talk me through hunting..

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cobbycobgirl

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We had the hunt come through our land today with their hounds and I've never seen my horses look so excited. Had a good chat with the huntmaster too who was lovely.

Trouble is, I haven't the slightest idea how to actually join a hunt and go out for the day.

How does one go about hunting for the very first time?
 
ycbm

ycbm

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If you don't want to hunt fox the first thing you do is research whether the hunt you plan to join is genuinely hunting trails or actually happy to hunt fox. As a follower this is a moral question only, you wouldn't be breaking any laws if you're not in charge of the hounds. (Please keep this thread to simple advice, folks there are other lengthy threads running discussing the legal issues).

If the hunt you want to join will allow it can be a good idea to go out on hound exercise, it will be a shorter time and give you some idea if your horse is going to go crazy with excitement.

You need a fit horse or you risk serious injuries. The later in the season you start, the fitter the horse needs to be. Ideally, as a rookie and especially if your horse is not hunting fit, you would wait for autumn hunting which is usually quieter, shorter and slower.

Many hunts have beginner days, and while they can seem like a good place to start my own experience is that they can be a mayhem of out of control inexperienced riders, so ask a few questions about numbers and control first.

It can really help early on if you can buddy up with a regular hunter who is prepared to nanny you for a while. I was introduced by a friend. Something to ask around about.

Be prepared to stop and go home if your horse tires or is causing a nuisance. Be aware you may be quite a distance away from your transport when that happens and not quite sure where you are. I write that from experience!

Whatever happens, never ever ever pass the Field Master!
.
 
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Orangehorse

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As above. If you want to join just ask, they certainly SHOULD be very welcoming. And there should be someone mounted around to be a mentor, and there is often a non jumping section.

As above, for hunting your horse does need to be fit, or there is a big risk of serious injury. They will keep going from excitement even when tired. So fit means able to canter and gallop, as fit as for eventing really.

Some horses really take to it and realise that they have to stand still when asked (meet, waiting by a cover, at a check, etc.) and queue nicely for a jump, some are lunatics and never calm down (answer to that is hunt 6 days in a row if you can find someone!), so hope yours is the former!

Hunting is great fun if you have a nice horse. It is a real social group too, there are frequent social and fund raising events. It is also interesting from the hound breeding and training side too.
 
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cobbycobgirl

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ycbm said:
If you don't want to hunt fox the first thing you do is research whether the hunt you plan to join is genuinely hunting trails or actually happy to hunt fox. As a follower this is a moral question only, you wouldn't be breaking any laws if you're not in charge of the hounds. (Please keep this thread to simple advice, folks there are other lengthy threads running discussing the legal issues).

If the hunt you want to join will allow it can be a good idea to go out on hound exercise, it will be a shorter time and give you some idea if your horse is going to go crazy with excitement.

You need a fit horse or you risk serious injuries. The later in the season you start, the fitter the horse needs to be. Ideally, as a rookie and especially if your horse is not hunting fit, you would wait for autumn hunting which is usually quieter, shorter and slower.

Many hunts have beginner days, and while they can seem like a good place to start my own experience is that they can be a mayhem of out of control inexperienced riders, so ask a few questions about numbers and control first.

It can really help early on if you can buddy up with a regular hunter who is prepared to nanny you for a while. I was introduced by a friend. Something to ask around about.

Be prepared to stop and go home if your horse tires or is causing a nuisance. Be aware you may be quite a distance away from your transport when that happens and not quite sure where you are. I write that from experience!

Whatever happens, never ever ever pass the Field Master!
.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much!
I’m most definitely going to wait for autumn hunting to even give it a go. Me and my girl are definitely lacking fitness this year!
Is it just super bad etiquette to pass the field master or is there a safety aspect?
 
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cobbycobgirl

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Orangehorse said:
As above. If you want to join just ask, they certainly SHOULD be very welcoming. And there should be someone mounted around to be a mentor, and there is often a non jumping section.

As above, for hunting your horse does need to be fit, or there is a big risk of serious injury. They will keep going from excitement even when tired. So fit means able to canter and gallop, as fit as for eventing really.

Some horses really take to it and realise that they have to stand still when asked (meet, waiting by a cover, at a check, etc.) and queue nicely for a jump, some are lunatics and never calm down (answer to that is hunt 6 days in a row if you can find someone!), so hope yours is the former!

Hunting is great fun if you have a nice horse. It is a real social group too, there are frequent social and fund raising events. It is also interesting from the hound breeding and training side too.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Definitely going to work on fitness and manners before we give it a go as my girls been out of work.
It seems soo fun!
 
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Ratface

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cobbycobgirl said:
Thank you so much!
I’m most definitely going to wait for autumn hunting to even give it a go. Me and my girl are definitely lacking fitness this year!
Is it just super bad etiquette to pass the field master or is there a safety aspect?
Click to expand...
Re passing the field master: it's both. S/he is responsible for managing the field, and preventing members from going across fields containing stock and causing them injury or losing their in utero pregnancies. They aim to prevent the field from crossing land which has not been agreed on for the hunt to use. Also over riding hounds who may have checked and are casting around for the scent.
Remember to say "Good night, Master" to the field master before you turn for home, whatever time of day it is.
Caveat: this may be somewhat outdated, as it is about sixty years since I rode to hounds.
 
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cobbycobgirl

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Ratface said:
Re passing the field master: it's both. S/he is responsible for managing the field, and preventing members from going across fields containing stock and causing them injury or losing their in utero pregnancies. They aim to prevent the field from crossing land which has not been agreed on for the hunt to use. Also over riding hounds who may have checked and are casting around for the scent.
Remember to say "Good night, Master" to the field master before you turn for home, whatever time of day it is.
Caveat: this may be somewhat outdated, as it is about sixty years since I rode to hounds.
Click to expand...
Thank you!
Gosh I had no idea it was so formal! “Good night, master” is very proper haha
 
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cobbycobgirl

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ycbm said:
Both. Sometimes there's a safety issue, sometimes the Field Master knows the areas the hunt have been asked not to allow the field over though the hounds and Huntsman can.
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I see! Thank you very much. I really hope I haven’t already committed a social faux pas when I patted his horse the other day😬
 
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cobbycobgirl

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Tiddlypom said:
If you pass the field master be expected to be dressed down in loud and colourful language in front of the rest of the field. And quite possibly to be sent home there and then.
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Oh gosh😬I’ll definitely make sure to remember this. I cry far too easily to let this happen
Thank you!
 
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rextherobber

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cobbycobgirl said:
Thank you so much!
I’m most definitely going to wait for autumn hunting to even give it a go. Me and my girl are definitely lacking fitness this year!
Is it just super bad etiquette to pass the field master or is there a safety aspect?
Click to expand...
It's super bad etiquette for them to be on your land uninvited, it would certainly raise red flags for me, on the trail laying front.
 
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cobbycobgirl

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rextherobber said:
It's super bad etiquette for them to be on your land uninvited, it would certainly raise red flags for me, on the trail laying front.
Click to expand...
Completely valid concern. It was a bit out of the blue but it was explained to me that they were friends with the previous owner of our farm and didn’t realise the sale had been finalised and he’d moved out yet.
A groundsman (I think that’s what he was) did knock on our door in the morning to make sure it was ok and we gave them the go ahead.
 
ycbm

ycbm

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I thought you meant they came through on a track. If you have land they want to lay trails over I would expect you to be welcomed with open arms and allocated a mentor for a long as you want one.

I've even known land owners lent a horse to hunt on by the hunt.
.
 
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cobbycobgirl

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ycbm said:
I thought you meant they came through on a track. If you have land they want to lay trails over I would expect you to be welcomed with open arms and allocated a mentor for a long as you want one.

I've even known land owners lent a horse to hunt on by the hunt.
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Click to expand...
The hunt master was amazingly welcoming to me, invited me out to get to know them all and invited me to the next meet.
My mares a bit young and too unfit for an actual day of hunting so now let’s see if he would let me borrow a horse hehe
 
ycbm

ycbm

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cobbycobgirl said:
The hunt master was amazingly welcoming to me, invited me out to get to know them all and invited me to the next meet.
My mares a bit young and too unfit for an actual day of hunting so now let’s see if he would let me borrow a horse hehe
Click to expand...


He will have been amazingly welcoming if you have land he wants to hunt over.
.
 
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