drag hunts and other hunts?

[mandwhy]

Hi all,

I really like the sound of hunting from an exhilarating riding experience point of view, and after the ban I thought every hunt was a drag hunt these days. Having read another thread I now realise there are things like birds of prey, pairs of dogs, and other such things involved.

It is just the riding that appeals to me really, so is a drag hunt a completely separate thing run by a different set of people?

Do any of you do both? The idea of a man running across the countryside laying a scent does sound quite... silly... but fun!

I was hoping when I get the new horse I would be able to get involved next season

 

[combat_claire]

Yup drag hunts and the former quarry hunts are distinct entities with separate governing bodies. However they do have similar structures of hunt staff and hunt officials.

I have friends who mainly hunt with the local foxhounds and have the odd days with the drag. I also have friends who are officers with the drag but visit the other local packs too. Locally we hunt Saturdays and Wednesdays while the drag go out Sunday. Not sure if this is the same for all drag packs.

Both packs have an active social life. Both packs have big jumping days and days better for beginners so it is really horses for courses and diesel costs which will end up dictating your choice!

I did find the local drag pack very fast. I laid the 3 lines for them and they were soon upon me! We took the quadbike for the last line and the front runners of the field still caught us!! I understand that other drag packs are rather less cruel to their runners!!

 

[cptrayes]

Cheshire Farmers hunt a scent laid by a man and every meet has a way around every fence. North East Cheshire hunt a scent laid by a horse and days are mixed but many meets require you to be able to jump timber up to 2ft 9. Both go on Saturday. I doubt if they will help you in Cambridgeshire but perhaps others might like to know.

 

[Orangehorse]

Some hunts that used to hunt foxes have decided to become trail packs, and this will be stated on their website, etc. They won't say anything about "hunting within the law, using exemptions, etc." but will simply state that they trail hunt either using an artifical scent or following a runner. They try to arrange the route to be similar to a fox hunt. Drag hunts were always regarded as being good for a very fast hunt with lots of jumps, but now I think that the terms "drag hunt" and "trail hunt" have become merged to mean the same.

At one time it cost the same to insure a horse for drag hunting as for point-to-points, so that will tell you what it was like but that was a fairly long time ago.

 

[mandwhy]

Thanks for the info everyone! I have heard there is a drag hunt round Cambridge and think it is actually run by Cambridge uni students, I think I remember reading that the dress etc seems to be a bit less strict (although I quite like the traditions), however I don't know about all that jumping, maybe I'll get confident with cross country courses first and see if I can handle it, depends on what the new horse will be like too I guess but a lot of them seem to have hunted from the adverts. Exciting!

 

[Bernster]

Good plan mw ! Depending on experience a good way to get started is to do lots of xc course hire, sponsored rides so you see how they are in company and then go for autumn hunting in sept/oct time which is slightly less frantic so a good introduction. Get in touch with your local hunt and they can give you loads of help etc. I go out with the kimblewick which is bucks/berks/oxfordshire and a bit of west hertfordshire. If you're Cambridge I'm sure there is a well known drag pack near you but that might be a bit feisty for a newbie !

 

[Jesstickle]

while the drag go out Sunday. Not sure if this is the same for all drag packs.

Do I know you? You're the same county as me and a drag pack that goes out on a Sunday?

 

[Jesstickle]

Thanks for the info everyone! I have heard there is a drag hunt round Cambridge and think it is actually run by Cambridge uni students, I think I remember reading that the dress etc seems to be a bit less strict (although I quite like the traditions), however I don't know about all that jumping, maybe I'll get confident with cross country courses first and see if I can handle it, depends on what the new horse will be like too I guess but a lot of them seem to have hunted from the adverts. Exciting!

Oo, you're talking about the same pack again. They're very friendly, website is here

http://www.srcf.ucam.org/cudh/

I went out last season a few times on a horse that hadn't done much of anything and certainly hadn't hunted. He jumped everything no worry. Although I didn't go and jump anything scary, just did the little meets. Some of the hedges in Leicestershire that my friend jumps with them make me go and wet my pants a bit!

 

[combat_claire]

Do I know you? You're the same county as me and a drag pack that goes out on a Sunday?

I'm not sure as I don't come often. Have you ever done one of the Milton meets in the last 2 years or so?

 

[combat_claire]

I would add that the Cambridge University Drag whilst being run by students and with a full complement of student masters does still have a very smart turnout and respects usual hunting tradition. This season they have also had two non-student masters.

The hunt staff and officials wear green livery with white collar and hunt dress or ratcatcher is usually expected for the field.

 

[ihatework]

OP - I'm not much of a hunter per sey, but I have been and still do go out a couple of times a season or so with my horse.

I can only speak as I find for my local packs though.

I do think there is quite a difference between the foxhounds and the draghounds.

Obviously the foxhounds are now required to hunt legally, and as such do lay a trail etc. From my experience they seem to try and keep the trail hunting as realistic as possible to the pre-ban hunting. Although there is some variability depending on where the meet is held I find the foxhunting spans a lot longer time than draghunting. There is a fair bit of hanging around, going back and forth, up/down roads etc.

There are 2 drag packs near me and both seem to operate fairly similarly. The day is shorter, a max of 3 hours, though often more like 2 hours. They start later in the day.
You will have 3 or 4 set lines usually and during those lines you keep moving. In between lines you stop for 15 mins breather.

When I have been out draghunting there has been a right mixture of people from speed hedge freaks (not me!) down to fairly novice non-jumping riders. Both draghunts I have been on have catered for both and often have a second field master out to go slow and show ways around fences.

I personally find drag hunting suits me better. I find the riding and jumping generally better, 2 hours in the saddle is plenty for me (I'm usually bored by lunchtime on a foxhunt), plus you can pay unlimited day caps that are generally cheaper than a foxhunt.

It is horses for courses, I have nothing against foxhunts, and the one near me is very welcoming - but they are distinctly different.

 

[Jesstickle]

I'm not sure as I don't come often. Have you ever done one of the Milton meets in the last 2 years or so?

No, but I'll look out for you next season (although that's one of the meets furthest from me so one of the least likely ones for me to show up at)

I'm the short arse on the bay with a star and half its mane plaited and the other half permanently rubbed out!