From the Fox's viewpoint
 
The rain did not seem to want to stop on the morning of the 21st Febuary, but when the meet began the skies cleared for a time. It seemed only the brave few appeared that day. The Field Master being Nick Fuller, Huntswoman being Michaela Blackburn, and other masters including David Wickham and Mike Potts.

The jumps were not optional but with good horses and a swift stirrup cup we were on our way trotting up the lanes looking to our first jump, a double set of telegraph poles through a clearing in the woods. We drove forward and on through Church Farm's land full of jumps from one field to the next. Being Woldingham the ground was pretty good going due to the chalky high grounds, not that much unlike Warren Barn Farm even though it had rained heavily that morning. The first line seemed to go on forever but eventually we stopped in a clearing for a rest bringing a smile to the all the riders' faces as we slowed. After the horses had regained their breath and we had shared a hip flask or two we left heading for fresh pastures through some of the most stunning English countryside over which the local farmers had so kindly let us ride through that day.

Later in the day we came across a rustic pole with a sharp turn to the left.  Unfortunately, a couple of Masters took a tumble showing how challenging this hunt can be, one of whom was David Wickham who bravely soldiered on mounting his horse again to carry on despite an injury to his chest.  We then managed to plough back through the terrain towards Church Farm and headed home after a fantastic day before the rain set in again. Can't wait for the next Hunt!!.....
 
Yours
 
The Fox

The weather leading up to the hunt had been terrible, bearing in mind that we had the worst November since records began for rain. It wasn’t looking too promising when the storm clouds came over and it started to rain again as we were tacking up.

Luckily enough the farmers were kind enough to give us permission to go across their land which is a blessing and very good of them considering how wet it had been!

We had some fantastic runs around Kennel Farm’s hedges, over to three fields behind Knights Garden Centre, across to Birchen Shaw opposite Warren Barn, over Wash Pond Lane to the back of Ledgers Farm then back over the fields to cross Beech Farm Road going past the model plane airfield and down into the valley. We then came back over the rails up to the top of Lumberdine Wood, taking the track to Warren Barn over the big hedge next to Uplands Byway and then the last gallop along the top of Limpsfield Road to take the privet hedge before the kill and calling for home.

Certainly a long day but plenty of jumping for those wanting their monies worth!

What a glorious day the 27^th turned out to be – too hot really for heavy old hunt coats and the like. But it was the Opening Beginners Mock Hunt, and gather we did at Warren Barn for a day’s fun.  Was the weather or the hard ground – not too hard really, given that there was a good covering of grass over everything – but we didn’t attract as large a crowd as some Opening Meets. We had about fifty riders in all.

A very small boy on a tiny pony, who was coming to his first mock hunt, took one of the Best Turned Out Prizes, generously donated by Ted at the Woldingham Saddlers. Jules Winn-Jones on Fudge came up to collect his prize, and then turned away under the head of  Kim Deakin, our fox! He’d come to the Meet with Louise Squire, on Oscar, who regularly joins us  - and she took the other prize for the first time. So well done to both of them.

This might be a good time to say a word about dress – for everyone.  We should all try to be as smartly turned out as possible, with horses and ponies properly groomed, and, where appropriate, plaited.  It’s a splendid sight to see massed riders spread out in the glorious sun, but it would be better if everyone kept their jackets on!.

We set off toward Green Hill at a steady pace, with Kim leading the way over the first jump – the tyres. Every jump is optional at Beginners hunts, and quite a few people didn’t want to jump it. But quite a few did, and we cantered off up the hill for a first break at the top. Our route then took us down into the valley, over the log and on down to the path at the bottom. Those people at the back were still coming down, when the front of the field set off again, and at least one young lade was struggling to control her horse here. A good thing to remember is if you are nervous, and even if you don’t want to jump, you are much better off at the front.

We are going to stage Beginners Mock Hunt Clinics next year, which Bob Kirk is set to arrange. One will be organized before our January Mock Hunt at Warren Barn, and the other before the March Meet, hopefully to tempt some of the more nervous riders to ‘kick on and go’. Everyone will have a timed place and there’ll be an experienced rider with you to show the way over jumps as well as fill in any of the protocol details which you may not  quite understand. Keep watching this space, or our website.

One lady came off at the top of the hill, on the other side of Uplands Road, when we crossed via a hedge which now has a much improved line. She landed on her chin, but seemed none the worse for wear. Paul, our paramedic, didn’t have much to do until Sam Underdown, on her first hunt, was kicked by my horse, and broke her leg. It was an unfortunate end of the hunt for Sam, who’ll almost certainly miss her skiing this year – but hopefully she’ll be up and about soon. She is certainly looking forward to hunting again.

We invited to join the Mid Surrey Farmers Drag who’ll be hunting – with hounds – from Church Farm on Saturday 17^th October. And after that, we have another Mock Hunt on the 29^th November, at Kennel Farm. Hope to see you all at both.

David Wickham