Barbury Castle 25th March 2007

Pictures to follow

The last day of this season’s drag hunting was due to be at the lovely venue of Stowell Park but this has, unfortunately, been cancelled due to the wet ground. Consequently, our last day was at Barbury Castle Estate which is on chalk downs so the going was superb over grassland and gallops. There was an excellent turnout with many new faces. The first of four lines was completely new and, having skirted round the top of the all-weather gallop where Cheltenham winners are trained, we met equally new fences incorporating, at times, a recently fallen tree or two which had been stylised into an interesting multiple challenge, bringing huge smiles to the many faces that took them on. The second line brought a gaping trakehner which even the huntsman’s horse took a dislike to (but he was trying to rescue a hound at the same time). A little further on, John the whipper-in was seen impersonating John Wayne with great aplomb when catching a riderless horse, at the gallop, and without treading on a single hound! Unfortunately, the loose horse belonged to one of our Masters who had a difference of opinion with a jump and took a nose-dive into the Wiltshire turf (short term discomfort only we hope). That mishap brought a halt to a very short day for him having joined us at the start of the second line as the change to British Summer Time had been overlooked in his household! In his defence, our other Master (the hostess at Barbury) had also been guilty of forgetting the time change but luckily discovered the omission at 9am instead of 12 noon.

A short hack to the start of the third line brought us in view of “Woodhenge”, the horse trials fence, but we took a route through the nearby copse up the hill towards the Ridgeway where a wonderful view of the Marlborough Downs opened up before us. Fortunately, one hound was reluctant to be as proficient as the rest of the pack and brought the whole field down to a welcome slower pace (and breather) while everyone tried to encourage him to join in the fun.

Astonishingly, the favoured fourth line still had riders struggling with their brakes, but once we met the substantial jumps up the hill the field spread out quite well and took their choice of fences. One or two left us at this point to take advantage of popping out on to the Ridgeway to hack home, but they missed the tea afterwards which was enjoyed by most of the field even if some had evidence of a close encounter with the ground and will need to buy new breeches for next season!