Field Mastering

[Houndman]

I've been asked to do a couple of days next season to cover for the usual guy, however having always been with the hounds I don't have any experience at all with looking after the field.

Obviously I already know the country and the routes and where we can and can't go so OK in that area. There's nobody else who knows the country as well as I do that can be asked unfortunately.

Any advice or experiences? It's not really my sort of thing but I'm probably happy to help out a little. Looking for others comments before I agree. Looking for comments from field members as well as other staff. What are good and bad points of a Field Master?

 

[L&M]

Firstly welcome to the forum - I have noticed your recent appearance and am enjoying your common sense and experienced responses.

Now onto your question - I am usually a member of the field, but also have field mastered on a few occasions.

The main things to consider are knowing your country (you seem to have that one covered!) and knowing your field - to me there is nothing worse than a field master who goes off hairing over hedges when you have a field that isn't wanting to follow! Equally I have followed field masters who rarely get out of trot and actively avoid hunt rails, which can be equally frustrating.

Also finding the balance of being able to keep up with hounds and keeping your field all together - if you find you have some non jumpers of 'slower' riders, maybe find somone who also know the country to look after them if get separated from the main field?

And to make sure your phone is charged and have all relevant numbers on it!

Hope that's a starting point and am sure more experienced field masters will be able to advise further.

 

[Clodagh]

I've only done it once and it was great. I was extremely selfish and went over/under or through what I could do and ****** the others, luckily it was a small mid week field and they kept up but at the weekend I think I would have lost people. That is not good as they trample all over fields they shouldn't be in.

 

[Countryman]

I would echo the above post which says know your field, and add that the best liked field masters seem to be those that include all of the field, and keep in mind that different riders in the field may have different reasons for being there-and you should try to keep everybody happy! Some people will be there for a blazing gallop across fields jumping everything in sight, while others are there to "follow hounds" and would like to see hounds drawing coverts not just hunting.

One neighbouring pack to mine is well spoken of for its jumping and galloping, but many people have reservations because they never get to hear hounds in cry, let alone see them hunting or even drawing a covert - because the fieldmasters tend to take the field over the most entertaining or challenging course of country, which may not be necessarily related to the direction the hounds are hunting their trail in... (Indeed, the hounds could be back in the hound van for all they know)

Equally however if you stick very close to hounds all day, people may complain that they seem to spend their whole time going through gateways and around field margins (unless of course you are blessed with lots of jumpable hedges, in which case sticking right behind hounds may only be possible with a lot of jumping!)

 

[RunToEarth]

As a member of the field I think that a good field master knows their country inside out and back to front - having a FM who has been with hounds has the advantage of knowing their covers and the general direction that follows.

I really do think that being a field master is the most thankless task, and I am in awe of how ours spends two days a week opening country, two days a week hunting and potentially two days a week apologising for the previous day's antics, and still manages smiling at the end of the day. She knows her field and where everyone likes to be, and so on larger days she makes sure there is someone to guide the not-so-brave without wandering onto grass margins.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Agree with all the above. One thing is make sure that you are suitably mounted. As your horse whips in it should be happy at the front, but how will it cope being banged, barged and overtaken.

Saturdays you have to cater for all levels of ability and on Wednesdays you can generally go quicker and jump the bigger places as it tends to be more of your hardcore hunters out.

If anyone critisizes you....let them have a go!!

 

[Houndman]

I've only been on here much recently after a while away as Ive been stuck inside ill the last week.

Fortunately most of our field are local and know the area, and fields are not huge, and most people are sensible and from farming backgrounds. There's not much in the way of jumping but some of the routes I am used to taking across the moors would scare the pants off some less able riders and visitors.

We will have to keep up as close to the hounds as possible due to the terrain as you can spend a lot of time diverting round bogs and gutters and it's easy to get left miles behind. Most of our followers like to see hounds work.

Myself, watching the hounds and working with them is my main interest. I'm afraid that if I were to be stuck a long way back from hounds and not see anything all day it would not interest me at all. As for galloping around I prefer to go at no more than the necessary speed required in order to conserve my horse's energy, and jumping I can take it or leave it and if there is a gate then I don't jump. For the horse, although I do enjoy riding, out hunting is primarily a means of keeping up with the hounds.

Another trouble is that I can forsee me having to appoint a deputy in case on occasion I need to go and attend to rioting hounds etc.