Financial Benefits of Hunting to The National Economy

[Judgemental]

Ten years ago, at the time of the ban, we did not have the Internet and Forums such as this, to air the detail of the economics of hunting, it's contribution to the National Economy and Rural Economic Infrastructure.

With that in mind I felt we would all do well to set out our 'costs'.

I once said to a very great hunting lady, "I can never seem to keep track of how much my hunting costs". Her reply, "darling, it does not bear thinking about".

Some will no doubt point to a variety of statistics but blessed if I can find any recent figures.

So for the first draw, I thought a list of all those cost factors, in no particular order that spring to mind, would be useful. Hopefully one or two of the bright people on this forum, will price up the items on an annual basis:

Horses,
Horse Boxes and Trailers
Towing Vehicle,
Fuel,
Servicing, MOT's and Plating,
Insurance,
Road Fund Tax,
Travel Costs,
Stables,
Heat, Light and Power,
Grazing,
Water,
Saddlery,
Straw,
Hay,
Hayledge,
Shavings,
Compound Feeds or all varieties,
Sugar Beet,
Specialist Feeds,
Minerals,
Additives,
Boots,
Spurs,
Flask or two,
Picnic Kit,
Hunt Coats,
Hacking Jacket,
Jods and Britches,
Boot cleaning kit,
Boots,
Boot Pulls
Decent Wellies,
Stable Doing Kit,
Tack Cleaning kit,
Vets Bills,
Farriers Bills,
Third Party Insurance.
Premises Insurance,
Hunt Subscriptions,
Entertainment,
Liquid Refreshment,
Staff Costs,
Livery Fees,
Grooming Kit,
Stable Veterinary Kit,
Stable Farriers Kit,
Harrows,
Roller,
Fertilizer,
Tractor and Fuel,
Trailer,
Topper,
Machinery Renewals and Repairs,
Fencing, Posts, Rails and Gates,
Water Troughs,
White Tape and Stanchions,
Maintenance and Installation of All Weather Ménage - covered if you are lucky,
Barn for Hay Straw etc,
Rates,
Electric Fencer,
Battery or off the mains,
Saddler's Bills,
Rugs, Winter, Summer, Stable, Fly + Masks, Night,
Rubber Flooring,
Stable Kit - Wheelbarrows, Forks, Shovels, Buckets, Feed Bins, Hoses, Brushes etc,
Muck Heap Disposal,
Salt Licks,
Salt for Cold Weather,
Hot Wash Apparatus,
Infrared Lamps,
Countryside Alliance Subscription,
Bailey's Hunting Directory,
Horse and Hound,
Telephone and Internet,
VAT on all of the above,

Just to name but a few!

No doubt lists like this will help MP's and Antis can go and hide in shame!

 

[Judgemental]

Ten years ago, at the time of the ban, we did not have the Internet and Forums such as this, to air the detail of the economics of hunting, it's contribution to the National Economy and Rural Economic Infrastructure.

With that in mind I felt we would all do well to set out our 'costs'.

I once said to a very great hunting lady, "I can never seem to keep track of how much my hunting costs". Her reply, "darling, it does not bear thinking about".

Some will no doubt point to a variety of statistics but blessed if I can find any recent figures.

So for the first draw, I thought a list of all those cost factors, in no particular order that spring to mind, would be useful. Hopefully one or two of the bright people on this forum, will price up the items on an annual basis:

Horses,
Horse Boxes and Trailers
Towing Vehicle,
Fuel,
Servicing, MOT's and Plating,
Insurance,
Road Fund Tax,
Travel Costs,
Stables,
Heat, Light and Power,
Grazing,
Water,
Saddlery,
Straw,
Hay,
Hayledge,
Shavings,
Compound Feeds or all varieties,
Sugar Beet,
Specialist Feeds,
Minerals,
Additives,
Boots,
Spurs,
Flask or two,
Picnic Kit,
Hunt Coats,
Hacking Jacket,
Jods and Britches,
Boot cleaning kit,
Boots,
Boot Pulls
Decent Wellies,
Stable Doing Kit,
Tack Cleaning kit,
Vets Bills,
Farriers Bills,
Third Party Insurance.
Premises Insurance,
Hunt Subscriptions,
Entertainment,
Liquid Refreshment,
Staff Costs,
Livery Fees,
Grooming Kit,
Stable Veterinary Kit,
Stable Farriers Kit,
Harrows,
Roller,
Fertilizer,
Tractor and Fuel,
Trailer,
Topper,
Machinery Renewals and Repairs,
Fencing, Posts, Rails and Gates,
Water Troughs,
White Tape and Stanchions,
Maintenance and Installation of All Weather Ménage - covered if you are lucky,
Barn for Hay Straw etc,
Rates,
Electric Fencer,
Battery or off the mains,
Saddler's Bills,
Rugs, Winter, Summer, Stable, Fly + Masks, Night,
Rubber Flooring,
Stable Kit - Wheelbarrows, Forks, Shovels, Buckets, Feed Bins, Hoses, Brushes etc,
Muck Heap Disposal,
Salt Licks,
Salt for Cold Weather,
Hot Wash Apparatus,
Infrared Lamps,
Countryside Alliance Subscription,
Bailey's Hunting Directory,
Horse and Hound,
Telephone and Internet,
VAT on all of the above,

Just to name but a few!

No doubt lists like this will help MP's and Antis can go and hide in shame!

Oophs I forgot Clippers and Extension Cable.

Suggest if one is writing to one's MP as suggested by Tim Bonner, you copy and paste this list along with anything else I have omitted.

 

[Orangehorse]

A few years ago the Farriers Registration Council took a poll of their members and asked how many horses every farrier cared for, this turned out as a pretty accurate figure of how many horses were in each County. I then approached the BHS and BETA to find out an average cost to keep a horse, which was then reckoned to be £3,000 bearing in mind that a horse can vary from a shetland on a small field to a hunter livery or competition horse and then those in between.

Multiply £3,000 per horse by the number of horses in the county and there you have a reasonably accurate figure of how much the horse riding population contributes to the local economy. It turns out to be quite a large figure and one I used
whenever I was contacting an official body as a note at the bottom of the letter - being letters in those days.

I went to a meeting with the Labour Alan Michael who admitted to a large roomful of people that when his Civil Servants looked into how much the "horse industry" generated in the UK they had absolutely no idea and were shocked at the large amount. This didn't include racing, which is always treated differently. Of course, this was in the bountiful days of the New Labour Government when all sorts of glossy brochures, conferences and ideas on how to spend money were taking place.

But it is a good idea Judgemental, and one that the shooting interests are banging on about all the time.

 

[Shay]

Its a fair point - but much, if not all, of what is listed above would apply to any horse whether it is hunted or not. And sadly some riders / horse keepers are anti-hunting! What about the benefits to the countryside and country life which are unique to hunting? For example

Targeted control of a pest species in such a way that the fittest survive; improving the species.
Less predation on vulnerable stock; less stock loss particularly on organic or free range farms.
Hedge and thicket management to support biodiversity.
Support for the hospitality industry (all those supporters on foot having lunch....)
Fallen stock service saving farmers money
Support for the tourist industry

Oh.... and support for "Vote OK"!

 

[{51248}]

Ten years ago, at the time of the ban, we did not have the Internet and Forums such as this

Actually, yes we did have the internet and forums such as this at the time of the ban.

 

[Orangehorse]

As Shay says, the list applies to Trail Hunting as well, so it isn't an argument in favour of fox hunting, only background support to say how much horse keeping contributes to the economy. In my list I also added the amounts raised for charity through local shows and fun rides -

 

[chestnut cob]

As Shay says, the list applies to Trail Hunting as well, so it isn't an argument in favour of fox hunting, only background support to say how much horse keeping contributes to the economy. In my list I also added the amounts raised for charity through local shows and fun rides -

Plus it isn't as if people stopped buying those products and services after the ban. People are still hunting therefore are still putting that money into the economy.

I struggle a little to understand what the pro-hunting lobby's argument actually is. Hunts are still hunting. No hunters I know have stopped hunting.

 

[Judgemental]

Plus it isn't as if people stopped buying those products and services after the ban. People are still hunting therefore are still putting that money into the economy.

I struggle a little to understand what the pro-hunting lobby's argument actually is. Hunts are still hunting. No hunters I know have stopped hunting.

Chestnut Cob, the reason folk still 'hunt' which represents the majority, are still 'hunting' to preserve the sport, for the great moment when The Act has been repealed. Otherwise without the promise and window of hope, the majority would have given up years ago.

I say "hunt", its not hunting hacking about the countryside with somebody trailing their whip on the ground with a piece of rag, soaked in some foul smelling concoction to which the majority of hounds will not speak.

Frankly all this so called trail or drag hunting is pathetic, boring and a complete waste of time.

Furthermore hounds are not bred to hunt anything but a live quarry and as such, their inborn sensibilities that have been honed and perfected over several hundred years of careful breeding, is being cruelly abused and degenerated by expecting them to hunt a rag!

 

[Dave the dog]

judgemental you are prone to exaggeration. fox hunting has not been around for several hundred years and does not entertain the majority of riders and hounds are bred to follow their noses and if it were possible to elucidate an opinion from a dog he would surely rather stay in bed. I must say your mono bossom stance doesn't do the hunt any favors.

 

[Maesfen]

Sorry Dave to correct you but hunting was first recognized in the 1600's so that's almost four centuries, I think that can go down as several hundred.

 

[Dave the dog]

Ah semantics, Several hundred has got to be more than almost four hundred but less than a thousand. perhaps it depends on what part of the country you come from. I was 'brung' up in Hertfordshire along with the Hedgehogs. In the 1600's Bear and Bore hunting was prevalent. If we are talking fox hunting it was a pursuit of the peasantry documented in 17 something or other along with otter baiting with otter hounds which probably helped to eradicate the otter population and ceased in early 19th century. Mercifully the fox is a more efficient at breeding and is unlikely to be wiped out by hunting with hounds. Lets face it, although the hunt is energetic and spectacular. it doesn't make much of a dent. By the by what was deleted by popular demand? Just going to put my chickens away.