The Kerry County Hunt Club - Scartaglen Hunt

Nolimits12

Over the last few days some photos have been floating around on facebook of a hunt this club partook in. These photos have caused quiet the stir with people posting comments onto the group saying things like "this is sick" and "these people need to be reported"

Link is here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kerry-County-Hunt-Club/165492706814526

Personally I don't see these photos as cruel. Yes the conditions where bad? Yes the riders did hang on the mouths of the horses. But how many show jumpers can say they are not guilty of pumping their horse with bute and forcing them to jump. Now thats sick. These people did not intentionally set out to pull on these horses mouths. It just looks like a bunch of people looking for an arguement. They even made comments on clothing people wore to the hunt!

These horses look fit and healthy. I'm sure they are well loved also. So what their owners are not riding properly. They are learning to ride and thats how they learn. We shouldnt stop people because they don't have the experience to do it. What do you think?

saddlesoap

Yes it has caused a stir and there was some really horrible things said about the people in the hunt and the Children which i found very cruel... I Hunt with this club (i wasnt out wen the photos were taken) But they mostly made remarks about the riding stye.. i.e pulling the horses in the mouth... Now a hunt last for 3 hours or more and in the pictures u can only see them jumping 5 jumps... So you cant from 5 jumps judge a whole hunt.... Different thing happen out hunting the you cant be prepared for that is why we get a rush from it... ANd you diffently cant learn it in an arena...

Now they were on bout the conditions of the horses they were mudy that is the horses love to be... Trust me if the horse is ill unfit or dosent want to do it.. IT WONT DO IT... These horses love it.. My fella if i opened the door on a Sunday morning he would walk himself into the horse box...

THis is how you learn to ride and your horse learns its balance and you build a realtionship with the horse... Isnt it alot better that the horses are getting fed to this job its just 3 hours a week.. then starving in a bog un loved with nothing to do
I hope this all dies down its going to ruin hunting in Ireland just like it happen in England... We were not out to be the best riders in the world we just want to go out enjoy our horses, the crountry side and our selves...

Nolimits12

I would just love to see how the people making the nasty comments ride! I bet they are not so great themselves.

If I took mine out on this she'd love it too. I'm just not brave enough to do it because she would tear off with excitement!

saddlesoap

ha ha... we feel the same.... U should that is the great ting bout the hunt clubs... No one get left behind and if you get stuck there are plenty of people to help you... its a great little community

doctor evil

Most of the trouble came from HHO, likes its a good forum with knowledgeble members there are a lot more idiots and gob****es that think the Irish beat the crap out of horses.

I read some of the comments on fb and it is pure ignorance.

fits

Some of the comments were hateful and horrid and OTT.

But also, the standard of horsemanship on view, wasnt great being honest. And yes, I do sock my horse in the mouth the odd time when we get it wrong. But not everytime. Neckstraps are a wonderful thing going over a drain....

Nolimits12

Their facebook page got deleted because of this

doctor evil

Did they delete it themselves?

saddlesoap

The comments were way over the top special were the kids were concern... One person even said we send the horses to the fatory after the season is over... I have know idea where she heard that cos most of these horses have bn out last year and the year before..
The riding isnt that great by some people but most of us ride fine... The kids are gonna have a few accidents like that but sure thats how they will learn... There was one picture of a little girl jumping her pony beautifully across a drain and people kept stating that the pony was un happy and looked in a state cos it was dirty ... in fairness if the pony was unhappy it would not have jumped.. and the dirty comments were just stupid...:eek:

Yes the facebook page was deleted and so was all our photos of previous hunts.. i just hope it hasnt spoilt our hunt club...:(

fits

was that the girl on the black pony? I did think the comments on that photo were totally unfair and unwarranted.

convert

Facebook has privacy settings for a reason. This is just one example of why they should be used.

Fwiw, I think the comments were exceptionally harsh and only attracted attention because the page was set up by a hunt. I've seen far worse riding on charity rides.

cappa11

ive seen the photos and the comments.as a regular hunter my concern would be the turn out of the horses and the ponies dirty coats and long scraggy manes, unshod and unclipped.it realy wouldnt take a lot to tidy them up.
I know if i handed my daughter a pony in this state to hunt she would refuse to be seen on it.
on a day out hunting your and your horses turn out is number 1.
as for the kids style of riding give them a chance they will be far better next year i bet but neck straps would go a long way.

AS FOR THE BIG LAD ON THE PONY THAT CLEARLY WASNT ABLE TO TAKE HIS WEIGHT UP THE BANK THAT WAS NOT ON AND HOPEFULLY THE STAFF OF THE HUNT WILL PUT A STOP TO THIS.

cappa11

I wouldnt agree that it was targeted because it was set up by a hunt club our club has a face book page that is totaly public and we never get those sort of comments.

fits

Its important to note that they're not a registered hunt either. Its some sort of unaffiliated drag outfit.

I'm not too worried about turnout generally. I dont think being unclipped for example, is necessarily an indication of poor welfare standards. There is no point in clipping a pony that hunts twice a year. Correctly fitting tack etc is more important than the bells and whistles of hunt coats and stocks.

convert

I agree with fits re clipping. In the past I've had a horse who may have hunted 3 or 4 times in the year, so there was no point in clipping him. He was also getting gentle work at home so he didn't sweat very often. If he did, we'd walk him 'till he was dry, then bring him back to the stable and groom the sweat out of him. It may have taken more time than if he was clipped, but in the best interests of the horse it was pointless to clip him for the handful of times he got work, especially given the harsh weather.

Moreover, just because a horse isn't clipped doesn't mean that he's automatically badly turned out.

Btw, how do you know the horses werw unshod? And would you not expect them to be a bit muddy given they're out hunting (or on a charity run)?-

cappa11

i still have the photos on my pc thats how i know there are unshod overgrown hooves,i know some of these people and they hunt every week i suppose ungroomed is the better word than unclipped.
ya ther are not a registered club.

there realy is no excuse for the dirt of them and its not just from the days hunting if you looked at the photos from the start before they ever hit a field they were dirty and scraggy.

realy there should be someone there at the hunt to check the animals and the tack,mabey just to give them advice as some are very new to the world of horses.

cappa11

again i never said the horses welfare was at risk i honestly dont think it was.i just think they looked a total mess and there is no need for it.a rub of a brush and a bit of water .
have they no shame

convert

Can we try to cut down on the quanity of text speak and shorthand used in posts, please, and maybe try to include a little bit of punctuation to make posts a little easier for others to read. Thanks.

notsobusy

I have to agree with Cappa11. I hunt myself and I thought those photo's were awful and an awful representation of hunting in Ireland. The turn out was appalling.

Convert if I were only going to hunt a horse a few times one year I wouldn't give it a full clip but I would at least have a trace clip or something similar.

Turnout is a very important part of hunting and I'm sorry but don't call yourselves a hunt if you're going to turn out like a bunch of chavs.

There was some awful riding and I initially thought that you can't judge that on a few ditches but you know what I have been out following a few packs on foot lately and to be honest I saw one or two bad positions over many ditches. Certainly not as many as I saw with this hunt club. The whole lot of you should be ashamed of yourselves and should have put FB photos on private.

By the way, do you have hounds? Or is this a drag pack with no hounds?

timewilltell

I'm sorry, but the photos were terrible.

I wouldn't consider myself overly PC, and myself and the family often ride our lot bareback and head out hacking looking like something from In To the West (6 Skewbalds!) but those photos shocked me.

I firmly believe every hunt should have a dress code. The riders look so much smarter. It doesnt take much to throw on a pair of jods in fairness.

Secondly, it's called basic grooming. Some of those ponies looked terribly scraggy loking, and regardless of riding, owners should take pride in their appearance. I have a mare that has been out die to injury, but I still pull her mane, clip her tail, etc.

I also want to address what some people here said about the riders 'only learning to ride'. I'm sorry but a hunt is not somewhere for someone to 'learn how to ride.' Sure, hunting toughened me up and definitely made me braver, but I could ride before I started hunting.

liza22

But how many show jumpers can say they are not guilty of pumping their horse with bute and forcing them to jump. Now thats sick. These people did not intentionally set out to pull on these horses mouths. It just looks like a bunch of people looking for an arguement. They even made comments on clothing people wore to the hunt!

These horses look fit and healthy. I'm sure they are well loved also. So what their owners are not riding properly. They are learning to ride and thats how they learn. We shouldnt stop people because they don't have the experience to do it. What do you think?[/QUOTE]

I can't see the pics and seem to be the only member of the equestrian community I know of that has not seen them. So I can't comment really. But I feel the need to respond to the above question regarding showjumpers. I showjump at a reasonably high level and have done so for many years. I don't pump my horses full of bute and force them to jump and neither do I know anybody else who does!

Regarding criticism of what people wore to the hunt - what do you expect if people are poorly turned out? I see it as disrespectful not to make an effort, whether you are riding at a hunt meet, a competition (affiliated or not) or at sales. I can't tell you how annoyed I get when I see riders showing up at the sales ring wearing tracksuit bottoms and wellies. I may sound like a snob, but image is important and making an effort is a mark of respect to the organisers.

And why should we stop people who are learning to ride and do not have have the 'experience to do it' ?! Well, the obvious answer for that to me would be you stop them because the hunting field is no place to learn how to ride, and completely inexperienced riders are a danger to themselves, their horses, and everyone around them. You should have a stable riding position at all gaits and over a variety of obstacles before you go hunting. Just my opinion!

Nolimits12

liza22 wrote: »

But I feel the need to respond to the above question regarding showjumpers. I showjump at a reasonably high level and have done so for many years. I don't pump my horses full of bute and force them to jump and neither do I know anybody else who does!

Well I've had the experience myself through working with top level shhow jumpers. Some of whom competed in the olympics who during the "minor" showjumping events they would ask for bute in the horses feed!!

Also we had one horse whos career should of been finished because of the severity of his lameness but he was so valuable and such a good jumper bute was pumped into him and he was forced to continue on

fits

There are bad eggs in every equestrian sphere, hunting, showjumping, dressage... Life is just like that. No discipline is immune.