We all went to see our local boxing day hunt today, and it was brilliant. We were made very welcome, and the hunt participants were clearly touched by the support they received. There must have been a thousand supporters turned out, the streets were crammed and everyone was cheering and clapping as they went (and this is a very small town). There were maybe 100 protesters, who lined the street on both sides and made a racket to scare the horses, but other than that it was fairly calm.

I don't want to open a debate on hunting, this is only to say that it was an eye opener to be made so welcome by what has been portrayed as an elitist sport :) The kids really enjoyed seeing them go - and I hope to follow on foot next time :)

I saw my first hunt today, not purposely, but going past my brother and sister in laws house.  I must say, even though im not particulary in favour of them, it was a fantastic sight and the kids loved it.  All the hunters were very friendly waving to the kids etc and it had a brilliant community feel to it.

I love to see the clothes. Red Jackets, so smart and well turned out. The tradition and pagent. I love to see it.

Regards, John

Its daft, but it brought a lump to my throat. They were clearly extremely grateful for the support and raised their hats as they trotted out, thanking everyone (who were clapping and cheering like mad). Nice to see people enjoying their sport, and being appreciative, as opposed to the usual sullen sportsmen we see in every day life!

STOP IT STOP IT !!!!!! I COULDN'T GO!
Dawn.

Without starting an argument - I couldnt go as its something I am totally against :(

Thats fair enough lel :)

I love seeing the hunt too, I followed on foot once many years ago and throughly enjoyed it; nothing was caught but everyone appeared to enjoy it. The tradition and the pagent as John said earlier really has to be seen to be appreciated.

Karen  

Used to follow the hunt when I lived in Berkhamsted but have not done so since, but reading your posts makes me long to go again, such a wonderful sense of community, don't suppose I will every get the chance to go again but would love to.

I missed seeing our local hunt today as I was cooking in preparation for oldest daughter and faimly coming around ..but Stephen saw them and he said they looked fantastic :)

I used to love going down to the market place on Boxing Day morning and seeing all the horses and hounds , the people having a quick snifter before setting off ...ah well ..NEXT year :)

Mel

TOTALLY AGAINST IT ........

Each to their own :D

liberty

Next year I have promised myself I'll go on Josh - gives us plenty of time to get fit (both of us lol), and my friend who took her daughter out today on a lead rein says I can take the "gentler" route with them :rolleyes: :D

Josh has hunted before, so its not him I'm worried about... :D

Sorry well against it!

Thats up to you :) I didn't ask for opinions on whether folk are for or against hunting because its each to their own, and I know its a very contentious subject. But, I should be able to discuss the day without going through the pro and anti debate - in the same way as someone should be able to enjoy being a vegetarian without having to have a discussion over whether its right or wrong! :)

Yes, please can we not turn this into another for or against debate. Chloe, I am glad you enjoy the spectacle.

Edited to add: as this is the season of good will anyone who tries to turn this thread into a slanging match  and thus have the thread removed, will have their post removed.

Sounds fantastic Chloe, I shall look forward to hearing about your first outing this time next year, with pictures if possible :)

From the local solo club!!!!!!!!! I drove past on my way to mums just after they had left/. Well, I presume it was, as sooo many people were walking away.
I do love to see them, and yep, they are all so friendly. Will try and get there next year!!!!!!
Lea :)

Sometimes go to see the Blencathra, those guys hunt on foot and are well fit in any sense of the word ;)

We popped along to our local hunt too, whether your for or against its a marvelous spectacle, the hounds baying, the horses immaculately groomed.
It may not be PC but what a feeling, out in the fresh air and every one full of the Christmas spirit.

Robert

I haven't been to one over christmas but I did see one whilst ferreting a couple of weeks ago.  Watching the dogs running across the field was fantastic.  Then the followers came past and raised their hats and thanked us for standing out of the way. 

We also recently helped round up some stray hounds for the border hunt who were hunting around here.  There was one old girl who, at 12 years old, was still hunting.  She looked tired but very happy.  The huntmaster said that she goes out in an advisory capacity :D

Helen

This is our first year living in the country and the hunt left from accross the road from us and its was quite a spectacular sight the horses were beautiful.
As it happens the fox managed to escape so they had a nice day hunting and foxie lived to fight another day.

I'd love to see one, it must be a wonderful sight. I am neither for or against, kinda floating in the middle. I can see both sides of the argument. However we do seem to have an awful lot of foxes round here and since they killed all 6 of my kittens (and didn't even take some of them so it wasn't because they were hungry) i'm not feeling too friendly towards them.

I've never seen one, but would love to, and I'd love to have the confidence and ability on a horse to participate too!! (It'll never happen!!)
Also, the riders and horses all look so bloody smart, if I were ever to join the local hunt, I'd have to start grooming myself and Tango now..ready for next year!! :D

Chloe, if you do go on Josh next year, I want to hear all about it!! :)

Take care all

Lisa

I'm with you Mattie - I love to see the hunt but I'm always secretly pleased when the fox gets away ;)

Guess it's not such a secret now eh? :rolleyes:

Sunday Times had a feature on journalist riding his first hunt. He hadnt ridden for years, couldnt jump and still managed to enjoy himself thanks to his experienced horse. Josh'll look after you, Chloe. :D

I have to agree with Robert, wether it's PC or not, I can imagine that is a sight to behold !!!
The red coats, the horse's groomed to perfection, the hounds all beautiful and baying and howling ( I'm not biased just cos I've got a Basset lol)....wonderful to see.  Bet it gets the adrenaline going.
And Chloe, I bet the spectators all appreciated the 'hat tipping' and waving and the comradeship <SP> of the riders.
Wether I agree with hunting or not, this is a sight that I would love to see.

I'm hoping Josh will look after me Lorelei! :D ;)

The hat tipping was very much appreciated - makes a change from the usual sullen sportsmen! The place was packed out - never seen so many folk early on a Boxing Day morning. There were 50 plus horses, and every one was absolutely immaculate. The road they started from was cordoned off and lined 5 deep with people. Then the hounds arrived and the clapping and cheering increased tenfold. Mollie and I were right at the front, and were giggling at a rogue hound who broke away and sauntered off down the road in the opposite direction and had to be caught :D

I've only ever seen the Hunts at the South of England Show. I'm always impressed and proud to see a part of our heritage and culture continuing into the present day :)

liberty

**giggling at a rogue hound who broke away and sauntered off down the road in the opposite direction and had to be caught**

.........could imagine my Henry doing that and then wondering what all the fuss was about lol lol lol.

How are all the dogs like in those crowds Chloe???  The hounds, and the spectator dogs??  I mean, I know you'd only take dogs there who were used to such crowds etc.... but at the same time, it's not every day they'd see so many horses, people and pack dogs?? 
My dad always says that I 'like to know the far end of a f**t'...I'd prefer to call it 'wanting to know all the details' :D

To be honest, there weren't many spectator dogs - the ones that were there were gundogs and were clearly unphased by the whole thing. The majority of the crowd were dogless, but arrived in complete families with pushchairs, kids (who were encouraged to say hello to the horses) and the occasional family dog (none of which were badly behaved at all) :)

We arrived at half ten, and the hounds arrived at 11. They ignored the "anti" noise and seemed totally unfussed by the crowds cheering and clapping. They moved up the cordoned off road with the Field Master and then came back down at about ten past 11 when they moved off. We didn't get to see them waiting around because we were positioned further down the road - in the middle of the road - and I didn't want to lose our place :) The hounds were well behaved though!

Edit to say that we went to a Game Fair in the summer and there were a couple of packs of hounds brought into the main ring as a bit of a PR exercise I guess. They invited all the children to come in and say hello, which both of mine did. The hounds were brilliant, put up with being fussed, fed, kissed by hundreds of kids, and all ran around the main ring following the huntsman in his jods and jacket :D :D Mind, half of the hounds then set off in hot pursuit of the burger van. But they were still under control, well, most of them ;) a couple had to be persuaded to go back :D

So Chloe a good time was had by all then, sounds an ideal boxing day out :)

Karen   

It all sounds fabulous !!
Think I'm a bit of a hypocrite, cos I hate the thought of a fox being killed, (even tho' I know both sides of the story..just hate to hear of any animal being killed..soft thing that I am) but I'd absolutely adore to see the hunt starting off.  Spectacular sight!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Henry would be one of those chasing the burger van, now he's used to his collar :D

Can you tell I'm still chuffed to bits with him??? 

well this was the 1st year in many many years that I didnt ride on boxing day :( Just too much on, what with having 2 hounds back for rehoming the week before Xmas, and mother staying 5 days etc. etc. Went to the meet....50 plus horses , over 300 foot followers,  22 and a half couple of hounds. :)  and not one single anti I am glad to say. It was wonderful to watch hounds hunting, that I had walked as puppies over the years. I Followed for an hour but then my friend got run into a granite gate post & broke her leg so ended up doing the hospital run!!!!!  It was a good day by all accounts, despite the rain.

<<my friend got run into a granite gate post & broke her leg so ended up doing the hospital run!!!!!  It was a good day >>

I love this post :d :D

John

PS. Sorry Sam but I found it so funny!!! (OK, so eveyone knows I'm a bit odd!)

Lol John, I never thought you were odd before.....but I do now  :D :D 
Steph

Interested to hear about rehoming hounds - why do they get rehomed is it age or lack of ability? And who takes them on, are they people experienced with any other hounds or have they walked puppies for a pack? Hope your friend is more comfortable now.

i think sam might mean two bloodhounds returned as she breeds them-----could be wrong though. --did we read in the dogpress about the chow breeder who popped her dogs into the garden for a pee---one an in season bitch, and looked out to find a few wayward hounds from the hunt mingling with her chows        --   the horn sounded luckily and they took off with the chows  still inplace/

lorelei...Dizzy is right...its 2 of MY hounds that are back, not 2 hunt hounds (thank goodness!!) Just sent our foxhound puppy back to hunt kennels having walked her for 6 months...what a nightmare :)

the boxing day hunt in my area gathers about 20feet from our front door.

Even when I was an anti (not now having lived in the countryside for several years) I couldnt help but watch. Its an absolutely amazing spectacle.
The local pub brings out glasses of sherry for everyone to warm up before they head off
THeres a real atmosphere of christmas and community.

Cant think of anything that matches it

Hi all
          Happy New year to everyone, on the subject of fox hunting some are for it and some are against it that is up to individual choice, but very rarely if ever is the subject of how many foxes are actually caught in relation to the number of hunts is mentioned. I suspect very few, however, seeing people dressed up in traditional attire is still worth seeing and from that view point it is interesting even if its for drag hunting.

Bazza