Blood Hound Exercise Advice

[merlinsquest]

My YM has invited me to go on Hound Exercise next Wednesday with the Surrey & Kent Bloodhounds. I am really tempted but am not sure what to wear, I am a showjumper so don't own a skullcap or any type of tweed, I do have a plain navy jacket, no bling, & a navy velvet hat, would this be ok with cream breeches & a stock rather than a showjumping shirt? I am also a bit worried that everyone will be galloping about jumping massive hedges, we have only ever been xc schooling once over teeny tiny fences, we prefer coloured poles that fall down! Also what does the horse wear, only have jumping tack, but do have a plainish navy saddlecloth.

Will there be an option not to jump & how will I know what to do?

Any advice greatfully received..

 

[Clava]

With ethe Southdowns bloodhounds hound exercising was fairly casual dress and was just a long hack, not like the training meets at all.

 

[farrierswife]

If you could borrow a tweed jacket that would be the best thing but as long as you are smart and neatly turned out I wouldn't worry about it too much. With regards to the galloping and jumping, it can be a bit like that try find some like minded people at the meet and mention stick with them. Some blood hounds have a non-jumping field master, who should be pointed out to you at the meet. The best thing to do is get in touch with them to find out whether they do or not, and most of all have fun and kick on )

 

[irishdraft]

Kent & surrey have a good website have a look on there, they do jump out autumn hunting but it wont be massive hedges, more like timber/post & rail etc. Tweed is the order of the day but Im sure you wont be told to go home if you turn up in a blue jacket.

 

[Mark Gilbert]

Normal dress code is the same as cubbing, tweed,tie or stock beige breeches.

Best ask the hunt just in case they are more relaxed.

 

[merlinsquest]

Thanks everyone for your help. Seems a shame that we can't go because of the lack of tweed, will stick to the showjumping instead, no mud & indoors at this time of year!

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Thanks everyone for your help. Seems a shame that we can't go because of the lack of tweed, will stick to the showjumping instead, no mud & indoors at this time of year!

Ask your YM, or the hunt - the hound exercise here is a pretty informal affair and the hunt staff aren't even mounted sometimes. Depending on how far into the exercising, the jumping/galloping might not happen. As I understood it, its to get the horses back into it and the get the hounds noses back in tune with whatever their scent is.

My friends use it for her youngsters as gets them used to the hounds, riding in groups and the stop/starting etc. I'll be doing it next year (missed this year ) for my ponio

 

[CrazyMare]

I went out with the Readyfield Bloodhounds on Sunday, and there were several in navy/black showjumping jackets.

Its better to be smart, tidy and find out if you enjoy it, than invest all the money in the kit to then hate it.

Give the sec a ring and say you are new, and want to try it, and would it be OK to be clean, smart but not 100% correct

 

[natalia]

Hi, I hunt with the KSBH and they are lovely. Very relaxed and if your not in tweed they won't look down on you. It's great fun, I love hound exercise there's normally some jumping and its a slower pace than proper season.

 

[Welly]

Hi, as the later posts have said go and have fun and don't worry about the dress code smart navy will be fine. The K&S are a very nice bunch the only thing that you have to worry about is you might get hooked.

 

[star]

dont worry about not having tweed, show gear is fine. I went out with the K&S last season and had a great time - never jumped so many hedges in all my life and some absolute whoppers! Hound exercise isn't like that though - mostly just timber and a few optional smaller hedges. You'll be fine - go and have fun!

 

[TarwinBate]

I hunted with KSB last year, agree with everyone, everyone was absolutely lovely and when I went there was a non jumping group