BACKGROUND ON THE SURREY UNION HUNT LTD
AND A GENTLE REMINDER OF HUNTING ETIQUETTE
Senior Master: Ian Gilchrist. The other four Masters: Elizabeth Calvert, Alice Dunsdon, Lulu Hutley, and Fraser Norton.
The Pack is a mixed pack – ie both dogs and bitches.
Huntsman: Ian Shakespeare
First Whip: Matthew Biddiscombe
Second Whip/Hunt Groom: Alison West
The Field Master is always confirmed on the day.
The Hunt is operational from Pirbright in the North West via Farnham and Guildford to Dorking, including the North Downs, then to Reigate in the North East, and south to the outskirts of Crawley, then West to Horsham and South West towards Hindhead via Hascombe and North to Farnham.
The Hunt button carried the letters UH in old English lettering. It is brass with the letter UH embossed and for hunt staff (and evening dress) with the letters UH inverted.
This is for Union Hunt. It is white lettering on a black background for black jackets. There is also a distinctive yellow collar. You can only wear both at the direct invitation of the Joint Masters of The Surrey Union and when you have been invited, it is known as being awarded “The Hunt Button”.
You are awarded this honour for good works for the Hunt. You don’t necessarily have to ride – or to be a subscriber – but you have to have given the Hunt substantial support. Once you have been awarded this honour, only then are you a member of the hunt. All others are subscribers or supporters.
The buttons cost £5 each – thus the first rule of being awarded the Hunt Button is to always undo your coat buttons before dismounting – they tend to ping off at the drop of a hat!
The Hunt was formed in 1798 – when two hunts amalgamated – thus the name – the Surrey Union. It is now one of the oldest hunts in the Country and the only hunt in the South East that has not amalgamated for over 100 years.
TURNOUT
Both you and your horse should be turned out as well as possible. If you haven’t hunted before, it is fine to wear a hacking (tweed) rather than a black jacket but jodhpurs should be in cream or beige. Your numnah should also be a neutral colour. An approved cap must be worn and body protectors may be worn.
A red ribbon around a horse's tail indicates that the horse kicks. A green ribbon means a young horse that might kick – please make sure if there is any chance your horse might kick, it wears the appropriate ribbon. Even a horse that does not normally kick may feel threatened if barged from behind. If the rider feels their horse is getting annoyed or stressed, you may warn the person behind by putting your hand behind your back, palm outwards. This means take heed and back off.
Please take care to avoid getting too close to a horse with a ribbon - if it kicks you, the rider will not be at fault.
Regardless of the bit you normally use on your horse – think of upgrading to a stronger bit when going hunting. You may not need it but most horses ‘grow’ a hand or two when hunting. It is better to have ‘extra’ brakes on hand then find you are out of control.
Earrings and facial piercings should not be worn out hunting – they can catch on branches and cause a nasty accident.
Meets are usually held on someone’s property (called a Lawn Meet) and, out of politeness, your horse should be plaited (unless, of course, it is hogged!) as a courtesy to your host.
WHO DOES WHAT OUT HUNTING
The Hunt Secretary collects the subscriptions and the ‘Cap’ at a hunt (the money you pay to join the hunt for the day). It is your job to find her and offer your cap rather than make her seek you out.
The Cap for adults is £80.00 and £20.00 for children. Please ensure you have the right amount of money on you when you arrive at the meet as finding
change puts added pressure on the poor secretary collecting the cap. It is quite easy to find the hunt secretary because she will be the person with the harassed expression and the money bag!
There usually is also a collection for Hunting in general – please ensure you allow £2 - 5 for this too depending on whether you are following on foot .
The Master is responsible for the day’s hunting (as well as working with the Hunt Committee to ensure the smooth running of the kennels, the breeding of the hounds, the Hunt horses and, basically, everything to do with running the Hunt)
There is also a Field Master who may be either a Master or an experienced Member of the Hunt who knows the country well and where we may or may not go. It is his/her job to look after the Field (that is the name for those riding with the Hunt). Generally the Field Master will be pointed out when the Master gives a few words of thanks to the host of the meet before moving off with the hounds. Please remember, the Field Master’s word is law – what he/she says, goes.
The Huntsman is responsible for the hounds and he and the Whipper-in ride up with the hounds, taking them to coverts, and encouraging them to ‘find’ a scent. Often, when the hounds go away on a scent, some are left behind. It is the Whipper-in’s job to make sure they follow on. To do this he may have to bring straggling hounds past the mounted Field and it is imperative that you make room for him and hounds to pass safely and quickly.
HUNT ETIQUETE
Hunting is all about good manners.
When you arrive, if you see the Master or Huntsman, say good morning
When you leave the Field, if possible, say ‘Good Night’ (the phrase used at any time of day) and thank them for allowing you to hunt with them. A good Master will have a rough idea of how many were in the Field when it started out – and if you don’t say ‘Good Night’ – they might think you are lost, hurt or in trouble – and spend time looking for you when you are actually on your way home!
One of the cardinal rules of hunting is you must not over-ride the hounds. You must stay behind the pack at all times. Occasionally, a hound slips behind the others or gets lost, then comes up behind the hunt. If you see a hound coming up behind you, turn your horse’s head towards it so it does not kick out and hold your stick out low between horse and hound to ensure it does not get between your horse’s feet. Warn others in front by shouting ‘ hound on the left, (or right – depending where it is coming from) so they know what to do.
Equally, if the Master/Field Master, or any of the Hunt staff (Huntsman, Whipper-in) come up through the Field, shout out ‘Master/Field Master/Huntsman/Whip on left or right’ so the field can move to one side and let the person through.
It is the Field’s job to follow the Field Master. The Master will have liaised with the local farmers and given the Field Master appropriate instructions and the Field Master will know what route to take on the day.
If you come to a field and he goes through the middle of it, you should follow him as this will be a route that the Master has agreed with the farmer.
If you come to a crop field – ride round the edges (and don’t cut the corners).
If you come to a field of sheep/cattle – ride round them – not through the middle. Go slowly through a field of stock and avoid making them run.
If you come to an open gate – slow down and go through at a walk – and thank the person holding the gate open (he may be the landowner).
You will often hear ‘Gate Please’, passed back through the Field. This means the gate MUST be shut. Make absolutely sure the person behind you has heard. If you cannot get a response – shut it yourself. Gates left open during hunting are the single most common reason for farmers withdrawing their co-operation.
If you are the last person through the gate – you must close the gate. If you are last but one, you should stay behind to support the person closing the gate. It is impolite to leave someone on their own to do this.
If you arrive at a gate which is open and there is no other person around SHUT the gate as less harm can be done by shutting rather than leaving an open gate.
Wire – Never cut or remove any wire unless in an emergency i.e. if a horse is tangled up; if a hound is caught in the wire tell a hunt official immediately or as soon as you are able – do NOT approach a hound tangled in wire as it will be frightened and likely to bite you!
Wooden bridges present a particular hazard as they are often slippery. Once across, never gallop off as this might excite and endanger the horse behind – move off at a walk having waited for the horse behind you.
If you are jumping and your horse refuses, please go to the back of the Field and wait till last to go over. Again, it is bad form to block a jump so that the Field cannot get over. If you cannot get over – retrace your steps until you come to a road. Don’t just take the nearest route as this might take you through fields that a farmer has specifically asked us not to cross.
If you see a broken fence – please report it to the Master or Field Master.
Parking – When parking for a meet, do NOT park in gateways, driveways or on grass verges; always ensure there is sufficient room to allow the free flow of traffic at all times.
If the Field Master shouts at you – please don’t take offence. All of us have been shouted at some time. Sometimes the Field Master needs an immediate response to ensure the safety of all concerned, so don’t take it personally – the Field Master certainly won’t!
Useful Phrases
Anti - term for hunt saboteur, generally only used by hunting folk.
Babble - A hound babbles when it speaks unnecessarily.
Biddable - Hounds are said to be biddable when they are at their most responsive, that is, after they have just checked.
Blank - A huntsman and pack draw a blank when they fail to find a scent from the area in which they were searching. Thus a covert can be said to be blank.
Brace - Two foxes, hares or game birds.
Brush - a fox's tail
Cap – The subscription for a day’s hunting paid by hunt followers who are not members or subscribers.
Cast - A huntsman is said to be casting his hounds when he encourages them to spread out and search for the scent.
Check - A pack checks when it loses the scent
Country - Each Hunt has its own territory, regulated by the relevant governing body. If the line crosses into another Hunt's country, the hounds will be taken off the scent at the conclusion of the Trail.
Couple - Two hounds. Packs are always counted in couples.
Covert (pronounced 'cover') - Generally used to describe a wood or area of undergrowth
Cry - See Speak.
Autumn Hunting - The period immediately proceeding the main Hunt season, when the young hounds are trained.
Draw a blank - To draw a covert without finding a scent.
Draw - The act of encouraging the hounds through a covert in search of a scent.
Field - Collective term for mounted hunt followers.
Fixture List - See Meet Card
Foil - scent is foiled if it is spoilt for some reason, for instance if the scent crosses the line of other animals, a stream, strong smelling fertilizer or the petrol fumes from over-enthusiastic car followers.
Hound - Hunting dogs are always referred to as hounds.
Lawn Meet - A meet taking place at a private house/pub by invitation of the owner.
Line - The route along which the scent has been laid.
Meet - The Meet is where the Hunt and all followers collect before a day's hunting. It can be a private house, farm a pub, village green, crossroads, or other suitably accessible place. See also Lawn Meet.
Meet Card - A list of Meets is drawn up before the season starts and is distributed to all subscribers.
Own - Hounds are said to own the line when they pick up a scent.
Point-to-Point - A significant part of the Hunt revenue comes from these events. The programme is organised and run by the Hunt, in conjunction with the Jockey Club, and entries come from riders both inside and outside the Hunt. It is a one-day social event, usually taking place from January to early summer. Most Hunts have a permanent course which they may share with another Hunt to cut down costs. The races takes place over stiff brush fences.
Rat-Catcher – Tweed jacket worn for Autumn Hunting and, depending on local tradition, again after the end of the Cheltenham Festival.
Rate - A huntsman or whipper-in rates a hound when it riots (speaks on something other than the true scent), or strays too far from the pack. He will usually shout "leave it" or "git back to 'im", or some variant thereof.
Riot - Hounds riot when they disobey the Huntsman (rarely).
Root Crop - Kale, beet, turnips, potatoes, mangold, amongst others.
Speak - Hounds speak, that is yelp in a manner peculiar to hounds, when on the scent of a trail. Also known as giving tongue or voice, and being in cry.
Stirrup Cup - A drink offered to members of the field at Lawn Meets.
Subs - The yearly subscription paid by members and subscribers of the Hunt.
Thank you and Good Night – the words the Master/Field Master and Hunt staff most like to hear at the end of the day. They put a great deal of effort into organising your day’s hunting and it’s good to know their efforts have been appreciated.