Joint Meet with Sandhust Drag

Photographs courtesy of  Jamie Whitehorn

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Wow what a lovely day - we were so well received it was great -read on 

What a shame no one else from the BB - draghounds came out. Five Berks and Bucks riders rode out today. No rain but very wet under foot. We had great fun, so did our hounds. It was a joint meet with the RMA Sandhurst Draghounds. Well done Robin, John, Sean, Julie and me Nicky for turning up at this lovely meet. The setting was fabulous. We were greeted with  kindness by very generous hosts from the Four Seasons Hotel at Dogmersfield. The port was very welcoming and the beautifully prepared apple pies delicious. Thank you.

We started the first line by singing Happy Birthday to the field master Andrew Van Oostrum ( it was a very vocal hunt) and then set off in front of the hotel. Very wet. Some jumped and some cantered manoeuvring the horses through puddles. At least the hounds were all having a wonderful muddy time. We all managed to finish the line jumping some brilliantly made jumps by Simon. 

The second line went round the lake and again we jumped many beautifully made jumps. They were all situated either in the fence line or individually in this lovely parkland.  Still very wet. We did have a faller, muddy but not hurt. We went through the sheep and highland cow fields and all finished smiling and happy. 

The third line was a line of hedges which took out quite a few riders. Luckily no one was hurt.

We lost a few hounds here. Robin our laid back huntsman and John our debonair field master and whipper in jumped a number of the hedges twice to quickly regain control over the hounds. The other huntsman Mark spent some time on his mobile phone checking where his hounds had gone. All were found in the end. 

The fourth line was also around the hotel over some cross country jumps finishing over a beautifully built trough with plants and stopping in front of the hotel. 

Exhausted horses and happy riders then had tea in one of the stables in the yard. Soup, bead and cheese and yummy homemade cakes. 

A very big thank you for the fun day and what a shame there were no more B and B riders out to enjoy hunting in Hampshire. 

NH