LYMAN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — The baying of the hounds and the sound of the horn echo off the rambling hills of Rest and Be Thankful Farm. A fox hunt is underway, and it is a spectacular pageant against the peak fall foliage as riders in sharp red or black jackets race across the countryside.
The event, which was formalized by the 1600s, tests the ability of riders and houndsmen.
"You have to be able to ride, yes, definitely," Rachel Duffy of Nashua, New Hampshire, said. "You have to have a horse that can do what you want it to do when you want it to do it."
In this case, fox scent was sprayed along a difficult and predetermined course.
The hounds were released followed by riders in three groups. Flight One took all the jumps. Flight Two took most.
Hilltoppers cruised along and watched the hunt. These people may be new to the sport or acclimating a horse to the perils of the game.
