Disgusted at behaviour of the hunt

[littleshetland]

I see. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Countryman]

I have come very late to this thread and haven't actually read through the whole thing, although what I have read is very interesting. Although 'horsey' I am mostly ignorant of most things 'hunting' and I have a question loosely connected with the OP. Why do hunting folk lay a trail that is to be followed by hounds, a scent that consists of fox scent/urine? surely this increases the chances of the hounds hunting live foxes and therefore breaking the law?
Can the hounds be trained to follow a completely different type of scent? Please don't shoot me down! I'm not a troll or troublemaker, honestly, just curious! My apologies if this question has already been answered one or a thousand times before on this forum.

There are two main reasons. For some packs, it is because they are waiting for the Huntjng Act to be repealed and do not want their hounds to have lost the ability to hunt a foxes scent, or, want to continue breeding hounds with a good nose for fox scent so when repeal comes they will be a good pack.

Other packs initially began by using artificial scent, but found that their hounds did not speak to it for some reason-they were mute when they were hunting it. Now a major part of hunting is listening to hounds work , whether that be a sole hound puzzling out a line in covert, or a whole pack in full cry, which, coupled with the safety issues caused by a mute pack (nobody can hear them or know where they are-or how far away they are/how close to the motorway....) necessitated the use of fox scent.

Also, as an aside, some packs who still use hounds to carry out pest control duties such as flushing to a gun with 2 hounds or flushing to a bird of prey with a full pack need a pack which will hunt fox scent, even though they may trail hunt some days and hunt using the legal exemptions on others-so a fox scent is used for trail hunting.

 

[fartoomanyhorses]

Thank you Alec for your response to my post. I am consoled to know that many were outraged by the initial post as well as mine. Initially I was searching for information on what kind of rights I had and what sort of response I was likely to receive and was shocked by the first 3 pages. I have since, contacted the Hunt Master and he has apologised and admitted that he sent the Huntsman down the side of the paddocks to fetch a stray hound. Unfortunately this action sent my horses into a frenzy and the youngster has strained her fetlock necessitating box rest and rehab as well as some nasty vets bills. Having examined the hoofprints left in the deep mud the Huntsman was clearly travelling at some speed. It could have been a lot worse. I am hoping to be compensated for the vets bills and rehab as I have been unable to continue to do it myself as I am having my first holiday in several years. As a result of this I have had no horse to ride for a total of probably 12 weeks by the time I can get back on board. I am greatly saddened by the whole unnecessary event.

I love to see the Hunt out and enjoying themselves and am in no way anti, but all of you PLEASE, think twice before risking any disturbance to turned out horses and if necessary get someone to hold your horse whilst you fetch a stray hound on foot.

 

[Houndman]

Hunts would (or certainly should!) never intentionally cross land that has not been cleared, and as you say in this case it is due to miscommunication rather than deliberately. On very rare occasions (as happened to us once last year), hounds can take off in totally the wrong direction and head towards a very busy main road and in this case you have no option other than to go and stop them as the alternative could be disasterous. However we have always made a point of getting car followers round quickly and in front of the hounds, trying to contact the landowners quickly by telephone to warn them, and being as careful as possible and going well around livestock where possible, and speaking to landowners afterwards. I am sorry that you have had the trouble, but hopefully it should be rare.