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Because of college and earning a master’s degree, Tracey got out of horses for about nine years. When she started law school, however, one of Alan’s nurses suggested a Christmas present of riding lessons for his wife.

“I met Alan at Fairfax Hospital where I was working as a nurse practitioner. He wasn’t at all horsey,” recalls Tracey. “So it was all quite a shock. He noticed that I would ride in my lesson and the trainer would ask me if I could ride one of his. But my husband caught on quickly and decided the best way to spend time with me was to buy a horse and learn to ride.”

The lessons changed the course of their marriage, because that’s where Tracey met George Kuk, who introduced her to foxhunting.

“George let me ride one of his gray mares,” explains Tracey. “I hunted one time and was completely addicted. Immediately thereafter, I sought a foxhunter and got Clementine.”

Hunting with Middleburg initiated an abiding friendship with George and his then fancé, Devon Zebrovious, who has a passion for sidesaddle.

“Devon said, ‘Tracey, I want you to be in the wedding – will you please learn how to ride sidesaddle?’ She brought over a saddle one day and put it on Clem and said, ‘get on,’ ” recounts Tracey. “She had me walk, trot, canter and jump an X rail the frst time I ever sat on Clemmy on a sidesaddle.”

When Tracey andAlan returned from a ski vacation, Devon had a sidesaddle for Clementine and a habit she had purchased many years ago. Everything ft horse and rider perfectly. Clementine, of course, never batted an eyelash about making the transition to hunting and jumping aside. In fact, she had no problems ever,

no matter how tricky the footing or trappy the approach to a hunt jump.

“It never mattered to Clem,” states Tracey. “She gave so many other horses confdence in the hunt feld – young and old horses alike, new riders – everyone knew that Clementine would go. There was absolutely no question, ever. She went over every fence without hesitation, confdently and very kindly.”

Tracey is still riding to hounds, thanks to Devon and George. She’s dealing with her grief and doesn’t feel in any hurry to start looking for a replacement.

“Clementine has protected me and kept me safe the entire time I’ve hunted. She’ll be a tough act to follow,” says Tracey. “She has always taken care of me and watched over me – she is truly an angel.”

Clementine and Tracey harvested rosettes in the Ladies sidesaddle at Upperville (shown) and Warrenton. They won or placed in hunt night classes at Warrenton, to boot. In 2009 Clemmy and Tracey, representing Middleburg Hunt with George Kuk and Devon Zebrovious won the Hunt Teams of Three at Warrenton’s Hunt Night Photo by Lauren R Giannini