Southern Pines' Horse Country Runs on Two Calendars This Fall

The Moore County Hounds' season opened October 1 and runs through March 31, with fall hunting in October in informal "Ratcatcher" dress. On the Walthour-Moss Foundation, the hunt goes out on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The meet times and locations are printed on a fixture card that the Masters mail to invited members. So a walker on the sandy lanes off Mile Away Farm Lane can know which days the hounds may be out but not what time.

That split shapes a Southern Pines fall. One calendar is private and moves by invitation. The other is a short list of public dates, from a Sunday trail-clearing crew to a carriage parade down Broad Street. Knowing both makes October through December easier to plan, whether you ride, walk or just like watching hounds cross a field.

The Schedule That Stays in the Mailbox

The Moore County Hounds describe themselves as a private pack. On their hunting page they say plainly that "No one may hunt with Moore County Hounds without a written invitation, which is sent each year by the Masters." To ride, an invited member needs a signed liability waiver for the current season, a North Carolina hunting license and a current negative Coggins for each horse. A guest has to be registered by a member or officer.

The pack splits its week by territory. Walthour-Moss gets Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, plus junior hunts over the holidays. The Hoffman game lands get Mondays and bye days. Even members are told to "Check your fixture card and hunt recorder for final locations." The schedule changes as the season goes on, and a second fixture card goes out mid-season.

The land is a different matter. The Moore County Hounds hunt the Foundation's 4,000 acres under a cooperative agreement, and the Foundation keeps its trails open "from sunup to sundown each day." The ground is shared all season, and the hunt schedule is the part that stays private.

What the Foundation's Rules Mean on a Hunt Day

The Foundation's rules matter most in fall, when hounds and the public use the same lanes. The visitor page says, "Only equestrians and pedestrians allowed in WMF," and "Bicycles are not allowed in WMF." The posted land use policies add these rules:

• "No dogs allowed." The one exception is foxhounds owned by a Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America member hunt that are hunting or training "under the direct control of a qualified huntsman and staff."
• "Sign a WMF risk/release waiver annually."
• "Carry a cell phone."
• "No unauthorized Vehicles," "No smoking or fires of any kind," "No alcohol or picnicking," and "No firearms."
• "No littering: Pack it in, Pack it out."
• Protective headgear is "strongly recommended."

The dog rule matters most on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday morning. The only dogs allowed on Foundation land are hunt foxhounds under a huntsman's control. The Foundation also asks visitors to know the 911 location markers at each major fire lane intersection, so you can tell emergency crews where you are.

The hunt's own etiquette page puts its first rule in capitals:

"HOUNDS ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY."

That rule, and the instructions after it, are written for mounted members of the field. If a rider meets hunt staff, the guidance is to "Step off the trail and turn your horse's head to the Staff." If there isn't room, the rider should "walk forward steadily" and "Do Not Stop." The Moore County Hounds don't publish a separate protocol for walkers or runners. That is one more reason the posted hunt days are useful to anyone planning a morning on foot.

The One Sunday Riders Have to Wait

The one trail closure still ahead on the Foundation's fall calendar comes from volunteers, not the hunt. The Walthour-Moss Bushwhacker Club meets on Sunday, October 18, to clear summer storm debris from the trails. The volunteer day runs from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Foundation's events page says "No experience is necessary and all are welcome." Donuts and coffee are provided in the morning and lunch in the afternoon. To sign up, email Landon at [email protected].

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day, the trails are closed to all riders and carriage drivers, so the crew can work safely. If you usually hack out on a Sunday, plan for an afternoon ride or a morning with a pair of loppers.

The Foundation's other fall program is far less strict about where you go. The 100 Miles for Moss virtual challenge, now in its seventh year, runs September 1 through December 31, 2026. Participants log miles on horseback, on foot, by bike, by carriage or any mix, and earn a commemorative medal when they reach 100. The Foundation says "Mileage may be completed anywhere," in a dressage ring or on a morning run. Cyclists are the one exception inside Walthour-Moss itself. As of October 12, about 11 weeks of the window remain.

Thanksgiving Morning, When the Private Pack Opens Its Gates

Most of the fall hunt calendar is private. Thanksgiving is the exception. This year, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, and that morning the Moore County Hounds hold their formal Opening Meet and invite the public to the Blessing of the Hounds. The hunt says the gathering draws more than 1,000 spectators.

Based on the hunt's own description, the morning goes like this:

1. Riders arrive around 10 a.m. The joint masters and hunt staff wear scarlet jackets. The rest of the field wears traditional foxhunting attire.
2. The hounds come in. Huntsman Lincoln Sadler leads in the pack of Penn-Marydel hounds, a breed known for its scenting ability.
3. The blessing. At Cameron's Meadow, Father Tom Harbold presides and offers a prayer from St. Hubert, the patron saint of hunting, asking protection for rider, horse and hound.
4. The fields split. The riders divide into three groups, each behind a joint field master, and the horn starts the hunt.
5. The departure. Hounds and riders leave Buchan Field for the piney woods of Walthour-Moss.

The Pines Times calendar lists the 2026 event at Cameron's Meadow–Buchan Field, 225 Mile Away Farm Lane, from 7 a.m. to noon. Its event description repeats last year's advice to allow at least an hour to park at Lyell's Meadow and walk to Buchan Field before a 10 a.m. blessing. It also says dogs and pets are not allowed, and that anyone who wants a front tailgate spot should contact the Moore County Hounds about a limited number of VIP spaces. That description still says "Thursday, November 27th" from last year's listing, so treat the parking and timing details as the usual pattern and check the Moore County Hounds' site before you leave the turkey in the oven.

The Rest of the Public Calendar

Around the hunt's private schedule, the public fall plays out on show grounds and, by December, on Broad Street. Moore County Driving Club events take place at Big Sky in Southern Pines and downtown. Carolina Horse Park events are in Raeford, at 2814 Montrose Road.

Carolina Horse Park says it welcomes spectators and families and that admission is free to most events. "Most" doesn't mean all, so check the event page before you drive down. The War Horse Championships are the most spectator-friendly weekend of the fall, with dressage, show jumping and cross-country all on one card.

The season ends downtown. For the Christmas Carriage Parade, carriages gather at Gallagher's Field and leave under police escort through historic Southern Pines. The Pines Times lists the parade from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on December 12 and says spectators can "Line up anywhere along Broad Street." That half hour is about the shortest event on the calendar and the easiest to get to.

More Land on the Way

The shared ground is getting bigger. The Pilot reported that the Walthour-Moss Foundation acquired more than 60 acres near Youngs Road and U.S. 1 in Vass. That brings its conserved total past 4,258 acres. The new tract will open for public use once it is joined to the adjoining Foundation land.

Farther out, The Pilot's coverage of the proposed Equine State Trail describes a route of roughly 350 miles across eight counties. Its Moore County segment, about 25 miles, could connect with Walthour-Moss and other conserved land. For now the route is still a proposal.

Jamie McDevitt rides in this horse country and sponsors the Prancing Horse Farm Tour, so the fixture-card season and the Thanksgiving crowd at Buchan Field are part of a year she knows well. If you want to talk about horse property near the Walthour-Moss lanes, or which Southern Pines farms back up to them, McDevitt Town & Country Properties is glad to help. Let's Connect.