A Foxhunt at Fort Leavenworth

I belonged to the Fort Leavenworth Hunt Club for many years and rode as a visitor/observe and didn't jump. This Hunt Club hunted coyotes instead of the traditional foxes for two reasons.

First although foxes are what the hunt is about, coyotes are more fun because they make the hunt move at a faster and more exciting pace and they are run to ground and there is no killing.

Second there is a family of foxes resident to Fort Leavenworth, and they have their dens in the middle of the golf course. Folks let me tell you that the golf course on this Army Base is sacred and woe unto anyone who even thinks about the hunt and a minimum of 18 hounds in full cry chasing the fox and anywhere from 25 to 75 riders galloping full tilt across the greens.

If you were a civilian you would quickly wish yourself dead knowing if you work on post you have just become toast and if you were a military person or a military dependent you would be seeing your military future fade into the sunset with your next assignment in Greenland or someone not meant for humans.

Those foxes have prospered and know they can't be touched. They also had another good deal. There is a huge pond at the edge of the golf course that has a very large flock of ducks and geese that are also protected from human predators but are fair game for the foxes.

Now the ducks seem to realize they have the foxes to fear but nothing to fear from humans or even the vehicles they drive because next to the pond there is the main road on to the Fort. Across this road is another even larger pond and you certainly couldn't expect those ducks to ignore the pond on the other side. Remember the ducks are under the protection of the Base Commander who is a 3 Star General.

Picture this, the ducks decide to go to the other pond and to do this they must cross the road. Now do you think they plan this during the traffic light times, no way, it is always around 8 am or about 4 pm, during the rush hour traffic morning and evening. The ducks seem to line up and when the first one steps off the curb onto the roadway, traffic is halted in both directions until the last duck in the procession is safely on the other curb. There is even a "duck crossing" sign like the deer crossing signs to warn motorist. Nobody wants to be brought in before the commander to explain the vehicular homicide of a duck.

Well, back to the story of the hunt. I was riding an overweight grey Fox Trotter named "Sam". It was the opening hunt with both the Masters of the Hunt in attendance. The opening hunt is something to behold. All who ride with the hounds are appropriately attired in their jackets of the color they have earned. You don't just put on a melon jacket unless you have earned it. The color looks red but the proper term I believe is melon. You will find a lot of really nice people on the hunt but those who are full of themselves invented the term "snob". The opening hunt is a big and colorful even with a minister who says a prayer and blesses the hounds. Foxhounds are always hunted in pairs and the protocol for a formal hunt must include at least 9 pairs or 18 hounds.

I rode as a hill-topper (non-jumper) and not in hunt field dress with the group of people who follow the hunt but go through gates and take detours that don't involve jumping. My horse would have had a heart attack if he had to jump anything. We were riding along and I enjoyed visiting with all the people. One of the riders was from India and wore a turban. Fort Leavenworth has a large population of international military officers attending the Command General Staff College. All officers in the US Army must attend this school at a certain point in their career if they expect to ever be able to wear the stars of the rank of General Officer. During their year at the College, many join the ranks of horse owners. It is the "In thing" and for some, especially their spouses who otherwise are just there, belonging to the Hunt is a status symbol.

Now back to the ride, I was visiting with the other riders, when a strange lady of obviously great status rode up on her Thoroughbred hunter and asked me what kind of horse I was riding. I explained he was a Missouri Fox Trotter. She then looked down her nose at me and asked and I quote "Just what do Fox Trotters do?" And without missing a beat I replied: "They trot after foxes". Her face turned red and she turned her horse and rode off. The group around me tried very hard not to laugh but from their reaction I gather the lady was a harridan that terrorized new people who didn't meet her standards.

Now that you have heard to whole story, how would you have answered such a snob who was intent on putting down my horse and me and embarrassing me in front of a crowd? The really cool part was the fact that he was a Fox Trot Horse and my reply just popped out. "The devil made me do it" and I didn't feel any remorse. In fact I really enjoyed to moment of fame which was shortly changed  when Sam splashed water all over the rider from India and made a mess of his white outfit.  He laughed and said it was just one of the hazards of the hunt.  

Elsie 

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