Inter HuntRelay Turnout Help Please :)

[BarmyC]

I have been convinced into doing the inter hunt relay at the South of England Show on Friday and woulld really appreciate some help on turnout please.

I will wear hunt coat etc... but need tips as to how many pairs of gloves? Do i need to carry string, hoof pick etc??

Any advice would be gratefully received

 

[LizzieJ]

I've always done it in tweed, don't recall having to carry anything but I guess they all vary!

 

[BarmyC]

I have a tweed and a black hunt coat which one would be preferable??

I guess i am probably worrying about nothing but i dont want to let anyone down and look like a numptie.

Thanks for the reply

 

[L&M]

I did one last year and was turned out as for a normal days hunting - navy hunt coat, stock, white gloves etc. The horse was plaited and polished, and as a team we also all wore white woolen numnahs and had baler twine looped on the saddle, and carried hunting crops.

It is also worth checking as some IH relays also do a tack and turnout judging before the relay.

I have friends who are members of the Surrey Union Hunt and have competed in the S of E relay before, and believe their hunt website has some photos that may help.

Have fun and kick on!!

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Good advice above with regards to which jacket I would check what the rest of your team are doing as always think it looks best when the teams are in the same jackets

 

[Angelbones]

We did it last year at Ardingly.

Its two pairs of beige string gloves, one under your girth straps and one worn. Yes hunting crop. Yes hunt coat - unless as a team you are all in tweed. Beige breeches. They give you a coloured silk to wear on your crash hat for jumping but for turnout you need a Patey hat or crash hat with velvet cover. Waistcoat. Hunting boots with garter straps and buttons (we had to cheat on this). Spurs. White stock with appropriate pin (no bling). Plain hunter bridle pref brown but we only had black. Hunting breastplate. Yes baling twine (although we forgot). They do the tack / turnout scoring before you go into the ring. No boots on horse for turnout scoring but you can put them on for jumping. Horse plaited (sewn in, no bands). Oh yes, studs, its like an ice rink there; very flat, mm of grass covering. We had a lady in charge of all this for our team and she knows her stuff. She was spitting feathers when we came 2nd on turnout by .25 point and we couldn't find out why!

If you want to get a feel of that particular event, you can search for it on youtube. Our particular round is under Walkingonsunshine or Alfie, Kristy Cutler I believe.

Great fun, enjoy

 

[BarmyC]

Thank you Sidney.

The Barmy horse will be primped to perfection

We will be judged on condition and turnout before the relay so will have to dig out the velvet hat as i normally jump in a skull which is what we are to jump in.

Im trying to work out the little bits of tradition that i havent come across before. The two pairs of white gloves were a surprise to me as i wear black or brown depending on which jacket i wear out.

Are there any particular "rules" about how many plaits? I know it is supposed to be an even number of plaits with the forelock being the odd one.

On a plus note we had a practice today and she was a superstar Im quite excited...not sure what Charm will make of it as the last event she was at was the Fernie Team Chase Finals

 

[Angelbones]

Are there any particular "rules" about how many plaits? I know it is supposed to be an even number of plaits with the forelock being the odd one.

Its odd number up the neck, with the forelock plait making it an even number!
Generally 7 or 9 depending on the amount of mane and length of neck.

 

[BarmyC]

Good advice above with regards to which jacket I would check what the rest of your team are doing as always think it looks best when the teams are in the same jackets

Hmm that may be a problem then as one of our riders is hunt staff so will be in his blue jacket and the other 2 both have their hunt buttons so will be in green, Me, well i have only just done my first real season with them so will be in black

We did it last year at Ardingly.

Its two pairs of beige string gloves, one under your girth straps and one worn. Yes hunting crop. Yes hunt coat - unless as a team you are all in tweed. Beige breeches. They give you a coloured silk to wear on your crash hat for jumping but for turnout you need a Patey hat or crash hat with velvet cover. Waistcoat. Hunting boots with garter straps and buttons (we had to cheat on this). Spurs. White stock with appropriate pin (no bling). Plain hunter bridle pref brown but we only had black. Hunting breastplate. Yes baling twine (although we forgot). They do the tack / turnout scoring before you go into the ring. No boots on horse for turnout scoring but you can put them on for jumping. Horse plaited (sewn in, no bands). Oh yes, studs, its like an ice rink there; very flat, mm of grass covering. We had a lady in charge of all this for our team and she knows her stuff. She was spitting feathers when we came 2nd on turnout by .25 point and we couldn't find out why!

If you want to get a feel of that particular event, you can search for it on youtube. Our particular round is under Walkingonsunshine or Alfie, Kristy Cutler I believe.

Great fun, enjoy

Oh no... I dont have a hunt crop i normally hunt with a black whip.

Will a black velvet hat with flesh straps be ok? as i dont own a patey

Stock and spurs i can do. I dont have a plain hunter bridle and just have a brown grackle bridle.

I will always stud for jumping on grass especially with any quick turns involved.

Right im off to search for all the bits that im missing.

 

[BarmyC]

Its odd number up the neck, with the forelock plait making it an even number!
Generally 7 or 9 depending on the amount of mane and length of neck.

Whoops!!!

Think i may have to go for 9 as it is quite thick despite all my pulling attempts.

 

[Angelbones]

Don't worry about jackets matching with regard hunt staff / buttons etc. I think you have to have a member of the hunt staff on the team anyway so that's to be expected. This is where you start asking to borrow stuff - if your hunt has an email facility send one round asking to borrow what you need. We did this and managed to get the waistcoat, garter straps, and Patey hat. Your hat will be fine - safety comes first anyway. There is no expectation for you to have your hunt buttons but if you want to look the same see if you can borrow a jacket.

Your grackle bridle will be fine. We had a flash strap. Better the noseband you need than an out of control horse getting eliminated!

Depending on how your team is organised there may be someone overall in charge of coordinating it all. If so, speak to them and make sure you all know the rules / your team look etc beforehand. We rigged up a practice gate in a field and had a team get together a couple of times to make sure we didn't drop the baton etc. Oh yes, re the baton, you ride with that either with or without your whip so get organised about hands etc!

 

[BarmyC]

Thank you Angelbones

I will get on to the lady that is organising the team.

My boss (who is also on the team) has built the course in one of our grass rings at the farm and we practiced this morning including the bridge/tunnel gate thingy and practiced both the baton changes to and from each other and that went well.

I just hope she behaves as she has never been at a place with such atmosphere (she is 7) and can have a tendancy to be a bit like tigger on speed.

My boss just loves to chuck me in at the deep end.. I only found out i was doing it yesterday!!!

 

[L&M]

We expect a full report/photos!!

Have fun and don't do what I did - in ours half way round the course we had to stop and drink a full glass of port which ended up all down my hunt coat and stock! They have never been the same since......

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

I would wear your black jacket, as that will fit in more with the rest of the team, who have the hunt buttons and the hunt staff member. I wouldn't borrow someone's jacket who has their buttons though, as unless you have been awarded your buttons you shouldn't wear them. Most other stuff should be able to be borrowed or bought, I know a good stand that will be at SoE (pm if want more details) . What team are you jumping in? Hoping to watch whilst also helping on stand and also towing with my YF team on sat in the tug of war!

 

[Mince Pie]

Have fun and don't forget to clean the bottom of your boots! Which hunt are you representing? I have a friend who will no doubt be on the team for OSBWK.

 

[BarmyC]

Thank you for all your helpful replies.

I will go with my black jacket and some baby wipe's for my boots.

I am riding for the Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds and they are such a lovely bunch I really want to do them proud.

If I can get someone to take pictures I will certainly post them with a full report.

Lets hope we get to the final on Saturday