Antis trolling for meet details

[Eagle_day]

It's been a while since I've been on here but there seems to be a lot of requests for meet details now. While we should always encourage newcomers, they should contact the secretary of the hunt themselves for such information. Meanwhile I am very suspicious of people with a handful of posts asking, 'Where is so-and-so meeting?' Please be careful.

 

[Springy]

It's been a while since I've been on here but there seems to be a lot of requests for meet details now. While we should always encourage newcomers, they should contact the secretary of the hunt themselves for such information. Meanwhile I am very suspicious of people with a handful of posts asking, 'Where is so-and-so meeting?' Please be careful.

Im always suspicious... I give them our hunt secretarys details or the website (Morpeth) then they can sort it out that way.... thats even with local forums and facebook pages...

People are too trusting on the internet.....

 

[Countryman]

I agree, best practice is surely just to give them the contact details of the secretary. The exception is Boxing Day though, when usually the meet is well known

 

[combat_claire]

Ditto Springy & Countryman. We have had dozens of requests on our FB page and each has been referred to our secretaries.

Someone who barely knows me offered me cards for the Fernie and the Cottesmore, he had no idea whether I was actually pro!!

 

[Springy]

Ditto Springy & Countryman. We have had dozens of requests on our FB page and each has been referred to our secretaries.

Someone who barely knows me offered me cards for the Fernie and the Cottesmore, he had no idea whether I was actually pro!!

Hes lucky he offered them to you rather than a very hit lucky anti.....

 

[Countryman]

I think when hunts haven't had trouble for a couple of seasons they get complacent and start to think its ok to give out meet details to all and sundry without emphasising the need for Livery Yard owners, for example, to keep it private.

 

[Eagle_day]

Lots of commonsense here. Good stuff.

 

[VoR]

I'm sure none of us are concerned about antis watching us, other than the unnecessary confrontation and the problems this might raise, however, if antis feel they have to 'troll' on forums such as this for meet information, it really does show a lack of imagination!!!!

 

[CrazyMare]

Now, I've been mulling this over since it was posted. Hopefully my thinkings will make sense.

Firstly, I am approaching this with my teaching head on (I teach Health & Social Care, with a focus on equality & diversity in care), rather than my pro hunting head on, so hopefully, I can see both sides.

My first thought was that the veil of secrecy over where hunts are meeting, and what they are doing, immediately gives a feel of 'doing what they shouldn't' even if that is not the case. Before anyone leaps on me, I understand why this happens, but the image it projects is itself not a positive picture to the rest of the world.

My thoughts then moved to why the secrecy - the avoidance of antis, and my thoughts moved towards the relationship between the pro and anti hunting lobbies. Clearly both sides have their beliefs, neither more valid than the other - they are equally valid to those that hold them. On this point, I welcome those who have a different view to mine.

The difficulty comes when one side believes their views to be 'more valid' than the other, and attempts to enforce those views on the other - hence the secrecy in meet cards, to avoid this meeting.

We will have this problem for as long as one side views themselves as more important, or 'more right' than the other. We have always had this problem if you look back through any major events in recent or long past history.

The more pressing question is how do we resolve it, and I don't believe that is a question we can ever answer.

 

[jrp204]

Totally agree CM.

 

[VoR]

Now, I've been mulling this over since it was posted. Hopefully my thinkings will make sense.

Firstly, I am approaching this with my teaching head on (I teach Health & Social Care, with a focus on equality & diversity in care), rather than my pro hunting head on, so hopefully, I can see both sides.

My first thought was that the veil of secrecy over where hunts are meeting, and what they are doing, immediately gives a feel of 'doing what they shouldn't' even if that is not the case. Before anyone leaps on me, I understand why this happens, but the image it projects is itself not a positive picture to the rest of the world.

My thoughts then moved to why the secrecy - the avoidance of antis, and my thoughts moved towards the relationship between the pro and anti hunting lobbies. Clearly both sides have their beliefs, neither more valid than the other - they are equally valid to those that hold them. On this point, I welcome those who have a different view to mine.

The difficulty comes when one side believes their views to be 'more valid' than the other, and attempts to enforce those views on the other - hence the secrecy in meet cards, to avoid this meeting.

We will have this problem for as long as one side views themselves as more important, or 'more right' than the other. We have always had this problem if you look back through any major events in recent or long past history.

The more pressing question is how do we resolve it, and I don't believe that is a question we can ever answer.

Hmm, not a bad read The 'veil of secrecy' as far as I am concerned is to protect those that follow the hunt from unnecessary confrontation, particularly where there are a number of juniors riding, by controlling meet details.

However, we should everything we can to accomodate people who wish to follow trails with us without causing said 'confrontation'. We should try to do this by speaking direct to any potential new followers (so no great secrecy there) to assess their knowledge, ability and objectives for riding with us, so all quite friendly. We should also try to help people who may be nervous, whether that be in terms of riding or simply turning up on their own to a hunt meet, again very supportive, open and encouraging.

As for the pro v. anti 'debate', as I have mentioned on here before, both sides have their view, both try to impose that view on the other, few will listen to the others views with the intention of 'understanding' that view, somewhere in the middle of every argument is a point that all sides can agree on, only when, far more intelligent people than I, can find it, will the debate have any chance of ending with everyone be allowed to get on with their life without confronting others.

 

[Hunters]

Antis are not entirely stupid. They will and have followed hound lorries & we've had them follow the hunt secretary before.

I am proud to go hunting and believe that :

A) secrecy of meets gives the impression of wrong doing.

B) The more who come to a meet, enjoy hunting, tell their friends, the more support hunting receives...,

 

[CrazyMare]

The 'veil of secrecy' as far as I am concerned is to protect those that follow the hunt from unnecessary confrontation, particularly where there are a number of juniors riding, by controlling meet details.

Yes, I agree, the younger members should be shielded from the more unpleasant aspects that can happen, but this comes back in a full circle to the unwillingness of some groups to accept others views as equally valid.

A difficult problem to solve, I'm sure we can agree on that!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Am I missing something here ? Just randomly clicked on a hunt for dates.http://www.readyfieldbloodhounds.co.uk/7860/

For those who wish to be informed, is it so difficult to obtain the information they require ?

 

[Springy]

Our hunt dont publicse the date and places you need to be a member to get a hunt card or contact the secretary for details...

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Does it make a difference to the amount of monitor observation for hunts that are open about meets or is the reputation of the hunt's activity more of an influencing factor ?
Does the Heythrop advertise hunt dates ?

 

[combat_claire]

Well the Readyfield hunt the clean boot so it would have to be a very dumb group of sabs to try and disrupt or prosecute them...

We do not readily publicise our meets; partly because of previous clashes with the anti-hunting brigade and partly because selling meetcards is a revenue stream. Newcomers are always welcomed and referred to secretaries who can offer more advice than just the meet location.

 

[Hunters]

The Readyfield hunt the clean boot? Don't we all these days lol?

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Ooooops

I have asked for the meets of a few hunts near my area on here Will endeavour not to in future......

 

[Blythwind]

I recently asked about the vale of lune, having already contacted the secretary (and got no reply) and asked at the local equestrian store (who didn't know). I then got no answer on here, which means we have had no luck getting any details and thus are unable to go and show our support. A shame for both us and them I think...

At home, I am on the same yard as CM and totally agree with what has been written

 

[combat_claire]

More like the muddy welly these days, Hunters!!

 

[CrazyMare]

More like the muddy welly these days, Hunters!!

Waders, and scuba tank for some fields.....

I think I need to grow gills....

 

[happyhunter123]

I think that it's very sad that many hunts choose not to publicise meets, but I understand completely why they must. I have always liked to think of hunting as being a pretty public event, in which anyone can turn up, pay their cap and follow (on foot or car, that is). That's how I would like it to be. It's a shame that we have to move away from that, that we have to become 'more secretive'. It makes me feel like we're doing something wrong even though we aren't!
I'm not even sure if it makes much difference. There are hunts that publicise meets online which get little or no anti trouble. Likewise, there are hunts that don't, and they seem to get plenty.

 

[VoR]

Yes, I agree, the younger members should be shielded from the more unpleasant aspects that can happen, but this comes back in a full circle to the unwillingness of some groups to accept others views as equally valid.

A difficult problem to solve, I'm sure we can agree on that!

I wasn't actually disagreeing, just giving one hunts view on why hunt meets aren't publicised.

As for unwillingness to see others views, 100% agree, there are after all, three sides to every argument, we tend to only hear the most extreme polarized opinions (probably guilty of this myself at times!!) and not enough from those in the middle ground.....which is probably where all solutions lie!!

 

[justforfun]

I hunt sometimes, and yes the need to be open shows that we ARE hunting within the law, but, when the antis run around abusing riders, swearing and generally being REALLY nasty to the riders and that includes under 16's, its no wonder that we dont want them around.
My last experience with the antis resulted in them nearly hitting a friends horse with their car, really unpleasant.