy people, mounted on fire breathing Areions, hell bent on covering country as fast as possible in pursuit of a pack of intensely proficient hounds. But, building a foxhunt in Montana, under the tutelage of a 40 year veteran huntsman from Nevada and a 113 year old association in Virginia was not without its difficulties.
Lynn Lloyd looks out over home hunt country near Three Forks Photo by Gretchen Pelham cont. next page
Luckily, Lynn did. She was always at the other end of the phone to talk me off the ledge or impart some sage advice. I learned quickly that a Western hunt is a whole lot different than most. We have enviable vast tracts of huntable land and a healthy respect and proprietary right to hunt it. Here, we decide we’re going to do something and we just do it. Elsewhere, the remnants of the caste system still cloud the minds of the bold. Montana is of the American mind and, as is the case throughout foxhunting families worldwide, hunt savvy has been passed along over many generations. It’s a perfect fit for the people of the West. So, we plowed forward. Not aware that we could possibly fail, we opened our first season with four hounds and 45 people following. We had cowboys, Indians, and English clad ladies (and all sorts in between) sipping from the same flasks at a check. We didn’t have one red coat. Now, our pack is around 25 hounds (12 ½ couple). It’s distinctly suited for us, made up mostly of Walkers who scent well in our extreme conditions and have a personality we like. Many riders see the benefit of that English saddle, especially going over a jump and to stay out of our horse’s way when we’re trying to keep up with the hounds. Most embrace the practical parts of the tradition. Some are complete converts. The rest of us are a hybrid, practical if nothing else. Hunting hounds isn’t a whole lot different than moving pairs, just sometimes a little faster. Anyone that understands livestock can help with a hunt. It’s a poker ride on steroids where everyone discovers they were dealt a royal flush at the end of the trail. And it’s still all about the hunt. We’re looking for that Easter egg in a yard that goes to the horizon, with the help of some furry friends who speak the local language.
And then there’s the obvious I had no idea how to hunt hounds, blow a horn, or be in a club, let alone build one.
Photo by Val Westover
It is not hard to see why Montanans, fiercely individual and pragmatic, take to foxhunting so completely. It is inherently Western. Pride. Accomplishment. Excitement. Camaraderie. Challenge. Purpose. Respect. It’s about revering the beautiful country in which we live, our magnificent Western horses that are so perfectly suited for this, the other bold souls in our tribe, and pushing ourselves just a little further than we thought we could. Plus, we love telling Wild West tales. The jumps get higher, the temperature gets lower, the distance covered gets longer with every recount of a meet. It is intoxicating. Big Sky Hounds will begin its tenth season this fall. We’ll be kicking the season off with a 10th Anniversary Celebration on October 7 9th, 2022 that includes joint meets, hunter pace, bbq, blessing of the hounds, and opening meet. We’ve opened up some of the most arresting hunt country in the world, all over the state of Montana. Best of all, we’re eager for new converts. We invite you to join us at Big Sky Hounds.
Once the chase is on it moves very fast, covers all kinds of territory, and goes for miles. The field master’s job is to keep you safely as close to the action as possible. Sometimes it takes several casts in multiple “coverts” to find. If an hour or two goes by with no action, we’ll take a break and a “puppy truck” will be called in with refreshments for hounds and riders.
Members with colors may choose to wear a sky blue wildrag or colors on their collars. Tack should be in good repair and clean, preferably with no brightly colored accessories.
HERE’S HOW: Call Big Sky Hounds or see www.BigSkyHounds.com to find out when and where.
ATTIRE: At BSH, we prefer function over fashion. In Montana, we honor the tradition of our fore bearers and the cowboy way of life, as well as the spirit of the centuries old tradition of foxhunting. In no way will Big Sky Hounds ever preclude someone from hunting because they aren’t dressed correctly. Function first, fashion later. However; a properly turned out field honors the landowners, shows them we take our sport seriously, and displays the appropriate respect as they watch us ride by. Most regular meets throughout the year are casual. Jeans and boots are appropriate.
On certain Sundays, during a special, away, or holiday meet, or at an event, we dress more formally: During the Autumn or Cubbing Season, all riders including staff, wear 'ratcatcher.' For English riders, that is a tweed coat in muted colors, beige or rust breeches, brown or black field boots. Gentlemen wear a tie with a light colored shirt other than white, again in muted tones. Ladies may wear a colored stock tie, necktie or choker. For Western riders, that is a plaid or solid colored long sleeved Western shirt, black or muted color vest or jacket, blue jeans, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat. During Formal Season (after Opening Meet), Western riders may wear a black coat and cowboy hat or helmet, white shirt, white wildrag or a tie, blue or black jeans, black boots. English riders may wear a black or navy coat, tan or similar breeches, white shirt/ stock tie, canary or tattersall vest, black dress boots. Check the calendar for dress codes. Please, refrain from wearing any brightly colored clothing, especially red or orange, unless you are functioning in a staff position or wearing a radio.
Eventually, the hounds will either “bay up” or “den” the coyote or more often they’ll lose the scent or be stopped from going out of safe country. Either way, the huntsman will gather the hounds, praise them, and all will celebrate. When the hunting is finished we partake in a “hunt breakfast,” no matter what time it’s served.
Bring a solid well behaved horse or lease one.
A typical meet lasts 3 to 5 hours, covering twelve to twenty miles. It all depends on Wiley. www.BigSkyHounds.com
Juniors may wear whatever they like.
Find the Hon. Secretary to sign forms and pay fees. Masters will divide you into “fields.” First keeps up and takes jumps. Second goes slower and takes gates. Hilltoppers walk or trot and view the hunt from up high. The huntsman will call for the hounds. Listen for information. Most importantly; a) don’t pass your field master; b) never get between the huntsman and the hounds; c) always keep your horse’s head facing the hounds; d) be quiet; e) give the hounds the right of way; f) have fun; g) don’t fall off. Ride to where hounds are “cast.” The whippers in will help the huntsman with the hounds. When they’re cast, it is anybody’s guess what will happen. Ideally, the hounds will smell the scent of a coyote and “open” (bay), then follow it.
STAFF ONLY Scarlet, white breeches, brown top boots.
BIG SKY HOUNDS 2022 2023 SCHEDULE IN MONTANA Fixtures will be announced one month prior and posted in the online (www.bigskyhounds.com) calendar, by email, and in the monthly newsletters. All meets (including roading) are weather dependent and require 3 riders, in addition to huntsman, to commence. Participants should indicate whether they will be riding with BSH by 8pm the night prior to each meet and an announcement will be made via BSH Updates FB Messenger each evening prior. For more info call (406) 579 4060. Watch the website for schedule additions and changes. We’re adding new fun things all the time! JULY 2022 9am ROADING – from the kennels Thursday 7th Sunday Wednesday10th13th Sunday 17th Wednesday 20th Sunday Wednesday24th27th AUGUST 2022 9am ROADING from the kennels Sunday Wednesday7th 10th Sunday SundayWednesday14th17th21st(begin second horses conditioning) Wednesday 24th Sunday Wednesday28th31st SEPTEMEBER 2022 9am Saturday 3rd Hollowtop Mountain Trail Ride Pony, MT Sunday 4th Roading kennels Wednesday 7th Roading kennels FALL HUNTING BEGINS 9am MEETS informal/conditioning/ training Sunday 11th Hunt Wednesday 14th Hunt Sunday 18th Hunt Wednesday 21st Hunt Sunday 25th Hunt Wednesday 28th Hunt OCTOBER 10am meets begin Sunday 2nd Hunt Wednesday 5th Hunt (RRH arrives MT) Friday 7th RRH Meet BSH 10th ANNIVERSARY OPENING WEEKEND, HUNTER PACE & BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS Saturday 8th Hunter Pace & BBQ, Colors Awarded Sunday 9th Opening Meet & Blessing Wednesday 12th Hunt Sunday 16th Hunt Wednesday 19th Hunt Sunday 23rd Hunt Wednesday 26th Hunt Sunday 30th Halloween Costume Hunt & Party NOVEMBER 10am Wednesday 2nd Hunt Sunday 6th Fall Forward Meet (end daylight savings) Wednesday 9th Hunt Sunday 13th Hunt Wednesday 16th Hunt Sunday 20th Hunt 2022 2023 BSH
Friday 25th Thanksgiving Meet Sunday 27th Hunt Wednesday 30th Hunt DECEMBER 10am Sunday 4th Hunt Wednesday 7th Hunt Sunday 11th Hunt Wednesday 14th Hunt Sunday 18th Hunt Wednesday 21st Hunt Saturday 24th Christmas Eve Meet Wednesday 28th Hunt JANUARY 2023 Sunday 1st New Year’s Meet JANUARY & FEBRUARY Regular Wednesday and Sunday hunts will be scheduled throughout January & February, weather permitting. A two week winter break will be scheduled sometime during these two months. MARCH 10am Wednesday 1st Wenchday Celebration Hunt (Start of Women’s History Month) Sunday 5th Hunt Wednesday 8th Hunt Sunday 12th Fall Back Meet (start daylight savings) Friday 17th Butte St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sunday 19th Hunt Wednesday 22nd Hunt Sunday 26th Hunt Wednesday 29th Hunt APRIL 9am meets begin Sunday 2nd Hunt Wednesday 5th Hunt Saturday 8th Easter Meet Wednesday 12th Hunt Sunday 16th Hunt Wednesday 19th Hunt Sunday 23rd Hunt Wednesday 26th Hunt Sunday 30th CLOSING MEET MAY 13th 21st Miles City Joint Meet and Bucking Horse Sale YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING: Bryce Canyon SFH & RRH Joint Meet, UT September 7th 13th Cottonwood Guest Ranch, NV RRH Meet September 30th October 2nd RRH Opening Weekend & Blessing of the Hounds, NV October 21st 23rd Juan Tomas Hounds 50th Anniversary Hunt Week, NM November 10th 13th Santa Ynez Valley Hounds 50th Anniversary Celebration Opening Meet & Hunt Ball, CA December 2nd 5th McDermitt, NV Home Ranch RRH Meet April 2023 ALL DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND CANCELLATION. PLEASE WATCH FOR UPDATES AND BE SURE TO CHECK IN THE NIGHT PRIOR TO EACH MEET. BSH SCHEDULE
HOLLOWTOP TRAIL RIDE
Wednesday September 7th to 13th, 2022 Bryce Canyon Utah 2022 Bryce Canyon Joint Meet (SFH and RRH) www.SantaFeHunt.com
Big Sky Hounds
Saturday, September 3rd | Pony, MT
Join the BSH gang for a trail ride up to gorgeous Hollowtop Lake on Saturday, September 3rd. Meet at the North Willow Creek Trailhead, past Pony, MT at 9am. If you’re not sure how to get there, we’ll rendezvous in Pony on Main Street at 8:30am and can caravan. There is very limited parking at the trailhead for trailers, so plan ahead to ride together, if you can. The ride up is steep and rocky and takes about 2.5 hours to reach the pristine lake, which sits at about 10,000 feet. We’ll stop for lunch, swimming, and fishing. Pack horses can be brought to help haul extra gear and food, but bring your saddle bags, bug spray (the deer fliesare notoriously bad there), drinking water, jacket, etc.. We’ll make lunch up there (if the fire regs allow, we’ll cookout), so if you plan to attend, please volunteer to provide something from a pre arranged lunch menu or for the trailhead. Bring your own beverages. RSVP is necessary. Contact Renee at (406) 579 4060 to sign up, contribute to lunch, and for more information. The Beighmobile has plenty of room for extra horses if you want to haul in with Renee. Extra hands to help with the pack horses would be greatly appreciated. This ride is spectacular and shows off some of the best mountain views, fishing, and riding that Montana offers. We’ve enjoyed this with so many wonderful groups over the years, including many from visiting hunts. Join us for a kick off of the BSH fall season.
Santa Fe Hunt
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Introducing the H Litter Hepburn, Hark, and Hendricks. Born in Reno on February 23rd, out of BSH’s RR AmyL by RR USMA, they were a bit of a surprise. I call them the Christmas litter. While I was in Florida seeing my mother for the holidays, Amy L found her way out of the kennel. Thinking she was spayed, she was accidentally put in with USMA and two months later she added three beautiful puppies to our pack. They were born in the middle of a terrible cold snap on the day we returned from Tejon Ranch Performance Trials, having spent two days making a normally one day trip home with horses and hounds, dodging blizzards and bad roads. Luckily, Katy Kiaser had them tucked up into the whelping pens, under heat lamps and behind blankets, and was awaiting their arrival. Lori Dooley sponsored and named the only boy Hendricks (after we developed a little penchant for the gin while traveling in England for the Dartmoor Derby a few years ago) and Hark. Needing a name, and lacking a sponsor, I started calling the last little girl Hepburn after two of my favorite actresses. It stuck. Mama and babies traveled home with me in May. AmyL took the front seat and the puppies were in comfortable crates in the back seat. Anyone who had the displeasure of talking with me on the phone during the ride can attest that it sounded like I was torturing them, despite giving them doggie doze dosages. They already have great voices. Luckily, the smell did not transmit through the phone lines, but my truck will never be the same. Now five months old and requiring less labor, they’re learning the ropes. Here’s an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote about the process: “FOR THE LOVE OF HOUNDS”
A Comedy of Errors
This is a phrase that comes to my mind and mouth several times a day utilizing the proper punctuation as an oath (.), a rationale (…), or a curse (!). I’m grateful (you can apply the appropriate intonation in accordance with the above punctuation) to be living alongside the kennels and corrals again. But having three puppies parked a hundred feet from my window is like having a baby monitor strapped to my head. This one goes to eleven. I’m not familiar with human babies, as I forgot to have children, so I don’t know if what I experience is at all like what a parent does. I suspect it is. I know their voices and forming personalities, when they’re playing, when one gets too rough, when they wake, sleep, eat, drink, dump/spoil their water, poop, pee, barf, scratch, are lonely, hungry, needy, happy, have lost/destroyed or tired of their toy/bedding/bowls, are cold/hot/comfortable/ uncomfortable, and even that their voices change almost daily. They somehow know the same about me, even though it seems impossible they can see or hear me. They interact (sometimes in the same mysterious non verbal, un seeing way) with the other hounds, who variably think it’s cute, annoying, worrisome, salacious, or worthy of m/p/fraternal or homicidal tendencies. It’s fascinating (again, insert proper inflection). My day is a routine dictated by the kids. Checkers wakes, the pack wakes, I wake, the puppies wake. Not necessarily in that order. Cacophony of noise ensues. I make up puppy food, put Checkers back in, shuffle hounds in or out of proper pens/lodges/ runs/yards (depending upon whether it is going to rain or be hot/windy/sunny), clear the playpen, clean the kennels, water, and doctor. Then I move puppies from their night lodging across the lawn to their day yard. This cues an hysterical puppy “walk” complete with flailing, gangly long legs, occasional nose dive, mad dash one direction, mad dash the other direction, inspection of any new blades of grass/manure/smells, a run around the kennel to tell the rest that they are free, proper placement of food and water, and then the slapstick comedy of getting
Occasionally, Laura Edmunds brings pupscicles for them.
~Renee
The Big Sky Hounds have been enjoying summer hound exercises at 9am on most Wednesdays and Sundays, with an enthusiastic group of riders. On most days, we take the hounds and horses down to the river for a swim, stopping on the way down and back at small swimming pools filled with cool water near the well . In the kennels, hounds get fresh cold water at least twice a day, have plenty of shelter from the sun, and also have swimming and wading pools that are freshened daily.
Though I’m sure they’d prefer air conditioning and misters, they seem to be weathering the heat of summer just fine, and it keeps them conditioned for the natural rigors of Montana and their situation. The kennels could use another source of shade in the back yard, like a car port, if anyone has one they’d like to donate. One of the old shade trees died over winter. This will also help with the snow and rain. Please join in on the hound walk/wade, we’ll be continuing until mid September, when we start autumn hunting. all three of them on the right side of the gate and me on the other without losing one or two into an adult pen that might contain a hound prone to aforementioned homicidal thoughts. After they’ve eaten in an area where the magpies can’t steal the puppy food (worth its weight in gold), they’re moved into the outside only portion and the enclosed portion can be opened for the older hounds who want the shade and benches. I’m probably doing it wrong. I see other hunstmen have already fully leash trained their puppies and taught them to sit. Mine are an unenlightened bundle of energy, albeit happy and enthusiastic, with piranha like sharp edges poking out to inadvertently tear clothes and scar hands/arms/face. We’re still working on their names, coming when I call, and not getting stepped on or their head smashed in a door. This begs the question, “Will I have to continue saying ‘Come on puppies’ in this ridiculous voice for the rest of their lives in order to get them to hunt?” And if so, I wonder if it would be easier to train the rest of the pack to recognize it as a substitute than to alter this organic instinct to speak to them in the dreaded baby voice. In the afternoons, I feed hounds and them again, and employ the mini bone method of training. Later in the evening, we make the romp (insert circus music) back to the night lodge, put things right at the kennels, and feed again.
Thankfully dogs are just as food driven as I. We can go for little walks and explore, and they will always come for treats. In addition to their names, in two short days I professionally taught them to jump up on me, spread puppy poop and mud everywhere, and generally be obnoxious. They (and anyone within feet of me) recognize my smell and see the tell tail, single mom smears of someone who is working on the opposite of reward based training and please run all over me personality
Thisreformation.isn ’t our first litter, but the first I’ve handled through the whole process here at the kennels, without help, and under my nose. I admit I love it, but it was also nice to farm them out until they got old enough to incorporate into the pack. They came to me knowing their names, leash trained, what “no” meant, and ready to hand off to an older hound to mentor. Lord knows what kind of heathens I’m raising now. So, I want to thank every one of you who helped raise the puppies of Big Sky Hounds in the last few years. You are incredible. As I look out at our home raised hounds, I am confident that when I can finally release this litter into their care, your start will ensure they are in capable hands. I invite everyone to come on out and see the H litter, help with the process, and enjoy a little puppy time. Feel free to bring toys, treats, and a little patience.
Liz’s sponsorship bought 1800 lbs. of quality dog food and twelve bales of straw for the kennels.
CHRISTOPHER SPONSORSHIP
THANK YOU LIZ RICHARDS!
Please consider a “Friends of Christopher” sponsorship to support the BSH mission to provide exceptional care, quality food, and a resolute commitment to responsibly manage and love not only a working pack of hounds, but also retirees. Your contribution of $1000 goes directly to feed, vet, and house the hounds and can be paid directly to vendors, if you choose. You will be listed as a sponsor, provided with four guest passes for capping that season (limit two per individual) and be invited to sit on the “Christopher Committee” which meets at least twice a year to discuss the business of responsibly managing a pack of hounds, maintaining a viable hunt club, and cultivating a “culture of foxhunting.” Thank you for considering this important effort, essential to the future of BSH and the happiness and healthfulness of our heartbeats. (Sponsorships do not include membership and are not tax deductible.)
Story and Photos By Gretchen Pelham
Four hunts from “out West” brought hounds to compete in the performance trials: Big Sky Hounds (Montana), Juan Tomas Hounds (New Mexico), Red Rock Hounds (Nevada) and the host of the event, Santa Fe West Hills Hunt (California). The combined pack was made up of 40 hounds, 10 from each hunt. In true foxhunter fashion, there was a hound number painting party at the Tejon kennels. The result ended with more paint slung to the four corners of the wind than on fur, but enough made its mark for the judges to score them later that Fourweekend.judges from the East Coast traveled to the event to score the hounds in several categories. The hunting score is for hounds that actively look for a scent. Trailing scores are awarded for hounds that speak as they work a track. Scores for full cry are reserved for hounds that run fast, speak loudly and strive to head to the front of the pack. The hounds earn higher full cry scores by their order, with more points awarded for those in front than the back. Finally, marking scores are those rare points given to hounds that put game to ground. The country is so vast and open in the West that marking scores are viewed easily. That is, if the judges can keep up! No performance trial
Spring in Southern California comes in February. California poppies, lupin and daisies are just a few of the wildflowers that carpet the huge, rolling hills that make up the historic Tejon Ranch, the site of the 2022 Western States Performance Trials held Feb. 19 20. The Tejon Ranch lies 65 miles northeast of Los Angeles and is the largest ranch in California at 270,000 acres. The views on this ranch are simply epic.
The Open Spaces of the for the Western States Performance
Wide-
the Tejon Ranch Set the Stage Performance Trials
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John gave some insight into hunting a combined pack of hounds with no connection to their huntsman. He expected the hounds from Western packs to feel comfortable in that big, open country with very little covert. But that lack of covert
last year scored any marking points until the Western Trials.
John Harrison from Deep Run Hunt (Virginia) was the appointed huntsman for the trials. This was John’s first trip out West, and he couldn’t stop taking in the view. It reminded him of the openness of the Scottish Highlands. Only, one suspects, California is warmer.
Tejon Ranch has a large equestrian center in the middle of the property where the horses are boarded. However, to drive to each fixture (while never really leaving the Ranch) was about 45 minutes each day. The ranch is that large. We drove past enormous groves of organic almonds in full blossom, grapevines by the mile destined to be the famed California Raisins, large rows of vegetables and greenhouse after greenhouse with tables covered in who knows what. Every 100 feet were stacks of bee boxes. It would be an impressive number just how many honeybees call Tejon home. Both days’ hunts were past all the organic groves on the flats, over the open 850 Canal, a water source for Los Angeles, to the foothills where the hounds were cast. A drop in elevation of 1,100 feet from the equestrian center to the edge of the foothills was significant, especially if your sinuses were rebelling from all the wildflowers. The entire range of elevation on the ranch is from Tejon Pass in the Tehachapi Mountains at over 4,000 feet down to the flats at about 400 feet above sea level. The country was covered in green grass, wildflowers and dotted with Pacific Live Oaks. Glorious.
gave him a bit of a challenge. In this situation, John usually tries to bond with his new pack as they settle into drawing the first covert. The pack is focused as it searches for that first whiff of scent among the trees and such, and in that quiet moment is when John is accustomed to tying the age old invisible tethers that connect a huntsman to his hounds. But at Tejon, there are no thick coverts like back East that naturally slow the pack down to give John this quiet time. None of this stumped a pro like John. He adjusted his usual methods, handled the pack less than he would a pack back East and after the first hour had the hounds listening to him without much effort.
On the first day’s hunting, the pack hit on quarry for a high speed run that ended up in hills too steep to follow. The temperature had risen dramatically and horses, hounds and riders were all Thecooked.second day, John had a much easier time bonding with his pack. The country was higher up in the foothills with more rolling terrain than the day before. Hounds drew off speedily from the meet, and the judges flanking the pack had to either fall back or help stop the pack when John wanted to change the direction of the draw. Usually, John would not have the other horses as close to his pack as they worked, but not many countries are as open as Tejon. Again, John adjusted his usual style to fit the country. After several short runs, John drew in an anticlockwise sweep in a river valley back towards the meet. The pack chased down a ridge, past a water tank and along the river’s banks. Coats were waived with the temperatures rising higher than the first day. Earlier that week, the informal hunt pre trials left everyone frozen and frostbitten. Crazy, unpredictable weather is standard for the West. Fred Berry from Sedgefield Hunt (North Carolina) came to run the performance trials, with MFHA Director of Hunting Andrew Barclay, also in attendance. Each day, there were about 80 riders from hunts all over the country. Old friends greeted each other and new friendships were forged. The big winner of the Western States Performance Trials was Big Sky Hounds from Montana. Renee Mantle, MFH and huntsman for Big Sky Hounds, won the Best Overall Pack. Big Sky Hounds’ Lincoln was scored as the Best Overall Hound. At the end of March, there will be a long caravan of horse trailers and hound trucks driving from Reno, Nevada, to Hoffman, North Carolina. That’s about 2,600 miles to travel for the West to descend upon the MFHA Performance Trials Grand Championships. We look forward to seeing how the Western hounds fare against the qualifying foxhounds from the rest of North America. Expect a large time to be had in North Carolina.
Thanks to all the members, friends, and supporters who made the trek out for a grand time at Tejon.
BIG SKY HOUNDS WINS BIG AT WESTERN STATES TRIAL!
Top Pack, Top Dog (Lincoln), and Huntsman’s Choice (Checkers)
We went on to the National Performance Trial in NC in March with qualifying hounds Atlas and Lincoln and a great big group of supporters. Stay tuned for the story in the next issue.
Summer riders (in no particular order) - Katy Billing, Tawnia Poland, Anita Valentine, Lisa Slover, Debbie Vreeland, Amber Warden, Jennifer Kent, Cress Whitman, Fionna Letzer, Beth Hainsworth, Sarah Kortum, JR Tonjum, Lori Dooley, Renee Daniels, Rick Daniels, Liz Richards, Becky Bigelow, Casey , Brittany Baldwin, Rita McClain, Gail Eder, Hannah Clark...among many others!
FUNSUMMERatBSH
The 2022 2023 hunting season begins in September and ends in May. Activities occur throughout the year. BSH meets most Wednesdays and Sundays in Montana and occasionally may travel to an away or joint meet or event. You may pay your membership dues at any time during the 2022 23 season that you wish your privileges to begin. Until FULL membership dues are paid, capping fees or event fees are due at each meet, ride, or event.
The undersigned hereby apply/applies for Membership Big Sky Hounds 2023 represent that I/we am/are capable have the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK AND ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY.
SUBSCRIBING MEMBERSHIP: $85/adults or $50/juniors annually. Then, pay capping fees of $75/adult or $30/junior each time you meet with BSH until you have capped 10 times (or paid $750/$300), at which time all capping fees are waived for the remaining season and you become a “full” member (eligible to earn and maintain hunt colors and honorary staff positions).
GUESTS/NON MEMBERS may cap with BSH up to twice annually for a CAPPING FEE OF $100 ($40/juniors) and should be accompanied by a member.
When riding on public land or privately owned property, I/We understand that I/we am/are acting as individuals responsible for my/our own actions. I/we understand that I/we are riding at our own risk and are fully responsible for our own safety, acting as our own guide and outfitter. Membership includes riding privileges during all BSH meets, BSH joint meets, and BSH events. Membership does NOT entitle me to riding privileges on any hunt country at any other time. I understand I will be asked to sign an Acknowledgment of Risk and Assumption of Liability Form, read and agree to conduct myself according to BSH Rules and Hunt Etiquette, adhere to instructions and guidance by BSH leadership, and carry my own health/accident insurance.
Proceeds support an award winning pack of hounds, promote the sport of mounted foxhunting in Montana, and foster a “foxhunting culture.” Membership includes
1) a subscribing membership to MFHA which provides Covertside Magazine, monthly enewsletters, and invitation to MFHA member only events; 2) a subscription to the BSH monthly enews with fixture cards, hunt journal, and news about our hounds, members, country, legislation, and Foxhunting Montana Style; 3) invitation to BSH member only events and activities, and 4) 25% off capping fees (normally $100 for non members, $40/juniors).
in the
read and signed
club for the 2022
FULL MEMBERSHIP: If you choose, instead of capping as you go, you may pay full membership up front for $835/adults or $350/ juniors. Family memberships are available for $1200.
BSH is a PRIVATE SUBSCRIPTION hunt, recognized by MFHA, managed and maintained by its MASTERS, directed by an EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (made up of the Masters, the Honorary Secretary, and a Controller), owned and operated by MONTANA HORSES, INC., and funded by SUPPORTERS, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEMBERS.
BIG SKY HOUNDS | HUNT CLUB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION 2022 2023 Mailing: PO Box 405, Manhattan, MT 59741 | (406) 579 4060 | www.bigskyhounds.com Kennels: 9667 Clarkston Rd. Three Forks, MT 59752
riders and horsemen (for the riding membership) and that I/ we
season. I/We
SUPPORTING/OUT OF STATE MEMBERSHIPS: For those out of state/area or who wish to show their support, $435 includes the full benefits of BSH membership and participation in up to four hunts each season.
MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS
BIG SKY HOUNDS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION First and Last Name: PhoneCity_______________________________________________________________State___________________Zip__________________Address:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Number:___________________________________________Cell:__________________________________________________ Email: _____________________________________________________ Preferred method of contact: ___________________________ SIGNATURE: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please choose your level of membership and return with payment and signed 2022 2023 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK AND ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY FORM. Though we prefer checks, we also accept all major credit cards, Venmo or Paypal. Online payments can be made at www.BigSkyHounds.com. Thank you! _____Subscribing Membership $85/adult, $50/junior (capping fees are then $75/$30 until you have capped ten times or full membership {$750/$300} is achieved.) _____Family Membership $1200 intended for couples and dependent children (Please list family members) _____Full Membership $835/adult or $350/junior (persons under 18 years old, in school full time, or in home) _____Supporting/Social/Out-of-Area Membership $435 (includes full membership and 4 member caps) _____“Friends of Christopher” SPONSORSHIP $1000 (Can be made payable directly to vendors, ask how) Renee Daniels Mantle, MFH (406) 579 4060 renee@montanahorses.com Lori Dooley, MFH (406) 580 7040 tlcservices145@gmail.com Elizabeth (Liz) Richards, Honorary Secretary (406) 599 0159 etgibby42@yahoo.com
SPONSORSHIPS: Please consider a “Friends of Christopher” sponsorship to support the BSH mission to provide exceptional care, quality food, and a resolute commitment to responsibly manage and love not only a working pack of hounds, but also retirees. Your contribution of $1000 goes directly to feed, vet, and house the hounds and can be paid directly to vendors, if you choose. You will be listed as a sponsor, provided with four guest passes for capping that season (limit two per individual) and be invited to sit on the “Christopher Committee” which meets at least twice a year to discuss the business of responsibly managing a pack of hounds, maintaining a viable hunt club, and cultivating a “culture of foxhunting.” Thank you for considering this important effort, essential to the future of BSH and the happiness and healthfulness of our heartbeats. (Sponsorships do not include membership and are not tax deductible.)
HUNTS/MEETS will be scheduled in Montana on most Wednesdays and Sundays from September to May. Fixture cards will be included in each monthly newsletter, be posted on the website calendar, and appear on the Big Sky Hounds Facebook page and BSH messenger updates. Hunts will proceed weather permitting and with a minimum of three riding participants (excluding huntsman), for the safety of the riders and the hounds Hunters must indicate their participation by 8pm the night prior and an announcement will be made indicating whether the meet will occur. If weather necessitates, a winter break may occur in January or February. Most meets will be in Montana BSH home hunt country (10 miles around kennels), with possible away or joint meets to be determined, depending upon member interest and funding. Additional fees may be assessed for meets occurring outside home territory to cover costs. Events will be scheduled throughout the year.
Have you started riding late in life, and the amount you need to know feels daunting?
Have you just bought your first horse or pony and it seems very different to perhaps the Riding School horse that was so familiar?
The problems only really starts when the subconscious mind won't let an incident go. It never becomes desensitized, routine or acceptable, without anxiety rearing its head. The subconscious mind has become trapped in the flight or fight response cycle. This is when the subconscious mind needs a helping hand, it just needs tweaking so that once again it sees things as they really are and lets those Note from Editor: This article was sent to me by Alan Shinwell, a representative of Sharon Shinwell, the creator of The Confident Rider Series of Self Hypnosis Audio Sessions for Nervous Riders. I thought it was timely, as I have been collecting stories about people who have “lost their riding mojo.” Big Sky Hounds has long been an avenue for gaining confidence while riding to hounds in a supportive environment. Though I have not looked closely into Ms. Shinwell’s program, I believe this is an excellent way to open the dialog about how we all can gain confidence while riding and overcome some of our fears. If you have a story about how you have either lost your confidence, or overcome your loss of confidence about riding, please share with us by emailing renee@montanahorses.com.
Do you feel that you are not achieving all that you and your horse are capable of, or you have lost your motivation to keep trying?
Do find yourself making excuses as to why you can’t ride today, tomorrow, in that area, or at that time?
Have you lost confidence riding or handling your horse or pony?
No one is saying that riding doesn't involve risk, that would be naïve, but generally speaking, on a day to day basis, if we assess those risks, take the necessary precautions and learn to understand the body language of horses (and don't ignore them), we are generally quite safe around horses. Time, patience and understanding usually reaps great rewards.
Our subconscious mind; which is vital for our survival, can often hang on to unwanted and unneeded memories, these become trigger points for fear, anxiety and tension, as our minds try to convince us that extra caution is needed something awful is about to happen!
How can YOU change things when you've lost your confidence?
Did you have an accident sometime in the past and now you are nervous about something similar happening again on perhaps even a different horse?
Have you just returned to riding after a long break, and your confidence is not what is was and this makes you tense?
From then on, every time you carry out this same activity, your subconscious mind will connect back to this incident and in an attempt to keep you safe, it will make you feel apprehensive about climbing on board. The good news is that in time, if you carry on using the block and nothing happens, your subconscious mind will eventually become desensitized to the situation; the process will become routine, acceptable and anxiety free. This happens in all walks of life from the first crossing of a busy road to a first driving lesson.
As riders we are all subject to periods of feeling anxious, scared and lack confidence to push ourselves to the next step.
For example, let's say that one day you were using a mounting block to get on your horse and just as you put your weight in the saddle the hose lurched to one side and you fell to the ground with a painful bump.
Fear can be very debilitating and can take all the fun out of riding. The fear we feel from the anticipation of something terrible happening, relates closely to the flight or fight response. Once this response has been created it can be quite hard to undo. That's because our mind (the unconscious part we are unaware of) is trying it's best to keep us safe, even when any danger has passed and even when it was only a' perceived' danger in the first place.
CONGRATULATIONS TO GRETCHEN PELHAM!
FOR SALE: TWO CITIZEN (miami) FOLDING BIKES. Great for throwing into a horse trailer (boat, plane) or the back seat to get around without unhooking. 6 speed Shimano gears, 20" tires in great shape, 32 lbs. steel frame, rear racks, carrying cases. One is graphite color, the other powder blue. $300/ea. or $550/both. (New, $425/ea.) Barely used, have been in storage so probably need oiled, but tires are good and aired. Located in Manhattan, MT. Call or text (406) 579 4060. old, negative reactions subside, back into proportion, leaving the conscious mind feeling positive, confident and able to function normally. Self Hypnosis can offer that helping hand. Self Hypnosis is a wonderful, gentle, non invasive, alternative therapy, that works in a holistic way with mind and body. Bringing together emotions, feelings, thoughts, physical and mental awareness into the here and now, using mindfulness techniques to calm the mind and let riders reach their full potential without fear and anxiety. You may not become the next Olympic gold medallist but you may enjoy the delights of riding down a country lane or popping over a course of jumps or doing a beginners dressage test, For many of us, this is as big an accomplishment as receiving an Olympic Gold Medal; It is to these people, I dedicate my website. People come to horse riding from all walks of life, sometimes it‘s the realisation of a childhood dream, sometimes the re kindling of a long lost hobby, or the interest arrives by accident, often through cross contamination... "if you can't beat them, you might as well join them", but we all have different stories to tell about our fears and anxieties and how they have affected our lives as horse riders. The fascination we have with the horses is so embedded and entrenched in our psyche as human beings, that often it is hard to explain to someone who has never been bitten by this bug, why those of us who have, are prepared to put ourselves through so much anguish, financial hardship, anxiety, fear and often discomfort to achieve our goals. Giving up riding altogether when things seem hopeless is often not a perceived option. In an attempt to hang on to a way of life that we feel lovingly entrapped in, we will continue to keep our treasured four legged friends as companions or pets, acknowledging inwardly that we feel frustrated with ourselves and helpless to make changes, but not knowing where to turn to so that we can begin to try to make those changes. Each day we hope that for some reason, something has changed, we live in the hope that just one day, the feelings of fear, and dread that prevents us from riding with confidence, will somehow disappear from our minds and bodies whilst we sleep through the night. We imagine the change could happen because the sun is shining on us, the wind has died down, the road works have finished, the litter has all been collected, that blooming dog is indoors; the jumps are more inviting; the poles are more solid; the cross country ditches are shallower, the ground is good, or the fences not so high; the dressage judge will miss that spook, you will remember to breathe, the horse strikes off on the right leg, or better still, the horse has read the dressage test beforehand!
The Confident Rider Series include downloadable Self Hypnosis sessions available for most disciplines as well as a Nervous Rider Action Plan. More information can be found at www.confident rider.co.uk
Gretchen has taken over Foxhunting Life. We wish Norm Fine a happy retirement and look forward to continued enjoyment of www.foxhuntinglife.com.
Gretchen is also publishing the series FOXHUNTING PRIMER, available in print and podcast, as well as conducting a six week Intro to Foxhunting Clinic in Nevada. Reach out to Gretchen at gdpelhamphillip@gmail.com for more information.
Friday, October 7th - 9am - MEET at Green’s Corrals (cowboy up), tailgate following Saturday, October 8th - 9am HUNTER PACE (Jackpot) at The Grain Bins on Reece Creek Rd., 4pm BBQ and CELEBRATION (casual) - David and Liz Richards Sunday, October 9th 9am Stirrup Cup, then BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS AND OPENING MEET (formal) from the kennels More event information will be posted on the website www.BigSkyHounds.com. Capping fees $100 or $75 for subscribing members. Hunter Pace will have two divisions, jumping and non jumping. Entry fees are $50, with 50% proceeds going into jackpot prize. BBQ Celebration is $40, casual outdoor attire appropriate. Junior rates and entry details posted online. Call Liz (406) 599 0159. Horses are available for lease. YENTYL
