A collection of thirty-two foxhunting stories populated by horses, hounds, challenging obstacles, and unforgettable personalities. Accompany Norman Fine to Ireland, England, Canada, and across the United States as he meets, hunts with, and is educated by the foremost Masters, huntsmen, hound breeders, and sporting historians of the last fifty years. Fine's stories, most of them previously published in the U.S. and England, are connected chronologically by new material in which the author explains how he came to meet these larger-than-life characters, what role they played in his development from horseman to foxhunter, and how he came to hunt with their hounds.

Foxhunting is in Melvin Poe's blood. As a child, he hunted with hounds owned by his grandfather and father in Rappahannock County, Virginia, and he became the professional huntsman for the Old Dominion Hounds for 16 seasons and the Orange County Hunt for 27 years. He is now, at age 82, in his eleventh year as huntsman for the Bath County Hounds. In 1979, Melvin was featured in the film documentary "Thoughts on Hunting. "Author Peter Winants, a lifelong foxhunter, has been the field master at Bath County since the founding of the hunt in 1992. His book ably captures the essence of one of the most legendary and colorful characters in American foxhunting. In addition to Melvin's upbringing, chapters deal with breeding and training foxhounds, his techniques in finding and hunting foxes and the strategies that have led to immense success through the years at hound shows. The final chapter, "Thanks, Melvin," has testimonials from a number of prominent foxhunters who have enjoyed sport with Melvin, including Benjamin H. Hardaway III, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Senator John W. Warner. Foxhunting With Melvin Poe is must reading for foxhunters and anyone who enjoys the countryside and nature.

Internationally renowned Master and huntsman Hugh J. Robards, MFH engagingly informs foxhunters, new or experienced, how to more fully absorb the drama of the hunt. What is the huntsman doing? Why does he do that? What about the whippers-in? The Field Master? The hounds? The fox? What problems do each encounter in the field during the course of a typical hunt? What decisions must they make? It may be a revelation to some, especially those who hunt to ride, but even while standing still, things are happening if you know what to look for and how to interpret what you see. By learning what to watch and listen for, field members can increase their awareness and thus their enjoyment of every hunting day.

Hounds and Hunting through the Ages remains the definitive volume for the foxhunter of all skill levels. This primer of foxhunting covers all aspects of the sport, from the history and technique of hunting, to the development, selection, breeding and training of hounds. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this edition contains a complete glossary of hunting terms. It also includes a Foreword by Mason Houghland, the author of Gone Away and contributor of numerous stories on foxhunting to national magazines, as well as an Introduction by the Earl of Lonsdale, himself a keen sportsman whose name would later be given to the Lonsdale clothing brand. Authoritative and comprehensive, this great modern classic of the chase remains one of the most famous books of our time on the whole art and sport of Foxhunting. An essential addition to any sporting library.

Hunting literature had its beginnings as early as the fourteenth century, when nobles hunted stag, bear, fox, and other game on horseback. As foxhunting grew in popularity, literary works that covered the sport flourished, as well. In Six Centuries of Foxhunting: An Annotated Bibliography, M. L. Biscotti has compiled all books produced in Great Britain and the United States that pertain to, or mention, foxhunting with hounds. Arranged alphabetically by author, more than 2000 titles are included. Each entry features details such as place and year of publication, publisher, book size, page count, illustrations, and binding. Nearly every title is also annotated with a description of the book’s contents, and biographical sketches are provided for the most notable authors. Narratives, histories, illustrated works, verse, fiction, and even anti-hunting literature all have their place in this volume. Six Centuries of Foxhunting also features more than thirty images of book covers and foxhunting illustrations. With appendixes that contain author, title, and illustrator time lines, and separate author and title indexes, this comprehensive bibliography is a valuable resource for researchers, book dealers and collectors, and foxhunters.

This oral history of foxhunting examines the mentors and influences of fifty people who have dedicated their lives to the sport of horse and hound. From the seventy some years of hound breeding experience of Melvin Poe, to the unusual story of a retired grandmother who decided to overcome her fear of horses and got her colors with Red Rock Hounds on her seventieth birthday, this oral history explores the depth and the breadth of foxhunting through the faces and voices of fifty different people who have been a tremendous influence on the sport or whose lives have been tremendously influenced by foxhunting. These oral histories are accompanied by beautiful black and white portraits taken by photographer Mary Kalergis.The recollected sights, sounds and scents of foxhunting shared within these pages are a feast for the senses and nourish the soul.