Hunt going through farms/livery yards with horses

[oldie48]

I'm just wondering, have any of you who are so aggrieved, bothered to contact the MFHA? Complaining on here is a pointless exercise, unless you back up your grievances by going to the regulatory body of those who follow hounds.

For those who have spoken with the MFHA, what was their response?

Alec.

No Alec, I haven't, I have spoken to the hunt directly and been visited by one of the field masters and been assured that they won't be in my area without notifying me first. Hence they now let me know when they have a meet anywhere in the area, which is quite a lot of Fridays and some Saturdays. As my local hunt is here on quite a few Tuesdays in the season I can end up keeping my horses in quite a lot and they are used to daily turnout. One week early in the season it was Tuesday, Friday and Saturday but we only saw hounds on the Tuesday. I can hardly complain to MFHA on behalf of other people who are annoyed and I guess MFHA would tell me that they were being super careful and I shouldn't complain! However, what I should point out is this is a problem that spans 20 years or more, so perhaps you might understand why my patience has worn thin and I am not in the slightest anti-hunt, in deed my daughter used to hunt with them. For those who might say, just turn them out, they'll cope I'd like to point out that my land is very heavy clay, currently very wet and likely to pull shoes off, horses have all hunted and go completely nuts including the ancient TB. I can't risk injuries and frankly it unsettles my dressage horse for days. If my local hunt can be so helpful, why can't the other and why do they come off country in the first place if they are trail hunting??????

 

[legend22]

Well I'd take a few of my friends and their horses and go have a good gallop round the secretary's /Masters fields or even better their gardens and see how they like it ;-)

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm just wondering, have any of you who are so aggrieved, bothered to contact the MFHA? Complaining on here is a pointless exercise, unless you back up your grievances by going to the regulatory body of those who follow hounds.

For those who have spoken with the MFHA, what was their response?

Alec.

Alec, I've asked similar re the MFHA, both earlier in this thread and on another similar one from a while back. No one has responded. No idea if the MFHA have any interest in actively regulating the activities of packs or not (though they should do), but it would be very useful to know either way.

Well I'd take a few of my friends and their horses and go have a good gallop round the secretary's /Masters fields or even better their gardens and see how they like it ;-)

A few years ago, a group of local farmers staged a protest picnic in the drive of a (now ex) master of my local pack . The hunt had rampaged across land which they had been specifically asked to avoid, resulting in electric fencing being torn down, milking and non milking cattle all getting in together, many injuries to the livestock and milk yield being down for weeks.

 

[unicornystar]

no, if they live there, it's up to the owners....our hunt regularly upset my horses that live out, maybe some don't have stables??

 

[flirtygerty]

Tresspass, Injunction, Private Land, Rights of Way.

Don't be ridiculous, one simply does not ride through loose horses.

I know there are some people who post on this forum who regard their horses as anthropomorphic, however I would be interested to know of any horse that understands issues of 'rights of way' as it gives the nearest ridden horse passing through the field a good kicking.

Excuse me, but just sometimes a bridleway takes you through an occupied field, this happened to us on the hack from hell, badly signposted bridlepath in new area to us, brought us through a large livery yard's field with tenants very interested in the trespassers in their field, for safety's sake we got off and led ours to the gate, keeping my bolshy mare to the rear, knowing she would stand her ground, on topic, the hunt comes through often, I always bring my lot in, but there was one time, the hunt came through without warning, my lot had a fine time running round the field, although the hunt went round my field not through it, to be fair our local hunt is very considerant and my two that have hunted in the past love these visits, growing an inch at the sound of hounds or horn (I don't hunt)

 

[JanetGeorge]

I agree, I am pleasantly surprised by Doormouse's response. I'm sure that if more hunt people had this attitude then they would have more support, especially from landowners.

I spent 7 years of my working life defending and promoting hunting for the British Field Sports Society, then Countryside Alliance. I confess I'm damn pleased I'm not doing it now! Some hunts have behaved moronically - especially with sabs - and defending them would have been near impossible for any PR person (where honesty is the ONLY sensible policy!)

My own local hunt has a dim Master/Amateur huntsman - last time he was in the area he was warned that if he came NEAR my land/horses I would join the LACS AND the Hunt Sabs and bring them all down on his neck!! (I think he believed me - he kept away!)

 

[Alec Swan]

Aah, Mrs. George, welcome to the discussion! I'll admit to being a little suspicious of some of the claims, but then there are those, specifically Tiddlypom's post but others too, where I'm left near speechless.

Assuming that such thoughtless and arrogant conduct as has been related, is more common than I previously believed, then I'll say it again, why the sabs and the lacs bother, is beyond me, Hunting will bring about its own demise.

Would you feel able to offer an opinion as to the role of the MFHA and whether they have any influence over those who hunt under the association's banner?

Alec.

 

[Goldenstar]

Well Alec I can think of a few people who might be deep plants for the LACS I think most hunts have at least one .

 

[Judgemental]

When I see you post Mrs George, I know hunting is still in good heart.

Indeed with sincere respect it is always Mrs George, I would not have the temerity to address you as Janet, says he nervously plucking at the keyboard.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Would you feel able to offer an opinion as to the role of the MFHA and whether they have any influence over those who hunt under the association's banner?

Alec.

lol, I know what I THINK they should do - and they COULD have a lot of influence - but they don't - and they don't! Just don't ask me why they appear to be as thick as ****!

 

[Clodagh]

That's not quite what Lizzie66 is saying , tenants often do not get the sporting rights with their tenancy that means they have no rights to prevent those given the use of the sporting rights to cross the land .
I have no idea if that has any relevance in this case .

Rights is one thing, courtesy to inform the land owner is quite another.

 

[oldie48]

Assuming that such thoughtless and arrogant conduct as has been related, is more common than I previously believed, then I'll say it again, why the sabs and the lacs bother, is beyond me, Hunting will bring about its own demise.


Alec.

Well I think you might be right, I know that the country available to one hunt is considerably diminished because some local land owners no longer want the hunt on their land due to bad behaviour. There are now several pheasant shoots on land that used to be hunted, effectively stopping hunting for a large part of the season with the result that the same country is hunted over and over again. I used to go to hunt balls but don't now as the behaviour of some of the young men was frankly appalling! It was common practice to throw food and the last time I went I had a bottle of red wine tipped over me as a result of a miss throw. I'd rather not pay to a mediocre meal in rude company and have a dress ruined! The practice of hunting in the week rather than at the weekend is a snobbish throw back to when people who could afford to hunt, didn't have to work. However, what a sad loss to the countryside it would be!

 

[Clodagh]

Rights is one thing, courtesy to inform the land owner is quite another.

Oops - I mean tenant!

 

[Judgemental]

lol, I know what I THINK they should do - and they COULD have a lot of influence - but they don't - and they don't! Just don't ask me why they appear to be as thick as ****!

I do love your so correct analysis.......

I have been told so many times, by grandees in heavy chalk stripe power dressing suiting's, "dear boy don't worry about hunting, we have it all under control" with a knowing tap of the nose.

That's the problem no guile and intellect, largely run by old established inherited land ownership and wealth and their position gained as a sinecure.

Coupled to those who support such antediluvian characters, as sycophantic toadies.

That is the fundamental reason the Hunting Act 2004 was enacted, because there was nobody acceptable (to the Labour Party) able to sit down with the Labour party in 2004 and agree a rapprochement.

Those that were able and acceptable, were shut out and comprehensively excluded.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Actually, the MAIN reason Blair rolled over was he wanted his MPs to support him on another issue (God knows what it was - I can't remember - but it was something 'significant' at the time.)

 

[Goldenstar]

Actually, the MAIN reason Blair rolled over was he wanted his MPs to support him on another issue (God knows what it was - I can't remember - but it was something 'significant' at the time.)

It was sop to the left at the time of the invasion of Iraq .
I'm a mild mannered person but I do hate that man .

 

[popsdosh]

I think maybe in the circumstances we should almost thank TB as it was left with lots of loopholes in the legislation that has at least allowed most hunts to survive ! Not sure some deserve to though as they seem to have a self destruct button.

 

[HashRouge]

It was sop to the left at the time of the invasion of Iraq .
I'm a mild mannered person but I do hate that man .

Same here, yet he just keeps popping up all over the place! The one sure fire way to get Jeremy Corbyn elected Labour leader was for Tony Blair to stick his oar in and tell people not to vote for him!

 

[Goldenstar]

Same here, yet he just keeps popping up all over the place! The one sure fire way to get Jeremy Corbyn elected Labour leader was for Tony Blair to stick his oar in and tell people not to vote for him!

Yes I agree when he popped on the radio saying don't vote for Corbyn we said that's it Corbyn has it in the bag.
TB seems to have no insight into what vast numbers of people think of him .

 

[Mike007]

It was sop to the left at the time of the invasion of Iraq .
I'm a mild mannered person but I do hate that man .

Interesting, I have only ever seen the man once .I was up to my eyeballs in TSG officers trying to "kettle" us outside parliament , on a countryside march. Blair rolls in with heavy escort clearing the way . The man looked terrified. The other man in the car was a certain syrian named Assad . Mr Assad seemed entirely unperterbed by the whole incident and also seemed a little "dismissive " of his erstwhile host. Purely as a mater of record and history . In my mind the only person who came out of that rally with his honour , was a lone policeman on the bridge who kept an entire crowd (or potential mob) under law ,simply by his fairness and honesty. Good on you mr unknown copper.

 

[Alec Swan]

……..
TB seems to have no insight into what vast numbers of people think of him .

You're right, he doesn't and neither do the sycophantic lot who proposed him and then appointed him as our Middle Eastern Peace Envoy. It occurs to me that the chance was lost; He could have shared the role with Bush, surely. :wink3::lol:

The more that I consider Blair, the more that I'm prepared to consider that his manipulation and scheming displayed a level of 'evil' not seen for many years amongst our own politicians. It would be rare for me to support Piers Morgan, but Blair was (is) a war criminal. Saddam was hung for his crimes, was Blair any less culpable? Should he not face justice?

Alec.

 

[Judgemental]

The more that I consider Blair, the more that I'm prepared to consider that his manipulation and scheming displayed a level of 'evil' not seen for many years amongst our own politicians. It would be rare for me to support Piers Morgan, but Blair was (is) a war criminal. Saddam was hung for his crimes, was Blair any less culpable? Should he not face justice? Alec.

Alec at least we can take some small satisfaction, he has never been given any sort of title.

Should that happen, I anticipate the Honours and Appointments Secretariat at the
Cabinet Office would be deluged with folk objecting.

In any event, we all have one very effective device should that happen and that is an On-Line Petition of Objection and I anticipate it would quickly gather over a 100,000 names and the matter would have to be debated in the House of Commons.

Until then and if, Mrs ........ goes shopping with Pauline who is much feted and addressed as Lady Prescott and rightly so.

 

[Alec Swan]

……..

Indeed with sincere respect it is always Mrs George, I would not have the temerity to address you as Janet, says he nervously plucking at the keyboard.

Yes, I remember the admonishment well, and deserved it was too! The occasion still raises a smile!

Rarely do I learn from the mistakes of others, it seems, but on this occasion, I'll join you in a display of deference!

On a more so(m)ber note; There's little point in saying that next time we'll be better prepared. The damage has been done, and a reversal seems unlikely. It also occurs to me that considering the conduct of some, perhaps a change in the Act would only worsen matters. I've always believed that a display of courtesy and good manners reinforced the stance of those who rode to hounds. I'm quite sure that the vast majority know how to conduct themselves and give the generosity of others due consideration, but as with everything these days, it seems, what we have on display are the antics of the minorities. If they are indeed that, minorities, then it's the place of any governing body to prevent the swell of unwelcome and damaging conduct.

Right, that's it, I'm off to the pub! Good night!

Alec.