Why did I sign up for this? I ask myself as I hit the snooze just one more time. I dread these early mornings; the alarm piercing the silence at 4, the dark and quiet house, the damp chill in the air, and the long drive to the stables through the empty, menacing Johannesburg city streets towards the northern suburbs. Tacking up is hurried, and then we have an hour's ride ahead of us before the sun even begins to peak over the horizon as we arrive at the hunt kennels.

A cluster of riders have gathered, some bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, others, like me, still shaking off the tendrils of sleep as dawn breaks over the hilltops, casting the fields and pastures in pastel hues, damp and sparkly with the dew. Mist lingers and echoes the eager howls of the hounds and the nickers of horses throughout the valley greeting their grooms and breakfasts. The sunrise is fleeting but spectacular, and the morning sun baths the valley in warmth, capturing a moment of peacefulness that is precious and rare in this massive, hectic, often dangerous city. The horses trot along diligently, focused on the hounds and the task at hand, as we weave through fields, up and down hills, sometimes through the neighborhoods. Certain hounds are always the first to get into trouble - the particularly good hunters will scent out jackal trails, sometimes leading the whole pack off with a howl, interrupting our peaceful progress. Eventually though they all come back and we carry on, returning to the kennels after an hour or so with tired hounds, horses, and riders.

At the Rand Hunt, hound exercise is dependent on the membership. Riders who stable nearby or are able to box their horses over join either the Master or one of her assistants to take the hounds on an hour-long ride, four times a week during hunt season and twice weekly in the off season. Sometimes only a handful of riders pitch up, sometimes more, for these dawn rides which give everyone time to get their horses home and go off to work afterwards. For me, it gives me an opportunity to introduce new or young horses to the hounds and the hunt grounds, without all the excitement of a hunt day. That isn't to say hound exercise is without excitement though - only once have I been on an exercise where the hounds haven't broken and run off at least once. Sometimes they immediately return when called, and sometimes horses and riders have to cover twice as much ground, shouting and calling, trying to round up the hounds, who have scattered with smiles on their faces and tails wagging. The hounds seem to think it's all just a game, and even in frustration, it's hard to fault them when they're just having so much fun.

I hate getting out of bed on these early, early mornings, but I do love the ride. Watching dawn break over Kyalami, feeling the warmth of the sunrise seep into my tired bones, and watching the hounds enjoy themselves brings joy to my heart. By the time we have trekked back through the fields to the stable, I am wide awake have my whole day ahead of me, and I'm ready.