Alice White
As you know, one of the traditional British amusements is par-four hunting, and in particular fox hunting. Full-scale, one might even say ceremonial, hunting is shrouded in a system of traditions and rules.
It is a kind of tea ceremony, where each gesture and sound has its own meaning. For example, the clothes of the participants – for beginners only a black frock coat. Honored hunters are entitled to red. Gamekeepers, gamekeepers, and gamekeepers also wear a red frock coat and black velvet hat. Special hunting boots are also required. Entertainment is expensive – they usually hunt on long horseback rides with dogs.
Under the saddle are Unthers, a special breed obtained from a mixture of the blood of agile and graceful horsemen and strong and hardy sledges. Dogs are an indispensable attribute and, perhaps, the main character of the hunt. This is certainly a well-coordinated pack of hounds, led by an experienced leader, with a wonderful sense of smell and harmonious voices. Here we are talking specifically about the hounds – the kings of the woodland, who know how to follow the trail. Beagles are most often used today. And finally, the main character of the day is a fox.
The beast is smart, dexterous, cunning. Hunting can be carried out in three ways: without dogs, the hunters themselves try to catch up with the beast and seize it; an equestrian huntsman drags a sponge soaked in fox urine, followed by dogs; the actual hunt for a fox, which early in the morning the huntsmen are driven out of their burrows, caught in a net and then released in front of the pack.
Interestingly, the Greens managed to ban hunting in the British Parliament back in 2001. But the hunts still continue, because there are several loopholes in the law, in particular, it is not forbidden to train dogs to smell, to lure foxes out of their holes, as well as horseback riding accompanied by a pack of dogs, but if you meet a fox on the way, then the dogs themselves, “Accidentally” can chase her. By the way, among the members of the royal family there have always been fans of this entertainment – both Prince Charles and Prince William, as well as Richard the Lionheart, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I.
