help w/ anti-fox hunting extremists :(

[horsegirltv]

i’ve heard about the extremist anti-fox hunting folks but now am experiencing it first hand. the you tube versions of our fox hunting episodes have received some negative and vulgar comments which i’ve quickly deleted (i.e. - the show IS for kids).

now our iTunes page has come under fire and we can’t delete any comments off iTunes directly. a gal posted a “review” that really doesn’t say anything about the episode and she’s clearly one of those anti-fox hunting extremists.

if you have an iTunes account, a few seconds and the interest in counter acting this you could…

1. open your iTunes or simply click http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=252822881 and you’ll be redirected to your iTunes and click the “See All 14 Reviews” which will take you to all the review that have been left for us on iTunes.

2. Under her comment “Foxhunting is barbaric and unsporting!” on the lefthand side you could click “No” after “Was this review helpful?”

3. Under her comment “Foxhunting is barbaric and unsporting!” on the right hand side you could click “Report a Concern” and make a comment as to why her post was not helpful or offensive or whatever you’d wish that let’s Apple know her comment is offensive, not for children and irrelevant.

4. You could also write a quick review yourself, if you wish. At the top is a link to “WRITE A REVIEW” and they just request a few words or a sentence and give HorseGirlTV 5 stars please as we have 100% 5 stars less this gals 1 star.

the gal is clearly an extremist without a true understanding of how the fox hunters are really land conservationists, naturalist and some of the nicest horse people i’ve ever met. if you don’t have the time or an existing iTunes account no worries. i’m just feeling a bit on the plight of dispelling any myths about fox hunting being bad for people, horses or the environment because it’s QUITE the opposite as you all already know.

have a great week and i’ll report my hilltop experience if i’m lucky enough to go out tomorrow with ODH!

[gothedistance]

Angelea -

I’m sorry the anti-hunting terrorists have found your video – but these groups routinely scout the internet looking for anything related to foxhunting in order to post negative comments as part of their campaign. Even this board has been targeted, but without success. It is not only this sport, but many other activities often deemed no longer “politically correct” that are the target of these anti-social types.

If there is a way to disable the comments section for your foxhunting segment, I would suggest it.

[Painted_Wings]

I get them on my pbase site all the time. I have to keep an eye on it. I delete them as soon as I discover them. At least Pbase offers that option.

[Romany]

You could also point out to the anti that many, many hunts nowadays don’t hunt foxes at all, but are drag hunts…you could even do a story on drag-hunting, perhaps!

[promlightshine]

We don’t do what???

Saying "we don’t do that " isn’t helpful. It is my belief that the majority of you who drag hunt are not hunting in the true sense of hunting.You are riding cross country. Some of you care what the hounds are doing , but many of you have the comfort of having a preplanned route, a guaranteed gallop and jumping. I have found many just like the social aspects, dressing up on weekends and most importantly what’s for tea.

However, saying “i’m not like them” when you profess to do the same sport not only isn’t helpful it is HARMFUL. Just get on a few UK sites and find out how helpful some of the drag hunts have been there. Some have chosen to split off to avoid the controversy and thus making it appear they too are against hunting. It only EMPOWERS the anti’s.

Either you support hunting or you don’t. For those of you who think you are doing something different and are above reproach, just wait. Even the best line can get foiled by a REAL fox or god forbid someone’s little dog. Where territories are getting tighter and tighter especially here in the NE , it’s getting pretty hard not to run into live prey .

Of course, I personally hope a fox or coyote will pop out every time I ride in a drag hunt. You know, the thrill of the chase and all .

[horsegirltv]

thanks for the input. we actually shot “following hounds stateside” this past weekend where i answered a few simple questions about the basics of fox chasing and we hope with some stellar editing it will be a splendid positive episode highlighting the beauty of fox chasing!

[SidesaddleRider]

You might want to be careful about being too “PC” and saying “fox chasing”, as some could interpret that as just cruel fun. Remember, no matter if the hounds catch the fox or not, they are still HUNTING, with the goal being to HUNT and CATCH the fox. Sure, if he is put to ground we do not follow him like they used to do in Europe, and in fact we do not REALLY want to catch him, but the hounds are still hunting him (drag hunts excluded, of course).

[horsegirltv]

thanks so much for that info. i say fox hunting, fox chasing and following hounds throughout and hope to keep the words interchangeable but i appreciate the comment on not trying to be too PC. thanks oodles!

[promlightshine]

Polically correct??

Well, let’s keep going with this shall we? It’s too bad more people seem interested in what someone is wearing for clothes or if they fox chase or drag.

We’ll need to adjust the title of this forum and quickly.

Forum

Fashion on horseback
Faux Fox Followers (disclaimer: no live animal was bothered or harmed in anyway).

Please… next we should talk about hounds. Do they need to unionize? Horses who are sweating are abused

? I pretend to ride but call it riding so I feel good about myself and others?

[horsegirltv]

thanks so much for that feedback. it’s really helpful to hear the opinions of all even if they are harsh or sharp. points taken definitely and we will do our best to promote the traditions of the sport in a positive light.

i personally came under significant fire for even touching on fox hunting but am ok w/ it as i try to see the positive in all horse sports.

thanks again,

[Tantivy1]

[promlightshine wrote: Well, let’s keep going with this shall we? It’s too bad more people seem interested in what someone is wearing for clothes or if they fox chase or drag. We’ll need to adjust the title of this forum and quickly.]

Some of us are pretty handy at…or more interested in multi-tasking, multi-“topicing”, whatever, or perhaps we are more well rounded or open minded than others…who appear to have more a bit more difficulty (or no interest) in some of the above.

[horsegirltv]

one quick note… our “Dressing for the Hunt” episode was definitely NOT a fashion show. i’d never fox hunted. fox hunting is steeped in many traditions. one of those traditions is their attire. to many club, i understand it is very important if you have 3 or 4 buttons and if it’s black or navy jacket. i think traditions are important and i honestly wanted to know what is appropriate or not. considering it took up a significant section of wadsworths book it seemed extremely important.

hope that helps out. again, it was definitely NOT a fashion show and was meant to be educational to newbies like myself. i’m sure it’s way WAY below the curve for some of you long term and well educated fox hunters but these particular series are for beginners.

[Beverley]

I would suggest keeping in mind that when it comes to the extremists and radicals, you aren’t going to change minds. They have peculiar agendas that really have nothing to do with animal welfare.

Those who need ACCURATE information on our sport are the great urban majority who know nothing of hunting, in any form. As far as most kids today know, your hamburger or chicken just comes in a plastic wrapped container from the grocery store. Few people in our country are directly involved in killing what they are going to eat. So it’s no wonder that they have no idea about the dynamics of hunting with a pack of hounds.

Yes, hounds are hunting, and we are following them. Yes, sometimes they catch and kill their quarry. It is a humane death. Extremists would have you think otherwise, they slice and dice videos that purport to show grievous suffering when in animal is ‘torn to pieces’ by the hounds. That’s baloney. Death is almost instantaneous. If hounds do play tug of war with the carcass, well, it is quite dead, and thus not suffering.

When it comes to foxes, in the US, most seem to die on the road. The last time I saw the statistics was perhaps 10 years ago, but the average life expectancy of a red fox in the wild is 1.5 to 2 years. Many foxhunters, self included, can tell you of particular foxes that have been hunted by the pack for 4 or 5 years in a row. That should be a clue that foxhunting country provides better habitat for foxes, thanks primarily to the conservation efforts of hunters, and if being hunted now and then were so stressful to them, they would relocate or die.

I always make a point of inviting the skeptical to come on out and watch- if they don’t ride, I’m happy to go car following with them. I can think of two card carrying PETA members who while still not fans of hunting in general, at least acknowledge that no, foxhunting is not a cruel sport.

[gothedistance]

Angelea -

The far older and more traditional term for what we call foxhunting today is actually “riding to the hounds”. You can feel very secure… and correct… in using that term throughout your videos rather than the more modern term “foxhunting” – especially if the later term is drawing fire upon you from the critics.

I enjoyed your “dressing for the hunt” – I thought it was perfect for someone who was interested in knowing the proper attire to attend a hunt. I also recognized one of my old hunting acquaintances as one of the models.

[horsegirltv]

Beverley: thanks for such a complete response. your text is well appreciated. we’re focusing on kids so keeping it light and basic with “Intro to Fox Hunting” and “Dressing for the Hunt” and “In the Tack” and another upcoming “Following Hound in the USA” so we’re hoping to reach, on a general level, those that know nothing of the sport (maybe your “great urban majority” even) and give them a simple and positive glimpse into some of it’s components. thanks again!!

gothedistance: thanks also to you. as you see above we’re titling an upcoming episode “following hounds stateside” taking a spin off wadsworths book and i do appreciate learning this new term “riding to hounds” as well. thanks!

i hope you all have wonderful hunts this weekend. FYI, i had a pet red fox as a child and he passed away of old age but sadly through heartworms. i started hunting with my mother and father, Texas style with bows and rifles, at 6 months old, took my first official outing at 4 years and shot my first deer at 10 years so i’m far from the “city-slicker” that i might appear to be on the show.

[xeroxchick]

[QUOTE=promlightshine;3042432]
Well, let’s keep going with this shall we? It’s too bad more people seem interested in what someone is wearing for clothes or if they fox chase or drag.

We’ll need to adjust the title of this forum and quickly.

Forum

Fashion on horseback
Faux Fox Followers (disclaimer: no live animal was bothered or harmed in anyway).

Please… next we should talk about hounds. Do they need to unionize? Horses who are sweating are abused

Do you really think ist is helpful to chatter all over the internet about hunting? I don’t mind a little harmless banter about dress, but damned if I want to actually discuss hunting here and attract the ire of my hunt.

[Beverley]

@xeroxchick;3048092

Do you really think ist is helpful to chatter all over the internet about hunting? I don’t mind a little harmless banter about dress, but damned if I want to actually discuss hunting here and attract the ire of my hunt.

What does your hunt have to hide?

Yes, I do think it is helpful. Educating the uninformed is way more work, true, but look where sticking their heads in the sand got the folks in the UK.

[lesson_junkie]

When I’m “forced” to deal w/antis, I always turn the discussion to habitat conservation, as Beverly touched on above. Fox hunting requires huge open space, and those of us riding to hounds make substantial investment in maintaining that. The “other side” has to acknowledge loss of habitat as the biggest danger to wildlife today. When we protect our hunting, everything in the woods benefits. When I run into someone who thinks hunting is wrong morally, I try to respect his right to that opinion, in the hope that respect will be returned to me. (signed Pollyanna):sigh:

[xeroxchick]

We have nothing to hide but a lot to protect. I don’t hide my child from cars but I keep them out of the street.
Education is good, granted and I especially like the last post about land conservation. Good one, that. In fact when these antis hammer on about how great they are to use pleather I love to point out how synthetic polymers are far worse for the environment than hunting.
Anyway, if any discussion about hunting actually occured I’d like to suggest a topic on when is it appropriate for members to speak to hounds. (yes, I can think of two or three instances)
My whole thing about being descrete is that these people are truly nuts and pretty much un reasonable.

[promlightshine]

What concerned me was there was a lag of several days (or at least several times checking in) on this topic while the others were flourishing. Actually, I too truly enjoy the hunt attire conversations if not to be amazed about the details to which some go or at the very least have knowledge. My home has wonderful prints of hunting and frankly these shots of riding to hounds wouldn’t be complete or likely hanging if not for the traditional dress. I love the feel of a hunt morning when all are ready to go in proper form and fashion.

I personally was concerned about the lack of documented support. Thought I’d raise some eyebrows. I certainly didn’t mean to come across mean but I have found myself talking to anti’s who ride with drag hunts. So, when the only response other than mine was to say "most don’t do this " it sparked concern. It was meant to get others to read and support.

I think you can discuss hunting including details but do it carefully for a mixed audience. We do it all the time on this forum. I will say that for this particular thread the focus needs to be supporting her and uniting as foxhunters/chasers/admirers/haters/wannabees… doesn’t matter . We can join our separate hunts/fields later and enjoy doing whatever it is that we do.