# Hunting dress after 1st April



## HCkernow (23 March 2010)

Am I right to think that before 1st Nov and after 1st April the correct dress is tweed jacket and shirt & tie? Is a coloured stock acceptable?


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## Christmas Crumpet (23 March 2010)

Spring hunting = ratcatcher and both coloured stock or tie are both acceptable. And best of all - no plaiting required!!


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## combat_claire (23 March 2010)

I was once told that after Cheltenham Festival it was correct to revert back to ratcatcher, but not sure why the racing was such a key date.


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## Christmas Crumpet (23 March 2010)

Spring hunting has always started on 1st March wherever I've hunted. Not sure what's so key about Cheltenham!!


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## oakash (23 March 2010)

Ha! I deplore the belief. even if its a small minority, that we should wear ratcatcher after the Cheltenham races: this is patently WRONG! April 1st is the right date, and racing and hunting are NOT connected in any meaningful way...as Surtees wrote,'only rogues and charlatans are connected with racing'..or something like that..!


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## combat_claire (23 March 2010)

oakash said:



			Ha! I deplore the belief. even if its a small minority, that we should wear ratcatcher after the Cheltenham races: this is patently WRONG! April 1st is the right date, and racing and hunting are NOT connected in any meaningful way...as Surtees wrote,'only rogues and charlatans are connected with racing'..or something like that..!
		
Click to expand...

Am glad you cleared that one up, I had been wondering. I guess the clue was watching our masters - they all wear ratcatcher before the Opening meet, and never revert back from navy or scarlet unless laying the trail. 

On a slightly related point that you might be able to answer, did the Staghounds followers wear black and navy hunt coats pre-ban or have they always worn ratcatcher throughout the year?


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## Aniseed (23 March 2010)

The secretary of the hunt I ride with told me they go back to rat catcher when the hunt moves to the park. They are only able to carry on past the beginning of March by hunting in the park because most of the land around here is arable (I think that's why anyway). However I did turn up last week in rat catcher after speaking to said secretary and everyone else was plaited up and wearing black or navy so I felt quite scruffy. Your best bet is to speak to the secretary as I imagine all hunt ahve different rules. 

A coloured stock or tie should be worn with tweed rather than a white stock.

Are there many hunts that continue after 1st April? We finnish on the 3rd.


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## oakash (23 March 2010)

Hi Claire! The D & S field have always worn ratcatcher only for staghunting in both autumn and spring. Headgear has of course evolved since the bowler hat of some years back, although quite a proportion of followers still wear it. When hinds are being hunted in their season, it is usual to wear a black coat. I enjoyed your articles in TMV!


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## combat_claire (23 March 2010)

Thanks for that one. Really enjoyed my time on Exmoor and can't wait to be down there again. Seeing what you lot have had to deal with under the ban made me more determined to kick on for repeal. Glad you liked the article


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## Irishcobs (23 March 2010)

My hunt change to Ratcatchers after the 1st of March, which is when we go to 12 o'clock meets.
A neighbouring hunt don't change to Ratcatchers till after Cheltenham but go to 12 o'clock meets after the 1st of March.


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## LizzieJ (23 March 2010)

I always thought it was the first of March too 

Claire the QSH wear black for hind hunting, tweed for autumn/spring stags too


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## Herne (29 March 2010)

Local traditions apply.

Some hunts adopt ratcatcher at some point in the spring, some, I would hazard the majority, do not.

However, you are never incorrectly dressed in racatcher at any time of year.


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