White Thongs

[Bailey1994]

I hope you did not get the wriong idea from the title. haha Any way who uses/is allowed to use white things on thier hunt whips. I love being very traditional and proper but I have been wondering aabout the white thongs. Anyone?

[Equibrit]

Staff.

[Beverley]

Professional staff.

[ab06]

Professional staff.

Ditto.

[JSwan]

Black for members of the field without colors, and member of the clergy.
Blue for members with colors
Red for honorary staff
White for professional staff.
Green for juniors

I think that's right.

[Badger]

I think JSwan is talking about poppers, not thongs.

A white thong is appropriate for professional staff only.

[JSwan]

Argh!! (smacks head)

Yes, I am thinking of poppers:lol:

[promlightshine]

So, a few years ago I ordered a hunt whip off ebay. I love the wood handle. One little problem??? -the lash is red.

Anyway, I am always amazed when details such as these arise. Is there a single source or resource (other than the much respected resources on this board :)?

I really think that these traditions are very interesting.

[JSwan]

Are you sure that's a hunt whip? Or could it have been a hunt whip for um.... well... I'm blushing....:lol::lol:

I think the "bible" for foxhunting in North America is the Wadsworth booklet. It only costs 5$. I think you can get it at the MFHA website, tack stores, Amazon, etc.

[SidesaddleRider]

Yes, white thongs are for professional staff only (with a white popper to match).

Black for members of the field without colors, and member of the clergy.
Blue for members with colors
Red for honorary staff
White for professional staff.
Green for juniors

I think that's right.

Almost! It's black for clergy, blue for regular members of the field and ladies with colors, and red for gentlemen with colors and honorary staff.

[Painted Wings]

I have a great source for thongs, both white and brown. Genuine Kangaroo leather. Price is about $100 for any length, depends on exchange rate. It's a guy in the Neatherlands.

His email is.

beekman-lintelo@wanadoo.nl

Name is Ad Beekman

Great to deal with and fast delivery. I used Paypal to pay him. I got his name from our huntsman and she is very particular on her whips. Makes her own handles even.

[Jumphigh83]

I saw the title and wanted to reply "I prefer nude briefs"...there was quite a lively thread on the subject (underwear not whip thongs) on Hunter/Jumper....:lol:

[JSwan]

Yes, white thongs are for professional staff only (with a white popper to match).



Almost! It's black for clergy, blue for regular members of the field and ladies with colors, and red for gentlemen with colors and honorary staff.


I blame the lack of my morning coffee for my screwup!:lol: I know better - I even included new poppers in little gift baggies for members one year.

I wonder if anyone is ever surprised that clergymen/women foxhunt.

[Beverley]

Argh!! (smacks head)

Yes, I am thinking of poppers:lol:

Funny, I was told by several different masters and huntsmen to lose that 'fake' popper as soon as possible in favor of a 'real' popper, color unimportant, so that one would have a serviceable whip when needed (NEVER to be used by a field member without specific direction by Master or huntsman). Mine have always been white, pretty much. But, these days with baling twine coming in all sorts of cool colors one can make a 'real' popper to the appropriate color code!

[SidesaddleRider]

Mine have always been white, pretty much. But, these days with baling twine coming in all sorts of cool colors one can make a 'real' popper to the appropriate color code!

Yes, MTE has a large assortment of PINK poppers in stock, made out of plastic baling twine! I almost got one, as I do LOVE pink. ;)

I must say, those DO crack a lot better than the "real ones".

[Badger]

Baling twine? What's involved in making a popper out of baling twine?

[Beverley]

Baling twine? What's involved in making a popper out of baling twine?

The instructions I use were posted on FOL 10 years ago, by Jos:

"Attach it to the eye of your thong using a "sheet bend" knot, or braid it
in and then "sheet bend" it, if a horse has shortened your thong by
stepping on it! This process will be made easier and more secure if you
soak the thong in water first to get it very supple. Then tie 3 overhand
knots in the twine, about a hand apart, the first one being about a hand
down from the end of the thong. This stops the twine from fraying during
repeated cracking."

Note only the plastic twine should be used, not the old sisal stuff (if it even exists anywhere, any more).

[JSwan]

Ok - I was wondering how you keep the twine from fraying! That gives us a whole new palette to choose from! I think my twine is orange. (last year some of my hay was baled with sisal - I used it in the garden and to make.. geez... at the risk of offending someone... "a bundle of sticks tied with sisal" for the woodstove. )

[Badger]

So you can add to your list:

Orange twine popper: for foxhunters who are ingenious and resourceful and cheap

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Speaking of poppers... I usually carry a my hunt whip (graced with a GREEN popper, courtesy of rivenoak--is green the official color for riders who are likely to be a bit seasick in the saddle? :lol:) while I'm out trail riding in the neighborhood in case we encounter a loose dog (very, very seldom, and almost never interested in harassing us, anyway), and I usually practice cracking it now & then just to keep the horses used to the sound & to try to get more than a pusillanimous "twup" out of it...

Last week, while practicing, I managed to get the fringe of the popper stuck to the velcro on my glove.

:rolleyes:

Didn't *I* feel special!!!

[Painted Wings]

I had a yellow popper on the whip I use for Basseting. Last year, over the season of crawling though barbed wire fences and such, I totally lost my popper and now it just has the piece of rawhide it was tied to remaining. It cracks sufficiently to terrorize a basset so I haven't messed with it. I might try making one from baling twine though.

Our huntsman makes beautiful poppers that are just off white. They crack really well. I use that on my staghorn whip I use for mounted hunting.

I've found it's easiest to have two whips as I prefer different thong lengths for mounted vs. unmounted.

[Bailey1994]

Thank you for clearing up my question about white thongs! I also thought was very interesting about the poper colors. Now for my next question. What is the most proper way to carry your hunt whip? Should your role it up like a lasso or leave it hang down?
Thanks

PS I dont think the little brown book Riding to Hounds in America is the best source they inaccuratly describe the number of buttons that should be on your hunt coats.

[JSwan]

The only reason you should dangle it is if you need to keep a hound away from your horse. (if you're on a green horse and you don't want a hound running underneath it for example)

You should only use the whip (crack it) under direction of the Master, staff or the huntsman. I don't even carry mine most of the time. It's just one more thing for me to drop.

So keep it rolled up.

[tazz001]

I was hoping the OP hadn't split their britches...LOL

[Griffyn]

I too assumed it was an underpants question, in which case I say- white thongs no! But glad the hunt community has not gone so far as to put out a rule book on underwear!

[Painted Wings]

I too assumed it was an underpants question, in which case I say- white thongs no! But glad the hunt community has not gone so far as to put out a rule book on underwear!



Well, you know, the hunt community is all about "proper attire" and that starts at the bottom.