TRUE TO THE LINE
Aged 24, the author was Master and huntsman to a pack of foxhounds. That was the start of a 30-year hunting career that would span Dartmoor, Yorkshire, High Leicestershire and farther afield. Hunting is in Adrian Dangar’s blood and etched into his bones.
A huntsman must have the hide of elephant, a Master even more so. Hunting politics would make the most formidable home secretaries weep. To combine the roles of huntsman and Master requires a confidence and manner than brooks no nonsense, can be galling to some but, most importantly, garners success.
Dangar’s memoirs offer an insight into that life and the huge cast of country characters that make the hunting world work.
Over 26 chapters, each introduced by a charming Daniel Crane line drawing, Dangar relives his remarkable hunting career. It takes erudition to transfer the intangible nature of a hunting day onto the page but this Field contributor manages it with aplomb.
For those who have ridden to hounds, this book will be a joy to read. It is a paen to hounds and venery, and one that should grace every foxhunter’s library.