Painting Tradition: The Blessing of the Hounds in Southern Pines

There are few sights more beautiful to me than horses, riders in their breeches, and a pack of hounds ready for the hunt on a crisp Thanksgiving morning. Combine all three, and what could possibly be better?!

As a child, my neighbors had horses, and I spent every spare minute admiring them — studying their movement, and learning the rhythm of their breath and stride. That early fascination grew into a passion for painting these magnificent animals and the traditions that surround them.

Each year, I’m drawn to the Blessing of the Hounds in Southern Pines, North Carolina, an event that perfectly captures the grace, energy, and community spirit of our region’s equestrian culture. The sight of the riders in their formal hunt attire, the hounds gathering in anticipation, and the sun filtering through the pines — it’s a living painting unfolding before my eyes.

Capturing the Spirit of the Day

There’s something magical about setting up my easel at dawn, with mist still hovering over the field and the first notes of the hunt horn echoing in the air. I try to capture not only the look of the scene but the feeling — the quiet reverence as the blessing is spoken, the flick of a horse’s ear, the flash of red hunt coats against the autumn golds and browns.

The Blessing of the Hounds is more than a visual feast — it’s a beloved tradition that dates back over a century. Each Thanksgiving morning, the Moore County Hounds gather at Buchan Field for the official start of the hunt season. The ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m., with a blessing offered over the horses, riders, and hounds for safety and good fortune in the season ahead.

Afterward, the hounds are released, the riders mount up, and the field comes alive with color, sound, and motion — it’s a painter’s dream.

This Year’s Event Details

If you’ve never attended, this is one of the most cherished Thanksgiving traditions in the Sandhills.

• Date: Thanksgiving Day

• Time: 10:00 a.m. (arrive early — parking and walking in can take an hour)

• Location: Buchan Field, Southern Pines, NC (parking at Lyell’s Meadow)

• Tailgating: Tailgate spots are extremely popular — all VIP tailgate spaces for this year’s event have been booked, but you can still find a great vantage point as a spectator. Bring a blanket, a thermos of coffee, and your camera or sketchbook — it’s worth it!

• Duration: The event typically wraps up around noon, just in time to head home for Thanksgiving dinner.

(Note: No pets are allowed at the event — best to leave them cozy at home.)

Even if you’re not a rider, the sense of history, tradition, and community is something special to experience. Families have been attending for generations, and newcomers are always welcomed warmly.

As a plein air artist, I’m always chasing light — but during this event, I’m also chasing energy. There’s a wonderful mix of calm ceremony and electric anticipation. The challenge is to capture motion and emotion before it changes: the hounds restless but disciplined, the riders poised, the crowd hushed.

Back in my studio, those quick sketches and color studies often become larger pieces that tell the story of the day — of horses gleaming in the early light, riders waiting for the signal, and that perfect blend of tradition and freedom that defines the Southern Pines horse country.

Every year, I feel grateful to be part of this community and to preserve its stories through my art.

So, if you’re in the area this Thanksgiving morning, come experience it for yourself. You’ll see history come alive — and maybe spot me somewhere near the fence line, paintbrush in hand, trying once again to capture the beauty of a moment that never gets old.

Always,

Pat