What do you actually do at a hunt ?

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CheziBrown

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This may sound like a stupid question but i've never been hunting or ever really loooked into it before but, i'm starting to gain an interest. Can anybody let me know what you actually do on a day out hunting ? Is most of the time spent walking/cantering etc ? Do you have to jump ? Are you out there for a full day ? Thanks v much :D
 
depends what sort of hunt you go on. drag or trail hunting with fox hounds.
hunts have diferent days, depending what sort of country you have to cross. most are willing to advise what is a good day for a first timer, which is a big jumping day e.t.c.
season is about finished now, but make enquiries over the summer to get a meet card for the start of the new season.
 
Drink lots of port! ;)

It varies a lot from hunt to hunt so you are probably best off going to a meet on foot with your local pack and see what they get up to. :)
 
Same situation with me, am intregued and wouldnt mind going, but I dont have a horse and I doubt any old stranger would lend me a horse!
 
Went for first ever hunt this year. Was first ever hunt for mare also!!!

Might as well have been pulling her tail as pulling her mane. Anyway, we didn't part company for the full 4 hours.

My overall impression was it was a somewhat terrifying experience yet I couldn't get rid of the huge grin on my face!!!

Can't wait for next year!!!
 
Well today started at the meet a lovely old pub 2 villages away from my home (!), they kindly handed round port, soup and we all had a general chit chat, (although my horse wouldn't stand still!!!)
Then we trotted off onto a bridleway, over some lovely jumps, trailed through the woods for a while, did some more jumps through some open fields, lovely gallops, smiling faces all round! Stopped for more chit chat, tipple times. Alot of is it social as well, you make lots of friends and its great fun.

Its lovely exploring new/ or normally restricted bits of the countryside, and watching the hounds work ( looking for the artificial scent laid)

I would highly recommend going out!
 
TEN FABBY THINGS YOU DO HUNTING
1) do lots of things you would never do in cold blood...(steep hills/hairy jumps/fording rivers/cantering down roads(ooops!) etc)
2) discover your horse has a fab sense of balance and self-preservation
3) see fab sights and views you would never see any other way
4) go faster than you ever thought possible..on the flat and up and down hill!
5)Meet some really sweet people ( and some a****holes!)
6)Bond with your horse more than ever before as you hack back to your box etc
7)Find you are suddenly more confident at home/in competition as a result of having been hunting
8)Find yourself longing to go again( even tho' you were s*** scared some of the time...!)
9)Watch hounds spill across a field, heads down, sterns aloft.
10)Dream up a bazillion different concoctions for the hip flask..and , when you get home after a lovely day, feel entitled to eat as much as you want! Hurrah!
Enjoy!
 
Where are you based?
different parts of the country/landscape have different styles of hunting.
up here on the north york moors we have some of the most mixed terrain available - we hunt over heather and bracken, forestry tracks, and some wonderful old pasture with hunt jumps.
we go up and down some very steep slippery hills, but our horses soon cope and all the riders go home with a big grin!
all our jumps are optional, there is always a way round.
 
well we're still a fair trek from you, but you could try the Penine, badsworth and bramham moor, the barlow or the pendle forest and craven.

ata push the york and ainsty north would be another option (though i find their country very flat and boring compared to my beautiful hills! ;-) )
 
TEN FABBY THINGS YOU DO HUNTING
1) do lots of things you would never do in cold blood...(steep hills/hairy jumps/fording rivers/cantering down roads(ooops!) etc)
2) discover your horse has a fab sense of balance and self-preservation
3) see fab sights and views you would never see any other way
4) go faster than you ever thought possible..on the flat and up and down hill!
5)Meet some really sweet people ( and some a****holes!)
6)Bond with your horse more than ever before as you hack back to your box etc
7)Find you are suddenly more confident at home/in competition as a result of having been hunting
8)Find yourself longing to go again( even tho' you were s*** scared some of the time...!)
9)Watch hounds spill across a field, heads down, sterns aloft.
10)Dream up a bazillion different concoctions for the hip flask..and , when you get home after a lovely day, feel entitled to eat as much as you want! Hurrah!
Enjoy!
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I couldn't of explained it better myself! Ive been twice this year, me and my boy had never done it, its the best feeling in the world! Im going to join and buy a season thing as im planning on going to most of them next season! And im usually a wimp when it comes to jumping. But when you're hunting its different some how, you wouldn't have caught me dead going flat out gallop down a wet muddy field last week but now I'll do anything! Im going to take on the world!! :grin:
 
Find out your local hunt and give the secretary a call.
The MFHA's website lists all the hunts, so you will be able to find which pack is close to you and what sort of ground they cover, also many have there own websites with lots of information and social events.
The secretary should be extremely helpful and answer any of your questions or worries.
I'd recommend you go on newcomers day, it will be more steady and less/optional jumping. A good hunt should take time to explain a few things to newcomers, after all they need to rely on new people like yourself to secure the the future of the sport.
 
I hunt with the Bilsdale, our gallop and end of season do is tomorrow if you fancy joining us!

we're well known for being one of the friendliest and most inclusive hunts around, and we seem to attratc regulars from York way, bedale, and darlington as well as Teesside and our own hunt country! People say they'd rather travel to us knowing we'll all talk to them than go to their local hunt.

the ladies spend a lot of time drinking and gossiping, the gents spend a lot of time drinking and smoking! or that's how it seems some days! but we do a bit of jumping and galloping, and a bit of picking our way over rough terrain.

day cap is £40, 10 day ticket is £250 (plus £5 each day), subscription is £360 i think, plus your £5 each day.

see www.bildalehunt.com for more details.
 
I hunt with Tredegar and Glamorgan. The difference is phenenomal. My old pony was a 13hh ex-riding school pony and we both loved the glamorgan jumping hunts. He was amazing and i did enjoy giving leads to the bigger horses. My new pony is 14.2hh and far too strong out hunting for little me so i plan to take him to the quiet tredegar hunts with minimal jumping. Like everyone else said find out information from your local hunt to see what's right for you and your horse.
Oh and please make sure your horse is fit enough for what it's doing, my friends horse dropped dead on the field after suffering a heart attack.
 
The Badsworth & Bramham Moor are a great bunch. I went out with them for the first time in 20 years last year and I thought I'd be terrified as I didn't know anyone but the Hunt Sec was a superstar and everyone was so friendly, a truly fantastic day out :D
 
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