Safety is always paramount, and there are many things you can do to help ensure your own safety as well as the safety of others. Please read the following guidelines and familiarize yourself with them before you come out to hunt.

• Hunt Cap with harness is recommended for Adults and MANDATORY for juniors under 18.
• Inspect your horse and equipment before mounting, giving special attention to your girth and curb chain. Safety is paramount.

These guidelines are in place to help keep everyone safe and provide an enjoyable day of sport in our hunt field.

• The Master of Fox Hounds (MFH) is in charge in the field; to help him are a huntsman and two or more whips. Give these officers complete right of way and obey requests promptly and willingly. Be far enough away so as not to interfere with their work and do not attempt to assist them unless asked to do so. Ask all the questions you want.
• Do not over-ride your Field Master! You will crowd or over-ride the main body of hounds. In overtaking straggler hounds, give them as wide a berth as possible to avoid any chance of stepping on them.

Most foxhunting protocol is based on the need for safety in the hunt field. Unless a "newbie" commits a serious infraction (like kicking or actually running into somebody), most people are polite enough to overlook a few minor errors. After all, nobody's perfect!

General considerations

When starting out with the hunt it is not required you have all the correct attire and appointments but please come with neat, tidy well fitting tack and attire. Hunt caps and boots with a heel are required. Hunt caps should fit well regardless of whether they have a harness or not. Long hair is best contained in a hair net.

Ideally, each rider should wear spurs and carry a whip. Cell phones, or radios should be carried only with a Master's permission. Saddle flasks, sandwich cases, fence tools, camera cases, etc. should be unobtrusive. Try to keep appearances neat, clean and workman-like.

Every sport has it's own unique terminology and the hunt sport is no exception. Following are a number of commonly used terms that you may hear in the hunt field.