A forgotten huntsman

[Snowfilly]

A slightly maudlin post… a couple of weeks ago, I brought two complete sets of vintage hunting tack from a house clearance auction. I knew the seller who’d consigned them; we had a chat and he said they’d come from an elderly gentleman who lived alone and had no family.

Two beautiful sets of tack, a set of long boots still with mud on them, a saddle cloth with grey hairs on. A pair of spurs. A silver mounted whip. A faded green ribbon - did he have babies to hunt?

One must have been strong, there was a pelham with a drop noseband.

The other had a jointed snaffle and Cavesson; the plain leather reins had marks where his hands held them.

The boots are wonderfully broken in and rubbed with spur marks. A tear down the outside had been carefully stitched on one.

The saddles are old, old and the knee flaps worn down. Both quite narrow, probably for blood horses.

All obviously cherished, stored for a long, long time, and never ever parted with.

I hope you’ve found your horses and some hounds, whoever you were. I’ve cleaned all your tack and let the grey horse’s hairs go in the wind. Maybe he’ll find you.

 

[AmyMay]

I hope you’ve found your horses and some hounds, whoever you were. I’ve cleaned all your tack and let the grey horse’s hairs go in the wind. Maybe he’ll find you.

That’s really beautiful

 

[GrassChop]

A slightly maudlin post… a couple of weeks ago, I brought two complete sets of vintage hunting tack from a house clearance auction. I knew the seller who’d consigned them; we had a chat and he said they’d come from an elderly gentleman who lived alone and had no family.

Two beautiful sets of tack, a set of long boots still with mud on them, a saddle cloth with grey hairs on. A pair of spurs. A silver mounted whip. A faded green ribbon - did he have babies to hunt?

One must have been strong, there was a pelham with a drop noseband.

The other had a jointed snaffle and Cavesson; the plain leather reins had marks where his hands held them.

The boots are wonderfully broken in and rubbed with spur marks. A tear down the outside had been carefully stitched on one.

The saddles are old, old and the knee flaps worn down. Both quite narrow, probably for blood horses.

All obviously cherished, stored for a long, long time, and never ever parted with.

I hope you’ve found your horses and some hounds, whoever you were. I’ve cleaned all your tack and let the grey horse’s hairs go in the wind. Maybe he’ll find you.

This is lovely I'd love to see pictures of it before.

 

[Rumtytum]

Not maudlin, it’s beautiful Snowfilly

 

[humblepie]

That is lovely that you have given them a home.

 

[gunnergundog]

Not maudlin, it’s beautiful Snowfilly

Agreed! Also, I would love it if in a few years time some person were to post something similar about any of my stuff that they picked up at a clearance sale.

 

[ponynutz]

this is beautifully written

 

[Cortez]

Now that's just made me cry, and I'm a wizened old bat.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Now that's just made me cry, and I'm a wizened old bat.

That makes two of us.

 

[MereChristmas]

three

 

[Smitty]

That is so lovely and very evocative Snowy. I have Snaffles prints on the brain now

 

[pinkfluffy]

That's really beautiful @Snowfilly

 

[MereChristmas]

So poignant @Snowfilly.

I bought my hunt whip in the 1980’s from a tack shop that didn’t really do second hand. The shop assistant told me an old lady had fetched in and asked if they would sell it to someone who would take it hunting again.
Apparently it had been one of her 21st birthday presents. I never found out who she was.
I used the whip until it disintegrated in my hand one appallingly wet day.
I had it remade by David Thorne and have it still. The engraving of my name and 1984 have worn off with use. The hall mark is unreadable but it is a Swayne Adeney.
It is the centre one of these.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I don't post in the Tack Room anymore, but I am going to break that rule to say I am sitting here bawling.

 

[palo1]

A slightly maudlin post… a couple of weeks ago, I brought two complete sets of vintage hunting tack from a house clearance auction. I knew the seller who’d consigned them; we had a chat and he said they’d come from an elderly gentleman who lived alone and had no family.

Two beautiful sets of tack, a set of long boots still with mud on them, a saddle cloth with grey hairs on. A pair of spurs. A silver mounted whip. A faded green ribbon - did he have babies to hunt?

One must have been strong, there was a pelham with a drop noseband.

The other had a jointed snaffle and Cavesson; the plain leather reins had marks where his hands held them.

The boots are wonderfully broken in and rubbed with spur marks. A tear down the outside had been carefully stitched on one.

The saddles are old, old and the knee flaps worn down. Both quite narrow, probably for blood horses.

All obviously cherished, stored for a long, long time, and never ever parted with.

I hope you’ve found your horses and some hounds, whoever you were. I’ve cleaned all your tack and let the grey horse’s hairs go in the wind. Maybe he’ll find you.

Thank you @Snowfilly - reading this has made my day even though it is very poignant. I too hope that gentleman is reunited with his fine horses and some hounds. Forrard on Sir!

 

[Skib]

I bought a horn handled riding crop off ebay. I had always envied my kid brother riding with one when we were children, and he was allowed to ride when I was not.
Antique Ladies Malacca Hunt Whip Crop c/w hallmarked Silver Collar London 1898

The initials on it look like A G ?H. Since it came from Worcestershire, I believe it was possibly a wedding present to Alice Walker daughter of a blacksmith who married William George that year. Sadly I am not allowed to ride with it. Our YM regards horn handled crops as dangerous because the horse or rider might be injured by the horn in a fall.

The crop is about 25" long and I wonder whether it was a type used for riding side saddle? I would welcome any comments.

 

[Smitty]

Many years ago, I picked up a horse I had bought in the Cotswolds. The old lady, whose land it was on, welcomed Mum and I into her house. There were numerous photos of her riding side s
addle over jumps, hunting and pointing on the walls. She was certainly of "the other generation".

I would love to know what happened to her knowledge, house and equipment.

 

[Spotherisk]

Snowfilly that is beautiful. Isn’t it strange how things can make us emotional - I’ve certainly become more so as I’ve aged, feeling positively watery eyed at your post.

About 15 years ago a customer gave me his late wife’s few horsey items - a lot just needed to be disposed of (nickel bits etc) but I kept these two.

The hunting whip is 36” yes three foot long. I’ve had the leather stitched. The initials on the hallmarked collars are not that of the late wife - what’s its story? What sort of whip is it - it wouldn’t have had a thong.

The other is pretty special, silver plated collars, 26” long, semi-precious tigers eye top to it, and porcupine spines make up its core. What was it used for?

 

[MereChristmas]

Snowfilly that is beautiful. Isn’t it strange how things can make us emotional - I’ve certainly become more so as I’ve aged, feeling positively watery eyed at your post.

About 15 years ago a customer gave me his late wife’s few horsey items - a lot just needed to be disposed of (nickel bits etc) but I kept these two.

The hunting whip is 36” yes three foot long. I’ve had the leather stitched. The initials on the hallmarked collars are not that of the late wife - what’s its story? What sort of whip is it - it wouldn’t have had a thong.

The other is pretty special, silver plated collars, 26” long, semi-precious tigers eye top to it, and porcupine spines make up its core. What was it used for?View attachment 136599View attachment 136600View attachment 136601View attachment 136602

I’m interested because the first whip in my photo was almost certainly a very long cane originally. When I bought it it was broken and split. I had it made into a hunting whip for my then small daughter.

Are yours for sidesaddle? Ladies riding whip?

 

[ElectricChampagne]

Oh Snowfilly, that brought a tear to my eye.

What a wonderfully poignant post.

 

[Spotherisk]

I’m interested because the first whip in my photo was almost certainly a very long cane originally. When I bought it it was broken and split. I had it made into a hunting whip for my then small daughter.

Are yours for sidesaddle? Ladies riding whip?

Yes I’ve thought possibly sidesaddle, the hunting whip was white once though which I thought was hunt servant? The hallmark is 1909. Edited to say mine is a bit weird as it is quite whippy, and has no solid core except the re stitched leather handle.

And the little one, well it reminds me of Arab showing whips, but maybe it’s too old for that, I haven’t checked (and no hallmarks on it).

 

[MereChristmas]

Yes I’ve thought possibly sidesaddle, the hunting whip was white once though which I thought was hunt servant? The hallmark is 1909.

And the little one, well it reminds me of Arab showing whips, but maybe it’s too old for that, I haven’t checked (and no hallmarks on it).

Yea, I think white is for hunt servant

edited to apologise to @Snowfilly for diverting the thread

 

[Orangehorse]

I went to a farm sale in Watchet a few years ago and there was an old hunting coat, obviously been through a lot of undergrowth and been soaked a few times. All been cleared out of the house and tack room, alongside all the farming things. There was a huge map of the hunt country showing all the meets and covers, although I suspect that it would have been staghounds rather than fox hunt?

The boots, hat, saddlery, all sorts of things and I nearly ended up crying over it all to think of how many hunts and how many miles that old coat had been.

 

[marmalade76]

No pictures??
I love old gear, the workmanship and quality of the leather just cannot be bought new anymore.

 

[Lois Lame]

That’s really beautiful

It was very hard to decide between

and

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My Grandma gave me my grampys dads hunting pin, they used to back the hunters for the Rothchilds estate in aylsebury.

Its so lovely but also veru delecate.

 

[Skib]

I have my grandfather's hunting horn. My son in law wouldnt let his kids blow it as he disapproved of fox hunting. I also have a smaller silver presentation horn presented to him after he acted as master of the Muskerry Fox Hounds.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Snowfilly that is beautiful. Isn’t it strange how things can make us emotional - I’ve certainly become more so as I’ve aged, feeling positively watery eyed at your post.

About 15 years ago a customer gave me his late wife’s few horsey items - a lot just needed to be disposed of (nickel bits etc) but I kept these two.

The hunting whip is 36” yes three foot long. I’ve had the leather stitched. The initials on the hallmarked collars are not that of the late wife - what’s its story? What sort of whip is it - it wouldn’t have had a thong.

The other is pretty special, silver plated collars, 26” long, semi-precious tigers eye top to it, and porcupine spines make up its core. What was it used for?View attachment 136599View attachment 136600View attachment 136601View attachment 136602

I think what you have there is a sidesaddle cane and a park whip. The park whip is dainty and more of a prop than a substitute for your right leg and would only have been carried tipping around Rotten Row or similar. The usual core was whale baleen. The quills might be a later replacement or it might be India manufacture, hence the tiger eye gemstone, and the craftsman used what was available. The cane is for sidesaddle. I can’t make out the shaft material. Is it plaited linen or cat gut? Both could have faded with age.

 

[Cortez]

I have my grandfather's hunting horn. My son in law wouldnt let his kids blow it as he disapproved of fox hunting. I also have a smaller silver presentation horn presented to him after he acted as master of the Muskerry Fox Hounds.

The Muskerry was our local pack when I was a child, I used to hunt on my donkey.

 

[Spotherisk]

I think what you have there is a sidesaddle cane and a park whip. The park whip is dainty and more of a prop than a substitute for your right leg and would only have been carried tipping around Rotten Row or similar. The usual core was whale baleen. The quills might be a later replacement or it might be India manufacture, hence the tiger eye gemstone, and the craftsman used what was available. The cane is for sidesaddle. I can’t make out the shaft material. Is it plaited linen or cat gut? Both could have faded with age.

Thank you! Husband says plaited linen.