So what is hunting all about?

Traditionally, foxhunting is about tracking down and chasing foxes, which, if caught, are killed by trained hounds managed by a professional huntsman.

The group of riders on horseback, known as the ‘field’ are led by a field master, assisted by the whippers-in, who also help the huntsman who is in charge of the hounds. The huntsman communicates with the hounds and the rest of the field by using various different calls on his horn. The sound of this horn, ringing out across frosty fields, is unmistakeable. Foxhunting originated in England in the 16th century, in a form very similar to that practised until February 2005, when a law banning hunting with dogs came into force in England and Wales. Now, hunting involves laying scent trails mimicking the movement of the fox.

For many, hunting combines the matchless beauty of the English countryside, the camaraderie of shared danger and the glamour of a mobile cocktail party – those hip flasks get shared around with the riding stops – and there is the dressing up!