From: David
Dear Jessica, thank you for this wonderful service! I learn something new every week. Now I have a question of my own. I have been invited to visit some friends at the end of the summer, and they will lend me a horse to ride so that I can go fox-hunting with them. They sent me a list of information including what to wear, so I feel fairly confident about looking the part. But there was one line that confused me, that said Capping Fee $35. I don't want to appear ignorant and keep pestering my friends for more information, so I thought I would pester you instead. :-) Can you tell me what this fee is?
David
Don't worry, you won't appear ignorant -- I can answer this for you. ;-) Regular members of a hunt are called hunt subscribers, and they pay an annual subscription -- a yearly sum that varies from hunt to hunt, and also varies according to how often the hunt meets, and how often each member hunts. Some members hunt no more than two or three times (and attend the hunt ball) during a season; some hunt weekly; some hunt twice a week; some never miss a day. In any case, this is how hunt members pay! Visitors to the hunt must (usually) be invited by a member of the hunt, and each visitor pays a fee for each day of hunting. That is called the "capping fee", because in the old days, the Hunt Secretary would circulate among the visitors, collecting the day's fee in his cap.
Jessica
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