Going out with your local pack and wondering what to wear out hunting? If you haven’t been hunting before, one thing you don’t want to be worrying about is looking the part. Follow our tips and you’ll be smart, comfortable and look like you’ve been going for years.

The main thing to bear in mind before you go hunting is that it can be a fairly long day, so for maximum enjoyment you need to be warm and comfortable.

It is far more important to be clean, tidy and safe than to buy any additional clothing that you may not wear again.

There are some specifics when it comes to hunting turnout – for you and your horse – but the general rule of thumb is to dress along similar lines to if you were going to a competition (minus any bling) and take pride in how smart you look. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be turned away if you get it wrong – especially if you look like you’ve really made an effort. If there’s anything you’re still unsure about after reading this guide, contact your hunt’s secretary and they’ll be more than happy to help.

What to wear for autumn hunting

If you’re going before your pack’s opening meet (usually around late October/early November), you should follow the dress code for autumn hunting. This dress code is also suitable for autumn hound exercise, which is a great introduction to hunting.

For you:

• tweed jacket (also known as ratcatcher)
• shirt with appropriate collar (depending on whether you have a stock or tie)
• coloured stock or tie (like this one) – Pony Club members can wear Pony Club ties
• pale breeches
• short boots and gaiters/half-chaps or long boots – make sure they’re clean
• dark riding gloves (brown looks best with tweed, but really any colour will be fine)
• riding hat – with a dark hat silk if you have a jockey skull
• hairnet (like this one)

For your horse: 

• plain saddle-shaped numnah in black or brown
• clean correctly fitted tack
• unplaited – but tidy – mane
• coloured ribbon in tail if necessary (red = liable to kick, green = young horse, white = for sale)

What to wear out hunting

In the season proper (opening meet onwards), there are a few changes to the dress code.

For you:

• black or navy wool hunting coat, but if you’re unlikely to go regularly a plain, dark show jacket will be fine (just add an extra base layer under your shirt)
• shirt with stock collar
• light-coloured stock (like this one) – Pony Club members can wear Pony Club ties
• pale breeches – waterproof breeches are a bonus, and dark are acceptable if that’s all you have
• short boots and gaiters/half-chaps or long boots – make sure they’re clean
• riding gloves – again, waterproof a bonus
• riding hat – with a dark hat silk if you have a jockey skull
• hairnet (like this one)

For your horse:

• plain saddle-shaped numnah in black or brown
• clean correctly fitted tack
• coloured ribbon in tail if necessary (red = liable to kick, green = young horse, white = for sale)

Can you wear a body protector out hunting?

Yes, you may wear a body protector, and if you would like to wear an air jacket, do so. They are both becoming more commonplace on the hunting field. You should also wear a suitable riding helmet (with a dark navy/black silk if you have a jockey skull).

Do I need to plait for hunting?

Plaiting is not expected for autumn hunting, or for native breeds. It is traditional to plait from the opening meet and during the main hunting season. However, it is never compulsory to do so.

You may also be interested in…

15 of the best competition breeches to wear in the saddle this season

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12 ways trail hunting can help your horse

12 things you absolutely must know before heading to a hunt ball

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Ahhh, welcome back autumn. Hello, lovely crisp mornings and beautiful red leaves. Oh, hello, endless rain. We definitely didn't miss you. Here are 11 things we'd forgotten about our sometimes-favourite season...

1. The never-ending rug dilemma. Is it too warm for a rug? Too cool to go without? Oh look, the sun’s come out now, it’s actually really warm – but it’s forecast to rain later… ARRRGH! You are driving yourself mad.

2. Seemingly overnight, the fields and bridleways go from being rock solid to rivers of squidgy mud. Which brings us onto…

3. Mud fever. Oh, you’re back are you? No offence, but we’d hoped we’d seen the last of you.

4. To wash or not to wash? Some people swear washing the mud off your horse’s legs after riding prevents mud fever. Others swear it causes it. Only one thing’s for certain, the whole debate causes a lot of angst.

5. You’ve got a choice between grooming for an hour, or just brushing the worst of the mud off in the bridle and saddle area, and hoping that passers-by assume your grey pony is actually skewbald. Or brown. Or black.

6. Mare owners rejoice! There’ll be a lot less squirting, squealing and veering between being incredibly grumpy and ridiculously over-affectionate and needy. But enough about you — your mare’s seasons are over for another year, hurrah!

7. Urgh, no more weekend lie-ins now you’re bringing your horse in every night and turning out every morning. (Just to clarify — by lie-ins, we mean the horsy definition of until 7am, not the normal person definition of midday. What a waste of valuable riding time that would be!)

8. Break out the handcream. You’ve only just started doing a daily muck out and your hands already feel like sandpaper.

9. Your monthly feed bill is enormous. Good grass, we miss you already.

10. There are suddenly no kids at your yard any more. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing depends on your perspective, but there are a few mums out there sighing in relief at being to ride during school hours again – freedom at last.

11. What do you mean, you can’t ride after work as it’ll be too dark? Hang on a minute – where did summer go?

You might also be interested in:

Which rug should I put on my horse? H&H’s helpful guide to help you decide

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

If you’ve been considering introducing your horse to the enjoyment of riding in a group across the beautiful British countryside with your local hounds, then what do you need to know before you go? H&H helps out with some essential autumn trail hunting advice…

1. Autumn trail-hunting and hound exercise takes place at a slower, steadier pace than “normal” hunting – its purpose is to introduce young hounds to hunting and to educate them. It’s therefore ideal for young or inexperienced horses – and humans – as well, but the hounds are everyone’s priority.

2. You must ring up or email the hunt secretary well in advance of the day on which you would like to come out.

3. Autumn hunting takes place earlier in the morning than hunting during the open season, generally as soon as it is light. So make sure you are well organised the night before, know where you are supposed to be parking and don’t be tempted to press the snooze button on your alarm.

4. Generally people wear tweed coats for autumn hunting – but if you don’t have one, no one is going to mind very much. Horses are unplaited (but you and your horse should be clean, neat and tidy).

5. If your horse has not seen hounds before, remember always to keep his head turned towards them, not his heels, and to give them plenty of space. But let him look at them, and give him a reassuring scratch on the withers.

6. You may choose to put a red or green ribbon on your horse’s tail to warn other people that he may kick or is young, but it is always your responsibility to make sure he doesn’t kick a hound, horse or human, not anyone else’s, so try to avoid being caught in a crush.

7. If it is your first time – or your horse’s first time – persuade a friend on an older, experienced horse to come with you to act as a “nanny”. If this isn’t possible, tell the hunt secretary and ask if there is anyone who you might be able to buddy up with – they will try to help you.

8. Make sure you can start, steer and stop your horse in company – if in any doubt, use a stronger bit than you do normally, as this is a fun “party” to a horse and he may become excited. Always wear a neckstrap!

9. Don’t stay out for hours – accidents happen when your horse’s brain or body is overtired. It is much better to go several times for a short-ish amount of time, and to take him home when things are going well and you are both happy.

10. Try to relax and enjoy yourself, and then your horse will. It’s fun, you will learn lots and being out on your horse early on a beautiful autumn morning with the sight and sound of hounds is one of the nicest things you can do.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympics, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

9 reasons riders love (and hate) autumn

#TBT to autumn hunting 2016: misty mornings, tiny tots and golden leaves

As coronavirus has changed things slightly for hunting this year, we thought we would throw it back to 2016 to

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Somehow, no matter how many months there are between the last day’s trail hunting in the spring to the start of autumn hunting, the new season still manages to quietly creep up on us and we never seem to be as prepared as we’d like to be.

Fat, unfit and long-maned hunters have been doing steady roadwork for weeks while you have been patiently watching the crops ripen and hounds have been building up their fitness, first with their hunt staff on bikes before mounted hound exercise took over.

Those with superstitious tendencies may have already got their lucky lightweight breeches out and their favourite hunting numnah washed and clean, however for those who aren’t quite so prepared, Horse & Hound offers a few tips on what to remember ahead of your first day autumn hunting in the next few weeks so you don’t appear late, flustered and unkempt in front of masters and hunt staff — both new and old.

1. Track down your tweed hacking jacket and give it a thorough clean. The tweed may be adept at disguising the mud but it would be great to start the season with good intentions, even if they do slip slightly after weeks of early starts. Fish out any of last season’s mint humbugs that may have stuck to the lining and re-stock with fresh essentials.

2. Remember that autumn hunting mornings can be warm — especially if your horse gets lit up at the start of the season and you’re perhaps not as fit as you might be — so try to track down a short-sleeved shirt with a collar and leave your thermal stock shirt at home. You might want to check the top button is still on it too — nothing worse than stabbing yourself when trying to thread a needle at 4.30am on a hunting morning then blotting blood all over your clean shirt…

3. Find your hunting tie and get it cleaned if you need to — it is bound to still have either horse slobber on it or a bit of crusty egg-yolk from the last Hunt Supporters Club breakfast.

4. Make sure you’ve checked your hunting boots in case the soles have somehow come adrift while sitting in the cupboard over the summer. Take a good look at the insides too to make sure they don’t need any holes patching up and track down the missing garter strap that had to double as a spur strap when one snapped on a gatepost last season. While on the subject of spurs, you had better find those too and give them a polish, and don’t forget your hunting whip.

5. Relocate your hunting cap, crash cap or headwear of choice and make sure it is comfortable — gentlemen should get a haircut if required and ladies now is the time to splash out on a new hairnet rather than wearing two with giant holes in the opposite way around to make sure errant hairs don’t poke out.

6. Make sure you have your horses’ travel wardrobe sorted out too. A lightweight cooler — most probably at the very bottom of the rug pile — will almost definitely be of most use before clipping starts, while a tail bandage or tail guard is a must (unless you want to arrive with the proverbial bog-brush excuse of a tail). You might also want to switch to a stronger bit and noseband combination on your “hunting bridle” to ensure you don’t spend the morning having your arms pulled out of their sockets.

7. The condition of horseboxes and other methods of transport should always be of paramount importance and safety checks to ensure that lights are working, the floor and walls are safe and the tyres are properly inflated go without saying. Just remember to take the wheelclamp off and check the handbrake on the trailer hasn’t been pulled up firmly over the summer though — there’s nothing worse than hitching up and pulling forward to find all wheels are locked tight and you’re digging grooves into the area where you’ve parked… laying underneath it before sunrise banging the brake drums with a large spanner to release them in your clean breeches is not ideal.

8. And finally… don’t forget to have a shorter girth ready for when your horse eventually loses that extra inch or two of summer flesh. Trying to make-do with the long one you’ve been using could cause embarrassment when you leap off to open a gate then slide ungraciously round when trying to re-mount.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Autumn hunting: Horse&Hound’s dos and don’ts for first-timers

Autumn hunting is a gentle introduction for young hounds, new hunt staff, horses and followers to the forthcoming season. Carina

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Never been hunting, but would love to have a go? H&H explains how to get started and answers your questions during hunting’s Newcomers’ Week (21-28 October 2023)

Never been trail hunting, but would love to have a go? H&H explains how to get started with our beginner’s guide to trail hunting, which answers the most common questions from first-timers ahead of Newcomers’ Week (21-28 October 2023).

How do I find out where to go?

To find your local hunt, visit bhsa.org.uk. Then ring the hunt secretary. This applies for any day’s hunting when you are not a subscriber to that particular pack. Ask him or her whether you can come out, where the meet is, where you should park and how much you have to pay. This is called the “cap”. It will vary enormously between hunting countries depending on how old you are and whether you are planning to follow on a horse or on foot. Packs often do good deals for under-25s and people who farm within the hunting country.

Do I need a companion?

If you can persuade a hunting friend with a well-behaved horse to accompany you, great, particularly if your horse hasn’t been out before. But it’s not essential. Tell the hunt secretary this is your first time, or that you are fairly inexperienced on the hunting field. He/she may be able to suggest someone to look after you for the day, and at least will be aware and able to keep an eye on you.

Is my horse suitable?

The answer is that you don’t really know until you get there, but there is no reason why any horse shouldn’t learn to hunt well. Many horses get a little overexcited by being at such a terrific “party”, but can you blame them? Autumn hunting is perfect for horses who haven’t hunted, and for young, green animals because things happen at a more gentle pace. There is often more standing-around time for them to absorb what’s going on. If your horse is used to busy collecting rings and doesn’t mind dogs around his feet, there’s every chance he’ll be fine. Use your brain and stay to the side of the main field so your horse has a chance to look at what’s going on, rather than throwing him straight into the middle of the group.

Do I need to plait?

Not during autumn trail hunting, which extends until the opening meet at the beginning of November. After that most people will plait up, out of smartness and courtesy to those whose land they are crossing, but it’s not compulsory. Manes should be neat, tidy and clean, but you shouldn’t get sent home for not plaiting.

What should I wear?

Looking smart is essential – think competition smart and take pride in your appearance. a tweed jacket and shirt (with tie collar) and tie or shirt (with stock collar) and coloured stock, pale breeches, clean short boots and gaiters/half-chaps or long boots, dark gloves and a hat with a dark cover.

After the opening meet, in the season proper, adults tend to wear black or navy coats, but you will see some in tweed. If you don’t own a tweed coat for autumn hunting, don’t worry about it too much. Girls: make use of a hairnet, make-up is fine, but not don’t overdo it, and take off jewellery unless you want to risk tearing your earlobes off on low branches. Body protectors are acceptable, but wear it under your jacket rather than over it if you can.

What should my horse wear?

If you aren’t sure about your brakes, err on the side of caution or take a stronger bit/martingale in the lorry with you. Numnahs should be dark and follow the shape of the saddle — save that white dressage square for another day. If you know your horse might kick, put a red ribbon on his tail and stay well out of the way whenever possible. Kicking a horse or a rider is bad enough, but kicking a hound is the worst thing you can do. You will get sent home, so make sure your horse’s head is turned towards hounds, not his backside. A green ribbon denotes a young horse, and if someone puts the back of their hand in the hollow of their back, it means “don’t get too close”.

Should he wear boots?

This is up to you. If you live in wall country, knee boots are de rigeur. Otherwise it’s your choice, and you know what suits your horse. But remember the boots will be on for a lot longer during the course of a hunting day than they would be during a cross-country round, and the risks of rubbing and overheating are greater. You’ll find plenty do and plenty don’t.

Will I have to jump huge hedges?

Of course not. Even if your hunt has a reputation for being a serious jumping pack, you can always go round — and there will be other people taking the roundabout route, too. Only jump what you feel happy with; it’s not a competition.

How fit does my horse need to be?

Very rarely does trail hunting involve galloping flat-out for very long, and autumn hunting in particular can involve a lot of standing around. Your horse needs to be fit enough to canter up a hill without collapsing, but really doesn’t need to be racehorse-fit. And you can go home whenever you like — don’t feel compelled to stay out for hours if you and your horse are knackered.

Golden rules for first-timers

• Find out who the master is and say good morning
• Never overtake the field master, and always listen carefully to his instructions
• Always thank traffic that slows down or stops
• Never block the road
• Don’t park in gateways or driveways unless specifically told you can
• If you hear the shout “huntsman please!” or “whip please!” get out of the way sharpish so they can get through
• Always call them hounds, not dogs
• If the person in front of you shouts “gate, please!”, pass it back to the next person, unless you are last through, in which case you should shut it, unless told otherwise
• Do turn your mobile phone off, and talk quietly while standing at the side of a covert — the huntsman will not be pleased to hear you shrieking about what you got up to the night before
• Never ride across the middle of a field of sown corn, even if you see hunt staff doing so
• Do ask questions about what is going on. The more you understand about a day’s hunting, the more you will enjoy it. People will be very happy to answer your queries
• Do find the field master/master/secretary before you go home and say thank you and good night, which is the traditional way to say goodbye — even at 9am

You might also be interested in:

8 ways to avoid looking flustered on your first day autumn hunting

Autumn hunting: Horse&Hound’s dos and don’ts for first-timers

Autumn hunting is a gentle introduction for young hounds, new hunt staff, horses and followers to the forthcoming season. Carina

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

If you’re new to hunting or buying for someone but don’t hunt yourself, you might be surprised to learn there are a number of features that promote what you might think is an average hip flask to one of the best hip flasks. Carrying a hip flask out hunting is traditional as there can be a lot of waiting around – and a warming tipple of your choice (ideas here) will help you withstand the cold, and give you a little Dutch courage if you need it.

Being on horseback, you need a hip flask that will easily slip in and out of your jacket pocket – this is one reason why many are curved. They can be made from a wide range of metals, but stainless steel is probably the best all-rounder for being hardwearing and withstanding the cold. It’s worth choosing a flask with a captive top (screw lid attached with an arm) as there’s nothing worse than dropping the top – you might never find it again.

When it comes to size, they are usually described in ounces and pocket-sized hip flasks are usually 4–6oz. Hip flasks often come with a cover, which is usually leather to keep your fingers protected from the cold, or some sort of engraving or decoration. You can also get them personalised, which is a nice touch, especially if you’re purchasing the hip flask as a gift. We’ve rounded up some of the best hip flasks on the market that we’d like to have in our pocket out hunting this season to help you choose.

Best hip flasks for hunting

David-Louis Design hand-stitched leather hip flask

RRP: £60 |

View now at notonthehighstreet.com

Aspinal Classic 5oz Leather Hip Flask

RRP: £49 |

This hip flask is available in nine different leathers.

View now at aspinaloflondon.com

Cheltenham Festival Hip Flask

RRP: £45 |

This official 6oz Cheltenham Festival hip flask is a timeless classic with a luxurious edge.

View now at thejockeyclub.co.uk

John Lewis Stainless Steel Hip Flask

RRP: £9.50 |

This hip flask might be the cheapest in this guide, but it certainly does the job and will make you feel the part.

View now at johnlewis.com

Bespoke Tartan Hip Flask

RRP: £40 |

This tartan hip flask can be made with your own tartan and personalised with initials.

View now at notonthehighstreet.com

Georg Jensen Sky Hip Flask

RRP: £65 |

This hip flask has a unique look so is sure to be admired.

View now at johnlewis.com

Personalised Leather Hip Flask

RRP: £75 |

This smart hip flask is covered in soft and durable Spanish leather.

View now at notonthehighstreet.com or etsy.com

Harris Tweed Personalised Hip Flask

RRP: £35 |

This tweed-covered hip flask offers something a little different.

View now at notonthehighstreet.com

English Pewter Company Personalised Vintage Hip Flask

RRP: £53 |

This hip flask can be personalised with up to four lines of text – perfect for sending a good luck message for a rider’s first day’s hunting.

View now at johnlewis.com

Aspinal Double 6oz Leather Hip Flask

RRP: £85 |

This stainless steel hip flask has two 3oz decanters, which is handy if you’re sharing or can’t choose your favourite tipple.

View now at aspinaloflondon.com

Ettinger Sterling 60z Captive Top Hip Flask

RRP: From £95 |

This leather-bound hip flask is curved with a captive top and can be personalised for an additional fee.

View now at amazon.co.uk

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What’s in your hip flask this winter? Try these if you dare…

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

As coronavirus has changed things slightly for hunting this year, we thought we would throw it back to 2016 to indulge in some wonderful photos of incredible autumn hunting mornings. The painfully early starts are worth it when you’re following hounds at the most magical time of the day...

N.B All information provided was correct at original time of publishing in October 2016

Lee Roberts' four-year-old son is out for the first time on his pony Drummer, riding with huntsman George Whittaker and whipper-in Kate Pegrum

Huntsman Gary Thorpe arrives at a meet with the East Essex hounds

Alice Goffin's three-year-old daughter Isabelle enjoys a day with the Tanatside on her pony Kipper

These two greys enjoy looking out over the County Limerick country on a misty morning

Eventer Nath Connolly enjoys his first ever day hunting with the Holcombe

A young amateur whipper-in during a morning with the Badsworth & Bramham Moor

Three-year-old Albert Spencer enjoys heading out with the Warwickshire on his pony Bluey

A great image of Miles Kenyon being greeted by Vale of Lune Magnet while riding a very tolerant Puzzle during a parade of the Vale of Lune Harriers at Lancashire Game & Country Festival

Thanks to Melanie Sheldon for sending in this image after her first morning autumn hunting on Echo. She is pictured with Polly Hales on Kayden, Steph Britain on Sam and Natasha Fura riding Russet.

Patrick Murphy admires the view while out with the Island Foxhounds, Wexford

The Taunton Vale on a misty early morning

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Autumn hunting is a gentle introduction for young hounds, new hunt staff, horses and followers to the forthcoming season.

Having to deal with the unexpected teaches you to improvise to get out of trouble, in turn making you a better rider. In addition, you will be permitted to cross beautiful, privately-owned countryside that you would not normally be able to access.

If you’re going autumn hunting for the first time, take a look at our list of dos and don’ts:

Do

• Make sure you adhere to the current Covid-19 protocols
• Find the hunt secretary on arrival and ask who your field-master for the day is. Stay close enough to listen to any instructions for the day while maintaining appropriate social distancing
• Turn your horse to face hounds when they pass and turn your horse towards the covert where the hounds are working
• Listen to those in front of you – informative instructions and observations will be passed down the line
• Remember that everyone is out only because of the good will of the farmers and landowners, so smile, breathe and remember to thank those who have welcomed you
• If you are wearing a traditional hat with ribbons on the back, sew the ribbons up to avoid being mistaken for a member of hunt staff or a master
• Wear a hairnet if your hair is not cropped short
• If you leave before hounds do, ask the hunt secretary the best way back to the parking area to ensure you do not ride over ground where you are not allowed, or across the hounds’ line

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

8 ways to avoid looking flustered on your first day autumn hunting

Hunting prepares for autumn with new Covid-19 protocols *H&H Plus*

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Don’t

• Overtake the field-master, or worse still the huntsman and his hounds
• Be afraid of quietly asking questions about what’s going on. Those that are not forthcoming with reciprocated conversation are likely to be nervous or concentrating
• Forget to say “Goodnight” when you leave, irrespective of timing, it’s just tradition

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Hunting Office has issued guidelines on conduct, risk assessment and mitigation strategies to all hunts and is calling for everyone to comply with the protocols that will allow hunting activities to get under way. H&H finds out how autumn hunting will be different this season...

As hunts start their autumn hunting activities across the country, the Hunting Office has issued guidelines to aid “safe and responsible operation”.

Hunting activities for larger groups will be organised in accordance with the government’s Covid-19 secure guidance, and will include the completion of a risk assessment. Personnel from hunts arranging activities for larger groups have attended a Covid compliance webinar run by the Hunting Office, and will also complete an daily event delivery plan.

The Hunting Office reiterates the requirement for authority and leadership and the need for hunt officials to enforce the protocols and keep records to support the government track and trace system.

Hunting Office director Alice Bowden said: “The Hunting Office has had extensive discussions around the resumption of hunting activities and has researched and prepared plans for the safe and responsible operations of hunting activities.

“Full papers, considering the conduct, assessing the risks, and advising on mitigation strategies have been issued to all hunts over the past few weeks. The activities within the hunting community are at a significantly lower risk due to the nature of the activities themselves and the locations at which they take place — outdoors and in rural locations where the incidence of Covid-19 is lower.

“Due to the nature of riding horses in groups, those members who are mounted have historically always been aware and respectful of keeping a safe distance from other horses and riders, and therefore do so inherently.”

Anyone wishing to attend an activity organised by a hunt, such as autumn hunting or hound exercise, should book in before the day, whether they plan to follow on a horse, on foot or in a car so that numbers can be monitored and details of all those out can be recorded for NHS track and trace purposes.

Social distancing guidelines must be adhered to at all times, and hunts are urged to keep reminding their followers of this; hunts will nominate a Covid compliance officer, who will be in place to assist on the day.

Hunts have been reminded to remain vigilant about local lockdown restrictions, and must not allow people to come hunting who are travelling from any local lockdown areas. There should be no meets (clarified as prolonged gathering of the field), and activities should avoid open spaces that are crowded or busy with tourists and holidaymakers.

Guidance templates have been issued so hunts can clearly communicate to their followers (both mounted and on foot) what is expected of them when attending hunting activities.

Countryside Alliance director of hunting Polly Portwin said: “We are confident that hunts and their supporters can safely participate in hunting activities while complying with the government guidance and using their common sense. The format of our hunting days may be slightly different to usual this season but these adjustments are a small price to pay if they enable hunting activities to commence while still ensuring everybody’s safety.”

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Plans have been outlined to enable autumn hunting to begin under Covid-19 guidance. H&H reports back from the recent Masters of Foxhounds Association’s online AGM...

The need for autumn hunting to start in a “responsible, respectful and Covid-secure manner” was emphasised by Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) chairman Lord Mancroft at the association’s recent online AGM.

Lord Mancroft said there was “no one template”, and that masters will have to decide for themselves when and exactly how to start. He added that hunts should “start hunting with great caution, and do not hesitate to change or even stop if you are not entirely comfortable with the way things are going.”

Kimblewick joint-master and huntsman, and H&H columnist, Andrew Sallis, who virtually attended the meeting, said should the easing of lockdown continue, the hunting community sees no reason hunting cannot resume, adhering to all guidance, as an outdoor activity that is socially distant in nature.

“If you can go bowling or to the cinema, or a pub, 30-odd people in open countryside, with permission and on horses, should be fine,” he told H&H. “The social side may have to be put on hold, but we generally feel there’s no good reason why not and many good reasons why we can; hunts are very much back in business.”

There is a new team at the Hunting Office this season; Mark Hankinson, Alice Bowden and Richard Tyacke replace Tim Easby and Lizzie Pinney.

Lord Mancroft highlighted that one of the focuses of the Hunting Office is to define clearly and communicate the roles of the hunting associations – the governing bodies for hunting, such as the MFHA, the Hunting Office, which is the administrative and supervisory arm, and the work they do with the Countryside Alliance, the political and campaigning organisation.

“While the Hunting Office will take over full responsibility for all our own communications, those of the MFHA and the Hunting Office, it will not engage in promotion or political defence of hunting, which the Countryside Alliance undertakes on our behalf,” said Lord Mancroft.

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Tessa Waugh underestimates trusty Rusty’s summer energy levels, as the 12.2hh scatters the hounds like skittles on his seasonal hound exercise debut in an inadequate snaffle...

How many of life’s cock-ups begin with the words, “You’ll be fine?” These were the words coming out of my mouth as we tacked up Rusty for hound exercise yesterday, noting a bit too late that he didn’t have his pelham and curb chain on, just the snaffle. Alec is bigger now. I figured that he wouldn’t have any trouble controlling the chunky 12.2hh on what is basically just a glorified hack.

No doubt there will be (sensible) people reading this and shaking their heads vigorously at this spectacular misjudgement, but I was still thinking about Rusty’s summer incarnation; grass-obsessed kick-along who can barely raise the energy to walk in from the field – you have to drag him – let alone trot. I watched Alec load him on to the lorry and walked down to the field to get Jim.

It was about 10.30am when I heard the lorry pull into the yard shortly followed by Adam coming in for his breakfast. As usual, all information was on a strictly need-to-know basis.

Adam switched the kettle on and put some bread in the toaster while I stood by with bated breath. Still nothing volunteered. Several more minutes ticked by before I finally cracked and ventured a tentative, “How did it go this morning?” The reply that came back was not what I wanted to hear.

“That pony’s no good for hound exercise,” said Adam firmly. “Alec couldn’t hold one side of him, kept trotting through all the hounds.”

He went on to fill me in on various tack malfunctions; pony’s head in the air rendering the bit useless, the ill-fitting martingale gaping with the neck at full stretch. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the scene: Rusty, impervious to anything his rider did on top, scattering hounds in all directions. Adam’s stony face.

I wondered how I could possibly, after all these years, miscalculate the effect a pack of hounds can have on a pony. Particularly after five months of hacking and doing circles. Rusty didn’t get the memo about exercise – in his mind, he was going hunting.

Fortunately, Alec seemed unbothered. When he appeared from the stables, he didn’t mention going through the hounds like a ball through skittles, just said his hands were a bit sore from pulling.

“If he wasn’t such an easy-going child, I would have put him off years ago,” I mused.

He has taken Rusty again this morning and we were out at the stables first thing today with curb chains and pelhams. With any luck, he’ll be quiet as a lamb this time.

H&H 13 August 2020

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Clothes a little tight? 4am alarms? A desperate search for a neckstrap? This can mean only one thing — here’s a few things that might ring true in a month or so...

1. You discover that actually, no, you didn’t remember to clean your tweed coat after you wore it while gate-shutting last season, and frantically scrub the worst of the encrusted mud off while panicking that you are losing precious sleep – you’ve got to be up in four hours…

2. Your alarm clock is set for 4am – and instead of pressing “snooze” repeatedly, you have actually been awake for 10 minutes and leap out of bed when it goes off as though you have been electrocuted.

3. Hunting clothes that fitted perfectly well in March are, shall we say, more than a little snug. You resign yourself to not breathing for several hours, and hope you don’t have to jump – if you do, your shirt will split across the shoulders and the button will pop off your breeches.

4. You remember why you swore you will never take a grey horse autumn hunting again. Despite being swaddled in a rug and hood, he has managed to plaster the contents of his stable – and that’s quite a lot of muck; it’s the first time he has been in at night since April and he knows perfectly well why so is quite over-excited – all over his body, neck and legs.

5. You are seriously upset when you can’t find your neckstrap. Even the most seasoned hunter feels a little jolly when he sees hounds again for the first time, and a neckstrap is effectively the same thing as putting your seatbelt on. You nick someone else’s stirrup leather and hope they aren’t planning to ride before you get back.

Continues below…

8 ways to avoid looking flustered on your first day autumn hunting

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6. Even though you are only planning to go for two hours, you are riding the most sensible horse you have ever owned and hounds are meeting in a place where it is likely that nothing very thrilling will happen, you have serious butterflies and feel ridiculously overexcited as you drive there.

7. As hounds spill out of their lorry and the huntsman calls them together and sets off, you are truly happy. Your grin is reflected on the faces of everyone around you. We’re here again, we’re still going and we are part of the most fantastic community.

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It might be a month until the opening meet, but autumn hunting is well underway and hounds, hunt staff and followers all over the country are in the thick of one of the busiest times of the hunting year. Here’s what you need to know about autumn hunting…

1. It happens early. Very early. Get used to setting your alarm for 5am — and if you ‘snooze’, you lose.

2. It’s awesome. Fewer people, closer to the hounds, gorgeous misty mornings. Of course it plays a serious role in educating hounds, horses and humans, but really we love it because it’s the best bit of the season.

3. You can actually do a day’s work as well afterwards. You might not be that productive, but you can sit in the office and fiddle with a spreadsheet, surreptitiously yawning. Much coffee is needed.

4. Quite often, your hunting clothes appear to have shrunk over the summer. It’s not them, it’s you.

5. But we love tweed. So much lower maintenance than black or blue, which shows every bit of dirt. And brown boots look great — just remember to change your spur straps to brown as well.

6. And no plaiting, hurrah!

7. We’re not sure about hipflasks. Is damson gin before 8am a bit much?

8. Ooh, breakfast. A bacon and egg roll won’t help with point number four, but after a 5am start and four hours on a horse who thinks this new game is, like, totally exciting, you deserve it.

9. Planning is key. Get everything ready the night before and laid out for the morning. You do not want to be searching for your martingale or hairnet at 5am, waking up everyone else who is not so enamoured by an early start.

Continued below…

8 ways to avoid looking flustered on your first day autumn hunting

Horse & Hound’s top tip: If you have small children to take autumn hunting, there is nothing wrong with sending them to bed wearing their hunting clothes – minus the hat, boots and coat, obviously – the night before to save time.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Someone asked me the other day if my quest to get my flighty old mare hunting had been aborted due to her over-enthusiasm. Or perhaps she’d thrown me off and it wouldn’t have made for very salutary reading.

In fact, almost the opposite is true. After my dismal experience on hound exercise, where the intended reconnaissance with hounds lasted just seven minutes, I’ll admit I hadn’t been rushing to reassemble my Orphan Annie outfit for an autumn hunting escapade. I do realise the cap at this time of year is fantastically cheap, but paying even £15 to be demoralised, dejected and possibly decapitated in under 10 minutes wasn’t appealing to me as a bargain. Plus I live three hours away from Fizz’s current residence, and the M4-M25-A12 trajectory on a Friday night is rarely worth it.

Wonderful Lizzie, my horse-nanny, had enlisted Wonderful Mel to keep Fizz ticking over during the week — or more accurately, to keep Fizz from boiling over during the weekend. And they’d changed her bit to a three-ring gag in an effort to curb her yawing.

And so the time had probably come to put the old girl to the test. This time, I had my own shirt, stock and jodhpurs — albeit a bit holey from a decade in the cellar and still reeking of mould despite various bicarbonate of soda treatments. Lizzie found me a jacket, still missing a button, and generously washed the pony — despite the likelihood that by the time I’d hacked over to the meet Fizz would be a lathery mess. But when we stepped out of the yard in the semi-darkness, we almost looked smart.

I was not going to let Fizz lull me into a false sense of security this time. My previous experiences had taught me that however peaceful the ride over, however stunning the misty dawn and however happy I was to be back on a horse on a glorious autumn morning, there could still be a caged bull-creature waiting to erupt beneath my saddle.

As we turned into the meet, hounds were milling around the huntsman, Joe Tesseyman. Fizz’s little ears pricked sharply and I readied myself for the ejector seat. Heels down, shoulders back, NECKSTRAAAAAP! I cursed, as I remembered I’d broken the hunting editor’s commandment yet again. How could I have forgotten it after last time?

But as it happened, I didn’t need it. Fizz fixed her bright eyes on the hounds, and stood like a rock. I backed her into a hedge as they moved off, where her hindlegs could do no damage, and waited for a delayed reaction. None.

And so it went on. We stood, we cantered, we walked, trotted and stood again. We lined up around fields, with and without other horses. Fizz was virtually angelic, watching earnestly as the hounds worked to pick up a scent on a warm October morning. She seemed genuinely fascinated by their skills.

Continued below…

Eventer to hunter blog: on hound exercise looking like Orphan Annie with a Hermès tie

‘I was thinking, “mission accomplished, here endeth the

The only testing point was as the field lined up to negotiate a small ditch, which proved quite beyond her patience levels and so I cantered away and round the field through a gateway.

I wouldn’t say we’ve cracked it quite yet — we’ve yet to jump a twig, and her jumping ability is one of the motivations for taking her hunting. The un-negotiated ditch doesn’t bode particularly well. But then when I think how well she’s settled in so few outings, I’m up for the next phase of the challenge.

Martha

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

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Whoever thought I could get excited about hound exercise? In my former, pre-ban thrusting youth, I rather dismissed hound exercise as mundane as, well, walking the dog. But in my late 30s, and with a horse that isn’t yet fit for the hunting field — certainly not mentally — a quiet trot round the lanes is about as much excitement as we both can handle.

Never mind that I happened to have a houseful of 20 guests staying at my parents’ house besides my four sprogs’ gaping mouths to feed and water, when my new horse nanny Lizzie suggested Fizz was ready for an outing, nothing was going to stop me. Hound exercise also fits in sweetly with my mad routine, being all done and dusted by 7.30am, leaving me quite enough time to fry up the bacon and eggs for the guests’ breakfast (I’m joking — they’re lucky if they get Coco Pops).

Lizzie texted me late the night before: “Have you got hacking jacket, shirt and tie?”

“I have absolutely nothing — it’s at home in Berkshire, and mouldy.”

“Oh sh*t… I have jods you can borrow, spare hacking jacket. Can you sort out shirt and tie? And boots?”

“No, just chaps.”

“Ok. Be on the yard at 5.15am so we can kit you out. You’re going to look like Orphan Annie.”

In a quick rifle through my dad’s wardrobe, I selected a (vast) Charles Tyrwhitt check shirt and a Hermès tie, which I felt offset the Orphan Annie vibe.

We got on the horses at 6am, Fizz’s tail bedecked in red and green ribbons, feeling thoroughly virtuous. Occasional early risers always do. Fizz was a delight to hack over to meet hounds, and I smugly felt — despite the Hermès tie now sporting some grass slime — that our switch from eventing to hunting was going to be seamless. The early September sun was rising over misty water meadows, Fizz had been tamed into a docile veteran and everything was well with the world.

When hounds first appeared, Fizz stood quite still, taking it all in wisely and serenely. I was thinking, “mission accomplished, here endeth the blog”. But then a crescendo of clattering hooves signalled the arrival of the followers and all hell broke loose.

“NECKSTRAP!!!” I shouted to myself, as I realised I had broken Catherine the hunting editor’s first commandment, and Fizz lurched into her own blend of stamping, striking and arching her back.

“Let’s keep our distance,” suggested Lizzie, watching Fizz’s flailing legs, as my cramping fingers tightened round lathered reins.

So on we went, trotting and snorting 50 metres behind the party, with me desperately tugging and bobbling around in the saddle.

After about 15 minutes, my insufficiently prepared core proved no match for Fizz’s yawing and launching, which was now being punctuated by bunny-hops.

“I don’t think I’m strong enough for this yet — she’s getting worse,” I told Lizzie.

“If you leave now, you’ll have achieved nothing,” Lizzie retorted, so I didn’t.

Continues below…

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Mercifully, the huntsman soon steered away from our yard, and I had the excuse of returning to the fictitious breakfast stove, and we began the jig-jog hack home.

In this second incarnation of my equestrian “career”, I have discovered that hound exercise is far from mundane — in fact it’s too hot to handle. And after the merest glimpse of a hound, Fizz’s road to the hunting field is looking very long indeed.

Martha

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

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So many of us have been here. What do you do with an ageing eventer who hates summer ground and being put out to grass in equal measure? We should have sold it in its prime, but we couldn’t bear to, so we didn’t, and now we have a geriatric on our hands with no rider and no job.

People furrow their brow sagely and advise me to put her to sleep, which might be the correct option, but I’m far too soft to call in the vet for such a vivacious animal, looking quite so sound and healthy. “Put her in foal,” others say. But I’ve already done that, twice, and now find myself with three horses to ‘dispose’ of.

Fizz is 15, and a double clear machine who goes intermittently lame in summer time when you ramp up the workload. The vets can’t find anything wrong. She is a little thoroughbreddy Irish pony type, jumps anything. Hunting seems like the obvious solution. Except that she’s never hunted, has an exhilarating buck, and won’t even queue for a fence out schooling. The clue is in her name.

So no one else is offering to be the crash-test dummy. I have four children and a full-time job, and originally sent Fizz to be evented by someone else because I had no time (and couldn’t see a stride), yet somehow find myself taking up the challenge of introducing her to the hunting field at a phase in life when I hardly have a spare moment to go to the loo, let alone several hours to while away on a horse. I have not hunted since the ban, my kit is festering mouldy in my cellar and I have ridden twice since having my third child six years ago. It sounds like Challenge Anneka, which was probably top of the TV ratings about the last time I hunted.

Horse & Hound’s hunting editor Catherine Austen was the first port of call. “Great idea. Take her out three times a week autumn hunting before it all gets too exciting,”she said reassuringly, except that taking a horse hunting is the solution to most problems in Catherine’s world. This was comfortingly followed by her other stock piece of advice for almost all global problems: “Don’t forget a neckstrap,” she ordered. “A proper one, not a breastplate.”

At this stage Fizz had not been ridden for six weeks, though her daily antics in the field assured me that she had lost little of her fitness — or her infamous fizz. I managed to extract her from the paddock she shares with two other mares, and through an electric-fenced field of black sheep with the help of a Chifney. She seemed to have bloomed in stature from her tidy 15hh to at least 16.2hh, and I rather wanted the little version back for my first ride in years.

“You need to lunge her first,” said my friend Lizzie, who had kindly insisted on nannying me during these early forays. “She’s gone feral.”

So we cinched the girth round her grass gut and watched her let rip on the lunge, before she accepted that the afore-mentioned belly was hampering her air show and I duly hopped on. An hour and a half of jig-jog hacking later, we returned a little sweaty and minus a front shoe, but I began to get a hold of this vision. Apart from anything else, I’d forgotten how effective riding is for toning the pregnancy-addled core.

Next up will be hound exercise.

Martha

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Our reviewer loved the durability of this "luxurious and high-quality" coat and enjoyed exploring the countryside in it

I tested the Farlows Ladies Cotswold Field coat in a size 12. My first impression of the coat was just how luxurious and high quality it was. The coat is very weighty and is made from a lovely, thick Scottish tweed and lined with a comfortable silk, adding to its premium appearance.

What I love about this coat is that it is naturally water repellent and features a fully waterproof drop-liner — making it the perfect companion for when you’re out and about in the countryside. The tweed is also very hard-wearing and I have found that it does not snag either, again making it ideal for venturing across all sorts of British terrain.

It is important to note that the coat does comes up quite large and isn’t particularly fitted. However, the coat is constructed with an inverted pleat to the back for movement and a “half belt” back to allow adjustment to the waist — so there is some flexibility here. It is a great length and I have found that the sleeves are also a good length — something that is surprisingly rare.

The attention to detail on this coat is also superb. As it is a shooting jacket it features two very roomy, buttoned pockets, which are a must-have in a good jacket.

It is also roomy on the inside, meaning there is plenty of storage for whatever you may need to take on your adventures with you. In addition to this, the pockets are lined with a contrast fabric, which is a nice touch. The coat features both a zip and buttoned front and has fabric cuffs that are great for keeping the wet out and also add that extra bit of comfort.

Verdict

Overall, this is a very practical and nicely made coat that would be great for following the hunt on foot, going shooting, fishing or even walking the dog.

With opening meets taking place across the country, we take a look back at some memorable autumn hunting moments from 2017: think misty mornings, technicolour sunrises and stubble fields worthy of an oil painting...

Don’t miss our hunting special of Horse & Hound magazine (26 October 2017), out now, complete with our hunting directory

The hunt: New Forest Foxhounds
The story: "This is a September morning with the New Forest Hounds looking towards Ipley, watching hounds in the gorse below. I am standing with our joint master Dr Graham Ferris MFH who is on his beautiful horse Lucy. I am on my New Forest pony Applewitch Zodiac. Glorious sunrise!" — Caroline Hawthorne

The hunt: Zetland
The story: "This is my daughter Sophie Richardson, aged five, riding her Shetland pony Hedderwick Tara with her best buddy Jack Madden, also aged five, riding his Welsh pony Waitwith Jubilee" — Jane Richardson

The hunt: Yorkshire Farmers Bloodhounds
The story: Joanne and Dolly enjoying a morning out autumn hunting

The hunt: North West Bloodhounds
The story: Megan Anderson pops a log at Charity Farm near Wigan, snapped by AJ Anderson

The hunt: The Island Foxhounds
The story: The Island Foxhounds' huntsman Paul Scallan in Wexford, Ireland, snapped by Barty O'Connor

The hunt: South Pembrokeshire
The story: The huntsman from the South Pembrokeshire is snapped by Emma Lomas, aboard Winston

The hunt: Quorn
The story: "This was a Quorn evening meet when I was visiting from Ireland. Beautiful sunset and a feeling I won't forget" — Collette Keogh

The hunt: East Kent Hunt with West Street
The story: Hannah Daniels and her five-year-old mare Rosie enjoy a morning out

The hunt: Flint and Denbigh
The story: Dylan on Tonto and Emily on Rover make a perfect pair

The hunt: Coakham Bloodhounds
The story: Lily Patridge and her pony Owenvilla on flying form in the Kent countryside

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Setting out in the whiplash of a tropical thunderstorm for a morning’s autumn hunting in a huge expanse of near-coastal country — largely without feature above waist height — might be considered rash by some. Hounds loaded with customary enthusiasm, although my horse gave me a sideward look of incredulity as the ramp went up. He too must have seen the swathe of green and flashing red over the Romney Marsh on the weather forecast. I answered a few texts, asking whether (and why) we were really still going to hunt, and set out.

Arriving unusually early, we sat, buffeted, in the newly christened ark discussing whether to put my smart, new, red, huntsman’s sou’wester over my hunt coat or to dispense with the hunt coat altogether. The overcoat was formerly Stan Luckhurst’s, a kind gift from Mrs Luckhurst to a regularly drowned master.

Belt and braces won the day. Our hardy yet select field arrived in all manner of attire, but most importantly, eager to get hunting.

As reward for our efforts, the monsoon abated and dark skies parted to enable a most useful morning, after which I felt several pounds lighter having spent three active hours inside my strawberry plastic cocoon.

Clear requirements

As autumn progresses, some hunts are beginning to make their mastership and staffing arrangements in good time for next season. After decades of dedicated service, George Adams is retiring as huntsman of the Fitzwilliam. The advert for his successor was most refreshing and clearly stated what is required: a professional huntsman with experience to hunt hounds from 2016.

Of late, too many committees have the view that they will “see what is out there” before they decide what sort of arrangement they want. Usually they end up appointing nobody and muddling on, having caused unnecessary upset beyond their own hunt boundaries.

Hunting has few secrets and more than any appointment outside Parliament, everybody thinks they have a right to an opinion. Good people (and no doubt a few rogues too) put their jobs and reputations on the line, along with the trust of the mastership, committee, staff and country by applying for positions in their reasonable quest to climb the ladder, seek security or simply fresh pastures.

Implications for us all

Where were you when Jeremy Corbyn was elected to lead Her Majesty’s opposition? Hardly a JFK moment, I know, but as I sat in the car after a challenging morning’s autumn hunting, I thought that this shambles could have implications for us all, for years to come.

Have I missed something? On his chauffeur driven campaign tour, did Corbyn give some early-Obamaesque spine-tingling oration? No. With More’s Utopia under one arm and A Petulant Sixth Former’s Guide To The Galaxy under the other, the dull sound-bite solutions to the world’s genuine problems are worrying.

Now that the Labour Party is wearing the emperor’s old clothes, largely against its will, the Prime Minister will have to show great leadership to prevent his party from within becoming the government and the opposition. With the distinct possibility of an extended period of Tory administrations ahead, the new leadership of the Countryside Alliance and in time, VoteOK, has to redefine their relevance and message.

Corbyn’s noisy minority will cause hunting problems through every media possible, but we have to defend ourselves by re-establishing hunting’s considerable worth to the countryside, quarry, hound, horse and human.

As for JC appointing a vegan and animal rights supporter to shadow the farming brief; vegetables are a very important part of British farming but please don’t get me started.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 1 October 2015

Cycling through the parks of Amsterdam with our sons and their Dutch cousins en route to the zoo, we found ourselves caught up in Gay Pride. A massive party on the city’s canals in a capital without skyscrapers, I was struck by the similarities between our own countryside marches and this very continental version of an international event.

They both had a completely non-threatening, hugely social and carnival atmosphere. There may have been more comedy pink hairdos, sailor hats and recreational drugs at Gay Pride than at any of the marches, at least that I recall, but they share common principles — tolerance and celebrating a minority. Next summer, maybe we should have a flotilla down the Thames — Hunting Pride.

The new season is looming and final preparations are being made. It is time to run through the checklist… land changed hands, farms handed on to the next generation, new kit, new subscribers etc.

Repairs to hunting kit are best carried out before the eve of the first morning’s autumn hunting — major repairs may need the attention of tailor or seamstress.

I was recently handed down a case of Bedford cord and cavalry twill breeches. These beautifully-made pre-war garments will have life today if I can only find someone skilled to widen the calves. Those who hunted the Elysian Fields clearly didn’t have to do the pre-season cycling and walking country of their modern counterparts.

As traditional bootmakers and cobblers become increasingly rare, repairs become trickier. New boots require a mortgage, so careful maintenance is essential.

Check the tack too. Stitching repairs can save blushes and bruises! New kit and tack may have to be broken in, and some people are very superstitious about using something new for the first time out hunting.

Preparations with hounds and horses should be nearly complete by now — young hounds settled on exercise, learning the ropes, and new horses fit and acclimatised to hounds. As the autumn progresses we like to include cross-country schooling, grid work and visits to the gallops to tune in horse and huntsman.

Few aspects of the master’s role are more satisfying than opening new country.

After walking the new territory and planning access routes, a quiet midweek autumn hunting morning is normally the safest tactic for exploring how best to hunt virgin country.

Subscribers like the excitement of hunting new country too. My desire to have the country accessible, with jumps, gates and my “special spots” in order to stay with hounds has to be matched by the field’s ability to have a good ride and keep up with the chase.

If the hunt is fortunate to have gained new members, a few words of welcome before the season often go down well.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 20 August 2015

The park at Belvoir is swathed in the russet and golden raiment of autumn. Despite the first frost of the year, the trees still stubbornly cling to their foliage.

Walking out hounds is a pleasure at this time, before the dark mornings set in. Some puppies from the early litters have returned from their walks. The early morning chill sharpens their senses and has them on their toes. They quickly learn where mischief is to be found — foxes, deer and hare having spent the previous few hours in the quiet of the night, leaving their scent and giving young hounds ample opportunity to demonstrate their enthusiasm and potential.

Autumn is my favourite time of year, not least because it signals the imminence of the open season. Early morning hunting provides much enjoyment, but each year, as the opening meet approaches, one does begin to look forward to it and the slightly less frenetic pace it provides.

It has been a dry year until very recently, in the east of the country anyway, and autumn hunting has been hard work with generally poor scenting. A little rain helped perk things up toward the end of October and the young hounds are hunting very well indeed, displaying the necessary inherent capability.

Hot dry conditions are the reason for the early morning meets during autumn. Hounds, especially the young entry, need every assistance nature can provide. The cooler, early morning temperatures and — with luck — a little dew are most beneficial.

Some, usually inexperienced if enthusiastic, hunt subscribers view early meet times as a loss of potential revenue, but this is missing the point.

Like having good staff or quality feed and discharging hound exercise properly, autumn hunting should be seen as long-term investment to ensure a good season, thus guaranteeing subscription cheques for future revenue.

So by the time the opening meet arrives, horse and hound should be ready for the “off.”

What of the riders? The Belvoir hunt decided to run a pre-hunting course to “stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood”.

The resulting statistics don’t sound too promising, with a third of those attending hitting the deck. One of the showjumping tumbles involved the jockey getting her leg wrapped round the post and rail fence surrounding the arena.

And, as if to prove that straight lines (the Belvoir way) are safer than circles, one managed to crash and burn during a dressage session, resulting in four broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. A salient lesson in not buggering about if ever there was one!

It was pleasing that after the application of various liniments and embrocations all made it to the start line on the big day.

Pedigree counts

By now the thoughts of those responsible for the breeding of hounds will be focusing on

the pedigrees and abilities of potential stallion hounds and which bitches to “put to”.

At Belvoir, the Duke has hounds from two tail female lines that are particularly long. The tail-female line runs from dam (mother) to dam (mother). One recedes to Trinket 1801, who was a gift from Lord Fitzwilliam. The other to Belvoir Fanny 1793, and although some pedigrees from this time are missing, it is thought this goes back to Duchess 1756 (out of His Grace’s Rival). Remarkably, all were born, kenneled and entered at the Belvoir kennel.

To put it in perspective, 1801 was the year of the Acts of Union and by 1759, Handel was top of the pops with his Messiah and Mozart was in his infancy.

This means two things: that many people have taken great care over the years not to lose these lines, and that they (the families) must be (and are) considered extremely good.

There are of course other valuable lines in the Belvoir kennel, but each year one or two extra bitches are put to, to ensure that “An act of God” does not deprive us of something that cannot be measured in gold.

Unlike, for example, the huntsman’s wage, which should be measured exactly thus, preferably in large quantities!

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With only two events left of the season things have started to quieten down at home on the eventing front, but now we start gearing up in earnest for the hunting season! There’s never a quiet month in our yard.

A couple of weekends ago we took Ruby (Rubabell Cruise) to South Of England for her first CIC1*. She did a good test with a few expensive mistakes keeping us out of the top half but that didn’t seem to matter, as it definitely wasn’t a dressage competition. She lay 37th out of 71 after dressage on her score of 51.2 but after a speedy double clear with only 1.6 time faults she moved up to finish 7th! I was thrilled with her performance as she is still fairly green having only started eventing in July. She now has a run at Larkhill before she heads to Aldon for the CCI1*.

We were then at Osberton last week with Myrtle (In Vogue II) in the CCI2* and Archie (Arise Cavalier) in the five-year-old championships.

Myrtle did a really good mistake free test so I was a little disappointed with her score of 49.1. We had been to Ulrik Molgaard for a couple of dressage lessons in the week leading up to Osberton and I felt we really had her working in a much more consistent and soft outline. I was really pleased this transferred into how she went in her test.

The cross country was a good long galloping track with some decent combinations and by far the furthest she has ever had to gallop. She was going really well but we had a really silly run out at a brush corner towards the end of the track. Sadly she just didn’t seem to read it properly but jumped it second time and went on to jump through the last tricky combination with another corner really well.

I was thrilled with how she came out to jump on the Sunday and had a very unlucky pole coming out of a combination. Overall she put in a really solid performance at her first long CCI2* and is now on a well-deserved holiday.

Archie behaved impeccably all week and although he didn’t finish competitively in the five-year-old championships I was pleased with how he went and how grown up he was considering there was so much going on. He has come such a long way from the naughty five-year-old who had me off far too many times back at the beginning of the season.

He won’t be having a break just yet though as he is going to further his education with a few days on the hunting field. I think hunting is a fantastic place for young horses to learn how to jump out of different going and to help them become more forward thinking. Exactly what we feel Archie will benefit from.

In some sad news, my lovely boy Skippy (Abakala Flagmount) has been sold. He has been such a fun horse to event this season and is the most gorgeous person to have around. He has gone to a great home where I know he will be loved as much as he deserves and it’s not so bad as I will get to see him out on the hunting field.

Rosie

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There are plenty of things for us to moan about when the evenings draw in and the leaves turn — mucking out, mud and wet rugs spring to mind. But surely the joys of autumn hunting make it all worthwhile?

9 reasons horse owners love (and hate) autumn

Autumn hunting: H&H’s dos and don’ts

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Many of us would need a lot of encouragement — or failing that, a large whisky — before hunting a young horse. But there are plenty of people who insist that, approached in the right way, it can be very gratifying.

Of course experience is important and the rider needs the knowledge of both hunting and riding to make up for what is lacking underneath. A novice rider on a young horse can be a recipe for disaster.

People choose a variety of approaches, but they all agree that a gradual introduction is best. If you are not a morning person this will be tough, because there is no better start for a young horse than some gentle autumn hunting.

Early on in the season, it is all about the hounds and long periods of inactivity at the covert or beside a field of maize which will have a soothing effect on a young animal.

If they make the association between hounds and galloping full tilt in a herd early on, you are in trouble.

Take a look at our dos and don’ts to make the experience as pleasurable as possible.

Do

• Take things slowly — start off gradually with autumn hunting
• Be mindful of every situation and think ahead. If you anticipate potential problems, you will be prepared to deal with them without a fight
• Have a nanny on a quiet horse or companion for the first few days to help you out if necessary
• Wear a green ribbon and make sure other members of the field know to give you plenty of space
• Face hounds at all times
• When jumping, try to follow people who are guaranteed to leave the ground
• Do plenty of schooling, jumping and socialising with other horses before you go out
• Ring the master and ask if you can go on hound exercise

Don’t

• Ever forget that you are on a young horse
• Get among the hounds
• Walk before you can run — volunteering to go on point or do a gate should be left until later on in the season
• Get left behind or stay nervously at the back with a tight rein — let your horse go with the flow
• Feed your young horse too much until he has settled — if possible, hunt him from the field
• Get into a tricky situation — one hairy incident will stay in the horse’s (and other people’s) mind for ages

Take a look at our guide to hunting for beginners

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The weeks are speeding by and the end of the season is creeping closer, but we have plenty to look forward to before then.

Myrtle (In Vogue II) went to Gatcombe at the weekend (Friday 19 – Sunday 21 September) for her first two-star and I was thrilled with her performance.

The weekend started well with a dressage score of 47.9 being good enough to put us equal sixth out of 98 starters after this phase. We had a few mistakes and the dreaded walk pirouettes need some more work so it was a really encouraging mark. To be this high up in such a competitive section was really exciting, however my chances ended rather early in the cross-country.

Fence four was a log on a mound with one stride down the other side to a big ditch, then a curving three strides to a skinny house. Myrtle jumped really big and exuberantly over the ditch meaning we had overshot the line to the skinny and sadly, I didn’t think quick enough to stop myself crossing my tracks getting back to the skinny which resulted in a technical 20 penalties. However, she didn’t know she had done anything wrong and flew round the rest of the track. I was kicking myself at the finish as she deserved to be up there in the top few.

The course caused an enormous amount of trouble with masses of retirements and eliminations so overall I was really pleased with her. We now head to Osberton CCI2* with me even more determination to get the result she deserves.

We are then taking Ruby (Rubabell Cruise) and Skippy (Abakala Flagmount) to South of England for their first one-stars, which they should be more than ready for.

Skippy has had a couple of really good recent runs at novice. He did a lovely double clear at Goring Heath, finishing on his dressage score to come sixth. Then on Monday he did another beautiful double clear to finish fourth at one of our more local events, Pontispool (pictured). I’m really pleased with his progress and he seems to have got more and more confident in his showjumping so he’s heading in the right direction.

Ruby also had a good run at Pontispool, again doing a double clear to come sixth in her novice section. She is improving every time out and having previously showjumped to a high level finds the jumping very easy. She is for sale and would make a fantastic junior/young rider horse for next season.

A quick update on Kitkat (Another Breakfast) who has been out of action since picking up a minor leg injury in June. He is still on the sidelines but we are hopeful that it won’t be too long before he can start walking out again. He is getting extremely grumpy being left at home all the time and has been finding lots of ways to entertain himself, including some rather stallion-like behaviour with my five-year-old Archie (Arise Cavalier). They have had to be separated!

Archie has also enjoyed his first morning’s hunting to get him freshened up in preparation for Osberton five-year-old championships. He was really well behaved, unlike his ‘nanny’, my young rider horse Bankon Louie, with whom mum had a rather interesting time on!

Rosie

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The BSPS summer championships was amazing for my daughter Alice and her ponies.

She ended up winning the supreme mini working hunter pony title with Lemington Nougat (pictured above) and the supreme show hunter pony with Hightopps Jazz (known at home as Gingerboy). A fantastic achievement for the whole team and two flower sashes for our efforts in one night is beyond a dream!

My highlight however was not watching Alice claim these titles, but watching the individual display she gave on Gingerboy in the evening championship of the blue riband show hunter pony section. My only regret is that I didn’t video her performance to show my father (showman David Tatlow), as he would have been so proud.

Alice produced a show with maturity beyond her years and I still can’t quite believe what I witnessed. A producer and friend of mine said she could have gone on watching for hours. The content was second to none and the delivery exemplary. However I have to admit we returned to the lorry a little deflated as we didn’t claim the title.

The BSPS summer championships is always a fun few days and the children all had a wonderful time playing back at base camp by the lorries. I must thank all involved in putting on such a wonderful show.

We then had a successful few days with wins in hunter classes at Monmouth and the National Hunter Supreme Championship show at Bury Farm.

I am not a huge fan of Bury Farm as a venue personally, but the large outdoor surface was a super ring to show in and I thought the new show format worked very well. Numbers forward were a little disappointing and is a sign that the horse show world is still not quite back in its feet.

My children have also started autumn hunting. My son Harry is mad keen on his hunting and is well-mounted (pictured left).

We also found a moment to pop along to some showjumping at a Pony Club show where I judged some rather soggy working hunter pony classes with enthusiastic young riders.

Harry and Alice managed to pull off a win in the pairs class after being heavily coached by my father about the change over of the whip after they dropped it last year — I would not have liked to be in their shoes if it had happened again!

School has started again and I am glad to report happy children going off.

The first weekend in September was its usual busy one for us with our local show at Moreton alongside my father’s birthday party.

We had a successful day at Moreton with Alice winning both her show hunter pony classes and taking the champion and reserve titles. My highlight was Harry in the 90cm open jumping class, where he jumped a fabulous double clear to be third and was only beaten by one and half seconds. I managed some good results too with young horses and qualified a novice heavyweight for the Horse of the Year Show, who is now for sale with the ride.

My father’s birthday lunch on Sunday was a great success with friends joining us from the showing world and close family too. The sun shone and we had a special day with plenty of fizz, good food and great company.

Loraine

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Our kennels, built with a true Victorian industrialist’s bounty, were pioneering in their design with airy lodges and low yard walls so the hounds don’t feel like inmates without a view.

Sadly the dirt track that would have once passed the kennel gate is now a busy rat-run connecting two towns and therefore quite unsuitable for hound exercise.

Boxing up for exercise each day is required — an all too frequent feature in the routine of an increasing number of hunts.

Young hounds aren’t robots — nor are older hounds for that matter — and they don’t learn much on exercise if packed in like sardines behind their master for mile after mile as cars whizz past the nervous hunt staff and their charges. Fortunately we don’t have to travel far in order to reach quiet country lanes where you barely see a car for hours.

Hounds enjoy bicycle exercise (probably more than the creaking hunt staff), sidling up to say “hello” and nudging our hands. For the most part, hounds are creatures of habit and most huntsmen could close their eyes and point to the position of each hound in the pack as they jog down the road.

Towards the end of the summer, the front rank of ebullient young hounds is joined by a group of older hounds, reasserting themselves as they know what time of year is just around the corner.

Away from the hunting field, a sunny morning with hounds cycling through the lanes on the Pevensey Marsh is hard to beat. That is, until a flash monsoon arrives, as happened recently while we were exposed on the last “hill” before Normandy, in just a light-weight kennel coat, miles from the lorry and barely able to see a yard in front.

As August progressed, bikes were eventually exchanged for faithful horses and summer duties have become focused firmly on the start of autumn hunting.

By now most hunts will have started as the end of harvest is likely to be a little earlier than the last few seasons. Hounds don’t understand such details, so exercise and education should be channelled to enter the hunting field, whenever that may be, fit and eager but hopefully not having boiled over. Like much in life, timing is key.

Then the excitement can begin. Early morning trail hunting makes the most of the crisp autumn dew and gives the young hounds the best opportunity to tune in while re-affirming the education of last season’s young entry.

Slipping away unnoticed

I have many fond memories of following hounds by bike. When away at school, a Friday evening 5p payphone call in the boarding house corridor to George Adams at the Fitzwilliam kennels, just outside Peterborough, would reveal the location of second horses on the Saturday.

After lunch I would slip away with a spare set of clothes and a packed dinner and cycle beyond the city to find hounds. Despite signing out for “Town” and returning, bike and boy, caked in mud, I was convinced my ruse fooled the benevolent Housemaster, until he eventually informed me that unless the centre of Peterborough had reverted to a swampy fen I was obviously hunting and he hoped hounds were hunting well.

Quite rightly, a little more honesty was demanded. George and his staff were always very friendly and helpful, particularly when we ended up miles from anywhere, with my curfew fast approaching.

For hunting folk, the beginning of the season is a time of great anticipation of fine sport to come, young hounds to enter, friends to meet again and new subscribersto welcome.

One thing is for certain, it simply can’t be as wet as last year. Surely.

Our farmers were wonderfully supportive and deserve a more sympathetic winter, for their prosperity and state of mind if nothing else.

This column was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (28 August, 2014)

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Autumn hunting is getting under way around the country, after many packs reported a delayed start to the season because of the unusually late harvest.

Dozens of hunts have been affected by the wet summer, as farmers – waiting for a dry spell to start harvesting – had to leave crops standing.

Traditionally the North Shropshire start autumn hunting on the August bank holiday. This year, they eventually got going on 8 September.

“We are finally getting there [with the harvest],” said joint-secretary Mark Dibble, who farms locally. “Another fine week and it will be in.”

The Heythrop started a fortnight late, on 14 September.

“About 80% of the crops are in, so we are still having to be careful,” said joint-master Nessie Lambert.

“It’s lovely to get started; the horses are far too fresh and well.”

With the warm, sunny September promised by the Met Office materialising, hunts have enjoyed some glorious mornings.

The North Cotswold had their first day on 13 September.

Joint-master and H&H columnist Nigel Peel said: “Any more hound exercise and

I think the hounds would have gone crackers.

“We have had some lovely dew-drenched mornings – a real Indian summer.

The wet weather means the going is very good.”

Miss Lambert agreed the wet summer had some benefits.

“Normally, we don’t like to leave the ground at this time of year.But there’s quite a lot of give in it at the moment, which is good for the horses and helpful for young hounds,” she said.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (20 September 2012)

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Hunts up and down the country are being forced to stall the start of autumn hunting because of the unusually late harvest.

This summer’s washout – June was the wettest on record – decimated the outdoor show calendar and kept much of the countryside under wraps. It also stunted crop growth and has prevented farmers from accessing their waterlogged fields.

Secretary of the North Shropshire, Annabelle Dibble, told H&H: “My husband is a farmer and the situation is getting desperate. We are still waiting for a dry spell to start the harvesting.

“Traditionally, we should have started autumn hunting on the August bank holiday, but everywhere I look there are still fields of standing wheat.”

In the West Country, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale’s first autumn meet was delayed by a week, but secretary Vicky Mathews said that, until the nearby fields are cut, future dates will need to be planned week by week.

“There are still a lot of unharvested fields around us that we would normally hunt across, so we will need to liaise with farmers on a daily basis before we can do any route planning,” she said.

In Hertfordshire, the Puckeridge has managed to begin hunting on time – just.

“Things were looking very dubious a couple of weeks ago, but fortunately we’ve had 10 dry days around our area and most of the fields are now cleared,” said joint-master Diana Pyper.

H&H hunting columnist Nigel Peel, who is joint-master and huntsman of the North Cotswold, said hunts need to be patient.

“This is a difficult time for farmers and it would be a terrible mistake to start hunting before all the corn is cut,” he said. “We need to bide our time now – we can look forward to plenty of extra days once the weather settles down.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (6 September, 2012)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now