The owner of a building company who took a Shire hunting on Boxing Day five weeks after he started riding said it was an “amazing experience”.

Lewis Evans had one riding lesson, but then decided to go it alone, and took on 18hh Mr Morph on loan.

The Boxing Day meet, with the Old Surrey Burstow & West Kent from Chiddingstone Castle in Kent, was the first time either horse or rider had ever jumped.

“When I started, my friends said ‘there’s no way you’ll be hunting this season’,” Lewis told H&H.

“But saying that’s like a red rag to a bull with me, I have to do it.

“I had a hack on a friend’s horse, and one lesson, then thought: ‘I’m just going to go for it, put my money where my mouth is and get this horse on loan.

“I’m not someone who does things by halves.”

Lewis, 36, has rock-climbed for 10 years but felt “age was catching up with me”, and that he wanted a new challenge.

“I’ve grown up seeing the hunt go out, all my friends do it and the social side of it appealed too,” he said.

“Everything about it – when you’re on a horse, it’s a completely different feeling. There’s the nobility of the whole scene and although I walk my dogs in the countryside, you see it in such a different way hunting.”

Lewis credits rock climbing for strong core muscles, which help his riding, and his other hobbies for a lack of nerves.

“Neither of us had ever jumped before the Boxing Day meet; I had a five-minute lesson while waiting at the castle and that was that, off we went,” he said.

“We didn’t do the big stuff but there were a couple of fields you couldn’t get out of without jumping so I just kicked on, as I’d been told.

“There was an element of nerves but with my hobbies – rock climbing, motorbiking and snowboarding – there’s not a lot I won’t throw myself at. I’ve found the more energy you put into trying, the less likely you are to hurt yourself; it’s when you hold back, the moment you start backing off, is when it goes wrong. You need to commit.”

Lewis, who also hunted with the Coakham Bloodhounds on 2 January, plans to keep hunting, and also hacking out, with refreshment stops at his local pub, the Rock Inn, Chiddingstone, where Mr Morph is allowed into the bar.

“Emily Marriott, who owns Mr Morph, has another horse who’s a bit more of a jumper and faster and she’s asked me to put some work into him so I might do the same again,” he added.

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“Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive. I rang the hunt secretary to say I was new and asked if they could point out any mistakes I made, and when you rock up on an 18hh Shire, you attract attention!

“I did have a spill, on both days, but it was just amazing.”

A day’s hunting on Burghley winner Lenamore contributed to the Warwickshire Hunt raising a total of £5,000 for the air ambulance.

American Theresa Sanders secured the top lot with a telephone bid from the USA of £1,100. She flew over at the beginning of December and hunted the 23-year-old grey, who has been a regular with the Warwickshire with owner Lexi Jackson since he retired from eventing.

Theresa said: “I had the most fabulous time out on my fairytale ride with Lenamore.  The entire day was magical.

“Immediately upon getting into the saddle, I was able to tell that he’s one in a million. His way of going, collection, breathtaking trot and beautiful gallop clearly showed why he is an adored, true Olympian. 

“I feel so very fortunate to have had this experience and will always remember, partly with disbelief that it actually happened. What an amazing day — dreams really do come true! Thank you to Lexi and the Jackson family for making ‘Ed’ available for this amazing experience.”

Theresa decided to bid on the day on Lenamore, who represented New Zealand at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics under Caroline Powell, winning team bronze at the latter, after recovering from a broken ankle that left her out of the saddle for more than two months.

She said: “While feeling frustrated and miserable that I wasn’t able to ride, I saw the H&H piece about the auction and knew immediately I was going to go for it. I had followed Lenamore’s career over the years and could not believe that I might have the chance to ride this amazing horse. I really needed something to look forward to and thought to myself, ‘I’m going to do this!’”

Theresa describes herself as a “passionate foxhunter” and has been a member of the Shakerag hunt in Georgia, USA.

She and her husband Keith stayed with Lexi Jackson and her husband Henry.

Lexi said: “They were both charming, and we had a lovely day’s hunting. Theresa rode Ed beautifully and both horse and rider had a great time and even jumped some hedges.”

Related articles:

• Lenamore retires: his career in pictures
• 32-year-old hunting mare still going strong in her 27th season
• Burghley winners 2000-2-16: in pictures

Carrie Tucker, chairman of the hunt’s auction of promises committee, and hunt chairman Sam Butler presented the £5,000 cheque to Jo Payne of the Warwickshire Air Ambulance at a meet at Honington Hall.

Jo said: “I am delighted to accept the very generous donation made by Warwickshire Hunt, who have supported the charity since its inception in 2003. The hunt members understand that because we are entirely funded by donations, this essential life-saving service is vital to the rural community.”

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What happens in the early morning at a hunt kennels? For our new Pack of the Week feature in Horse & Hound’s 19 January issue, photographer Sarah Farnsworth visited the VWH kennels in Gloucestershire and found out.

The VWH hunt four days a week and have more than 60 couple of hounds in kennels, looked after by huntsman Philip Hague, who has been with the pack since 2005, whipper-in James Bradley and kennelman Chris Bolland. The hounds are bred by Martin Scott, and have been extremely successful in the showring.

The hunt horses also live at the kennels under the watchful eye of stud groom Chantelle Avery.

The pack currently has four joint-masters: Major the Hon Alexander Bathurst, Mark Hill, the Hon Sophie Scruton and Nick Phillips.

To read more about the hunt, its colourful history, its hunting country, its hounds and the people who hunt with the VWH, buy Horse & Hound’s 19 January issue.

The 2004 Hunting Act has muddied the waters sufficiently to make the life of a hunt servant somewhat challenging. The stupidities of the Act are manifest. It makes it an offence to hunt a mouse with a dog, but not a rat; you can legally hunt a rabbit but not a hare. You can flush a fox to guns with two dogs, but if you use three you commit an offence. A fox can be flushed to a bird of prey with as many dogs as you wish.

Most of us make use of the exemptions in the Act as well as following an artificially laid line. I have noted beforehand the ease with which one can be falsely implicated in breaking the law; recently, it became my turn. Hounds caught two foxes on a day’s hunting, and I was arrested and questioned for “hunting a wild mammal with dogs”.

Why, I pondered, after 11 years and around 1,000 days of trouble-free post-ban hunting, was there this unusual reaction to such an unsurprising, albeit unfortunate, occurrence?

Some time ago the old police authority — made up of two-thirds elected members of county or borough councils, and one-third magistrates — was scrapped in favour of the new elected position of Police Crime Commissioner (PCC). The idea was to create a system whereby the electorate could choose someone; in practice, the new £70,000 role seems to have become one last trough for Z-list politicos should Ant and Dec fail to come a’knocking.

Efficient spending?

On the day in question we had a visit from our new PCC, former shadow attorney-general Lord “Willy” Bach, and also several police cars and, to complete an amazing coincidence, a van-load of “hunt saboteurs”. “Efficient use of public money is vital,” Lord Bach had stated in his job application.

At the opening meet this year we had four police cars and at least eight policemen present, despite no complaints from the public and zero offences being committed. This has been the case for most Leicestershire packs. How can the expense be justified?

I am not for a moment suggesting anyone is above the law, but the law is so open to abuse by malicious accusations from a small, dedicated group of opponents. How, one wonders, can Lord Bach warrant such pointless expense while real crime goes uninvestigated?

‘Beyond parody’

My arrest, despite proof that only a few hounds were present on both occasions and that both incidents were accidental, was beyond parody. I would have quite happily gone to Leicester nick to explain the circumstances of the incident; instead, it was apparently a better use of public funds to send a riot van, two police cars and nine officers to perform an arrest.

Unfortunately I was out for the day shooting and none of our grooms knew where. The police proceeded to follow them for several miles while they exercised the hunt horses. Perhaps they thought I would leap out of the woods, spring aboard like Rob Roy, and make for the border?

I returned and was arrested “by appointment”, thus saving the taxpayer further expense. While flattered to be considered so predominant in the world of Leicestershire malefactors, there was no need for warrants and no need for an arrest. The whole sorry saga was an abuse of process, time and police resources. Use your vote.

Ref Horse & Hound; 26 January 2017

When the temperatures are plummeting below zero, the mud is knee high and we haven't seen the yard in daylight for months, it's important to remind ourselves just why we are proud to be British...

1. Grit and determination

A face full of mud? A few broken ribs? No problem. Brits seem to have a uniquely gung-ho approach to life — and never more so than when it comes to horses. We’re undecided whether it’s stern Pony Club DCs, native ponies with no moral compass or the weather that we have to thank…

2. The Queen

The epitome of point one. And the envy of the world. She adds verve to Royal Ascot with outfits so vibrant they have punters placing their bets on her colour choice — and equally to Royal Windsor, clad in Wellington boots and her signature headscarf.

3. The weather

Bear with us here. Let’s put the rainfall (and accompanying mud) to one side, and focus on the picture perfect changes of seasons. Think rustling autumnal leaves and springtime blossom that lifts your spirits even as you slog around the field poo-picking.

4. Native breeds

For those of us introduced to this sport aboard something so hairy you’re unsure where the tummy ends and the legs start — we will have mixed emotions about natives (see point one). But we’ve all survived to tell the tale — and your affection for our hardy native breeds (both little and large) will last a lifetime.

5. Hunting

Nothing makes you want to burst into a rendition of ‘God Save The Queen’ than the sound of a hunting horn (and the sight of immaculately turned-out hunt staff and followers)…

6. Culinary delights

…an experience enhanced with a hot sausage roll and a swig of something equally hearty from your hip flask. And on the subject of food, could there be anything more rewarding than a bacon sarnie lathered in ketchup after your early morning showjumping? (French cuisine has nothing on that…)

7. Flagship events

There’s a reason that eventers move across the world to base themselves in Britain. This is where it’s at. And if it means travelling 9,443 miles to get within sniffing distance of the Badminton and Burghley trophies, then so be it.

8. Medals galore

Call us glory hunters, but it’s not hard to wave your Union Flag (or paint your nails red, white and blue) when you have Nick Skelton shedding a tear on the podium in Rio, or Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro gracing the front covers of newspapers across the country.

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9. Priorities, priorities

Emergency services are deployed to rescue horses in sticky situations, we make Christmas wreaths out of carrots for stable doors, we forfeit holidays in the name of competitions, we dedicate social media accounts to our horses and we talk about them like they are our, well, children. What we’re trying to say is: we have our priorities right.

Feeling patriotic? Get your hands on this week’s Best of British issue of Horse & Hound magazine (26 January 2017), where we take a look at the most exciting British-bred horses for 2017, the oldest equestrian fixtures on home soil and much more

Essex-based hunting and showing enthusiast Rob Walker, 49, is in a critical but stable condition in the Royal London Hospital after sustaining serious spinal injuries in a rotational fall while out hunting.

The accident happened on Wednesday (18 January) when the horse he was riding – the former champion working hunter, Orbital – hit concealed wire in the top part of a hedge, somersaulted and landed heavily on Rob.

The Herts and Essex air ambulance was quickly on the scene and airlifted Rob to hospital, where he was temporarily placed in an induced coma. The horse was uninjured.

Originally from Worcestershire, Rob is also a popular figure on the showing circuit. He bred and formerly owned the successful hunter Bournebrook Golden Law, still the only horse to have won the ladies class at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) three times, standing supreme there in 2005.

Latterly, with his fiancée Olivia Greig and her daughters, Harriet and Grace Chittenden, Rob has concentrated on hunting and often acts as amateur whip to the Essex Hunt. He is also a regular with the Essex Farmers and Union Hunt, and has taken part in inter-hunt team relay competitions.

Rob Walker out hunting with his fiancée Olivia Greig’s daughters Harriet and Grace Chittenden

“The love and support for Rob have been tremendous,” said Olivia. “We are both so very grateful for all the good wishes and practical help we have received.

“This journey will not be easy, but we will get through it.”

A justgiving page has been set up by family friend Clare Tredgett to help Olivia with immediate costs and day-to-day expenses, and has raised more than £6,700.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Clare for setting up the fund – it means we can concentrate on Rob getting better and having him home with us,” added Olivia. “I am also extremely grateful to the air ambulance – if it hadn’t arrived when it did, I doubt Rob would still be alive.”

A new Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) racing to hunting challenge is worth £2,500 to the winner, with £1,000 going to the pack he or she hunts with.

RoR is inviting nominations for the initiative, aimed at “showcasing the thoroughbred’s versatility”, and in recognition of the number of former racers who take to the hunting field.

Hunts are asked to nominate one horse each and the first 30 who fit the criteria – to be RoR-registered and have raced under Rules in Britain – will be considered.

A judging panel including Mike Tucker, Joey Newton, The Hon Hopper Cavendish, Sir Jonathan Clark and Marcus Armytage will review the nominations.

“It’s all-round aspects they’ll be looking for, not just speed and jumping prowess,” an RoR spokesman told H&H, adding that the panel will review evidence supplied by the horses’ riders and the masters of their hunts.

Once the entries have been narrowed down somewhat, the judges will ask for more information, and may view video footage of or visit the horses concerned.

The winner will be given £2,500, with another £1,000 to the hunt concerned, as well as a trophy and a Rye-Dri jacket. All the 30 considered will also win an RoR jacket.

”We think it’s a nice incentive,” said the spokesman. “The panel will be looking for horses who really make a contribution to a day’s hunting beyond jumping big hedges; one who is well-mannered enough to be on gate duty, for example.”

Related articles:

• 29 amazing retrained racehorse transformations you need to see
• ‘He tries his heart out’: ex-racer’s third career gets off to winning start
• RoR to disqualify overweight riders at shows

Nominations must be received by 31 March and the final judging will be carried out in the early part of next season, with the winner revealed at the RoR awards next December.

For more information, and the nomination form, visit the RoR’s website.

A rider who fell and was knocked unconscious while hacking was rescued by a group of ladies on their way back from a hunt ball – still sporting their evening dresses.

Alison Bywater’s gelding Indie slipped when she was riding in a field near her home in Kemsing, Kent, at about 3pm on 21 January.

The 17.2hh homebred got up and trotted out of the field – but was spotted by Gina Weare, of Chart Farm Stud, and her two grooms Josie Butler and Kitty Regan, who were returning from the Old Surrey Burstow and West Kent hunt ball, had not yet been to bed and were still in their glad rags.

Undeterred, the ladies captured Indie and put him in one of the stud’s stables, then leapt aboard a quad bike to go to Miss Bywater’s rescue; covering her in a duvet, calling an ambulance – and posing for a quick picture.

“I don’t know where they’d been all morning but fortunately, they were coming back just in time to see him coming out of the field, so they knew where to come and find me,” Miss Bywater told H&H.

“I was cantering and the last thing I remember is coming up to a path and thinking I’d better slow down because it would be slippery – but I obviously didn’t slow down enough. It was my fault; Indie’s such a good boy.

“When they found me, they covered me in a duvet and asked if they could take a picture, so there they are in their ball gowns!”

Miss Bywater was taken to King’s College Hospital in London as paramedics were unsure how bad her injury was, but she says although she will have a further check-up, “my brain’s all right now” and she was only bruised otherwise. Indie was also unharmed.

The 59-year-old posted on Facebook to thank her rescuers, and managed to find out their names as a result.

Related articles:

• US rider pays £1,100 to hunt Burghley winner
• ‘I don’t do things by halves’: from absolute beginner to Boxing Day hunting in five weeks
• 32-year-old hunting mare going strong in her 27th season

“They were amazing, I’m so lucky they were there,” said Miss Bywater, who has since visited the ladies and taken them “some bottles”.

“Everyone was fantastic; the paramedics, the staff at King’s – nothing was too much trouble and I’m so impressed with the power of social media, I couldn’t believe the response I got from my thank-you.”

‘There is only one way to jump a hedge and that is cleanly’, says Mike Felton, joint-master of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale. He tells Tessa Waugh how to make that happen

1. Know your obstacle. When you’re approaching a hedge there are three things to take into consideration: whether or not it has a ditch on the landing or take-off, the state of the ground, and whether it is clean, in other words, does it have wire in it or not?

2. It is a popularly held misconception that hedges should be jumped at speed, but if there is no wire and the going is relatively good, you can jump it like any other fence. You don’t need speed, you need impetus and impulsion. Think coiled springs and contained energy.

3. If you go too fast you will jump flatter, which is fine if the hedge is thin and wispy and you can brush through it, but not if it’s tall and thick.

4. If you go too fast and the going is heavy, the horse will struggle to get its feet out quick enough to take off and you have another ingredient for a crash.

5. Ditches in front of hedges again requires plenty of impulsion. Without it you will land in the ditch or fail to clear the hedge behind.

6. Ditches behind — less of a worry; if you and your horse have done the necessary to get over the hedge without incident, you will clear a ditch behind it too (as long as it doesn’t have a strand of wire in front of it).

7. Practise with your horse with a much smaller obstacle with a ditch towards, before putting them at a big obstacle with a ditch in front.

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8. Don’t ride for the weak bit of the hedge — aim for the stouter bit because your horse will jump it better.

9. Think of the farmer whose hedge you are jumping and use the gate if your horse won’t go. A small hole quickly becomes a motorway if everyone takes the easy option.

Just at that moment when you're feeling a little nervous at the meet, you catch a glimpse of someone so small you're not entirely convinced they can even walk on their own two feet, and you suddenly wonder why you're making such a fuss...

How many people do you know who have taken a sudden interest in all things hunting because they’ve fallen for a member of hunt staff, a master or someone else on the hunting field? Maybe they want to impress them with their hunting knowledge or they could just want to let the person in question know that they exist.

To celebrate  Valentine’s Day today, we look at some of the tell-tale signs of what is known in hunting circles as scarlet fever…

1. Taking a sudden interest in hounds on a hunting day — perhaps by asking their names and enquiring about breeding — when previously the focus of the day may have been on hip flask contents or the number of fences jumped.

2. Practising their horn blowing techniques in order to impress at their hunt’s annual competition.

3. Offering to walk hound puppies even though they have never done it before and knowing it could wreak havoc on their garden — but at least it means the huntsman will pop round with hound food when they are running low.

4. Taking more consideration over their hunting attire and appearance, perhaps exchanging their usual crash hat for a traditional made-to-measure hunting cap. An increased level of make-up might also be evident.

5. Turning up at every known hunt fundraising event from skittles matches to hunt pantos. Volunteering to horse catch at point to points is a dead give away.

6. Becoming sudden friends with the stud groom and popping into the stables on the off chance of bumping into a member of hunt staff, while getting to know the names of all the hunt horses so they can casually be slipped into conversation.

7. Keeping an eye open so they are ready to dash — at the first opportunity — to open a gate for hunt staff or masters or to hold their horse if they have to get off.

8. Appearing out hunting at meets they’ve never been seen at before, even if miles from home and in terrible weather conditions, just to be able to ride alongside or near the desired person.

9. Suddenly hunting with a different pack — often at vast expense — in order to get the opportunity of hunting with, or alongside, the eye candy of choice.

10. Buying auction items such as “a day in the master’s/huntsman’s/whipper-in’s pocket” in order to get up close and personal.

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11. Immediately offering their own horse to the master or a member of hunt staff if their horse loses a shoe or goes lame.

12. Begging, borrowing or stealing horses so they can hunt more days of the week than ever before and staying out with hounds to the end of the day when previously they’ve been home by 2.30pm.

If your heart sinks as the days get longer and the sight of diamante brings you out in a cold sweat, you may well be addicted to hunting...

1. In autumn you buy a mass of gin and pick as many sloes as you can.

2. You are hacking but you still shout ‘gate please!’ when walking through a gateway.

3. Never mind Chanel, Gucci or Louboutin it’s all about Patey and Bernard Weatherill.

4. Your natural riding seat is feet forward and body slightly behind the vertical.

5. Your breeches are a lot more baggy than any competition breeches.

6. Any sight of diamante or patent leather brings you out in a cold sweat.

7. You don’t care whether your horse is on the bit or what leg it’s on, but it is important that it is still underneath you and enjoying it as much as you are.

8. Your idea of a perfect holiday is a trip to Ireland to go hunting.

9. There are a lot of red coats, hedge jumping, hounds and beautiful country scenery on your Facebook news feed.

10. Six hours consistently on a horse seems comfortable.

11. Your visual map of Britain is not divided into counties but hunt countries.

12. Jumping fences that are less than five strides apart sounds very technical to you.

13. More daylight hours only means one thing — the season is drawing to a close.

14. Calcutt & Sons is your favourite shop.

15. It’s tricky to see out of the back window of your car for all the pro-hunting stickers.

16. Your diary has so many meet cards slipped into the back, you struggle to shut it.

17. You have a fear of blackthorns.

18. Any hedge or obstacle you drive past by is anaylsed on a basis of whether it would be jumpable out hunting.

19. To go home before the hounds is unthinkable.

20. Ten denier tights are bought not to wear with a dress but under your breeches.

21. The ring tone on your phone is the noise of a hunting horn.

22. When purchasing new tack, aesthetics doesn’t come into it; you’re looking for the most hardwearing and comfortable bits of kit.

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23. While other people’s arenas are full of showjumps and a few portable cross-country fences, yours is full of bullfinches, barrels and gates.

24. You find recognising people off a horse without a hat on is quite hard — and vice versa.

25. Puppy shows are enjoyable enough — but as soon as it’s over you think it’s time to get out hunting again.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I hope this finds you well. I am sorry to say but fighting has now intensified and increases week on week. This past weekend was the 12th anniversary of the new beginning and the Hunting Act of 2004 — the reason why we are here.

As the years rush by, it seems like only yesterday that we were witnessing the most unjust law ever passed and driven through the political process. The biggest peacetime demonstration in London, with over 400,000 of us marching to be heard, had no effect on their bigoted politics. You will remember the 700 hours of parliamentary time, the Lord Burns report they ignored, and, just when it looked like we had won the argument peacefully, and against his own better judgement, Prime Minister Blair evoked the Parliamentary Act. Only seven bills have become acts under this procedure in our country’s history.

So here I am 12 years on from that most illiberal of acts going into law. Casualties remain light, with no prosecutions under the act since 2015. We still weep witnessing a professional huntsman “going over the top” as they are usually replaced by enthusiastic amateurs who do not know what it was like before the war began.

In the north, our comrades and allies carry on with fighting kept to a minimum. It is down here in the south, and the south-east in particular, that sees the worst of it. Our trench is under relentless targeting from the enemy.

They are now employing new dirty tricks, which include social media trolling, and emailing and telephoning horrible threats to venues that support our cause. We suffer intimidation, harassment, aggravated trespass, verbal abuse, stalking — they appear outside our trench every Saturday and stalk our platoon — and we feel humiliated. It appears little can be done to stop it.

As you know, since the ban we have led the way regarding hunting within the law. We soon accepted that the only way forward was for us to simulate a day’s hunting as it used to be for our members and supporters to enjoy. We are, after all, in the entertainment business. So we indulge in a lawful activity whereby we lay trails across open country, in woodland and in hedgerows and ditches, all on land we have been invited to cross.

But our opponents continue to ignore the rules of engagement and monitor us not from public highways or footpaths but by trespassing and ignoring the law. They are camouflaged so their identities remain hidden; they are ashamed of their way of fighting this war. We, conversely, wear our red coats and uniforms with the utmost pride.

This is a bloody war on the front line and our spirits can dip when comrades in other parts of the country say, “stop the fighting and let the act remain”. We can’t do that and we will never give in. We will continue to fight with our last breath for what we in our community believe in and know is right.

It is estimated that the enemy spent £30m on pushing through the Hunting Act, and they have spent £0 on proving that it has had any benefit at all. The reason for that, of course, is that it has in fact been a total waste of police time, the courts’ time and public money — and not one fox is better off as a result of it.

We see no signal from our leaders that anything will change soon and so we fight on. And what, I hear you say, from the glorious leader that was Tony Blair? “On balance I feel that we shouldn’t have banned it,” he has admitted.

We will continue on and absorb and deflect any attacks on our comrades in the shooting, fishing and racing worlds as we have for decades now.

Some good news to end with: I have some well-deserved leave coming up in March and can’t wait to see you all. Looking forward to some fruit cake, tea and whisky mac — we don’t get much of that on the front line!

My love,

RG, MFH, OSB&WKH

Ref: Horse & Hound; 2 March 2017

Set in Powys, adjoining the Shropshire boundary, the Tanatside country comprises the vales of Severn, Vyrnwy and Tanat — an intoxicating tide of valleys and hills. Even the most hardened of hunt followers can't fail to be overwhelmed by this spectacular scenery...

It might be nearly the end of the season, but Heythrop stud groom Tony Stroud gives Horse & Hound his top tips for turning your horses out perfectly for a day’s hunting

1. I always wash the hunt horses all over the day before hunting, and chalk white socks when they are still wet and bandage over the top of them. Take the bandages off in the morning, brush off the chalk and you’ve got gleaming white socks. But don’t do it on a grey horse because the legs will be whiter than the rest of him and look a bit odd…

2. Manes are always thicker at the top, so pull more out there so it is more even to plait. When you are plaiting, part the mane properly with a comb first to make the plaits neater and more defined.

3. If you plait tails up to keep them out of the mud, stitch them up rather than using tape — it looks much smarter.

4. Keep on top of clipping. I clip about every 10 days up until Christmas, and keep clipping off ‘cat hairs’, especially on the face, right until the end of the season. I always clip with fine blades as you get a more polished finish, but using fine blades can make a grey horse look a bit untidy unless you are careful.

5. On a hunting day I always hot-towel the horses with a small amount of Dettol in extremely hot water. Wring out the towel until there is very little moisture left and wipe all over the horse’s body just before you tack up.

6. I add baby oil to black hoof grease to make it shinier.

7. Correctly fitting nosebands make a big difference to a horse’s appearance — I hate flash-straps which are too low on their nostrils — and check when you tack up that the noseband is straight.

8. I jam elastic bands under keepers on the bridle to keep them in place.

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9. When cleaning tack after hunting, I put a squirt of Head & Shoulders 2-in1 shampoo and conditioner in the tack-cleaning water; it cleans well and seems to condition the tack a bit as well.

10. After hunting I towel-dry the horses’ bodies after washing them off, rather than leaving the moisture to wick through a cooler rug, and never leave them overnight with a cooler under their night rugs — always change them into dry rugs before you finish for the night.

News has broken that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) has been confirmed in the Kimblewick hounds.

The Kimblewick, whose kennels are near Aylesbury, Bucks, suspended hunting in December as soon as bTB was suspected to be present in the pack. Its country has been hunted by visiting packs since then, and its hounds have not come into contact with others.

A statement from the Masters of Foxhounds Association said: “Bovine tuberculosis was suspected in hounds at the Kimblewick in December (and subsequently confirmed at the end of January).

“Defra  has not imposed any movement or other restrictions, as it does not consider that there is any increased risk to wildlife and farm stock.  However, the hunt immediately suspended hunting in the interests of farmers and landowners and the wider hunting interest.

“There is only one recently recorded case of a dog with bTB in England, some four years ago.  The Kimblewick and the Hunting Office are working closely with officials from Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Public Health England and the Royal Dick Veterinary School (Edinburgh), other vets with specialist expertise in bTB in order to determine the exact position and the best way forward.”

The hunt is waiting for APHA’s epidemiology report, which should give details of the likely source of infection, but it would appear that hounds have contracted bTB from eating contaminated flesh.

Hounds were fed fallen stock in compliance with current animal by-products legislation. Hounds confirmed to have bTB have been humanely put down.

A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said: “This has been a particularly difficult time for the hunt staff, their families and all those associated with the Kimblewick hounds and our thoughts are with them. We understand that testing is ongoing and that the hunt is working with Defra and the relevant statutory bodies to ensure that the infection is contained and eradicated.”

Gerald Sumner has hunted the Kimblewick for 11 seasons, and has spent the past five as a joint-master. He moves to the East Sussex and Romney Marsh next season.

For lovers of hunting, its spontaneity is one of its most beguiling charms. The possibility that almost anything could happen at any time can prove challenging but never dull. The cocktail of ingredients that constitutes a day’s hunting is so variable — topography, weather and atmospheric conditions, type of farming, not to mention the huntsman’s mood — that each day should be a different adventure.

A day’s hunting should have a narrative and tell a story. It is the drama of the best days, with their nuances and subtleties, not just thrills and spills, which forms the pub and dinner-party yarns, sometimes for years to come. After all, hunting is as inexact a science as enigmatic it is an art.

Much of this depends on the relationship between the huntsman and his hounds — the “golden thread”. The multitude of golden hues between huntsmen is striking. Control and trust are inextricably linked, if not the same. A huntsman’s “control” should allow the hounds to trust him — and he to trust them — enough to work at an appropriate distance for their country or push forward at a check without waiting for his intervention.

The practical manifestation of “hound control” alters across the country. The handiness of hounds necessary for producing good sport in a wild hill country, where they often have to hunt independently of their huntsmen, is different to the type of control required in some parts of lowland Britain where biddable hounds, able to be turned on a sixpence, are essential. But even in much of lowland Britain, as is proved week after week, it is perfectly possible to have first-class hunting.

Hounds under control

Throughout, hounds should ignore all riot (alternative quarry) and livestock. The sensationalism of those who protest fear over hounds attacking children upsets huntsmen profusely. They spend most of their summers parading at country shows and village fetes where their hounds are swamped by adoring young admirers. This takes nothing away from the surprise of hounds appearing unexpectedly. Our public image and responsibility are crucial and we hunt in a busy countryside.

Our opponents are quick to accuse hounds of being “out of control” and “rampaging” when actually hunting. This is nonsense if there is a basic acceptance, even among most anti-hunt supporters who advocate post-ban trail-hunting, that there is a natural order to hunting: quarry (post-ban trail), hounds, huntsman, mounted field.

In our beautiful countryside it is not always possible for the huntsman to be one stride behind the hounds. Huntsmen can’t always be certain that the trail, laid to simulate traditional hunting, hasn’t been blown by the wind or crossed inadvertently with a live fox which takes the hounds in an unintended direction. In such circumstances, hounds do not pose a threat; they are not out of control, just concentrating on doing what they are bred and trained to do: hunt, if not immediately with the huntsman.

Mistakes happen too and foxes are caught, which just highlights the ridiculousness of the Hunting Act. Incursions into uncleared areas are always highly regrettable and mercifully rare. Masters and huntsmen should restore the situation promptly and preferably before social media mangles the truth.

Ref Horse & Hound; 9 March 2017

The names of those vying to win national horn-blowing competition the Horse & Hound Challenge Cup, at hunting’s ‘big night out’, the Dubarry Horn & Hound Ball, have been revealed.

The 10 representatives from hunts all over Britain are:

Martyn Arnold (Gelligaer Farmers)

Shaun Marles (Radnor & West Hereford)

Daniel Cherriman (Pytchley)

Gareth Bow (Brocklesby)

John Nicholson (Dulverton West)

Andrew Higgins (Tynedale)

Joe Tesseyman (Essex & Suffolk)

Charles Frampton MFH (Heythrop)

Bertie Alexander MH (Stowe Beagles)

Guy Thomas MH (RAC Beagles)

The highly competitive horn-blowing competition, which is supported by the Kingston Blount Shoot, is the highlight of the Dubarry Horn & Hound Ball, which takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse on 22 April. The judges this year are Nigel Peel, joint-master and huntsman of the North Cotswold, and 2016 winner James Pearson of the Cury.

The ball, which attracts hunting people from all over the country, is held to raise funds for the Hunt Staff Benefit Society. As well as the horn-blowing competition, it features a “money can’t buy” auction – featuring a nomination to Tomatillo, a clone of William Fox-Pitt’s Badminton winner Tamarillo — a champagne reception sponsored by Pol Roger, dinner and dancing to 29 Fingers.

Sam Butler, chairman of the ball committee and chairman of the Warwickshire Hunt, said: “It is wonderful to have Dubarry on board again this year for an event that has become established in the hunting calendar.

“We are also very pleased to have continuing support from Pol Roger, Lycetts and the Coniston Hotel who are among many of our generous sponsors.

“The night raises all-important funds for the charity, with over £100,000 raised so far, but above all it has also proved to be a very good party.

“It is hunting’s big night out, where people from all over Britain and Ireland come together to celebrate our sport, and we are building on the success of previous years to make it better than ever this year.

Related articles:

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• Is this the most beautiful hunt country in Britain?
• Hedge-hopping: 9 ways to get to the other side in one piece

“We look forward to seeing as many representatives of different hunts as possible at Cheltenham on 22 April for another special night.”

Tickets cost £100, with corporate and VIP packages available. For further details and booking forms, contact Lizzie Dyer on HSBS2@mfha.co.uk or 01285 653001.

Three hunt members are considering an appeal after being found guilty of illegal hunting.

The Grove and Rufford Hunt members — who denied the charges — are seeking legal advice and are considering appealing the decision to a higher court.

The three-day trial at Mansfield Magistrates Court concluded today (Tuesday, 14 March).

This is the first time in more than two years that there has been a successful prosecution of a registered hunt under the 2004 Hunting Act.

Paul Larby, 57, was ordered to pay total costs of £1,848, including a fine of £800; Peter White, 57, was ordered to pay £853, including a £550 fine; and Jane Wright, 63, £448, including a fine of £180. The alleged incident took place on 30 January 2016 and the trio, who are all from Nottinghamshire, pleaded not guilty to offences under the Act.

Speaking after the trial had concluded, a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said the organisation is “disappointed by the verdict”.

“These three individuals were of impeccable character and we believe that the evidence showed they were trail-hunting within the law,” he said.

“The activity is legal and they were aware that they were being photographed and filmed throughout the day.

“They had nothing to hide and were acting lawfully within the Hunting Act legislation.

“They will now take legal advice and may very well appeal the decision at a higher court.”

Vile anti-hunt internet trolls have been condemned for sickening comments made in relation to the death of a “popular and talented” horsewoman.

A post on an anti-hunt Facebook page about Sue Webb (pictured), who died as a result of a fall while out with the Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds on 4 March, has been removed, but only after the comments had been allowed to remain for “a number of days”.

The Countryside Alliance (CA) has spoken out about the trolling after a hearing in Parliament yesterday (16 March), in which MPs criticised Facebook and Twitter for not doing more to ban inappropriate content.

CA spokesman Tom Hunt said: ““Sue Webb was an incredibly popular and talented horsewoman who will be missed by her friends, family and associates in the equestrian world and beyond. The vile and insensitive comments that have been posted on social media are totally unacceptable.

“Sue was out draghunting when this tragic accident occurred.

“In draghunting, hounds follow an artificial scent laid over a pre-defined course and those on horseback follow them, usually over a jumping route. At no point have there been any allegations of illegal foxhunting taking place by a draghound pack, yet the internet trolls deem it acceptable to make revolting comments about the legal pastime Sue chose to take part in.

“If this loss is not great enough for her family, at a time when they should be given time to grieve in peace they are now being subjected to reading these revolting comments that are based on pure ignorance and prejudice.

“The type of person that thinks it is acceptable to post comments about somebody they do not know following such a tragedy should not be welcomed in a modern society, and we call for the social media channels to respond respectfully by banning these users and bringing them to account.”

Yvette Cooper, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said she understands the challenges social media sites face.

“You all have millions of users in the United Kingdom and you make billions of pounds from these users, [but] you all have a terrible reputation among users for dealing swiftly with content even against your own community standards,” she added.

Continues below…

Related articles:

• Tributes to ‘outstanding horsewoman’ who died after hunting fall
• Countryside Alliance chairman condemns trolls for online abuse after child’s death
• anti-hunt activists ‘bullied’ business which shared picture of foxhound

The CA is compiling evidence of the online abuse aimed at hunt supporters and will write to Mrs Cooper.

Mr Hunt added: “We welcome the strong line the home affairs select committee has taken on this issue. It is vital the social media giants step up to the mark and ensure they robustly tackle the chilling comments so often posted on their sites.”