# Younger generation and Hunting



## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

The question is, what do the young people of society today think about hunting as they are the ones which will be carrying the tradition on as they are the next generation.
Is there a decline in the amount of youngsters out hunting? 

I started hunting through Pony Club many years ago. 

If pony clubs stop encouraging hunting will there be a reduction in young people out hunting? 

Interested to hear everyones thoughts


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## Follysmum (25 November 2019)

Definitely a decline around us. My farrier was only saying other day that his thoughts were hunting is a dying breed. No younger ones really coming through. Mainly financial, hunting costs are realistically a monthly rental cost of a flat/house


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## spacefaer (25 November 2019)

Amongst the packs we hunt with,  there has been a noticeable increase in the number of children coming out.  
There are children's meets and still strong ties with the Pony Club. 
We also have a Going Wild summer camp run by the hunt where the children learn about nature,  hounds, fishing,  falconry etc.  
There's also a very decent reduced range of subs for children /teenagers/young adults.


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## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

Must also mention I am one of the younger ones being 20 myself! I am very lucky to have a partner who owns land which they hunt over so I have little cost to go out. But am very interested in this. I would like to encourage younger riders to come out as hunting is a vital part of my life. 

Spacefaer that camp sounds brilliant! More hunts should do this!


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## Follysmum (25 November 2019)

This is one of the reasons my friends daughter is able to go hunting, her gran owns land and sheâ€™s under 25 so reduced fees.


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## Tiddlypom (25 November 2019)

It was Â£6 for the full season (Pony Club rates) for me back the 70s . Lots of children out then.

ETA We wore a small red rectangular badge which was sewn on the lapel of our hunt jackets to show that we had paid up.


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## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

Tiddlypom said:



			It was Â£6 for the full season (Pony Club rates) for me back the 70s . Lots of children out then.

ETA We wore a small red rectangular badge which was sewn on the lapel of our hunt jackets to show that we had paid up.
		
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I wish it was still this price! Its only Â£20 for under 18 PC members and Â£30 for young people with the pack I used to hunt with.

I completely understand that hunts need this money to keep going so I'm not worried about that.

I just wish we could find a way in encouraging young people to hunt and keep the tradition going.


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## skint1 (25 November 2019)

I seem to know a lot of girls in their 20s who hunt, they mostly do drag hunting. I think in some ways that has actually revitalised the sport as I am not sure how many of them would actually go fox hunting. That said, the girls I know who do are usually riding horses for others (like my daughter used to) or are not short of money to pursue it.


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## Follysmum (25 November 2019)

They need to reduce costs for adults imo then they can take their children with them like it used to be. They say itâ€™s for all horse owners but realistically itâ€™s for the higher earners.  

Who can afford Â£70/Â£120 a days hunting ? I know I couldnâ€™t


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## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

With the pack that I hunt with adults hunt at a reduced rate when they are taking their children; but are only allowed out for two hours.
But this is better than having to pay full cap for a full day when a cold, wet child might want to head home after two hours.


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## Follysmum (25 November 2019)

Also north Cambs sabs have been out for nearly every meet so far around us and making it unsafe especially for children. This doesnâ€™t help the situation


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## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

Follysmum said:



			Also north Cambs sabs have been out for nearly every meet so far around us and making it unsafe especially for children. This doesnâ€™t help the situation
		
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Thats such a shame! I wish that people who know nothing about the countryside stayed in the towns and cities. Life would be simple


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## itsokboah (25 November 2019)

I am 24 and have never hunted although now I have my own horse that I know has hunted before it is on my mind.
The main things that put me off are: 
I don't know anyone else that hunts.
I don't know what the dress code is - or if I will be looked down at if I don't have all the fancy gear..
I don't know if I am a good enough rider to keep up, or what level is required..
I suppose the whole thought just fills me with anxiety!


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## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

Honestly go out hunting!
I had never hunted and I have met my best friend through hunting.
Everyone will be welcoming
I have only just invested in a hunt coat and hunt boots this year. A plain black or blue jacket and beige jods always do. Black boots or boots and chaps.
Tweed is also fine!
If you can walk trot and canter happily and controlled you'll be fine! You dont have to jump anything; there is usually always a way around, if you do have to jump something its usually a small rail.

Where are you based? contact your nearest pack and they should help you.


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## Christmas Crumpet (25 November 2019)

I take my 8 year old daughter out a fair bit with 2 different packs in Dorset. I have actually stopped hunting with my home pack because the cost was prohibitive to take a child on a day to day basis and because the other 2 packs charge Â£30 for a child on a lead rein for a whole day. There are quite a few little people who go hunting with us which is great fun. 

However, I was watching a Sab video last night on Facebook which showed hounds and hunt staff on the main road on a very dark, wet day near a blind corner on a 60mph stretch. This isn't acceptable behaviour. People are getting pissed off with the hunts "we can go where we like" attitude. And because of social media, people who previously weren't bothered about hunting as they didn't really know what happened see more and more things that upset them and kick up a fuss. I can't see hunting continuing for many more years if I'm completely honest. Its totally outdated and the masses find it unacceptable. Drag hunting is great fun but the purists won't want to go hell for leather over massive hedges for an afternoon a week.


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## Follysmum (25 November 2019)

Totally agree social media is not doing a good job for support. Especially when you have a huntsman photographed smacking a sab across the head then blooded sab splattered across Facebook. Said huntsman now sacked.


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## Christmas Crumpet (25 November 2019)

Follysmum said:



			Totally agree social media is not doing a good job for support. Especially when you have a huntsman photographed smacking a sab across the head then blooded sab splattered across Facebook. Said huntsman now sacked.
		
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Who was that?? I can imagine they were probably pushed to the point of no return but even so.


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## ycbm (25 November 2019)

LKWilliams said:



			Thats such a shame! I wish that people who know nothing about the countryside stayed in the towns and cities. Life would be simple
		
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ðŸ¤£

If you'd like to develop a more balanced view some time,  LK, I can introduce you to some country people, including farmers, who are against hunting fox with hounds.

.


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## LKWilliams (25 November 2019)

ycbm said:



			ðŸ¤£

If you'd like to develop a more balanced view some time,  LK, I can introduce you to some country people, including farmers, who are against hunting fox with hounds.

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I appreciate that, and We have recently lost some country as a farmer sold up and the new buyer does not support hunting; and thats completely fair he owns the land and doesnt agree with it we accept that.  But I dont know any rural people that would dress up in black and balaclavas to go and harass people which are hunting.  

I wasnt making the point that only people in towns and cities disagree with it. More the point that they are the ones who cause the trouble


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## Follysmum (25 November 2019)

carolineb said:



			Who was that?? I can imagine they were probably pushed to the point of no return but even so.
		
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Mark Ferguson pythchley
If you look at north Cambs sabs fb page the pictures are there


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## palo1 (25 November 2019)

We have a good number of children/younger riders hunting in this area - sometimes through the pony club but often through friends/family and school contacts.  1 of our local school teachers hunts as do vets/riding instructors etc.  We don't have any particular smart hunts nearby and everyone is welcomed from top hat and tails (on high days) to those who are always out in full waterproofs and wellies!!  It is still very much a community thing here so it is completely normal to have 4 or 5 mad keen children and a contingent of teenagers out.  Our field is not huge so younger members are hugely welcome, known well and encouraged.   Thank goodness we are informal, not hugely smart and not expensive!!


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## Orangehorse (8 December 2019)

I attended a meet yesterday on foot and there were several children out, and quite a few younger riders too, all ages really.


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## Shay (8 December 2019)

We have a decent amount of young followers.  Our links with our local PCs are quite strong (except one where the DC is anti). We have the kids come to the kennels at puppy time, send hounds and masters to PC camps etc.  We run the PC hunting certificate, run gymkhanas in the summer.  All sorts. We have several dedicated children's meets which include a specific lead rein field master as we have a few lead from foot who clearly can't keep up with a mounted field.  We also offer a fallen stock service and a knackerman which of course no one - and particularly not a child  - wants to think about.  But it is all about building links and providing a service to our communities.  Our cap prices also stage all the way up to 30 so we don't loose them when they turn 21 or 25!

The Sabs don't help - ours will sometimes target the children specifically for abuse which is really sad. I suppose they are hoping to upset them or scare them away.  We talk to the kids beforehand and are careful to keep them well within a group of steady subscribers if it looks to be one of those days.


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## Sandstone1 (8 December 2019)

ycbm said:



			ðŸ¤£

If you'd like to develop a more balanced view some time,  LK, I can introduce you to some country people, including farmers, who are against hunting fox with hounds.

.
		
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Exactly,  Fox  hunting is illegal.    Think everyone knows it's still going on but really feel its days are numbered.


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## Shay (9 December 2019)

Sandstone1 said:



			Exactly, Fox hunting is illegal. Think everyone knows it's still going on but really feel its days are numbered.
		
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Hunting a wild mammal with more than two dogs is illegal.  Trail hunting, drag hunting and blood hounding are not.  Fox control is, sadly for the species, now achieved by shooting, trapping and poisioning.


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## Sandstone1 (9 December 2019)

Shay said:



			Hunting a wild mammal with more than two dogs is illegal.  Trail hunting, drag hunting and blood hounding are not.  Fox control is, sadly for the species, now achieved by shooting, trapping and poisioning.
		
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Yes I know.  My point is fox hunting as in proper fox hunting is still going.


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## Tiddlypom (9 December 2019)

When talking about hunting, I agree that it is necessary to clarify which version is being referred to - be it trail, drag, bloodhound (legal) or fox (illegal, but we all know that it still goes on in some areas).

Re youngsters hunting locally:- they are not coming through, as it’s not something they want to be doing. The old guard are also dropping away, as they no longer want to do full days as they age, but are worried about getting hassled by antis if they bid goodnight early and make their own way to their parked transport. They leave the field in groups for their own safety.


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## Sandstone1 (9 December 2019)

Have you seen some hunts now have people in high viz playing loud music to cover the sound of hounds in cry?  Also stopping hunt monitors from filming.   Blocking hunt monitors from following and hassling them by blocking them in and staying with them so hunt staff can see where they are at all times.
I agree there are faults on both sides but surely if hunts are genuinely hunting within the law then they should have no problem with being watched.   If they are laying a trail and trail hunting as they should be then there is no reason for all the violence.


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## palo1 (9 December 2019)

Sandstone1 said:



			Have you seen some hunts now have people in high viz playing loud music to cover the sound of hounds in cry?  Also stopping hunt monitors from filming.   Blocking hunt monitors from following and hassling them by blocking them in and staying with them so hunt staff can see where they are at all times.
I agree there are faults on both sides but surely if hunts are genuinely hunting within the law then they should have no problem with being watched.   If they are laying a trail and trail hunting as they should be then there is no reason for all the violence.
		
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I have never seen or heard of this - either in our local or neighbouring packs Sandstone1.  I've never even heard rumour of it tbh!!  We barely see any antis/sabs from one year to the next - probably because they don't see what we are doing as a problem!  Let's have a bit of balance here - our older subscribers are not fearful of going home, we have a good proportion of children and there is plenty of reason to think that young riders still want what hunting can offer them.   We have several hugely keen youngsters who look like they will help to secure the future of our particular hunt.   A great many experienced equestrian competitors still value the experience of hunting - Carl Hester has been out as well as far too many eventers, vets, showjumpers etc to mention!  Even this week Horse and Hound (for what it is worth) has run an article about the value of hunting.  It's not really going away or dying out!!  Although times change, horsemen and women still owe an enormous amount to hunting in terms of skills and knowledge and it is a sport that requires great care of horses to keep them fit and sound through the worst and most difficult time of year, as well as developing courage and trust in a partnership.  So many people recognise the value of that AND the benefit that can bring to our understanding of human/animal interactions.


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## Sandstone1 (9 December 2019)

I've no a


palo1 said:



			I have never seen or heard of this - either in our local or neighbouring packs Sandstone1.  I've never even heard rumour of it tbh!!  We barely see any antis/sabs from one year to the next - probably because they don't see what we are doing as a problem!  Let's have a bit of balance here - our older subscribers are not fearful of going home, we have a good proportion of children and there is plenty of reason to think that young riders still want what hunting can offer them.   We have several hugely keen youngsters who look like they will help to secure the future of our particular hunt.   A great many experienced equestrian competitors still value the experience of hunting - Carl Hester has been out as well as far too many eventers, vets, showjumpers etc to mention!  Even this week Horse and Hound (for what it is worth) has run an article about the value of hunting.  It's not really going away or dying out!!  Although times change, horsemen and women still owe an enormous amount to hunting in terms of skills and knowledge and it is a sport that requires great care of horses to keep them fit and sound through the worst and most difficult time of year, as well as developing courage and trust in a partnership.  So many people recognise the value of that AND the benefit that can bring to our understanding of human/animal interactions.
		
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I have no arguments with what you are saying 're the actual sport of hunting as in training horses for other sports and that eventers use it as schooling etc.
My argument is that foxhunting is going on.  The law is being broken and that's wrong.
As for the high viz people I saw them myself last week when passing my local hunt and was curious as I thought that they were sabs.  I looked it up and found out what they were doing.   There were a lot of them too in pink high viz.
pity they don't teach the rest of the field to wear it!!!
As for people being scared to ride back to their boxes on there own I've no idea if that's correct as it wasn't me that said it.


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## Tiddlypom (9 December 2019)

Sandstone1 said:



			As for people being scared to ride back to their boxes on there own I've no idea if that's correct as it wasn't me that said it.
		
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It was me who reported that. I have no idea how widespread the issue is, but it is an issue here in my locality. I have that on good authority from an in hunt source.

Having witnessed recently at first hand the antis who follow that pack, I wouldn’t want to come across them as a lone hunter, either.


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## spotty_pony (10 December 2019)

I'm 'of the younger generation' still I think! I'm 29 and hunted all through my late teens and early 20s up until I was 27 when my horse had to slow down and stop hunting due to an injury. I was always one of the younger ones. I now have anoher horse I would be happy to get back into hunting on but it's so expensive and with just moving out of home I need to watch my pennies. I may get a day or two before the season is over but it's a shame as I'd be out a lot more and offering a lot more support if the prices were more user friendly.


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## Fred66 (27 December 2019)

There are varying types of Hunt monitors/sabs out there. Some largely go out to monitor and are relatively non threatening.
Others go out to threaten and intimidate and are not bothered about breaking the law to do it, they hide behind balaclavas and are both physically and verbally threatening.
Many of this type have no genuine interest in animal welfare and I don’t believe they are bothered whether the hunt is legally trail hunting or not.
The videos you see posted by the monitors describing supposed illegal activity are accompanied by their running commentary (which if the ones that follow our hunt are anything to go by) are largely fictitious.
There was an incident reported on social media a few weeks ago about a female monitor having her tyre “slashed” by hunt followers and an accompanying picture. Turns out the picture was two foot followers changing the woman’s wheel for when she’d had a puncture.


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## Tiddlypom (27 December 2019)

Fred66 said:



			There was an incident reported on social media a few weeks ago about a female monitor having her tyre “slashed” by hunt followers and an accompanying picture. Turns out the picture was two foot followers changing the woman’s wheel for when she’d had a puncture.
		
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The monitors’ report that  I saw thanked the hunt supporters and followers who helped the female monitor change her tyre. Or was there another similar incident elsewhere?

Lies and mistruths are being fed out by both sides of the hunting divide, so it can be difficult to work out who is telling it straighter than the other guy.

I can’t copy and paste the text, so this is a screen shot of the monitors FB page about the tyre slashing incident, in which they voice their thanks for the help received :-


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## Fred66 (27 December 2019)

Tiddlypom said:



			The monitors’ report that  I saw thanked the hunt supporters and followers who helped the female monitor change her tyre. Or was there another similar incident elsewhere?

Lies and mistruths are being fed out by both sides of the hunting divide, so it can be difficult to work out who is telling it straighter than the other guy.

I can’t copy and paste the text, so this is a screen shot of the monitors FB page about the tyre slashing incident, in which they voice their thanks for the help received :-

View attachment 39819

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The original initial posting on one of the hunt monitors facebooks literally said lone female monitor has tyre slashed by hunt supporters and showed a picture of two people by the car wheel.
This was later changed to state that the two in the photo were actually helping !!


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## Sandstone1 (28 December 2019)

Have you seen the video of a hunt supporter beating the body of a dead fox against a hunt sabs car?
Really abnormal behaviour.  Think its North Yorkshire area.   It's on facebook.
Really cant see any explanation for that.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10625818/hunt-supporter-batters-dead-fox-against-car/


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## spacefaer (28 December 2019)

@spotty_pony  it might be worth you contacting your Hon Sec as I know with various packs we hunt with,  we get good deals on visitors caps  (not the published rates ) 

I'm sure they'd rather have a proportion of the sub and have you out,  than no money and  no spotty_pony !




spotty_pony said:



			I'm 'of the younger generation' still I think! I'm 29 and hunted all through my late teens and early 20s up until I was 27 when my horse had to slow down and stop hunting due to an injury. I was always one of the younger ones. I now have anoher horse I would be happy to get back into hunting on but it's so expensive and with just moving out of home I need to watch my pennies. I may get a day or two before the season is over but it's a shame as I'd be out a lot more and offering a lot more support if the prices were more user friendly.
		
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## Indy (28 December 2019)

Sandstone1 said:



			Have you seen the video of a hunt supporter beating the body of a dead fox against a hunt sabs car?
Really abnormal behaviour.  Think its North Yorkshire area.   It's on facebook.
Really cant see any explanation for that.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10625818/hunt-supporter-batters-dead-fox-against-car/

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That bunch of lunatics always cause chaos, after last year's Boxing Day meet they lost a lot of land owner support, trespassing over crops and terrorising livestock, causing disruption on the roads.  The bloke in charge spent a lot of the following day on the phone apologizing to folk.


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## Sandstone1 (29 December 2019)

Sandstone1 said:



			Have you seen the video of a hunt supporter beating the body of a dead fox against a hunt sabs car?
Really abnormal behaviour.  Think its North Yorkshire area.   It's on facebook.
Really cant see any explanation for that.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10625818/hunt-supporter-batters-dead-fox-against-car/

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whether you agree with hunting or are against it, this behaviour is appallingly by anyone's standards.
Really hope something is done about this individual.


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## Indy (29 December 2019)

Sandstone1 said:



			whether you agree with hunting or are against it, this behaviour is appallingly by anyone's standards.
Really hope something is done about this individual.
		
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I completely agree with you, this hunt has a really poor reputation locally. We had a run in with them last year along with lots of other landowners that's why a lot of people have revoked permission. As for the hunt trying to distance themselves - they all seemed to know each other when they were in the Shoulder.


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## Tiddlypom (29 December 2019)

The swinger of the dead fox should be pretty easy to identify. He made a pathetic attempt to cover his face, which was a fail, plus he has an identifiable tattoo on his right hand.



I believe that the dead fox bounced back off the antis’ vehicle after he swung it and it then clouted him on the face .

ETA One of the pro hunt FB pages that I follow did initially mention this incident, and were at pains to point out that they did not condone it, but they seem to have dropped all reference to it now.

ETA2 While this thread diversion may be seen by some to be going off topic, I don’t think that it is. Would you want your child to follow a pack where incidents like this might happen? No.


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## Sandstone1 (29 December 2019)

Tiddlypom said:



			The swinger of the dead fox should be pretty easy to identify. He made a pathetic attempt to cover his face, which was a fail, plus he has an identifiable tattoo on his right hand.

View attachment 39895

I believe that the dead fox bounced back off the antis’ vehicle after he swung it and it then clouted him on the face .

ETA One of the pro hunt FB pages that I follow did initially mention this incident, and were at pains to point out that they did not condone it, but they seem to have dropped all reference to it now.

ETA2 While this thread diversion may be seen by some to be going off topic, I don’t think that it is. Would you want your child to follow a pack where incidents like this might happen? No.
		
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I don't think it's off topic myself.    It's very clearly related to hunting and the anger and violence shown in this clip shows the strength of feeling hunting brings out in people.


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## spotty_pony (30 December 2019)

spacefaer said:



@spotty_pony  it might be worth you contacting your Hon Sec as I know with various packs we hunt with,  we get good deals on visitors caps  (not the published rates )

I'm sure they'd rather have a proportion of the sub and have you out,  than no money and  no spotty_pony !
		
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You’d like to think so wouldn’t you? This pack seem a bit cliquey though and I’m not sure they will entertain the idea. I’m about to have my first day with them in a couple of weeks time so will see what they say after I’ve had two days. I work for their field master so hoping they can come to some sort of arrangement.


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## P.forpony (11 May 2020)

itsokboah said:



			I am 24 and have never hunted although now I have my own horse that I know has hunted before it is on my mind.
The main things that put me off are:
I don't know anyone else that hunts.
I don't know what the dress code is - or if I will be looked down at if I don't have all the fancy gear..
I don't know if I am a good enough rider to keep up, or what level is required..
I suppose the whole thought just fills me with anxiety!
		
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Honestly go for it! 
2 years ago I was in exactly the same position but I’d also just moved halfway across the country and knew no one.
Scared silly turning up to my first meet in ratcatcher on my 14hh pony who’d never hunted.
Best thing I ever did! 
Not only do I have the best time out hunting but I’ve made amazing friends, the social scene is brilliant and my pony has improved in almost every way.


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