this is a great read....

[toplamper 5]

A typical open-field course.

 

I hope you don't mind my taking you back twenty years to a day when I climbed a stone wall on the crest of the hill and there before me was a large, steep sided valley. Scanning the valley for any sign of life, I noticed a hare directly across the valley, possibly half a mile from where I was standing. The hare was scratching around in the snow, looking for a root. The brownish red of the hare stood out against the pure white of the snow and made the hare look as though she was only in the next field but I wasn't deceived. I'd walked the land a hundred times and knew the half-mile was more like three-quarters when the curve of the valley floor was taken into consideration.

 

The lurcher saw the hare too.

 

My lurcher, Pockets, saw the hare too. However, he didn't give chase. He studied the hare and waited, wise old lurcher that he was. With ears pricked and with the hare firmly fixed in his gaze, Pockets studied the hare. Then in a low voice I gave the command 'go-on'. I didn't have to repeat myself. He set off down the side of the valley at no more than a forced walk. At the base of the valley he hopped over a dry stone wall and increased his pace to a canter, that's if a dog can canter. Up the field he went, still at the canter. The hare must have been unsighted until he jumped the next wall, which put Pockets in the same field as the hare. Now time dims even the keenest memory but I don't believe the dog increased his pace even though he was now no more than a couple of hundred yards from the hare. He kept his cool.

 

The Hare sat up.

 

The hare sat up, and there was a moment of indecision before she set off across the field. Now the hare didn't put her ears back and fly. Oh, she was running hard, right enough, but not flat out and neither was the lurcher. He kept his pace too. The hare used the slope of the hill to advantage for while the dog was running uphill she made down the valley side, roughly in my direction. Pockets put on another gear and closed on the hare. Now the course really was on.

 

An impressive sight.

 

I watched from my vantage point on the hill as the dog went into a full gallop, I was thrilled to the core to see the hare and dog twisting, tuning, bending against the virgin snow and each time they turned a flurry of snow shot up into the air. What an impressive sight. Now, Pockets 'got-in' behind the hare and after a few turns where the hare made no headway she had no option but to start spinning in an effort to shake off the lurcher. Nine times out of ten, when a hare starts to spin - the contest is all but over. From the pace the dog had set as he got-in behind the hare, he produced an extra bust of speed. This took the hare completely by surprise. The battle was won.

[allgame 0]

ya good read, i always love it when you run a dog in slightly flooded paddocks and waters flying everywhere

[toplamper 5]

same when ya run then on freshly done field [bANNED TEXT] its all like dust lol

[Guest lamping356]

interesting

[toplamper 5]

lol just fort it would be a nice read lol

[ferreter.al 22]

good read mate cheers atb

[toplamper 5]

ill try and find some more storys if you all would like up to you lot like just post a comment and tell me

[ferreter.al 22]

that would be sound mate!

[toplamper 5]

ok lol

[Richie10 345]

Nice read, but you never hear the stories of the great course then the hare actually escaping.

[toplamper 5]

happend to me all the time pre ban lol haha