Horses, hounds, and boxing day
We observed our Christmas eve tradition of a late afternoon horseback ride in the foothills this year, complete with horses and hound (Blue Heeler). I doubt we looked as snappy as these members of the Atherstone hunt leaving the main square in Market Bosworth, England, today for their traditional Boxing Day hunt.
There wasn't a red coat among our party, but sheepskin coats and cowboy hats instead!
Traditionally, Boxing Day (wiki) is a day for fox hunting. Horse riders dressed in red and white riding gear with a pack of hounds chase foxes through the country side. However, the tradition of the December 26th hunt is changing. Fox hunting is slowly dying out due to the growing support for the fox.
Celebrated in many commonwealth and European countries, Boxing Day is also called the Second Day of Christmas, St. Stephen's Day, and Wren's Day. A practice known as Hunt the Wren is still practiced by some in the Isle of Man (wiki), where people thrash out wrens from hedgerows. Traditionally their feathers presented to households for good luck.
Winding among the big Ponderosa on our Christmas Eve ride, our jinglebob spurs accompanied the clip-clop of the horse's hooves and our meager attempts to sing The Twelve Days of Christmas. We never made it past five golden rings and had to catch our breathe from all of the laughing. Not knowing the words to Christmas carols is another tradition around here, it seems! Matilda the tenacious Heeler thrashed out several jackrabbits along with a cackling pair of piñon jays. As they beat out of the juniper in a fury of bright blue wings, it was difficult to determine exactly who was hunting who.
Happy holidays and happy Boxer Day, all!
Sources: CNN International
Photo Credts: Rui Vieira; growlingjackdyson
