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UPPER FREEHOLD: Tally ho on the Assunpink trails

By Jane Meggitt, Special Writer
   UPPER FREEHOLD — If you’re a fan of the PBS hit series “Downton Abbey,” you’ll recall the foxhunting scenes, elegant British men and women on fine horses surrounded by hounds.
   A similar, more modern scene plays out here on during fall and winter with the Monmouth County Hunt Club.
   In existence since 1885 and based in the 5,000-acre Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, the club hunts in the Assunpink and on other properties Wednesdays and Sundays.
   Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on many of the Assunpink’s trails, and because club members had to clear away trees and debris from their own farms, hardly any foxhunting took place this fall. However, this month, the hunt once again has been out regularly.
   Meg Valnoski, of Upper Freehold, serves as the club’s master of foxhounds. The club has “25 couple of hounds,” which, in hunt parlance, means 50 canines. (Hounds are “coupled” with two leather collars connected by a short chain, which is why they are counted by twos.)
   There are about 20 club members who hunt regularly with about 45 total patrons, Ms. Valnoski said.
   ”Foxhunting is about our partnerships with our horses and the hounds and our camaraderie with friends,” Ms. Valnoski said. “The Monmouth County Hunt is part of a national organization, the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, that is committed to preserving the sport for future generations.”
   One of the biggest misconceptions about the sport, Ms. Valnoski, said, is that it is elitist and very fast-paced. While most people are on horseback, there also are people who follow in cars, she said.
   ”Today, people that fox hunt come from all backgrounds, but everyone comes together to enjoy riding cross-country in a beautiful area and hearing the ‘music of hounds,’” Ms. Valnoski said.
   There remains a great respect for the traditions of foxhunting, she said.
   ”Those that ride take great care to turn their horse for a day of hunting and to dress in traditional hunting clothing,” she said. “Today, people typically do not have grooms to help. They do it all themselves because they respect the history of the sport and want to preserve the traditions.”
   Club member Doug Raynor, of Upper Freehold, said the MCHC is an extension of the community, involving farmers, local horse people and longtime residents.
   ”It’s unique to have a foxhunt begun in 1885 based in our community,” Mr. Raynor said.
   Foxhunting traditions have a purpose that are generally rooted in safety, he said. For example, the required stock tie worn by riders can serve as a bandage for either a person or horse.
   ”The belt could be used as a leather if your stirrup breaks,” he said.
   Foxhunting is challenging both physically and mentally, Mr. Raynor said, noting, “it’s a lot more than running around in the woods.”
   Mr. Raynor said he especially enjoys watching the hounds work.
   ”I love to watch working dogs. It’s really fun to see a dog doing his job,” he said.
   In modern foxhunting, however, the focus is on the chase and the fox almost always gets away.
   It is extremely rare for a fox to be killed, Mr.Raynor said.
   While movie depictions of foxhunting usually show horses galloping and jumping at great speed, that isn’t always the case, Ms. Valnoski said.
   ”Although sometimes you do go fast, there are different levels for those following,” she said. “The ‘hilltoppers’ go much slower and follow at a distance. This is a great place for inexperienced horses or those that want to keep a slower pace. There are options for those following the hounds.”
   The biggest difference between foxhunting and many of the other equine pursuits found in the area is that foxhunting is not competitive, Ms. Valnoski said.
   ”You realize how much the horses really enjoy hunting, and you see many great partnerships formed in the hunt field,” she said. “Many people hunt the same horses for 10 years or more.”
   She added, “Horses that have hunted for a number of seasons will look and listen for hounds.”
   She noted horses don’t have to be the fastest or be able to jump the biggest fence to participate in this sport; they just have to safely carry you through the day.
   ”Today, we realize how important it is to find second careers for racehorses after their racing careers are through,” Ms. Valnoski said. “These horses can be some of the best hunting horses you will ever find.”
   Ms. Valnoski’s niece, Meghan, 21, of Allentown, began foxhunting when she was 8.
   ”I feel so lucky to have it be such a part of my life,” she said, noting that friends she has introduced to the sport are “mind-blown.”
   Her favorite part of foxhunting is watching so many hounds behave so well, she said. Her Thoroughbred gelding, Alvin, perks up whenever he knows he’s going hunting, she said.
   The club holds a foxhunting clinic each August. Ms. Valnoski said the exact date for 2013 has yet to be determined.
   The club’s spring hunter paces are scheduled for April 21, May 19 and June 9, and its fall paces are scheduled for Sept. 15 and Oct. 13. All paces are held in the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area.
   For more information, visit
www.monmouthcountyhunt.com.