FOXHUNTING 



some printed matter should reach him by some 

 means. 



My experience tells me that much of the real 

 damage comes from the hiring stable. Before I 

 leave this question of damage let us join issue on a 

 few points. The major damage I would say is to 

 the fences, for they do get knocked about a bit on 

 occasion by the indifferent horse and more often 

 than not by the bad horseman, and gates are left 

 open, causing cattle to stray. A gate-shutter follow- 

 ing the Hunt does much to check this trouble, but 

 unfortunately he is powerless to repair a broken 

 fence. This, one hopes, will receive some attention 

 next day from the Area Manager. The question of 

 damage to fields and field-crops is undoubtedly 

 more of an eyesore than any real harm, but with 

 due care and attention, particularly in the late 

 spring, we can place this complaint in the minor 

 list. Growing roots of course must be avoided at 

 all costs and, whilst making my complaints against 

 hunting people, there is a vice I would like to 

 mention, one that you so often see. Why does the 

 unthinking sportsmah immediately loose his horse 

 for a strong gallop after passing through a gateway 

 when hounds are not running ? How often you 

 see damage done in this way, cutting up turf to no 

 purpose, all that sort of thing should be done on 

 some fallow field. 



There is yet another misdeed which is rather 

 too often practised I am afraid, again it is done from 

 the want of thought, that is when hounds are 

 passing through a village or perhaps a farmyard, a 



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