The Braes of Derwent Hunt is situated in the north east of England, near the border between County Durham and Northumberland. If you wish to come trail hunting with a small but friendly pack please get in touch. Increasingly we are seeing a growing number of people who wish to hunt but may feel intimidated by what they see and what ‘the rules of the club’ are. We don’t bite and welcome all newcomers, whatever their level of riding skills.
The hunting year officially begins on 1st May. Although no hunting is taking place, it is when the Masters are re-appointed or new Masters take up their positions. Also, any new kennels or stables staff begin their duties.
Riding activities actually start as soon as the harvest allows and is termed Autumn Hunting. The meet is usually at dawn because scenting is stronger on the damp morning before the sun gets up. It introduces the young hounds to the older members of the pack, and riders use the occasion to get their horses hunting fit. Although we stick to the old terms, no hunting now takes place, but this time of the season we use for hound exercise – an ideal start time for newcomers since the pace is quite gentle. The opening meet of the season proper usually takes place around the beginning of November. We carry out trail hunting two days per week.
WHAT HAPPENS
The hunting day starts with the Meet, usually at someone’s house, farm or a pub. You may be offered a drink – usually port – and a small bite to eat. Visitors and Members should say ‘good morning Master’ to the Masters. Visitors must then seek out the Hunt Secretary to introduce yourself and to pay the cap for the day if it has not already been paid. You must have already contacted the Secretary to request permission to come out on that day as sometimes we have limits on the number of mounted riders. If you are unsure about anything, just ask.
One of our Masters may be Field Master for the day, we also have additional Field Masters, the word of the Masters is law! You will know the Masters because they wear coats with four brass buttons. The Rider wearing five brass buttons will be the Huntsman (who will be surrounded by his hounds). The Secretary is the one with the satchel on their shoulder.
The Meet will last around twenty minutes and at the end one of the Masters will usually make a short announcement thanking the hosts and confirming who the day’s Field Master is and, more importantly, telling the mounted followers (The Field) of any local restrictions, such as keeping off grass headlands or not riding over newly seeded fields, so do listen carefully. When you hear the cry ‘hounds please’, the huntsman and hounds will move off through the Field to begin the day’s activities.
These days we follow a trail laid by a rider who has left earlier, so that no one knows their route across country. You must follow the Field Master at all times; do not overtake – it’s a cardinal sin. Depending on your proficiency, you can ride close up to the Field Master, stay with the bunch in the middle of the Field or gently follow up at the rear. Hunting can be exciting and invigorating, and you may get carried away, so when jumping, allow plenty of room for the horse in front – it may stop or fall. If your horse stops, go round to the back – do not do a sharp turn in front of other riders. If you go through a gate and someone in front shouts ‘gate please’, pass this on to the riders behind, but if you are the last person through the gate, you must close the gate – another cardinal rule. If in any doubt always close the gate. Always give precedence to the Huntsman and his hounds and the Masters. If you hear the shout ‘hounds please’, ‘Huntsman please’ or ‘Whip please’ you must get out of the way and turn your horse to face the hounds.
Watch out for horses with red (prone to kick) or green (young or inexperienced) ribbons in their tails and remember to give them as much room as possible. If your horse wears a ribbon please remember to stay at the back of the field, it is your responsibility to keep your horse out of trouble, not that of other riders to avoid you.
We hunt only by agreement with our landowners and farmers, and hunting could not take place without their active support. Remember: you are riding across someone else’s land. If someone holds a gate for you, be sure to thank them; it would be arrogant not to and it may be the farmer whose land you are crossing. Be courteous to those who follow on foot and do not hold up vehicles on the roads – they may be working and not following the Hunt.
When you wish to go home, it is courteous to say ‘Good night’ (no matter what time of day it is) to people around you and thank the Master for the day’s hunting – he or she has spent a lot of time organising it.