Drag hunting question

[cesca]

I was told yesterday by someone who drag hunts, that he regularly jumps 6 feet when he's out. Is this true???!!!

[greyhorses]

I dont drag hunt but I strongly doubt it. Unless he choses to jump stuff everybody else goes round like brick walls!! How big is his horse? Do you really think it could jump 6ft with this guy on his back? Do you think he's experienced enough to jump 6ft? If so why isn't he professional? HA HA

[lizziee]

I guess a maybe a ditch? (so wide rather than high). Is the hunt in Fenlands? Otherwise, sounds most unlikely.

[KateD]

I had heard that drag hunting is alot faster than regular hunting and very much NOT for the faint-hearted. If you go onto the Berks & Bucks Draghounds website Cesca (they are local to me) it gives you info about it. I think you and your horse do need to be quite brave - I'd love to do it! :-)

[lolamae]

I should think that the 6' jump is much like the Fishermans "It was thiiiiiiiiisssssssssss big", I am sure there are hedges that big around if you chose to take them on though.

I have never been draghunting so can't comment on whether it is faster or not, I suspect so as it is designed for riders so the trail is laid over country suitable for a good ride and I imagine hounds work faster. I know people who drag hunt who don't even bother to watch hounds working.........that is surely half the reason for going out, they may as well just go on a paper chase.

As for having to jump, you don't. I would think that there would always be 'get out' options around fences, not everyone likes or wants to jump. By forcing people to jump the Hunts would be cutting off their own noses.

[cubic]

6ft is unlikely, but possible for the occasional hedge (particularly if it's a drop and he's measuring from the drop side!!)

The jumps I've jumped out drag hunting range from tiny to about 5ft, with most being 3ft-3ft9, but every hunt varies.

[cesca]

He said he went with the Berks & Bucks. I was pretty incredulous. Surely he's telling porkies??!

[ooo_banana]

Do you HAVE to jump all the jump out draghunting, as like with hunting you can always go aorund?

[ajb]

Went out blood hounding once - and once was enough for me!! After carefully phoning Hunt Secretary who ASSURED me you didnt have to jump everything and that it was all fairly "safe" off I went - I have never been so wrong in my life! First fence within about 2 mins of setting off - a 5 barred gate which was tied up! No other route round it!! Everyone went off at the most amazing pace my poor horse (a v. experienced hunter who had actually been used as a Huntsman's horse with a local fox hunting pack) was left behind as pr*ts totally pi*sed out of their heads on ex-race horses and event horses galloped flat out at enormous fences! I value my horses too much to ever contemplate going drag hunting/blood hounding ever again! I would agree with Cubic that some of the hedges jumped are possibly around the 5ft level BUT with an even steeper drop the other side. Definitely not for the nervous nellie or inexperienced rider. We only completed the 1st line and apparently as the lines progress they go faster and higher! My husband was furious - he was waiting for me and saw all these other poor horses come rip roaring in and he didnt know where I was! As he pointed out I could have been lying dead in a ditch and noone would have known! Have done a fair amount of hunting (foxes) and have ALWAYS found someone who is willing to help you out or "rescue" you if you run into problems - IMHO not so with drag/bloodhounds!

[pip]

ajb - I sensibly didn't take my horse when I went to look at the local bloodhounds.

They were jumping hedges at least 4'6" - I was amazed and realised what the secretary meant when she said "don't bring your novice hunter." 6' is a pretty whopping fence and you would need a terrific horse to do it too.

It might have been on the landing side though. I remember jumping a hedge out hunting and wondering if I was ever going to land! I went round that way a week later on a ride and couldn't believe we had jumped it.

[natalia]

Yes, some are that big, but remeber, a 6ft hedge isway different to a 6ft solid, as horses can brush through the hedge rather than over it if they want. Our bloodhounds always warn the field before the big hedges, you know if the field master says "big" he mean HUGE.