Draghunting on foot - please explain!

[kit279]

I emailed the master of the Cambridge Draghounds to ask if they were still meeting this Sunday - I was worried it would be cancelled because the ground is frozen. He emailed back to say they are currently planning to hunt on foot due to the weather. Now this confused me - I am aware that you can hunt on foot with the foxhounds but to the best of my knowledge I've never heard of the draghounds doing this.. Can anyone enlighten me? We are chasing a runner but surely we the great unfit-and-usually-mounted will be considerably outrun... Plus, er, what's the point??! I go draghunting to jump the nag, not to run along out of breath chasing superfit hounds?!!

If anyone can enlighten me, I'd be much obliged!

 

[Orangehorse]

Not much point if you want to gallop and jump. If you hunt to watch the hounds then you would enjoy it - from a distance. It is probably just to give the hounds an outing.

I went out with the beagles last weekend, along with a few others frosted off from the foxhounds. You could tell the difference because the foxhound followers jumped in their cars to follow the pack, whereas the proper beagling people kept going on foot! The wise ones of course just stood on the top of the hill and watched!

 

[RunToEarth]

Agree, if you hunt for the sole purpose of having a razz with the horse, going on foot will have no benefit to you.
I do hunt mounted, but our uni also has a footpack of beagles, and I go to watch the hounds work, and really enjoy it, perhaps more than mounted. Your pack will be taking draghounds on foot so they get out I suspect.

 

[combat_claire]

The hounds will be bouncing off the walls if they haven't been able to get out for a few hunting days (the foxhounds in Cambridgeshire haven't been out since the New Year Day meet) - by taking them out on foot the hounds get exercised, you can still watch hounds work and have fun socialising, no doubt ending in a warm hostelry...

Go on, you know you want a day out!

 

[winterhorse]

Now this confused me - I am aware that you can hunt on foot with the foxhounds but to the best of my knowledge I've never heard of the draghounds doing this.. Can anyone enlighten me? We are chasing a runner but surely we the great unfit-and-usually-mounted will be considerably outrun... Plus, er, what's the point??! I go draghunting to jump the nag, not to run along out of breath chasing superfit hounds?!!

If anyone can enlighten me, I'd be much obliged!

Hi the Huntsman of the Cambidge Drag is a good friend of myself and my OH; who is also a draghound huntsman. Bruce, hunts his hounds as naturally as possible. He will get his runner to act as much like a fox as possible, by lifting the drag and running in circles, so his hounds have to work.
It is possible to follow on foot as you will probabnly be positioned say on the top of a hill, where you will be able to see hounds working below.
I expect your fit horse is still being exercised, if not hunting and hounds need to get out the same, we are thinking of doing something the same this weekend, as the weather is affecting us too.
If you are not interested in hounds working, then foot following is not for you.

 

[kit279]

Thanks everyone - I had visions of having to jog 5 miles in my hunt get-up.. There's a reason they never ask me to be the runner (because I'd probably collapse after about 200m)...

 

[michaelj]

Let us know how you get on!

 

[Springback]

This week I will (probably) hunt on foot with the Quorn, Westerby Bassets, Pipewell Beagles and the Cambridge Draghounds. If you happen to be mad you can try to keep up (I have on occasion driven Bruce's runners from line to line and they are extremely fit, so good luck) or you can enjoy the sensible trail that they will lay, find somewhere sensible to watch and enjoy hounds (of whatever shape and size) doing what they do best!

Have fun!

 

[Gucci_b]

It's brill fun on foot, watching the hounds work. And you can't fall off lol

 

[k9h]

It's brill fun on foot, watching the hounds work. And you can't fall off lol

I wouldn't count on that!

I can!

Last time we had all the frost we hunted for 2 weeks on foot. I had to keep up with hounds on foot, which can be hard enough on horses but somehow managed it just!

~This is where you find out;

Those that hunt to ride

or

Ride to hunt.

It is a great way to watch hounds work as you are not having to concentrate on your horse or others around you. Just staying up on your own 2 feet!

Give it a try & then you can say you have tried it but it is not for you or you may just find that you really enjoyed it!

 

[combat_claire]

Think we'll have a thaw in Cambridgeshire for the weekend, looking at the forecast.

As a whip to a foot pack I can second K9H's theory of it being just as likely to have a fly on 2 legs as 4!!