On the subject of turnout..

The bunch I used to foot follow always seemed that way too, it's just some of these comments sound so unwelcoming:( It's intimidating enough doing something as a newcomer without people jumping all over you about wearing the wrong stuff or committing a hideous crime like turning your collar up because it's peeing down (the horror, the horror)

I'll be right there Kits :)
 
We are very welcoming, and if your hip flask is full even more so! I do agree with Rosie that standards need to be maintained, but would never discourage anyone from hunting. As long as you are clean tidy and smart and your horse likewise and plaited then there is no problem. However, most people find that if they are going to hunt on a regular basis then the "proper kit" not only looks smart but is also very practical. On a bitter January day when you are stood about freezing your bits off a thick wool hunt coat, a hunt shirt and a waistcoat is the warmest thing to wear....oh and don't forget the M & S thermal vest. Once you have them they will last for ever.
 
Hip flasks and thermals I can do :) It's the sad lack of a horse holding me back at the moment.

It's nice to have a goal to aim for though, having a go at hunting has been mine for a while.
 
I have trouble taking seriously the opinion of anyone over the age of ten who refers to their mother as "Mummy". Possibly just me, though.

Starbucks - someone turned their collar up on a hunt and you told them not to? Do you know that a fair few of us are constantly trying to dispel the "hunters are toffs" myth while people like you insist on continuing to prove them right?

I really do wonder sometimes if I'm on the wrong side of the fence. Thank God I've never met anyone like you on our local hunt.
 
That's not a very nice thing to say.

I wasn't like you are making out. He is a regular and a mate and we were taking the piss. I was surprised he actually turned it down though.. thought he'd tell us the bugger off! :D
 
Ok.. but I don't really see what is snobby about it. You have to wear certain gear or a uniform for loads of different stuff in life.

I don't see why I'm a snob just because I think people should at least try to wear what you are meant to out hunting.
 
Genuine question, why can you not put your collar up if it starts to rain? One of our Masters is the first to flick their collar up when it rains.
 
As far as I can see it the real issue is not whether people wear the right kit, but newcomers to the hunting field being slated for not having the right stuff on their first day out when they might never hunt again.

My ex begged, bought and borrowed all his kit second hand, but even that way it was still pricey making sure he was correctly kitted out. I've just done a rough estimate and without boots which his father paid for and gloves that master gave him, the sum came to £185. That is a lot of money to find if you aren't sure whether you are going to continue with hunting.

Can we not cut newcomers some slack, as long as they don't look like a complete bag of [****] and then encourage them to purchase better kit when they can. I have seen people wearing the right kit look worse than those who have made do, but are clean!
 
I agree with poster above, had thought a few times about coming out for a day, & seen PR about how hunts welcome new people. Having read a couple of threads on here it seems that it is as I thought, full of unfriendly snobs who will sneer at you if you aren't wearing the right gear & haven't had hunt protocol drummed into you since birth. Sadly I would have to wear my £300 made to measure show jacket, so clearly I am unwelcome, God forbid that I would turn the collar up if it rained. I'm back to CR now where I clearly belong.
 
In some ways I agree, keeping a high standard of turnout is just polite, that goes for any equine activity. It shows a level of respect to the people who have gone out of their way to provide you with a days sport.
However as long as the overall picture is smart, then one or two minor details aren't the beall and endall? Yes if you are out hunting everyweek, or intend to make it a regular occurance perhaps those minor details DO make a difference, and proper hunting kit is definately the most practical wear, but as I can imagine how thrilled that small child was to have her first day out, and how crushed she would have been had someone suggested that perhaps her BP wasn't appropriate, I think I'd be inclined to let her off.

For all those who are being put off hunting by this thread, don't. I have only ever come across one person who was a stickler for turnout, and she was extremely polite and very educational, she certainly wouldn't snipe behind a person's back.

Personally, the worst look I have ever seen on the hunting field is the girls/women who seem to believe Hunting is akin to a fashion show and have trowelled their make-up on fresh from the cement mixer!
 
My MFH husband says kids in bright pink body protectors are fine with him - makes it FAR easier to find them if they fall off in the undergrowth - and safety comes first!! He'd rather kill foxes than kids, even by accident! lol
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Yes, I do agree on bright colours being easier to find in undergrowth, ditches, etc. Thank God for JG's sense of humour.
 
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