Are some hunting/horsey traditions just a bit pointless?

[Tern]

With the plaiting thing - Yeah if it's not a native pony if it is then they should be natural or running plait if mane long enough as normal plaits on my welsh look plain stupid.

 

[pansy]

As others have said, it's tradition. It's also respectful to the organisers.

I wouldn't dream of turning up to a dressage venue without plaiting, a show without a clean horse etc, so it's no biggie for me to ensure both me and my horse are correctly turned out. Plus, it's nice to dress up and look nice once in a while!

Apologies - haven't read all posts .... but agree with above xx

 

[maccachic]

I'm certainly no expert but I thought the point of plaiting was to prevent a long mane from catching in hedges and thorn bushes when jumping or pushing through undergrowth.

Ah this is possibly why it isn't a requirement here, we tend to hunt dairy farms

 

[spacefaer]

Ah this is possibly why it isn't a requirement here, we tend to hunt dairy farms

Do the cows get up much speed? ? ;-)

 

[Doormouse]

Do the cows get up much speed? ? ;-)

I so need a like button!

 

[maccachic]

Do the cows get up much speed? ? ;-)

Funny you should ask that there was a guy who rode a bull at hunts a while back in Taranaki, I think he just gated

 

[Templebar]

Having not yet read the rest of this thread but felt i must address a key point for the OP, hairnets in my opinion are an essential piece of kit and im no oldie that thinks its traditional, i wear it for safety, very rarely do i ride without it even hacking. I have heard of too many people where their hair was pulled and even some scalped as the horse trod on their hair when they had come off. It is even worse if you just plait yours as the horse treads on the whole thing and what if it caught on your tack as you fell.

 

[Templebar]

For some reason i cant edit my previous post.

Do the cows get up much speed? ? ;-)

Had to laugh at this being on a dairy farm too i just had images of people chasing a load of cows about.


Back to the other posts, now i have read everything. I find it strange that everyone whose mane lies on the left cant get it to go well on the right i find mine is better for my section d when plaited over to the right but lies on the left. Thankfully my bigger lady is hogged as she is a cob, she also has a black saddle, much to my distaste but it was all we could get for the price, so now she has a black girth and breastplate too, but i think the bridle will have to stay brown.

I always try to stick to tradition, as a farmers daughter who let the hunt come over our land i think its a good mark of respect to see everyone nicely turned out, i couldn't bear seeing everyone charging about manes and tails in the wind while their riders wore whatever colour breeches and jacket they could find finished off with hair sticking out all over the place. It is definitely done out of respect. If you don't want to plait then hog or pull it short and neat which is not so bad (native ponies excluded, but true ones and not just because you cant be bothered) If you haven't got time then could you swap yard duties and ask someone else if they can in exchange for say a mucking out of theirs.

 

[chesnutty]

I have to admit, I love all the traditions no matter how pointless they seem now (sure there was a point to all of them at some time).

I'm very much a snob when it comes to seeing people that haven't plaited/wearing a saddlecloth rather than a numnah (someone actually had a bright RED one on a couple of saturdays ago - as well as pink stirrups?!?!!)/not wearing a proper coat or tweed.

 

[Judgemental]

I have to admit, I love all the traditions no matter how pointless they seem now (sure there was a point to all of them at some time).

I'm very much a snob when it comes to seeing people that haven't plaited/wearing a saddlecloth rather than a numnah (someone actually had a bright RED one on a couple of saturdays ago - as well as pink stirrups?!?!!)/not wearing a proper coat or tweed.

Well why not, red numnah and pink stirrups, conveys a sence of the erotic.

I like it, we live in changing times and folk have a right to make their personal statements howsoever.

I would support anybody who came so attired or furnished upon their horse.

May I enquire the name of the hunt? I would like to view this.................

 

[paulineh]

What ever or were ever if it is traditional and correct I would always do it. I now only have Arab horses where I would not normally plait to show of such I may do a running plait.

My normal tack is coloured biothane as it is easy to keep dry when out in all weathers. If I went hunting I do have a leather bridle and a normal sheepskin saddle cloth.

When my family were all at home for Christmas things were always done traditional I think this should be so.

As kids we were brought up to do things correctly in the hunting field. Correct dress and a well turned out pony.