Hunt monitor - 540 687 5254

The Snickersville Hounds meet each Sunday and Wednesday or as weather permits during the season.

The Snickersville Hounds is a private hunt and prior permission is required. For Sundays, contact Colvin Ryan at 540-687-6564 or Todd Kern at 540-722-7219.  For Wednesdays, contact Todd Kern.

We hunt with the gracious permission of the landowners. That permission is not lightly given. Please stay off of seeded areas and keep to the heads of fields; close all gates; notify the Field Master of any damage and stay with the field. Trail riding is not permitted UNLESS you have landowner permission. Appropriate headgear and a suitable, well turned out mount is required. The hunt field is not a proper place to school green horses. Please observe proper hunting etiquette and above all, ride safely. Yield to hunt staff at all times. Observe these common sense requirements and you will always be welcome.

Hunt Policies:

• All Riders are expected to arrive in enough time to deal with the Secretary and be mounted before Hounds are turned out at beginning of Meet. Repeated Tardiness that holds up hunting will be handled at Master?s discretion.
• All Fields must stay behind the Field Master and in a fairly tight group. Any horse and rider unable to keep up or continue must notify the Field Master and drop back to second field or retire with permission.
• All conversation should be at low volume and kept to a minimum. No active cell phones and/or pagers are allowed in the field unless a rider is a practicing physician/veterinarian on call.  Exceptions to the rule only to be made with permission of Master on the day of Hunt.
• First field is for riders and horses capable of galloping and jumping coops, stone walls and various other jumps up to 3?6? in height. After a refusal, horses and riders must move aside and go to the back of the field. After more than three refusals the horse and rider should return to the second field. 
• Second Field is for riders and horses capable of galloping and crossing occasional small obstacles through rugged terrain.
• Members are responsible for guest?s etiquette, proper mount, cap fees, introductions to Field Master, and should accompany guest throughout the Hunt.
• Master and Staff must be given right of way at all times, always turning your horse so that its head is facing hounds and Staff as they pass.
• Members of the field are NEVER to speak to hounds without express permission from Master or Staff.
• All rails pulled or gates opened must be returned to their original position. Any damage must be reported to Field Master immediately.
• Always ride the perimeter of the field to preserve the landowner's crops and fields. Always slow and detour to avoid disturbing landowner's livestock.
• Only pass the horse and rider in front of you if they fail to keep up, otherwise stay in your position.
• If you receive permission from the Field Master to retire from the hunt early always stick to roads and the perimeter of the field and keep your pace at or below a controlled canter so as not to disrupt the landowner or the ongoing hunt. Having retired from the field, riders must return to the meet, where they may leave for home or wait for the hunt to end. Trail riding is expressly forbidden before, during and after the hunt without the permission of the MFH and the landowner.
• NEVER clean your trailer at a meet and always pick up your trash. Parking is often on wintering hayfields, therefore sweeping out ones trailer is not acceptable.
• All participants must possess a valid Virginia hunting license and a current Coggins for each horse.

Guest Policies:

• Guests are welcome to Hunt with Snickersville Hounds by invitation of current members or by contacting the Field Master or Huntsman.
• Guests must arrive well ahead of starting time to complete release forms and pay Capping fee.
• Individuals are limited to capping 4 times per season, and cap fees may be applied towards Dues.
• Guests awarded colors, or visiting staff may wear their hunt's colors.

Proper Turnout:

• Horses should be clean and fit.  Horses that may kick must wear appropriate ribbon and be ridden at the back of the field.  Horses that kick out at hounds will not be tolerated, or allowed back.
• English Tack should be clean, and well fitted.
• Cubbing attire for men and ladies is black or brown velvet Hunt cap, stock tie with plain gold pin or neck tie, tan breeches, tweed coat, long or short-sleeved shirt (only staff may wear red shirts), black or brown field boots.
• During Cubbing Season in severe hot weather the Master may waive jackets, in which case collared polo shirts will be allowed in any color other than red.
• We promote the guidelines noted in Mr. Wadsworth's book, Riding To Hounds in America for formal attire. Ratcatcher attire is always acceptable.

Snickersville Hounds In Trucks

Welcome to foxhunting! We love our sport, and are happy to meet anyone with an interest in foxhunting. Following the hunt by truck is a great way to participate in the excitement and beauty, without the expense and danger. If you ride and are considering hunting, you can see what is required from horse and rider, and evaluate your own skill levels. If you don't ride, it's a great way to enjoy our beautiful countryside and learn a little about the sport.

The Third Field

While you may think you are just out to observe a day of hunting, you are in fact participating in the hunt as the Third Field. The First Field are those riders who follow along behind the hounds, jumping fences as necessary to keep up. The Second Field, also called Hilltoppers, follow hounds without jumping, usually going through gates. The Third Field, also called Cartoppers, usually pick a vantage point from which they can see the action without interfering with the hounds (NEVER called "dogs") or huntsman (the fellow with the horn). All three fields are led by individuals called "Field Masters". 

Some Cartopping Etiquette

As hunt participants, you are expected to know and follow some hunting guidelines. By following these guidelines you will 1) ensure the safety of everyone involved in foxhunting, including horses and hounds; 2) not interfere with the day's sport; and 3) add to the day's enjoyment for everyone. While not a "team" sport, foxhunting is a "communal" sport, requiring everyone's cooperation for full enjoyment and safety.

Please review these guidelines, and ask your Field Master if you have any questions. We are eager to educate the public on the finer points of riding to hounds.

The Guidelines

1. FIELD MASTER: Your Field Master (who will be identified at the beginning of the hunt) is in charge of the Third Field, please follow his instructions.

2. THE PROPERTY: You are a guest on private property. The landowner does not gain financially or any other way by allowing us access to his property.  We hunt solely with his permission and good graces.  Please respect the land, livestock, crops, and any persons you may meet while cartopping. Please stay with the group. Our landowners know your Field Master, and he knows where we are welcome and not welcome. As a guest of the hunt, you must be escorted by your Field Master.
 
3. DISTRACTIONS: While we want you to enjoy a relaxing day, the bottom line is that we are hunting.  To avoid interfering with the hunt, you must remain quiet. Being able to hear hounds, often far away, is critical to understanding how the day's sport is progressing.  Please:
• Keep conversations to a minimum, and at a low volume. If your Field Master says "Hark!", that is a signal to cease all conversation immediately, in mid-sentence if necessary.  
• Turn off your cell phones, Blackberries, whatever, unless you are a doctor or veterinarian on call. You may not think a fox two fields away can hear your cell phone ringing in your pocket, but you would be wrong.
• Turn off your car engines while at a "check" (stopped).
4. CHILDREN: If you have children, please be sure they are old enough to keep quiet for a few minutes at a time. We love "young entry", and want to encourage their interest - we do not expect them to maintain absolute silence, but there will be times it is important to be quiet - they must be able to understand and obey requests for silence.
5. PETS: We love our dogs, too, but they absolutely do not belong in the hunt field, please leave them at home. It is not only disruptive to our hounds, who need to focus on their jobs, but the foxes will know your dog is with you, and you will end up "turning the fox", a foxhunting faux pas that could result in you being asked to leave. And do not leave them at the meet in someone's trailer. Barking/howling dogs are very distracting to our hounds, huntsman, and staff, who must listen very closely to know what is going on. 
6. DEPARTING: If you need to go in early, let your Field Master know. He may ask you to wait a few minutes, or go home a different way than you were planning, to avoid interfering with the hunt.
7. SMOKING: Please do not smoke in the hunt field.  Believe it or not, it can impact the ability of the hounds to   track the fox, and it can cover the fox's scent. In some weather conditions, it is also a potential fire hazard.

Again, welcome to the Snickersville Hounds in Trucks - please ask questions and enjoy your day!