OP, if you simply edited your post to say mock hunting rather than fox hunting, I think you will find that you get a much more positive reaction. It truly does look like GREAT fun, stunning location, and a very nice way to introduce people to the sport and traditions within the capacity that you can, in your area.
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There are indeed Canadian Hunt Clubs that use hounds. The Ottawa Valley Hunt in Ontario does drag hunts. But, as I noted in another post, they also run hunter paces and trail rides without all the drag hunt rules that seem similar to what the OP’s Club does.
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It does look fun. I was lucky enough (eons ago) to have a nice cross country course nearby and I’m a great fan of hacking out.
Too bad that the OP thinks that foxhunting and its traditions are a “matter of opinion”. It is not that difficult to read a book, and learn.
Obviously none of us have been successful at explaining to the OP the difference between facts and opinions. It’s quite a basic concept really. I feel for teachers in this day and age.
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Or take a trip somewhere where there is a hunt and experience the difference first hand. I’ve had a few non-local friends come visit so they could hunt with us because there isn’t a hunt near their home. Even though our hunt is not a large one and there are no formal routes to hire a horse or anything like that, there always seems to be someone willing to lend a horse for a guest (I’ve done it myself when I’ve had a horse ready that will be a good match for the guest). Fox hunters are a pretty generous and welcoming group.
I have an extensive collection of books on foxhunting but am nowhere near the O.P.
Some of them are old, early 1800’s and others are more modern (Alexander Mackay-Smith’s Fox Hunting in North America, signed!). I suppose lending would be pointless anyway.
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Wow, a “foxhunting” troll. And this forum has always been so civil. Is this a PETA tactic? To change the definition of our sport?
i have found that after teaching teens for a couple of decades that they will say someone is rude when that someone just disagrees.
Actually since we are all dedicated to our sport and passionate, maybe we should start posting pictures of real foxhunts. I don’t have the advanced subscription on this forum to do so or I would post pictures of the Hark Forward field trials from last week where hounds from 20 diferent packs hunted beautifully together over gorgeous country. There was a lot of running and jumping to keep up with a fast pack and for judges to score and the pack sounded beautiful. Go to my Instagram dorrie_fletcher to see a few photos from then and from other hunting times. Not so many of hounds running since one has to keep one’s hands on the reins.
anyway, maybe we should show this mistaken person what real foxhunts look like. Not as chaotic as what the OP is showing.
Lovely!
Just had to comment…
Recently joined a local hunt. The hunt I rode with where I used to live accepted navy or black coats. Mine is navy. My buttons are not tonal. I went to one of the JMs and asked permission to bring my new horse out (third) at opening meet with myself being out of attire. They welcomed me, blue coat and all, and I even had to wear a man’s necktie as in my move my stocks are AWOL. I respect the tradition, and appreciate the gracious welcome I was given, even not in proper turnout. That said, it will be fixed for the next hunt we attend. My horse, however, was braided and sharp!
The passion for tradition and revere given to the sport amongst the members in my new family is what sets this apart from other equestrian sports. I hate to see it bastardized.
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Does this remind anyone else of (I think it was called) “Sims” horses? Years ago I was on a horse BB --nice group of diverse horse owners from around the country. Every now and then someone would join and post about their horse(s) or stable or both . . .after awhile, it would become clear that the person was not an actual horse owner, but someone who was involved in a computer based horse “game” called “Sims” —usually there was a tip off --one person claimed to own 35 different breeds of horses —another claimed to ride “all disciplines,” —anyway, this poster kind of reminds me of them --I’m sure she and her horses are real --but the fox hunting is more of a “game of fox hunting” than what I do on Sundays with a pack of hounds.
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I am pretty sure you do not need an “advanced” subscription any more to post pictures.
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Are you really taking it down to this level foxglove. You need to do some serious growing up. I see from your post that you got seriously offended by other groups who are part of a club and that’s where your vindictiveness has come from. Perhaps you need to go back to your pack of hounds my friend.
Xeroxchick, Janet is correct. No special levels for photo posting anymore. In the post window look in the upper left corner. The camera icon allows you to ‘share photos’.
I looked forward to seeing your amazing photos!
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@AKCH - the club I hunted with as a child had two distinct types of fox hunts “Formal” and “casual”. Each hunt season there were some of both. The casual hunts were intended for new members or greenies out on their fist hunt, and were more lax in the turned-out of the horse and the attire of the rider. But within limits. Casual meant you didn’t have to braid, for instance and you could wear winter type herringbone or other types of English riding jackets typically not allowed in a formal hunt. But it did not mean a hoody or sweater, or chaps! :lol:
The formal hunts were very strict on attire and turn-out. But everybody knew this well in advance. So guests hunting with the club would be advised by those who brought them so there weren’t any surprises. And everybody had extra stuff with them too, so if someone forgot a stock for instance, they could borrow one. The club helped out a lot in this respect - it was a group of good friends and fellow horseman.
And of course they’d make an occasional concession and you certainly wouldn’t be kicked out if you showed up in the wrong color jacket (but you would be expected to know better)! But learning the sport of fox hunting is just like learning jumpers or western reining or whatever equine discipline - even more so, due to the tradition aspect. If you showed up at a Hunter/Jumper A rated show to compete in an AO division on your unbraided horse and wanted to compete in a sweatshirt, chaps and your horse wearing hot pink polos and matching saddle pad, what do you think they’d say? 
As I said, your club’s cross country runs look like fabulous fun for everyone. If I was ever there and had the means to do one, I would go. 
But its still not a fox hunt! 
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Did not mean to take it down (or up) to any level. Just don’t think what you are doing is the same thing I’m doing. It’s not bad or wrong, good or correct --it’s just not what I do that is what in 50+ years of doing it, we’ve called Fox Hunting --although more fox chasing --never have yet caught one. And I’m not following you on this statement --“I see from your post that you got seriously offended by other groups who are part of a club and that’s where your vindictiveness has come from.” I think in the years I’ve been on COTH, I have been offended by only one post --and it’s been awhile --someone posted on the Hunting Forum at COTH that it was a “regular practice” at her hunt to leave fallen riders behind." I was totally offended by that and challenged the poster to name the hunt b/c I wanted to make sure I never hunted out with them. As it turned out, it may just have been a miscommunication --the poster referred to the huntsman and the hounds as “the hunt” --and true, huntsman would have no ability to know if someone had fallen. He or she would indeed leave the rider behind --but staff and other members [at her hunt] would stop to assist a fallen rider. We sorted that all out --and as a result, I met a lovely young woman and her beautiful roan mare who, finding out I rode with Battle Creek Hunt, asked to come and see what we were all about. So that ended quite well. I am vindictive toward no one --well, change that --I’ve got a sister-in-law who . . .oh, that’s not about hunting so I’ll save it. As I wrote in a previous post --call it what you do whatever you like.
Oh --and to answer a question you posted --what does the hunt club membership do if someone comes dressed inappropriately --first, be aware that only members are required to dress in traditional hunt attire (staff are particularly careful to set an excellent example). Guests can wear what they choose, but not red. If someone is a member, and dresses in something not acceptable --as stated above, someone will offer the appropriate garment --OH, you’ve got your rat catcher on --would you like to borrow a stocktie? I have tons . . . but there are some subtleties that do get hashed out at the bar after the hunt --just last Sunday (yesterday) I sat next to a master of the field. He admired the sweater I wore (fox hunting cardigan) and said, “Nice to see you are not wearing your hunt coat at the bar.” --I was gobsmacked – because I often do as in the fall, I’ll wear my light-weight coat into the brunch. I looked around and about 10 of the 50 people there who are members were wearing hunt coats in the bar —I [stage whispered] “We’re not to wear our coats into the bar?” He nodded sagely. “Cardigans or tweeds. Colors on the field only.” I seriously didn’t know that. And, he politely pointed out --spurs are not to be worn inside (gulp, wearing mine --just little metal pieces --no stem–that go on my heel). Another rider over heard us and confessed she didn’t know that either --no coats, no spurs --so we both learned something. But both traditions make sense to me. In tweeds and cardigans --no one knows who is staff or member or guest. I think that makes it easier to talk to people. And spurs scratch the bar stools, damage the carpets, and can become a tangle in a chair.
Enjoy your lovely horse and your sport. You are warmly invited to ride as my guest at Battle Creek Hunt.
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One of the reasons that other hunts are strict on turnout is because it’s a way of showing respect to the landowners who generously allow us to ride on their property. Lots of clubs rely on private farms in order to hunt, and there isn’t a ton of compensation beyond the entertainment of watching some lovely horses, riders, and hounds run through their fields/woods. So it’s a serious issue that everyone look and behave in a respectful way, because it can mean the difference in having use of a territory or not. Hunts lose access to ever-dwindling open land over loads of trivial things, so yeah, I think field members should suck it up and dress appropriately, clean their horses, and follow the rules.
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That’s a fine pack of hounds you have there.
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I agree. PMDs or Crossbreds?
They look like crossbreds to me. Maybe a cross with a wire coated welsh fox hound.
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The riding club looks like a lot of fun. I wish there was something like that in my area and I’m impressed with the number of participants you get.
That being said, it is definitely not “foxhunting”. No fox, no hounds, no hunting = not foxhunting. In that vein, please don’t lump all Canadians together and say that’s what foxhunting is in Canada. It certainly is not. I have capped with Canadian hunt clubs following real packs of hounds, doing real hound things and it is vastly different than what you are doing.
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I would love to see it taken up to that step. I think it shows more effort for sure. I can appreciate it when it’s a training ride(a couple of the pictures I posted were), but I appreciate what you’re saying in that it shows respect. The land the club has been riding on has all been owned by cattle ranches so I’m not sure if maybe that’s whats caused some riders to change their view on it perhaps? Not entirely sure.
