Offering your hipflask around is the perfect ice-breaker on the hunting field. And who doesn’t get braver after a swig of booze on an empty stomach? But what’s the perfect hunting tipple?

I have to admit I started young — my mother considered cherry brandy (which does, after all, taste like high-quality cough medicine) completely acceptable from about the age of 10 onwards.

No point ringing Childline now, but probably safer to stick to Ribena for the younger generation… The standards are port, whisky, sloe gin and cherry brandy. But there are almost infinite variations of hipflask recipes, from the sublime to the ridiculous.

H&H canvassed some hardcore hunting people for their opinions:

Hannah Vowles: plum gin or rhubarb vodka. “Jumping juice for the Portman vale.”

George Bowyer: Percy Special (one part whisky to one part cherry brandy), or Rusty Nail (Drambuie and Scotch)

Ruth Edge: orange gin

Jo Geddes: Skittles vodka (put Skittles and vodka in a bottle through a cycle in the dishwasher to shake it all up)

Flora Watkins: sloe and blackberry gin, or toffee vodka (Werthers Originals and vodka) — the latter is also a favourite of FEI vet Ali Butler’s

Belinda Sparey: blackberry whisky

Jane Starkey: ‘Singing Johnny’ – blackcurrants and whisky

Simon Hodgkinson: cherry gin

Harry Wallace: Percy Special

Daniel Crane: Kentucky Lucky (50% Kentucky bourbon, 50% port. “Try it if you dare!” he says.

Max Douglas: plum rum (damsons and Bacardi)

William Fox Grant: damson gin with almonds

Carrie Tucker: raspberry vodka

Netty Higgins: Damson brandy

Jane Hedley: one part gin to two parts peach schnapps

Charles Landless: mixture of sloe brandy, port and ginger wine

Charlie and Clare Gundry: Stroh ‘80’ or Spiritus Rektyfikowany. Clare says: “Will put you in hospital, but by God you will cross the country first…” (ed — don’t try this at home unless you are a Gundry).

Other votes went to gooseberry gin, rhubarb gin, greengage gin — you get the gist.

Both Matthew Wright and Emily MacMahon suggested poitin, a spirit distilled from potatoes and for a long time illegal… “You become as brave as a lion and can’t feel the cold — but after a few gulps you can’t feel anything!” says Emily. Matthew adds a drop of crème de cassis, so you can enjoy the taste while going blind…

And Sophie Wythe suggested Killepitsch, apparently a blood-red herb liqueur from Germany. “Its taste is verging on medicinal, but it gives you bravery, warmth and the courage to kiss the most handsome chap around!” Bottle for the hunting editor, please.

But beware. Oliver Blackwell keeps it simple. “Neat gin. I say it is port and enjoy watching the reactions…” And in a similar vein Ginny Gilmore says: “Whisky every time. Hardly anyone likes it so you get to have it all to yourself.” No wonder she’s so brave over a Wynnstay hedge.

And, lest some readers worry that all hunting people are serious alcoholics, Cottesmore hunt secretary Clare Bell allayed fears when she did sober October. “I took a Bottlegreen ginger and lemongrass presse in my hipflask to the opening meets of the Quorn and Cottesmore. It was 17ºC and my flask was much in demand!”

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Hannah Vowles’ rhubarb vodka and plum gin recipes:

“Cheap vodka, ripe rhubarb. Slice rhubarb into long, thin strips and take off tough outer skin. Put into half a bottle of vodka. Add a few big spoons of caster sugar and leave. Turn once a week. Leave as long as you — I do nine months minimum — and it goes a really lovely pink colour. Extra sugar to taste as the rhubarb can be a bit tart.”

“For plum gin, use a quarter of plums to three-quarters cheap gin. Leave skin on and shove into gin with a few spoons of sugar and leave. Give a good shake once a week and taste often. Decant when it tastes right!”

Don’t miss the latest issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out now (25 October), for the hunting special

Multi-talented retired racehorse and Heythrop regular Kikos has topped the 2019 Ri-Dry Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) racing to hunting challenge.

The 17-year-old gelding’s career on the track spanned six years, winning four times under Rules for trainer Renee Robson. He finished his time in racing under the care of Kerry Lee, enjoying spins on the hunters’ chase circuit before switching to the hunting field.

Kikos, who is known for his “good manners and versatility” on the hunting field with owner/rider Amy Morgan, beat five other retrained racehorses to win the Meriel Tuffnell Trophy.

“Kikos has proven to be the most honest, calm, kind and generous hunter,” said Amy.

“I can lead my young son on his small pony, jump the biggest of our vale country up at the front of the field, stop and shut gates, jump the gates and walk across fields when 200 of our Saturday field are galloping. He is as well known for his sanity as he is for his tongue, which hangs out constantly!”

The pair also went home with a Ri-Dry waterproof jacket and a cash prize of £1,500, with the remaining £3,500 prize pot split between the five other finalists.

The six were whittled down through a selection process, which included a visit to watch each horse during the autumn hunting season by a member of the judging panel.

The finalists were judged on how well they have adapted to their second career at Aintree racecourse on 27 October in front of a racing crowd.

The challenge included jumping and negotiating obstacles they might find on a day’s hunting, before parading with hounds from the Holcombe Harriers.

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Mr Chippy and Suzie Dent from the Hurworth claimed the runner-up spot, with the Morpeth’s Newyearsresolution and Amie Waugh in third.

“Congratulations are in order to all six finalists and in particular Amy and Kikos,” said RoR chief executive Di Arbuthnot.

“He is clearly a star, and not only in Amy’s eyes as his outstanding behaviour is recognised and appreciated by many, not least the judges today.

“All the horses were a credit to their connections and a big thank you to all involved, especially Aintree Racecourse, our sponsors Ri-Dry and our fantastic team of judges.”

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‘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.

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Opening meets are upon us – and that means it is now hunt ball season as well. Here are some “dos” and “don’ts” to help you get through your hunt’s biggest annual party without disgracing yourself…

Do: take a table and invite as many non-hunting friends as possible – it definitely improves the chat during supper, as long as you ban any discussion of Brexit. If you surround yourself with all your normal hunting mates, hunting is all you will talk about, and don’t we get a bit bored of that?

Do: check the dress code. One or two hunt balls stipulate white tie, instead of the more normal black tie, and that pelmet-length sequinny number won’t cut it. Go long (but slinky) if you are in any doubt. Don’t wear your most expensive suede heels – they will get wrecked and you will regret it. And I’d be pretty careful about wearing Great-Aunt Edith’s full-length vintage mink – it might be wonderfully warm (and glamorous), but if it gets nicked from the coat rack, you will have a lot of explaining to do.

Do: pace yourself. You are bound to have been hunting, rushed home and done your horse and your tack, put the children to bed and briefed the babysitter. You will not have eaten since that single sausage roll at the meet, and necking a bottle of wine on an empty stomach has never yet ended well.

Don’t: try to pull a master, the huntsman, the whipper-in or any hunt official or member of staff. Everyone will know (whether you succeed or fail) and they will never, ever forget or let you live it down.

Do: have a Jagerbomb. Just the one – it will pep you up marvellously when you are flagging a bit after dinner. But, we repeat, just the one…

Don’t: buy that horse a charming young Irishman is trying to sell you unseen. Tonight is not the night for decisions like that.

Do: pre-book your taxi, tell him not to allow anyone else in it and do go when it arrives. Another half an hour of dancing with those National Hunt jockeys might seem like a brilliant idea, but when you are left outside the marquee, shivering and feeling a bit sick, you won’t be able to get another taxi for love nor vast amounts of money.

Do: head for the disco tent. Leave the ‘grown up’ dancing to the band on the over-lit dance floor to the grown ups, watched by all those still sitting at their tables and relive your Pony Club youth in a darker, sweatier atmosphere.

Don’t: bid on auction lots if you can’t afford to pay for them — even if you are under serious peer pressure. You won’t look cool when you admit you don’t have the funds to pay for it and you will have a black mark next to your name for eternity.

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Do: join the naughty smokers outside for a bit of a cool-down. That’s where all the best gossip is happening.

Do: dance with your husband/wife/partner. It’s only polite, even if the second whipper-in is way better at it.

Don’t: sleep in your car. You are not 17 (unless you actually are 17, when it is fine and perfectly normal). You will be really cold and incredibly uncomfortable. Remember to book that taxi and climb into your own lovely bed.

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

Now autumn trail-hunting is nearly over, most packs will be preparing for one of the biggest days in the hunting calendar: the opening meet.

In order to get to this point in each season, opening up country and keeping it open is a massive and very important job. The key to a good day’s trail-hunting is organisation and good communication.

At one time, just one or two masters would clear country for a day, but this aspect of the day-to-day running of a hunt has changed a lot.

Masters often have full-time jobs of their own and, as all of us know, life in general is getting progressively busier. Nowadays masters, committee members and sometimes huntsmen are more involved in clearing country.

The countryside has also changed so much in recent times. Commercial shoots are growing in size, methods of farming are becoming more intense and roads and houses are extending rural villages.

Planning ahead

The way the country is cleared changes from hunt to hunt. Here at the Percy, we try to get all the shoot dates in as early as possible, working on from there. Most shoots will be relaxed about you hunting the week after they’ve shot but not the week before.

It’s extremely important to talk either on the phone or face to face as planning is in progress. The more notice you can give landowners, farmers, shepherds and keepers, the better. If for some reason they don’t want the hunt on a certain date, this is always respected.

I’m a great believer in clearing a lot of country for a day as you can never have enough ground to go at. I’ve also yet to meet a hound that is happy to head home because we’ve run out of room!

Once country has been cleared, the next job is to confirm plans with local farmers, landowners and keepers in writing. For us, this means sending cards out to all those whose land we are planning to hunt over or near. The cards give the time and date for when we’re in that area.

It could be argued that some time, money and ink may be saved by sending texts or emails rather than handwritten cards. However, although carding is more time-consuming, it shows that you’re communicating with each farmer personally.

The 900 or more cards we send out over each season aren’t easily forgotten and, for us, are definitely worth our time.

Maintaining relations

No matter how much time and effort you put into organising a day, sometimes things can and will still go wrong. If a landowner, farmer or keeper is upset, it’s far better to go back and see them as soon as possible, rather than leaving it.

Whether travelling home exhilarated from the day’s events or thinking they haven’t had the best day, all followers should try to remember that someone has put an awful lot of effort into organising a country.

The other thing to remember is that anyone is encouraged to hold a meet, whether this may be from a car boot, your back garden or within the grounds of your stately home.

Best wishes to all for the upcoming season. Enjoy your horse, the hounds and what our countryside has to offer!

Ref Horse & Hound; 31 October 2019

Two races over natural hedges, each offering more than £4,000 to the winner, will take place near Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos, in the Heythrop hunt country on 8 March 2020.

“The Gloucestershire Steeplechases”— a race over two miles and 20 hedges for 20 non-thoroughbreds and one over the same course and distance for 20 thoroughbreds — are each worth 4,000 guineas (£4,200) to winning connections.

There is also a gate-jumping competition, sponsored by bookmakers Fitzdares, with a 500-guinea (£525) first prize.

The organisers state that “the following hunts will be asked to provide entries for the Ron Brooks Memorial Pragnell Trophy [the non-thoroughbred race]: Heythrop, Atherstone, Beaufort, Belvoir, Berkeley, Bicester, Blackmore Vale, Cattistock, Cotswold, North Cotswold, Fernie, Ledbury, Meynell, Portman, Quorn, Taunton Vale, Tyndale, Warwickshire, Worcesters, Wynnstay.”

The Merriebelle Stables Gloucestershire Cup, for thoroughbreds, is open to all.

Organiser Tom Gittins said: “These races are attempting to reinvent the era of original steeplechasing in its purest format. It is the brainchild of Charlie Brooks, on whose land the course was constructed two years ago in preparation for the inaugural event.

“We are encouraging everyone to relive a 1920s raceday with prizes for the best dressed lady and gentleman, and riders will be wearing traditional hunting attire.

“Our very generous sponsors have put up the prize money to encourage the best of the hunting, point-to-point and cross-country community to enter, with a share going to help each rider’s local hunt.

“Both races and the gate-jumping will have a maximum field size of 20 and betting will be available on the day via Fitzdares.

“The course has been designed to a high standard by James Froggatt and as such will provide a proper test of horsemanship. To this end a committee will approve the entrants — note there are no entry fees.”

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Racehorse trainer Sir Mark Prescott will act as starter for the races.

Public entry costs £10 per car, which will be donated to the Heythrop hunt.

Anyone who would like to be considered for entry is asked to email Tom Gittins: tgittins@foxtrot.co.uk

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Hunting is the most democratic of pastimes. It makes fools of all of us, and is the greatest leveller imaginable. But don’t worry, we are all in the same boat… Here are seven things that will inevitably happen to you out hunting at some point, whether you like it or not.

1. Spilling port on your breeches. You are handed a large glass of port at the meet. Gratefully, you take a sip – your horse moves, and you spill it everywhere – down your white hunting tie and all over your breeches, making it look like you have had an unfortunate encounter with a chainsaw. You are probably riding a grey horse, too, who now has ‘blood-coloured’ withers.

2. Jumping off your horse – and pulling a button off your hunting coat. In your effort to be helpful, you are the first to jump off to open a particularly tricky gate. Typically, you forget to ‘jump out’ a bit, slide down the saddle and pull off a precious hunt button on the way. You are too embarrassed to hold up proceedings by immediately searching for it, which means that you will never see it again, your coat will gape embarrassingly for the rest of the day, and you will forget to buy another one in time for your next day’s hunting so have to make do with a safety pin.

3. Not being able to get back on your horse. Talking about getting on and off – unless you are practically a world-class vaulter, you will undoubtedly struggle to get back on your very unhelpful horse after doing said gate, hopping round in circles with one foot in the iron. Said horse will also not line up next to the gate while you perch precariously. You will swear a lot and some helpful chap will kindly get off his own horse and give you a leg-up. You will miss-time the ‘1,2,3!’ and it will all get terribly embarrassing.

4. Bashing your knee on a gate. At some point, you will slam your knee into a gate-post when going through a narrow opening, or a gate will swing back on to your leg. It happens, it hurts and if you are lucky you will only have a whopping great bruise to show your partner, not a cast.

5. Getting lost. It’s 3.30pm, you are already late for the school run and you are miles from your box. You set off in the general direction of the meet, only to discover you are completely on the wrong road and in fact are going in circles. What did we used to do before the days of Google maps on your phone?

6. Losing your precious hunting whip. You put it down just for a moment beside your car or lorry while loading your horse, then drove off without it. Sadly, you have lost it forever – no one will ever admit to having picked it up, and you will have to ring your mother and tell her you have lost your christening present from your godmother (I’m talking from experience now). She will say, ‘Oh, how could you?’ and you will feel terrible.

7. Leaving your car/lorry lights on and returning to a flat battery. Really, really annoying and it will always happen when you are late and in a desperate rush to get somewhere like a parents’ evening at school. Pray for a kindly person with jump leads – in fact, we strongly recommend you keep jump leads and a bottle of whisky (as a thank you, not to drown your sorrows while you wait for assistance) in the car in preparation for this scenario.

Keep up to date with the latest hunt reports in Horse & Hound magazine every Thursday throughout the season.

The late Simon Clarke, old Etonian, Blues officer and master of foxhounds for more than 30 years, was an unlikely radical. He could have made a success of any career, but chose to dedicate his considerable skills to the management and execution of foxhunting to the highest standards, on both a macro and micro scale.

He was always supportive of the young and ready to impart advice. For three years in Dorset, Simon acted as my kindly “sage on the hill”, offering tea, cake and something stronger on the countless occasions I would make an impromptu call during my first mastership, nearly 20 years ago.

On the eve of last week’s opening meet I carried out my annual ritual, as it was his, and re-read Lord Henry Bentinck’s Goodall’s Practice, in which he describes the famous 19th century Belvoir huntsman’s exemplary technique of handling hounds. My treasured edition bears Simon’s initials on the cover: a present in my first season.

In early 1997, when hunting was facing its biggest parliamentary threat to date with the Foster Bill and Tony Blair’s huge Labour majority in May looking a certainty, hunting needed a “game-changer”. Simon persuaded the British Field Sports Society (BFSS) to produce a Countryside Rally in London, bringing the countryside together.

It soon became clear we were on to something big. Simon, Mary Perry (née Eames) and I were initially squirrelled away in a bunker below BFSS HQ in Kennington in early spring.

Our team slowly grew to six, a dozen, then a network around the country. The BFSS became the Countryside Alliance, and hunting’s profile came of age on 10 July 1997. It was the largest rally London had ever seen and the media coverage was very favourable.

Hunting has long suffered from the image of being run by a fusion of the cast of the Chuckle Brothers meets Brideshead Revisited. Renewed relations between the MFHA and Countryside Alliance working to their own strengths are welcome.

In the late 1990s, serious brains and acumen were needed to save the ship in the face of a storm. John Gardiner, Richard Lissack QC, Roger Scruton and Robin Hanbury-Tenison, among others, provided the heavyweight legal, political and intellectual arguments that propelled campaigns and counter-movements in parliament and the media far beyond above our boxing weight for years.

Behind this remarkable, unexpected resurgence in our fortunes was the considerable stature of Simon Clarke. His ideas, often surprisingly left-field and genial, fed into the spirit of the Countryside Rally, though maybe not so surprisingly since his intimate contact with country folk from Dorset to Scotland meant he did have a profound grasp of the human condition.

After all the rallies and marches not one MP changed their vote, but the media did swing our way and hunting became proud to stand up and be counted.

Here we go again

And now, here we go again; another general election. We will have to take to the streets again and campaign to ensure Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t completely close down country sports, livestock farming and our glorious countryside on his first day. It would be so easy to make life impossible and he has us in his sights.

Rest in peace, Simon; we carry on the fight.

Ref Horse & Hound; 7 November 2019

Followers of the Ludlow spotted a familiar face as four-star (now five-star) eventer Mr Potts took on the role of fieldmaster’s horse.

Louise Harwood’s homebred 17-year-old has been loaned to Alan Nolan this season as he didn’t have a suitable mount for the job.

“He was amazing. It was the coldest, wettest day I have ever hunted,” said Alan. “We’re rails and hedge country and he jumped everything up in front and had his ears pricked on the hounds all day long. It was a complete privilege to ride him.”

The 16.2hh gelding’s memorable white face also meant he was quickly spotted by members of the field.

“I had some visitors out that day and they were all coming up and recognising him, so he was a celebrity for the day,” Alan added. “There was a huge amount of pressure as I thought, ‘if I fall off at the first fence I will look a right idiot!’

“Everyone was in awe of him saying ‘what a cool horse’, and I think he thought so as well!”

Potts, who has 866 points on his record, stepped down from top-level eventing last year but has continued to have successful runs at open intermediate and advanced with Louise, as well as competing at BE90 and Pony Club show jumping with her niece Amber.

“He’s got plenty of life in him yet,” said Louise, who also bred his dam Much Of A Muddle. “We won some good money at Dauntsey on his last run of the season and Amber will hopefully have him out at novice next year while I will do the odd advanced with him.

“His uncle Barney [Bit Of A Barney] went on til he was 18 or 19 and won his last advanced, so I expect we’ll keep Potts going for a bit yet.”

Continued below…

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Louise said she had offered Alan the ride as he didn’t have anything “super-experienced for the job” and Potts tended to misbehave when turned out for the winter.

“He always gets evicted for jumping out — he gets bored and does something silly and blots his copy-book!” Louise said.

She added that Potts had hunted before as a youngster, but the last time out he had taken her off on a gatepost.

“He has spent his whole career turning left too quickly,” she said. “He’s not the most patient horse but he’s not too bad!”

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It will soon be the Christmas holidays, so here are eight ways to help ensure your children enjoy going hunting as much as you do…

1. Make sure they are WARM. Thick tweed shooting coats are often warmer than children’s riding jackets – and you can fit more layers underneath them. Woolly tights under breeches (tell the boys that all the jump jockeys wear them), and thick socks – but not too many pairs, as if they can’t wiggle their toes their feet will get colder. Good, thick gloves – if they are small enough to lose them easily, put them on the ends of a long bit of elastic and thread it through their coat sleeves.

2. Go home as soon as your child announces it is cold – or bored. Patience now will pay off in the end.

3. Make sure their pony is suitable and knows all about hunting. Being scared is not fun.

4. Fill their pockets – and yours – with sweets. They are a great distraction tool if anything goes wrong.

5. Grass-reins are a good idea. Small ponies’ minds are usually on their stomach and being yanked forward and sliding off down the neck when said pony fancies a mouthful of grass is not conducive to a happy day out.

6. Neck-straps are essential – but if the child is on the leading-rein and their arms are too short to reach a neck-strap, put a ‘handle’ of some sort (a flash strap is ideal) between the D-rings on either side of the pommel. This is much easier for small hands to hold on to.

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7. Explain what is going on – show them the hounds, the huntsman, the whipper-in etc and tell your child what they are doing. It makes it much more interesting!

8. If you are planning to lead your child’s pony off your horse, make sure they like each other and that you have practised beforehand…

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

The rain for which we yearned last season has come to our corner of England and we are enjoying two years’ worth in a few short weeks. Vast areas of Lincolnshire are submerged and Leicestershire is thoroughly waterlogged. Cattle are stranded outside and huge swathes of land are left fallow, leaving farmers glum at best.

The apparent folding of the Atherstone this season has come as a great shock to many. It would appear that a number of factors and personalities have come together to contribute to an unfortunate situation.

There are three subjects that we may try to avoid but always seem to make it into everyday conversation — politics (national or hunt), the weather and health.

Politics is clearly a hot topic; with a general election on the horizon, there is much to think about. There is no doubt in my mind as to which way I am voting. It is very clear to me that there is only one party that supports our rural way of life. For that reason there is much we can all do to help it in whatever way that we can, to shore up the future of our wonderful countryside and all that goes on within it.

Simon Lawrance, MFH, five-star event rider and UKCC Level 3 coach shares his thoughts on how hunting can help your horse’s training.

1. Hunting is excellent for horses that have got sour in competition or training and need sweetening up.

2. It is great for strengthening — they are working for a long time without being asked to do very difficult things.

3. It makes them tougher and less “precious”, and able to cope with different types of ground and going.

4. It makes them braver and more forward-thinking.

5. It improves their ability to get themselves out of trouble and teaches them to find a “fifth leg”.

6. It is a fun way of getting horses fit, particularly warmbloods and those which are inclined to be stuffy.

7. It teaches them to gallop and improves one-paced horses by making them more competitive.

8. It accustoms them to being around other horses in potentially exciting environments.

9. Remember that it is not going to suit every horse, but most — not all — can settle to it in time.

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10. I recommend taking a young horse to some competitions before he goes hunting so that the rider can assess how he is likely to behave in public with other horses.

11. Hunting also has huge benefits for the rider. It is excellent for improving strength and fitness, and teaches them to deal with the unexpected. They learn to ride up and downhill, to cross a variety of terrains and how to conserve their horse’s energy. Anyone who rides would benefit from going hunting.

12. It allows both horse and rider to have fun and relax in each other’s company without pressure.

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A rider who has trained point-to-pointers, owned eventers and ridden since the age of three is in her 73^rd season of hunting – on a horse with whom she has a combined age of 103.

Shirley Reed and palomino Connemara Biscuit are a familiar sight out with the Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray, which Mrs Reed mastered for 21 seasons.

And although they may not tackle the biggest hedges, “when hounds are running, he goes”.

Mrs Reed told H&H she also trained hunter chasers and owned eventers, one of whom competed at advanced level.

Biscuit, who is “supposedly 14.2hh but is probably 15hh”, evented up to novice with Ailsa Waites but found the showjumping difficult so at the age of 15, he was given to Mrs Reed.

“They didn’t want him to go somewhere he’d be pushed, they wanted him to have a happy retirement home,” she said.

“He goes hunting with me now and he doesn’t want to retire much! He’s absolutely wonderful.”

Mrs Reed says Biscuit does not want to believe his age.

“When the hounds go, he goes,” she said. “He can be very naughty; he can whip round very quickly, and still thinks he’s five or six but he’s marvellous, a really beautiful person.

“I know the country extremely well and if they all go for a jolly over fences, unless hounds are running, we don’t jump – but if they are running, my god, he’s gone.”

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Mrs Reed said her husband, who enjoys shooting, now needs some help, which curtails the hunting somewhat, but she still follows hounds regularly, and has no plans to retire.

“I’ve been very lucky; I’ve had some very good horses, and Biscuit is perfect for me now. Touch wood, he’s sound and does everything every day like any other horse,” she said, adding that she credits her groom of 30 years Jacky Southin for keeping her horses healthy and happy.

“I hope he’ll keep going as long as I do, probably longer. He’s like a Rolls Royce to ride, and I just try to keep up!”

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“How are you fixed on Tuesday?” asked the broad Irish voice at the other end of the phone. Anticipating what was to follow, I said: “I can make myself available!”

It was the right answer. The voice belonged to Quorn huntsman Ollie Finnegan, who explained his first whipper-in had had a nasty fall on the Friday and was temporarily off games, and he was therefore looking for somebody to stand in for the day.

There’s something really special about hunting over the Christmas period, says H&H’s hunting editor Catherine Austen. Here’s why you should go…

1. It’s the best form of family entertainment. Get those teenagers over their hangovers and away from their X-Boxes, and take them hunting to get some fresh air. You can do it all together — if someone doesn’t ride, you can go hunting on foot of course, or beg a coveted place on a quad bike. Then everyone finishes the day muddy, tired and happy and goes to bed pleasingly early…

2. The reverse of point one — if your family are driving you mad with arguments, leave them all to get on with it and go hunting on your own. Blissful peace.

3. Hunting on Christmas Eve is somehow particularly magical; it’s the perfect build-up to Christmas Day and puts everyone in a good mood.

4. If you want to festoon your horse in tinsel, go for it. Older, crustier members of the field might frown a bit, but who cares? I have to be honest and say that my own (silly) horse would probably spook at herself wearing tinsel, but it’s Christmas and if you want a bit of sparkle, why not?

5. There will be many more children out than usual, being the Christmas holidays (lucky beggars). Let’s all remember that it is a time of peace among men — be nice to them, even if some of them are occasionally out of control. After all, the more children there are out, the less the rest of us have to get off and do gates…

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6. Every hunting person who can should support their local hunt on Boxing Day. This is hunting’s big “good news” day of the year, and our biggest showcase. If you can’t go on a horse, go to the meet on foot, and take Granny, your neighbours, anyone who might like to go. It’s fun, you can make an indent on those Christmas calories and it is a day when numbers really count.

7. And, in relation to Boxing Day, having to get your horse/bicycle cleaned up the day before is the perfect excuse to get out of the house for a bit on Christmas Day. Uncle Bernie has no idea how long it takes to wash a horse’s tail and socks, so take your time, and when you get back, it’s time for the best bit of Christmas food — the Christmas-leftovers-sandwich.

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With Christmas just around the corner, all hunt kennels and stables will be getting ready for two of the biggest and busiest weeks of the season.

I always smile to myself when people ask how much time we get off at Christmas. The answer for me and most huntsmen, whippers-in, grooms or kennelmen is very little or none. Hounds and horses still need looking after and flesh rounds don’t stop for Christmas.

If you’re in search of a horse to cross the country with in style, take a look at this selection of hunters for sale on the Horse & Hound website this week.

1. ‘Exceptional’

Height: 16.1hh

Gender: gelding

Age: seven

Selling points: “The hunter everyone wants! He would also team chase, with all the class and ability to event and/or showjump over the summer as well and with scope to progress up the ranks. ‘Rolex’ really is one in a million. He is an exceptional hunter suited to many types of riders. He has been hunted by both men and women, always in the same simple tack of just a snaffle and cavesson noseband. He is incredibly bold and takes it all on, has never said no. He has been jumping hedges, ditches and rails and would jump big hedge country. He finds his own stride and takes you in without being strong. He is always mannerly and polite and will stand quietly at the meet and will sit happily at the back with the drinkers and smokers if required. He is a very comfortable ride, good at gates, will wait and remains polite. He is a horse you can really go out and have a good time on, whether you want to jump the big stuff, the small stuff, or not at all. He is fit and out now most weeks with both fox and bloodhounds. Ready to get on and go! For someone looking to hunt over the winter and compete over the summer, Rolex is your guy, whether your looking to just crack on at the lower levels or produce something classy further up the levels. He is a lovely mover and is working well on the flat with some really lovely tests to come, whether for eventing or pure dressage. He shows real class and ability over a fence. He is super careful with excellent technique, even when you bury him under the fence he will do his absolute best to dig himself out and keep the poles up. He is out competing up to 1.10m now. In a true testament to his amazing temperament, rideability and talent Rolex recently delivered consistently excellent performances at the recent Pentathlon open championships, a qualifier for Tokyo 2020, where he was showjumped by both male and female riders of varying ability and experience. Super bold cross country, great with water! Rolex is good to do on the ground in all ways, loads and travels well and works very sweetly away from home. He is kind and cuddly in the stable and brilliant to hack both on his own and in company.”

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2. ‘Fantastic’

Height: 17hh

Gender: gelding

Age: 11

Selling points: “This Irish Draught is an ecellent made hunter. He is bold, kind and clever, who is ready to go.”

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3. ‘Stunning’

Height: 16.1hh

Gender: mare

Age: five

Selling points: “‘Willow’ is a stunning Irish Draught mare with huge potential. Over the past 12 months she has turned her hoof to everything asked of her. Her flat work is coming along nicely and she has masses of scope and is showing huge promise over fences, both showjumping and on the hunting field. She has the heart of gold and is 100% genuine, a really honest unspoilt little mare. Always in the ribbons while competing both showjumping and working hunter, displaying classy rounds of jumping. She has been to regular jumping and dressage clinics while hunting most weekends with the Duke of Buccleuch Hunt, jumping 90cm with ease. While out hunting Willow is never strong or silly, jumping everything asked of her including walls and hedges however, she is equally happy to stay at the back of the pack and open/shut gates, extremely well mannered. She is good to do in all ways, with no quirks or vices. She is 100% in traffic and is always snaffle mouthed. She is used to being around young children and pets; she is completely un-phased by this.”

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4. ‘Genuine’

Height: 15hh

Gender: gelding

Age: 10

Selling points: “This home-bred gelding has hunted with the York & Ainsty and Middleton. He has showjumped and cross-country schooled. He is a kind. genuine, fun, forward going little horse.”

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5. ‘Excels over natural obstacles’

Height: 17hh

Gender: gelding

Age: six

Selling points: “This genuine Irish hunter is currently in his second season and improving every day. He can be hunted down the field, out the back or up the front. He is always ridden in a snaffle and has been hunted by a 13-year-old girl. ‘Hagrid’ has also competed at some local shows but excels over natural obstacles or in the hunting field. He is good to clip, shoe and load and to hack out alone or with company — he is also good to lead from. He could also make a lovely ladies’ hunter/hack.”

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NB: Horse & Hound has not checked the accuracy of the claims made in these adverts and cannot be held liable if the information included above is inaccurate in any way

If I’m honest, Boxing Day isn’t the best day to go hunting for the first time if your horse isn’t an experienced hunter. It’s usually the opposite of a relaxed, quiet day — H&H’s advice would be to introduce horses to hunting during autumn hunting in September and October. But if you are determined to go, here’s some advice to help your day go smoothly.

1. Contact the hunt secretary of the pack with whom you wish to hunt well in advance (not the day before on Christmas Day…) and find out where the meet is, where you should park, and how much the cap — the sum of money you pay to go hunting for the day — is.

2. Take a friend if possible — preferably one whose horse is used to hounds and hunting.

3. Make your horse and yourself as smart and clean as possible, but don’t worry about buying new kit unless you want to.

4. Give yourself plenty of time to do everything — there’s nothing worse than rushing, being late and making yourself tense and anxious.

5. If your horse is not used to hounds and other horses, make sure you put a red ribbon on his or her tail, and keep yourself well out of the way at the back, at least to start with. It is your responsibility to stop it kicking and yours alone.

6. Make sure you have a neckstrap — it’s an invaluable bit of kit. And we suggest a slightly stronger bit than normal – hunting is an exciting party for a horse and he or she is likely to be stronger than normal. Being run away with is no fun for you or the rest of the field!

7. Say hello! Talk to the people round you. It helps you relax and you’ll find out who is who and what is going on.

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8. If you and your horse aren’t hunting-fit, don’t stay out too long — go and have fun, but go home while you are both still enjoying yourselves. Don’t leave it until you are both exhausted, physically and mentally — that’s when accidents and injuries happen.

9. Say “Goodnight and thank you” to the field master and hunt secretary when you decide to go home.

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After you’ve stuffed yourself to excess on Christmas Day, what better reason is there to get out of the house and support one of Britain’s oldest and best traditions than to attend your local Boxing Day meet? Here’s your full guide to where and when your local pack is meeting...

Beaufort

Where and when? Worcester Lodge, Didmarton at 10.45am

Belvoir

Where and when? Grantham Riverside Pastures, off Stonebridge Road at 11am

Berkeley

Where and when? High Street, Thornbury at 11am

Bicester with Whaddon Chase

Where and when? Winslow Show Field, Winslow at 11am

Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace

Where and when? Eltisley Green, Eltisley at 11am

Carmarthenshire

Where and when? The Fountain Inn, Meidrim at 11am

Cattistock

Where and when? The Royal Oak Pub, Hardington Moor at 10.45am

Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray

Where and when? The Kennels, Petworth Park at 11am

Cottesmore

Where and when? The Market Place, Oakham at 11am

Cotswold

Where and when? The Kennels, Ossage Farm, Andoversford, at 10.45am

Dart Vale, South Pool and Modbury Harriers

Where and when? These hunts will be holding two separate meets as follows:

The Exeter Inn, Modbury (meet time TBC) and The Quay, Kingsbridge (meet time TBC)

East Kent with West Street

Where and when? Elham Village Square, Elham at 11am

Essex & Suffolk

Where and when? Holbecks Park, Hadleigh at 11am

Grove & Rufford

Where and when? The Crown Hotel, Bawtry at 11am

Hunsley Beacon Beagles

Where and when? The Wellington Inn, Lund at 1pm

Kimblewick

Where and when? The Full Moon, Cholesbury at 11am

Lamerton

Where and when? The Areundell Arms Hotel, Lifton at 11am

Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire

Where and when? Meadow Park Equestrian Centre, Johnstone (meet time TBC)

Meynell & South Staffordshire

Where and when? Blithfield Hall, Admaston at 11am

New Forest

Where and when? Bolton’s Bench, Lyndhurst at 10.45am

North Kerry Harriers

Where and when? Glin Castle, Limerick at midday on 29th December

Oakley

Where and when? Castle Ashby, Northampton at 10.45am

Old Surrey Burstow & West Kent

Where and when? Chiddingstone Castle, Edenbridge at 11am with refreshments served from 10am

Quantock Staghounds

Where and when? The Carew Arms, Crowcombe at 11am

Ross Harriers

Where and when? The Market Place, Ross on Wye at 10.45am

Royal Artillery

Where and when? Chitterne Playing Fields/Recreational Ground at 11am

South Devon

Where and when? The Moorland Hotel, Haytor at 11am

Spooners & West Dartmoor

Where? Bedford Square, Tavistock at 11am

Surrey Union

Where and when? The Kennels, Okewood at midday

Thurlow

Where and when? Great Thurlow Hall, Thurlow at 11am

Tiverton Foxhounds

Where and when? Market Square, Tiverton at 11am

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VWH

Where and when? The Mansion, Cirencester Park at 11am

Warwickshire

Where and when? Upton House, Banbury at 10.45am

Wilton

Where and when? The Manor, Odstock at 10.45am

Wynnstay

Where and when? The High Street, Malpas (meet time TBC)

For a full interactive map detailing all Boxing Day meets visit the Countryside Alliance website: www.countryside-alliance.org

To have your hunt’s Boxing Day meet included in this list, secretaries should please send details to gemma.redrup@ti-media.com

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