Leaving the field at the end of your day

[Tiddlypom]

*disclaimer, my hunting days were long ago, so if I slip up on the correct terminology, don't batter me*

You've had a nice day with hounds, and a group of you decide to pack up early and head for home as you've done enough. What is the correct protocol for leaving the pack once you have bid goodnight to the master? Is it acceptable to canter back across farmland which the hunt has already crossed on that day, although you are no longer part of 'the field'?

 

[Kat]

I would say that you should take your leave at a point where you can get straight onto the road or a bridlepath and shouldn't go on private land unaccompanied (and emergency would be different)

 

[frostyfingers]

We always say at the beginning of the day “if you need to leave before the end of the day, come and find the field master and they will let you know the best way back”. Do not just go back the way you came - permission will have been given for the hunt to cross the land, as a field, at a set point during the day, and it’s possible stock will have been put back in fields, gates locked etc in the interim.

 

[frostyfingers]

We always say at the beginning of the day “if you need to leave before the end of the day, come and find the field master and they will let you know the best way back”. Do not just go back the way you came - permission will have been given for the hunt to cross the land, as a field, at a set point during the day, and it’s possible stock will have been put back in fields, gates locked etc in the interim.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks, both.

Kat, I always left at a road or bridleway too.
Frostyfingers, that sounds like a good system.

The group of riders I saw yesterday may have had permission to recross the land, as the hunt had passed that way only half an hour or so before, so it was was likely to still be open. I was shocked though to see them have a jolly in canter across the field before they reached the road. We would never have done such a thing, it was drummed into us to walk over land unless under the direction of a master, so as to minimise cutting it up. Having an unauthorised jolly like that would have got you sent home with a b0llocking (and quite rightly too), for abusing the hospitality of the landowner.

 

[Rowreach]

Thanks, both.

Kat, I always left at a road or bridleway too.
Frostyfingers, that sounds like a good system.

The group of riders I saw yesterday may have had permission to recross the land, as the hunt had passed that way only half an hour or so before, so it was was likely to still be open. I was shocked though to see them have a jolly in canter across the field before they reached the road. We would never have done such a thing, it was drummed into us to walk over land unless under the direction of a master, so as to minimise cutting it up. Having an unauthorised jolly like that would have got you sent home with a b0llocking (and quite rightly too), for abusing the hospitality of the landowner.

I agree, that is really not acceptable.

I once got an earful from a farm manager for hacking back home round one of his headlands after hunting. He called round to the yard the next day to apologise - I had had full permission from the landowner to ride on his land all the time - the farm manager hadn't recognised me without all my usual hi viz

 

[Tiddlypom]

Haha, Rowreach, you'll have looked quite different togged up for hunting instead of hacking!

I did think it was poor form from the riders, there were about 12-15 of them. As it happens they were cantering along a footpath that we use when walking the dog. That'll be even more cut up, then.

They do seem to do things differently up here than in Devon, and not in a good way.

 

[Shay]

Not only poor form for all the reasons others have said - it is also likely not the quickest way home! Hunt often move in a broad circle across the land they wish to draw. If you simply re-trace your steps you could be going a long way out of your way.

We depend on the generosity of our landowners - words would be had if we became aware of a group having done something like this. But in fairness to the hunt - we can't always control the beahviour of everyone with us. You could pick up the phone to the secretary if you feel strongly enough. And I very much hope it was a bridleway or BOAT, not a designated footpath. Riders should not be on the latter at all!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Thanks, Shay. It's a footpath than runs through a field, so at least it's not an enclosed one. The farmer is not that keen on horses, so he wouldn't appreciate his land being cut up any more than necessary. (He's a tenant farmer, it's a condition of his tenancy that he allows the hunt in).

I won't bother to have a word with anyone from this pack, they have plenty of previous. It's such a different hunting culture up here.

 

[GirlFriday]

Is it really that much worse for land to be ridden across twice by a small number (12-15 is small compared to the whole field? Or not so much?) than once by the whole lot?

I get the time of day issues. But surely the land is going to be pretty cut up anyway?

And obviously now there is no fox control involved (look at my straight face) there is no practical difference - it is just for fun whichever way they are riding?

 

[Rowreach]

Is it really that much worse for land to be ridden across twice by a small number (12-15 is small compared to the whole field? Or not so much?) than once by the whole lot?

I get the time of day issues. But surely the land is going to be pretty cut up anyway?

And obviously now there is no fox control involved (look at my straight face) there is no practical difference - it is just for fun whichever way they are riding?

It's about good manners ...........

 

[GirlFriday]

It's about good manners ...........

I don't hunt so was asking out of curiosity... As in was it a 'tradition' thing or something more practical. I didn't really understand (apart from the what if gates have been closed/livestock moved etc issue which didn't apply here) why it was acceptable for a large group to do something it wasn't acceptable for a small group to do.

 

[Tiddlypom]

As Rowreach says, it's about manners.

I was observing the hunt's activities this time whilst they were opposite us, as I was outside guarding our grass verge. The verge alongside our property is about 100m long, 3m wide and we keep it tidy, close mown with the garden lawnmower and trimmed. Most polite folk wouldn't dream of carving it up by parking on it or turning their vehicles round on it. However, many of the travelling circus of hunt car followers seem to be oblivious to this, so OH and me have to guard it when the car followers park all along opposite on our narrow lane and stuff up the through traffic. One of the car followers still stomped across to stamp on it, eyeball me and declared 'They can't stop us going on their grass.', though tbf his mates soon called him back. We stayed out til after the last vehicle had gone, as the time when they all turn around in the road is when our verge is most likely to take a battering.

Another time a few years ago, the then master's MIL parked a horse box uninvited right across our house gateway, completely blocking it, to swap horses over at 2nd horses time. She declined to move it when asked. The box refused to start when they had finally finished swapping horses over, leaving our car boxed in on the drive for several hours before the horsebox was towed away. Also our verge was left cut up and droppings mashed in.

Manners, eh? Meh.

 

[Clodagh]

I don't hunt so was asking out of curiosity... As in was it a 'tradition' thing or something more practical. I didn't really understand (apart from the what if gates have been closed/livestock moved etc issue which didn't apply here) why it was acceptable for a large group to do something it wasn't acceptable for a small group to do.

Manners and tradition. Something that modern hunt followers generally struggle with.

 

[Hanno Verian]

As Rowreach says, it's about manners.

I was observing the hunt's activities this time whilst they were opposite us, as I was outside guarding our grass verge. The verge alongside our property is about 100m long, 3m wide and we keep it tidy, close mown with the garden lawnmower and trimmed. Most polite folk wouldn't dream of carving it up by parking on it or turning their vehicles round on it. However, many of the travelling circus of hunt car followers seem to be oblivious to this, so OH and me have to guard it when the car followers park all along opposite on our narrow lane and stuff up the through traffic. One of the car followers still stomped across to stamp on it, eyeball me and declared 'They can't stop us going on their grass.', though tbf his mates soon called him back. We stayed out til after the last vehicle had gone, as the time when they all turn around in the road is when our verge is most likely to take a battering.

Another time a few years ago, the then master's MIL parked a horse box uninvited right across our house gateway, completely blocking it, to swap horses over at 2nd horses time. She declined to move it when asked. The box refused to start when they had finally finished swapping horses over, leaving our car boxed in on the drive for several hours before the horsebox was towed away. Also our verge was left cut up and droppings mashed in.

Manners, eh? Meh.

OMG - I cant believe this, I'm not saying I don't believe you! I honestly despair at times, I'm incredibly pro hunting and have hunted and will hunt, but I would be really P***ed off if foot followers behaved in such a manner, and as for the Masters MIL, I think I would have been apoplectic with rage. The vengeful bit of me would have been following them the next time they were out and have blocked in the Masters horsebox for an equal amount of time at the end of the day. There is a small section of people who hunt, who believe that they have the right to behave as if they were in a different century and expect the rest of the world to doff their caps to them regardless of how they are behaving.

My own experience is that foot followers are usually well controlled and if they don't understand the rules around respecting private property and keeping land owners and members of the public on side they would usually be very quickly educated!

I have heard of hunts behaving irresponsibly and been on the receiving end of it too when the Beaufort unexpectedly turned up without warning and everyone's horse were out in the paddocks, most of my experience is with smaller packs and they tend to have a much better relationship with landowners and farmers.

Girl Friday raised the point about not seeing the difference between the whole field crossing a piece of land and a small group crossing it twice, well it would be the whole field + a small group, at least as a field they would be under control and directed to where they can and cant go, the field will know this but not everyone else, so the chance of causing damage that will cause the hunt to lose access to that country will be reduced if anyone leaving walks along a route dictated by the field master rather than has a jolly wherever they feel like it!

 

[Tiddlypom]

The master's MIL got an absolute roasting from me :eek3:. I did though offer to stable the horses for her whilst she awaited rescue (she declined). There are numerous other similar examples of poor behaviour I could recount too, like when one of my equine vets hid in a stable whilst her farmer husband gave the hunt a b0llocking for crossing part of his land which they had specifically been told to keep off.

I wonder if it is the bigger, posher hunts which behave like noobs? All my hunting bar one half day was done with small, friendly West Country packs, who would never have behaved like this. (I have hunted with 7 different packs, 5 foxhounds, 2 harriers.)

 

[Rowreach]

A certain very posh hunt used to visit ours on one day a season, and let's just say it was a complete eye opener. Not a day I ever looked forward to.

 

[Alec Swan]

…….. , it was drummed into us to walk over land unless under the direction of a master, so as to minimise cutting it up. Having an unauthorised jolly like that would have got you sent home with a b0llocking (and quite rightly too), for abusing the hospitality of the landowner.

Crikey, there are those who hunt who still have manners and who are considerate of the leave to ride to hounds, it seems.

Well said you!

Alec.

 

[Alec Swan]

I don't hunt so was asking out of curiosity... As in was it a 'tradition' thing or something more practical. I didn't really understand (apart from the what if gates have been closed/livestock moved etc issue which didn't apply here) why it was acceptable for a large group to do something it wasn't acceptable for a small group to do.

Manners and tradition. Something that modern hunt followers generally struggle with.

A valid question GF and it received the right answer.

I was following hounds as best I could a few years ago now and was parked tightly against a hedge on the side of the road, when the field came down the road from behind us whilst an oaf in Hunt livery road towards us, he decided to turn around when he was level with us rather than continue another 10 feet or so and then turn, he reversed his horse in to my Landrover, pushed the collapsable wing mirror flat and then rode on without a word.

A following lady rider then rode up, attempted to straighten the mirror and mouthed the word 'Sorry'. She actually looked rather embarrassed. At least there was one amongst them with manners.

Why the antis bother as they do, I don't understand, there are enough who Hunt who're adding daily nails to their coffin.

Alec.