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chilledoutpony

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Ive been riding for 8 years and not hunted. I have 4 ponies, most unsuitable apart from my smallest.

What happens throughout hunting? I know the main bits can someone explain the whole thing?

Would my 12hh fit in? My friend took her 13hh pony. I'm not interested in it if its just big horses jumping five bar gates as my litten has had his first few jumps recently. Obviously I will jump him more before hunting.
My smallest however is also my youngest and least experienced.


Thanks
 
PorkChop

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My best advice would be to go and follow on foot with your local hunt first. There will be all shapes and sizes of horses and ponies out, and not everyone wants to jump.

It depends on your area as to the type of land you will be crossing, some hunts don't jump at all.

The best thing to do is to phone the secretary who will be able to answer your questions and maybe suggest someone who can keep you company until you get going.

I would recommend going out as many times as you can, so that your pony settles and make sure you keep to the back and out of others way until you know how he will behave.

If you do a search on the hunting forum there is loads of advice for first timers to hunting.
 
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It really depends on the pack you hunt with - you would be fine with one like mine which is a small farmers pack, and has a real mix of riders and horses! We never jump gates, maybe the very occasional hedge, but more likely smallish rails.

Also there are usually ways round jumps, with others that don't jump either, so don't worry about this element. The country each pack follows also dictates the type of hunting - our country is very hilly and often wooded, so we are rarely galloping for long distances, whereas if you are hunting on flatter country, it may be a lot faster, where you could struggle to keep up on a small pony.

The best thing is to find which packs are in your area and see what they can offer. Tbh I would be looking at next season now, as we are now in 'full flow', with a lot of fit horses hunting hard, but if you wait until next season you can start off with some quieter autumn hunting to get a feel for it.

Whereabouts in the country are you?
 
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L&M

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A typical hunting day….

10.30 approx - Meet at a Pub/Farm/Estate, have some food and drink and say hello to friends!

11.00 - hounds move off, going ahead with the huntsman. Field follow on behind a field master that shows you the way and must be obeyed at all times.

11.00 - 3.30 approx - hounds follow pre- laid trails, sometimes at speed and over any obstacles in the way, with the field following. At other times just standing around covers watching hounds work (i.e. trying to pick up trail), before the 'off' again.

3.30/4.00 approx - hack back to meet, usually muddy and tired, but hopefully smiling!

Hope that helps!
 
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chilledoutpony

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Thanks LJR, I really would love to go. Thanks for the help.

Thank you L&M, I really think I'd like to go now! I'm in north Derbyshire. I know there are some rough hunts in Derbyshire. I've been told Barlow is bad, but I can't be sure
 
Kat

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If you are in Derbyshire try the four shires, a lovely friendly pack who always have a none jumping field master. This means that there is no question of trying to find your way round, there will be a planned route without jumps that about half the field will take.

They are a bloodhound pack so no animals are killed and no artificial scent is laid. They hunt the clean boot, in other words they have a smell of a runner at the beginning and track him through the day.

Lots of people say bloodhounds are really fast and furious but the four shires aren't. They are brilliant with children and first timers too. And we don't meet until 12noon so you don't have to get up too early!
 
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chilledoutpony

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Thanks KristmasKat, I will probably try that one as it sounds perfect! Im near that too!

Is there a strict dress code? I do have a tweed jacket, long boots, beige jodphurs, a shirt, a tie etc. Is that what I should wear? And my little pony is hogged cos of sweet itch, is that acceptable or?
 
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L&M

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If you have not heard of the 2004 'Hunting Act', I suggest you google it and will explain more about modern day hunting and what we can, and cannot, do….
 
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Kat

Kat

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chilledoutpony said:
Thanks KristmasKat, I will probably try that one as it sounds perfect! Im near that too!

Is there a strict dress code? I do have a tweed jacket, long boots, beige jodphurs, a shirt, a tie etc. Is that what I should wear? And my little pony is hogged cos of sweet itch, is that acceptable or?
Click to expand...

If you are under 18 tweed and a tie is correct. But it is acceptable even if you are older. Hogged is fine. Check the hunt Facebook for photos of recent meets.
 
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L&M

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I still want to know what hunt hunt unloads their horses then start shooting guns - sounds darned good fun and would love to join in!

OP - hope you get the answers you are looking for, and have a look at the 'sticky' at the top of the hunting forum on 'advice for newbies'.

x
 
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It's not dumb at all to ask questions. That's what forums like this are for and you've had some really helpful replies- don't let anyone make you feel stupid for not understanding exactly what to say/do- its all a learning curve. I hope you have lots of fun :)
 
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L&M

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Op - I think I have figured it out….

Having looked at the country you have pm'd me it does not look very 'horse' friendly, so suspect what you may have seen was the local gun/foot pack. Possibly the hounds arrived in a horse box, which would explain the veichle...

And please don't ask me how a gun/foot pack differs, as have no idea!!!!
 
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