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Lure Coursing

This is the day that you have been waiting for. You’ve conditioned your hound and made certain that he had proper nutrition. You are excited to see if he will follow the lure.

     The huntmaster calls you to the starting line. You walk up to the start. Your normally sedate hound is straining at the leash. You stand at the starting line ... say a prayer that your sweet baby won’t embarrass you and just stand there.. you tell him to run safely....

     Your heart is pounding in your ears as the hunt master says “Judges are you ready?” The judges nod. “Lure operator are you ready?” The lure operator nods. “Handlers are you ready?” You think... "No" .... and nod ... “Yes”. The huntmaster moves his hand in a circle above his head... “Walk your dogs” You start to walk (more like stumble) with your now maniacal hound.. and say over and over to yourself, “Don’t fall... hold on.... hold on...” Finally, after what seems like an eternity you hear those blessed words “Tally-Ho”. You let go of the slip lead, your heart still pounding. Looking up, you see your normally calm, reserved greyhound, stretched out as if he could fly. Every muscle in his body ripples as he races at high speed around the course after the lure.

     You barely notice that there are other people within a mile of you! Finally, you remember to close your mouth, which until this point was wide open in sheer awe. You walk toward the finish... completely unaware of anything but your own heartbeat in your ears and your beautiful work-of-art making his way towards you. Have you even breathed in this minute? He races to the finish, and the huntmaster brings you back to reality “Retrieve your hound”. You run to get your hound, whose pupils are dilated and chest is heaving. He is very pleased that he has finally caught “the bunny” which you have to pry from his mouth. Making a mental note, you promise yourself that you will never tell him that this “bunny” is just three plastic kitchen garbage bags.

     You can’t believe that you were ever concerned. Watching your normally sedate hound turn into the true hunter that thousands of years of instinct dictates has given you a new respect for this ancient breed who shares your house. You walk away from the finish line, grinning ear to ear and shaking your head. Your mind is racing and you are hooked. "When will he be ready to certify?" ... "When is the next trial?" ... Welcome to the world of lure coursing!