Hunting Etiquette
Before the Meet
Check the meet card for where and when the hunt is meeting.
If you are not a subscriber, please ring the secretary and ask if you may join the hunt for the day. Newcomers should check that the meet is suitable for them and she will advise you where to park.
Arrival at the Meet
Ensure your horse and it's tack are clean and well turned out.
You should look smart & wear the correct clothing which comprises of:
• Cream or Fawn Breeches or Jodhpurs
• Dark or Tweed Jacket (strictly speaking, a Tweed jacket should be worn for Autumn Hunting and Black Jacket for the Hunting season, although in this hunt Children are
encouraged to stay in Ratcatcher throughout the hunting season)
• Velvet hat / scull cap with black or navy silk
• Cream / white stock or tie (Pony Club tie for children)
• Gloves are optional but should be light in colour (e.g. white or cream) with a black
jacket after opening meet, and dark in colour with Ratcatcher during Autumn
Hunting.
• Long hair should be kept tidy with a hairnet.
Aim to arrive at least ten minutes before the time of the meet and be mounted at the meet by the time stated on the meet card.
Park sensibly in the designated area ensuring you aren't blocking a lane or driveway or anything that may cause congestion or inconvenience to other road users.
On arrival at the meet introduce yourself to the Master(s). Seek out the person responsible for collecting caps (secretary, who usually wears a green armband). Please do not leave it to them to seek you out.
Hunting is a sport to enjoy. The more people you talk to at the meet, the happier the atmosphere that is created and the quicker you will make friends.
Make sure to face your horse to the hounds should you be in close proximity of them. Do not allow your horse to tread upon or kick a hound. A horse will by instinct kick out at something that comes up unexpectedly from behind.
This rule applies throughout the hunt.
At the end of the meet, the Master will address the followers thanking the hosts and giving out the arrangements for the day. At the meet it is announced who will be “Field Master” for the day, if it is not the speaker. Then the Huntsman blows his horn to gather hounds and they set off to begin the day. Do remember to keep your horse facing the hounds at the meet, as well as when moving off.
During the Hunt
If your horse is a novice a Green ribbon should be worn at the top of the horses tail.
No one should bring out hunting a horse which kicks, but if a horse has been known to kick out if other horses come too close behind it, a red ribbon should be worn at the top of it's tail.
If hounds come towards you, face your horse to them.
Ensure you stay behind the Field Master and do not get in the way of the huntsman or whippers in.
Pass on any messages when they come, loud and clear – such as “gate-please” or “keep in please” for example.
Shutting Gates - It is the duty of all hunt followers to ensure that all gates that have been opened are closed. Please thank any person who opens the gate and do not ride off and leave a mounted follower to try and shut a gate on their own.
Generally practice good manners – they go a long way and cost nothing. Make sure you thank everyone that does something to make your day more enjoyable such as opening a gate.
When jumping, wait your turn. If your horse refuses then let the others go first before trying again. If it stops three times, don’t carry on trying, you will just make a mess and risk injury.
If you should damage a fence, gate or any other of the landowners property, ensure you leave it stock proof and report it to the master or secretary as soon as practicable. If you forget or can’t find someone, it could result in livestock getting out on to the road, so a phone-call to one of the hunt officials to inform them will be gratefully received.
At the end of the day (or when you decide to finish), be sure to thank the Masters and say “Goodnight”.
Things to AVOID
Upsetting farmers and landowners – be most courteous to them and remember that they enable our sport to take place and so treat them with utmost respect. You probably won’t know these people, so it is good policy to greet and thank everyone you meet as you cross land. They do in fact get very upset if they are ignored.
Taking the direct route straight across a field and / or causing distress to livestock. Always ride around the perimeter.
Cutting though fields to get home or back to the lorry without prior permission. Even if you crossed the land when you were with ‘The Field’, the landowner gave permission for the hunt to cross, not individual followers on their way home. Also bear in mind that the land owner may have given time constraints to the hunt officials after which the hunt is not allowed. Once you have left ‘The Field’, stick to public rights of way.
| Signals | |
|---|---|
| Green Ribbon | Worn on the tail of a young horse – give it some space. |
| Hand behind the back | Means this horse might kick if you crowd it. |
| Hand in the air by gateway | Signal to people coming towards a gate, but out of hearing, that the gate should be shut. The response to which should be to hold your hand in the air to show you have got the message and will shut the gate. |
| Red Ribbon | Worn on the tale of a known kicker. These horses should be kept at the back of the field until they become educated and no longer need to wear a ribbon. |
| Whip in the air | (usually by Field Master) - This means stand still where you are, not wait until you get level with the Field Master and then stop. |
| Hunt Buttons | When you first start hunting, the buttons on your hunting coat should be plain. Subscribers who, over a period of time, have gained knowledge and been helpful to the hunt may be awarded with the hunts button to go on their hunting coat. Along with the buttons, the Croome & West Warwickshire also have a green collar, which was inherited from the West Warwickshire when they amalgamated with the Croome Hunt in 1973-74. Our buttons are stamped with the initials of the Croome Hunt and the crest of the Coventry family who founded the Croome Hunt. The number of buttons you have depends on your position within the hunt. Normal Subscribers should have three buttons on the front of their coat, Masters four and Hunt Staff have five. |
| Hat Ribbons | Hunt Caps and most Riding hats have ribbons on the back, the ends of these ribbons hang down when they are bought. Only Masters, Hunt Officials and Hunt Staff should have their ribbon-ends hanging down, so members of the field should sow their ribbons up, or remove them. This is to help members of the field tell if they are following a Master, Hunt Official or Hunt Staff. |
