# whats the difference between hunting and cubbing?



## Ambypamby (8 October 2009)

Im new and it may be a completley daft question but what is the difference between hunting and cubbing? is the dress code different? is it not as busy as normal? this is a follow on really from a question i asked about if i needed to plait. thanks in advance


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## spacefaer (8 October 2009)

How the different packs organise it now under the new regime is up to the individual packs.

Traditionally, cubbing (now autumn hunting) was a time for educating young horses and hounds. It was designed to disperse the current season's litters of fox cubs across the countryside. It was always much slower than hunting because coverts were "held up" ie the aim was to contain foxes within the covert to allow young hounds to learn to hunt and hopefully catch one.  The field moved slowly across country from covert to covert, not jumping unless forced to.

Once hunting started, foxes were encouraged to run from the coverts and hounds/horses followed as fast as scent allowed.

Nowadays, autumn hunting is "mounted hound exercise/training" and hunting is following a manmade trail.

Dress for autumn hunting: ratchatcher ie tweed jacket, shirt and tie or stock shirt/ coloured stock, fawn/buff breeches, long boots or smart gaiters/jodphur boots. Horse clean and tidy but unplaited.
Hunting: black/navy hunt coat - preferably wool otherwise you will freeze! Fawn/buff breeches, long black boots, stock shirt/white or cream stock. Gloves, hairnet and horse plaited.

Autumn hunting meets have been quite busy with us so far - up to 50 out. I think the field tomorrow is going to be pretty big as it's a popular meet


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## combat_claire (8 October 2009)

Okay pre-ban cubbing or autumn hunting was very much a job of work to train the young hounds what not to hunt and to disperse the juvenile fox populations. This was done by holding up the coverts and culling. 

Post-ban this is replicated as closely as possible with careful trail laying or flushing to guns/birds of prey. It is an early morning activity to get better scent before the days warm up. Usually starting at 6am/6.30 in late August/early September and getting towards 8am/8.30 by the end of October as the mornings get darker. It is a lot less busy than main season hunting, with a lot of standing around, interspersed with trot and canter work to next covert. There isn't usually much jumping, although depending on your hunt country there may be a need to pop a small ditch to save a 5 mile detour round! Dress code is ratcatcher which means a tweed jacket with a shirt and tie (though some people wear a stock shirt and coloured stock), pale breeches, long boots, riding hat, hunting whip. Your pony should remain unplaited. 

Main season is when the faster work starts, meets are generally held at 11am. pre-ban the huntsman would draw the first covert, in theory find a fox and then the chase would be afoot until the animal was either dispatched by hounds or dug and dispatched with humane killer. Post-ban packs generally lay a false trail, but may also be flushing to guns or using a bird of prey. The day normally ends at dusk, but you don't have to stay for the whole thing! Turnout - your horse should be plaited, ideally you should wear a black coat (navy is also acceptable if you are female) with plain buttons, riding hat, white stock with thermal hunt shirt, pale breeches and black long boots (chaps and joddy boots are also acceptable) plus carrying a hunting whip.

Remember you are never incorrectly dressed in your ratcatcher, so if this seems like a big outlay on clothing, don't worry - tweed will be fine. 

Any other questions just holloa.


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