GLOSSARY p2of3 - Foxhunting in Virginia
Foxhunting in Ol' Virginny
Glossary p.2/3 (M-Z)
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General Terms A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Top | Commands | Signals | Hound Commands

"M" stands for "MAMA!" -- the silent cry nearly uttered on the descent in response to "C".
Manners Deportment of hounds, horses, and members of the hunt field.
Mark to Ground Hounds indicate that a fox has gone to ground by giving tongue and digging (worrying) at an earth.
Mask Fox's head or face.
Master Master of Foxhounds, MFH. Individual in charge of hunt operations in field and kennels.
Meet Assembling of a hunt on a given day. See Fixture.
MFH Master of Foxhounds. See Master.
MFHA Masters of Foxhounds Association. Foxhunting's governing body.
Mob To surrond and kill a fox before it has a chance to run. Also, Chop.
Mouthy A babbler, a noisy hound.
Move Off Hounds, staff, and field head out to begin the hunt.
Music See Hound Music.
Mute When a hound follows a line without giving tongue.
Muzzle Hound's nose & mouth.

"N" stands for
"NEVER AGAIN!" -- a promise to oneself after saying "E".
Noisy A babbler, a mouthy hound.
Nose Hound's ability to detect and interpret scent.

"O" stands for "OH, FUDGE!" -- the last thing one remembers saying before uttering "H".
Open A hound first gives tongue on a line.
Open Cubbing Cub hunting during the few weeks before the regular season when the membership is usually welcome to participate.
Out Cross Infusion of new blood in line breeding.
Override To press hounds too closely, especially at a check. Also, to get in front of a Field Master during a run. Both are bad manners.
Overrun Hounds shoot past a change in the line of scent.
Own the Line A hound speaks to or honors a line.

"P" stands for "PLEASE" -- a term used in response to an offer of a touch from a flask, usually following "F".
Pack All the hounds owned by the Hunt. Also, the group of hounds taken to hunt on a given day.
Pack Sense Hounds working well as a group, honoring each other, running in mass.
Pad Fox's foot. Also, the center cushion of a hounds foot.
Panel Jumpable section of a fence, or a jump built into a fence line which will keep livestock in.
Paneling Installing jumps and gates and clearing trails to facilitate cross-country riding.
Pie A cream or fawn hound color. Badger-pie: legs, head, belly, and tail of cream while ears and back shade into black with ligher badger-colored hair tips. Hare-pie: similar,but hairs shade to brown, ends are a lighter hare color.
Pink The red/scarlet coat with white breeches ensemble, not the color of the coat.
Pipe Branch tunnel/hole in an earth.
Point Distance covered during a run as the crow flies. Also, place where a whipper-in is sent to watch for a fox.
Point-to-Point Annual fund-raising horse races sponsored by the hunt. Sponsorships are our bread & butter. Early versions had only the start and finish defined, riders picked their own routes (an "old fashioned").
Popper The piece at the very end of a hunting whip which makes the cracking noise. Also, cracker or lash.
Puer Hound dung.
Pup Young fox, cub, kit.
Puppy Young hound who has not yet been entered.
Puppy Walking Taking a young puppy to raise for the summer to civilize it until it's returned to the kennels for pack training.

"Q" stands for
"QUIT FOR THE DAY" -- what one one does after "H".
Quarry The hunted animal: fox or coyote.

"R" stands for "RING" -- the sound in ones ears after "H".
Rat Shot #11 or #12 shot (salt-size) shot in a .22cal revolver used to alert (the bang) or punish (the sting) hounds for rioting. Used when a hunting whip would be inadequate.
Ratcatcher Informal hunting attire.
Rate A warning cry to warn or punish hounds or sometimes staff.
Rat-Tailed Horse or hound having few long hairs on its tail
Recover To pick up the scent line after a check.
Refuse Horse stopping in front of a jump.
Ride Trail, path, or lane cut through woods.
Ringing Fox One which runs in a circle never very far from where it was found. A ringer.
Riot When hounds chase anything they shouldn't.
Riotous Undisciplined hounds which persist in riot.
Rising Scent When scenting is poor at ground level but scent is detectable at riders' height.
Run The time when hounds are actively hunting a line, from the time they open until they lose it for good.

"S" stands for "STAND" -- the interesting process that follows "H".
Sab
(see also:
Hunt Saboteur)
Misguided individual intent on spoiling foxhunters' sport by interferience with hounds, fox, horses, scent line, etc. or by violence and intimidation against participants, bystanders, staff, and facilities; and they often break the law in doing so. Sabs range from self-righteous animal-rights activists to paid thugs who commit atrocities in the name of anti-foxhunting. (Note: these animals hunt in packs, since they are cowardly by nature; and their leadership are often politically motivated.)
Scarlet Proper term for the color of a red coat.
Scat Fox droppings. Billett.
Scent The distinctive musky odor a fox left on the ground, grass, foliage, and in the air. Formed by glands at the base of the brush and between the toes, urine, scat, and perspiration.
Scenting The ability of hounds to follow a scent trail on a given day as a function of weather: moisture, temperature, wind, etc. This is separate from nose, the skill of the hounds themselves.
Sculk A group of foxes.
Second Field Followers who do not plan to jump but who try to keep up with the first field.
Skirter A hound or field member who doesn't follow the line but cuts corners.
Soft Mouth A low-voiced, bell-toned hound.
Spar A New Zeland term for a piece of wood attached to a top wire to facilitate jumping. (See: Irish Jump under BRH Terms)
Speak To give tongue when on the scent.
Spotty When scenting is uneven.
Staff Huntsman, whippers-in, and kennelman.
Paid: professional. Unpaid: honorary.
Stained A line fouled by other animals.
Stale Line Weak scent line due to elapsed time.
Staying Power Stamina or endurance.
Steady A hound that is not flighty or flashy. Also, a huntsman steadies his hounds when they are uncertain.
Stern Hound's tail.
Stick, Ability to Gameness of a hound.
Stirrup Cup Libation served to mounted followers before they move off. Also a style of cup with a fox's head (usually) as its base.
Stop Hounds Staff calls-off hounds going into impassable or forbidden territory or onto a highway using voice or whip.
Strike To find the scent of a fox.
Strike Hound Hound that found the scent first.
Stud Book Record of names, dates of entry, and breeding records of all hounds in the pack.

"T" stands for

"TOSS" -- what one has gotten if unable to utter "C" and preceding "F" or "H". Landed ahead: "took a header." Landed behind: "came a crupper."

Tab The leather piece at the end of a hunting whip's crop to which the thong is attached. Also, keeper.
Tag White tip on a red-fox's brush.
Tailgate Informal snacks after a hunt.
Tail Hounds Hounds running at the back of a pack.
Tally Ho A fox has been viewed. See: Signals in the Field.
Tally Ho Wagon Vehicle with unmounted followers and refreshments aboard.
Thong The braided part of a hunting whip.
Thruster Thoughtless, nuisance rider who larks and overrides hounds, other riders, or the Field Master.
Timber A jumpable obstacle made of wood.
Trail Clearing When new trails are hacked or old trails improved during the off-season.
Trail Ride An off-season social fund-raiser where members, guests, and visitors can ride through hunting country.

"U" stands for "UNDER THE WEATHER" -- what one will be for a couple of days following a "T" without sufficient "Y".
Uniform Attire for members of the field.

"V" stands for "VICTORY" -- the feeling one has after a long, hard day without encountering a "T".
View To see (or sight of) the fox, making sure that it is a fox.
Voice See Cry.
Vixen Female fox.

"W" stands for "WHOOOEEE!" -- the thought that precedes hollering "C".
Walk, At Puppies are sent to farms to be raised at liberty and broken off chasing farm animals then returned to the pack.
Whelp A young puppy. Also, to give birth to a puppy.
Whip Hunting whip. Also, incorrect shorthand for a Whipper-In.
Whip-In To act as a Whipper-In.
Whipper-In Staff who assists the huntsman with hounds, usually going out ahead to watch for a fox going away or to keep hounds off a highway.
Work a Line Search for the scent and follow it along the fox's track.

"X" stands for "X-RAY" -- what one gets after "H".

"Y" stands for "YOUTH" -- what one wishes one had more of after a "T".
Young Entry Young hounds and young riders hunting for the first time.

"Z" stands for "ZOO" -- Any other hunt's field when capping with them for the first time.
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