hunting

[smiler]

hi i'm new, i just thought it was a shame the other hunting thread was stopped. i know huntings a delicate issue but if you don't express your views it will stay that way and you don't get to hear what everyone else thinks.
i've always supported hunting and will continue. and if you've never been to a hunt you can't really fairly comment on what it's like. that's like saying you hate sprouts without ever trying them (soz 4 the poor metaphor).
the people who ride out with the hounds arent there to see the fox been killed they're there to have a good time. a lot of people think that you shouldn't turn the killing of an 'innocent' animal into a social event but foxes aren't innocent and a meet is the perfect place to meet people with the same interest, and atr the end of the day it's a tradition that goes back years.
hunting is the most terrifying but exhilerating thing i've ever done and a controlled draghunt can't even compare to it. hunting gives you so much convidence to do things you've never attempted before. i went from jumping a 2ft showjump in the ring to a 4ft 2" hedge the next weekend. its gives you the biggest sense of achievement ever.
if you're still glued to this message i'd also like to mention that i don't come from a rich family or have a 16.2 purebred. me and my friend have 2 fluffy 14.2's (which we're a bit big for) who take great pleasure in racing all the massive horses. we're the scruffs always out of control, miles ahead of everyone else, mudsplattered but having a great time. the ponies love it, they seem to save every bit of energy for that one day and take it all out on your arms- it kills. :o(
i'm sorry if i've offended anyone with this message but i think everyone should have a chance to express thier own view. :o)

[Wally]

I am a scruffy, working class artisan. I'm not into big, flashy horses, far from it, M&M all the way.

I have hunted on such scruffies, and have worked for hunt servants and hunted on hairy "ponies"..... I have NEVER been judged by anyone (heaven help them if they did!!!)

This is a sensitive subject, What can I say which hasn't already been said?

I would hate to see hunting banned, I would hate to see anything banned, just because I don't like it doesn't mean it should be banned. I'd like to ban football, but why? just because I don't like it and it costs local authoritiies millions every year in policing and he like. But I say live and let live. Liberty and livelihood for all!

The whole horsey "thing" is based on a hunter. Care and fittening, steeplechasing, jumping, working hunter pony.....

The dog world too, lurchers, fox terriers, fox hounds, terriers in general, a whole way of life rocked to the core.

I just wish I could shoot as well as hounds dispatch a fox, If everyone could then, maybe a ban would be justified, until then hounds are the kindest, surest way to dispatch vermin leaving no doubt as to whether the animal is dead, injured or alive.

[Wally]

I cannot for the life of me see why this gets folk so angry!

Sorry but I don't! Nobody id making anybody do, or take part in anything they don't want to.

Why do you get so very cross?

Bear baiting is not the issue neither are ducking stools.Have you attended a ducking recently?

Foxes are not torn to bits, one hound dispatches the fox quickly. Lions kill, tigers kill, cats kill.

If I take a shot at a fox there is no guarantee I'll kill it. If a hound can catch it in the first place it will either be killed or get clean away, it will not be injured.

Yes it is such an emotive subject, I can see if the moderators see fit to close the thread, but the subject of hunting with hounds will always come up where horses and counrty persuits are concerned.

You have your opinions, I have mine, we will have to agree to disagree.

Where do you stand on the control of rats? If your home was infested with rats how would you control them?

Look at any BHS handbook, they are the governing body (or like to think they are) Hunters feature a great deal. Why did man domesticate the horse? to fight and hunt on, the same reasons he domesticated dogs for. Hunting has been going on for thousands of years, look at cave paintings!

Do you have free range hens? A fox proof run is a very difficult thing to do. So why do folk keep battery hens? to keep out the foxes, but folk don't want battery eggs or foxhunting, Cake and eat it syndrome.

Hill ewes cannot be fox proofed, I have seen foxes take lambs, fact, they kill livestock. It's hard enough raising lambs as it is.

People hunts are taking place all the time NF, to name one. All sorts of bigoted organisations, Anti gay folk, extremist animal rights folk, religious groups, they all want someone or something banned!

Is riding horses cruel?

[Paul C]

I've just re-read my response to Smiler's and Wally's posts and in the cold light of day my comments weren't very constructive, my arguments weren't put together too clearly and I was plain rude.

I've made my views known before and since I wasn't adding anything new I thought the best action was to remove it.

Paul

[Elfin]

I don't have a problem with hunting at all. I would love to go sometime (sorry please don't hate me anyone cause I'd hate that) My instructor goes but they haven't been able to go this year because of F&M but they usually go. I used to disagree with hunting because everybody else did and I didn't want to be the odd one out, but now I have realised that I like it. I do not agree however with stag hunting.

[Mike]

I will close this thread here. As has been said it's a topic that arouses strong opinions and although the discussions are valid it's not something we want to get into here.