The leaves are turning, the nights are drawing in, the temperatures are dropping — and we couldn’t be happier. Autumnal colds and muddy gateways mean only one thing… opening meets are just around the corner.
Autumn hunting does a job, but we’re counting down the days for the real McCoy. And if you weren’t excited enough already, we’ve dug out nine photos of followers and hunt staff on flying form with breathtaking scenery thrown into the mix, that we can (almost) guarantee will give you the pre-season buzz…
1. The Fernie
A poster-worthy picture: the field during one of the last draws of the Fernie’s meet at Laughton near Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
2. The Dulverton West Foxhounds
john Nicholson huntsman with Ben Dalton
(Image credit: Hamish Mitchell)
Menacing skies: the Dulverton West meet at Molland, Exmoor in Devon.
3. The Quorn
Side saddle riders joined the field in record numbers for the Opening Meet of the Quorn Hunt, held at the Kennels, Kirby Bellars, England, 26th October 2012.
(Image credit: Nico Morgan)
What a sight: side saddle followers raise the glamour-stakes at the Quorn’s opening meet in 2012 at Kirby Bellars.
The Cottesmore Hunt meet at Marefield, Rutland, and hunting between Burrough on the Hill and Owston, February 2011.
(Image credit: Nico Morgan)
Perfect timing: Nicholas Leeming, Phoebe Buckley and Eddie Ahern out with the Cottesmore, hunting between Burrough-on-the-Hill and Owston.
5. The Belvoir
Leicestershire, England - 31/12/11. The Belvoir Hunt and The Duke of Rutland's Hounds meet at Sheepwash, near Harby.
(Image credit: Nico Morgan)
Making light work of it: the Belvoir meet at Sheepwash, near Harby.
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6. The Staff College and RMA Sandhurst Drag Hunt
Octavia Pollock
(Image credit: Nico Morgan)
Octavia Pollock flies over this fence in style, out with The Staff College and RMA Sandhurst Drag Hunt in Hampshire.
7. The Fernie
Point, looking down onto The Field during one of the last draws of the meet of the Fernie at Laughton near Market Harborough in Leicestershire, UK; on 8th March 2015
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Pausing for the view: the Fernie’s meet at Laughton near Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
8. The Portman
The Portman Hunt meet at Robert & Sally Alner's Locketts Farm, Droop, Dorset.
(Image credit: Hamish Mitchell Photography)
‘Let’s go!’: this combination are on flying form out with the Portman.
9. The Fernie
Rowan Cope (Master of Pytchley) during the meet of the Fernie at Laughton near Market Harborough in Leicestershire, UK; on 8th March 2015
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Rowan Cope, Master of the Pytchley, during the Fernie’s meet at Laughton near Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
Hunting mad? Don’t miss our special hunting issue of Horse & Hound magazine, which hits the newsstands on 22 October and is packed with cracking hunting ponies and the essential hunting directory
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.
