Dewy mornings, cooler weather and a faster setting sun are just some of the clues that summer is giving way to autumn. However, across our Northern Irish countryside there is another tell-tale element that bridges the gap between shorts and waterproof trousers and this season the signs are more prevalent than ever.

Over the last number of weeks local hunt clubs throughout Northern Ireland have been calling in our autumn and bringing back to life much loved scenes as they host an array of hunt hacks, fun rides and “hack n’ craic” days. These open-to-all, welcoming rides raising crucial funds for the clubs leave everyone with smiling faces, lots of memories and happy horses, which is why Countryside Alliance Ireland (CAI) was thrilled to attend one over the weekend and get involved with some of the excitement.

If you were to ask ten people why they came, you would be sure to get ten different answers - for some it’s the love of equine pursuits: galloping through open fields, the bond of horse and rider, or simply a great way to get your horse fit for the season ahead. For others, it's community: a young rider on her first pony, a farmer who has swapped his pickup for a horse, or a family on foot excited to follow the riders through the countryside, enjoying a Saturday of adventure. No matter the thrill you seek, however, one thing in particular shared by all is the love of our countryside and the amazing scenery that is on display.

This undeniable pleasure is something that money can’t easily buy, but has been built by generations-long relationships between hunt clubs, farmers and landowners, opening gates to some of the most beautiful landscapes in Northern Ireland and giving an access-all-areas pass to views that you might otherwise never have the opportunity to see. This privilege was never more clearly on display than during the CAI’s attendance at East Down Hunt Club's Pre-Season Hack, taking off from the foot of the Mourne mountains in Maghera, County Down, and sweeping up through the hills via country lanes and long-forgotten paths, giving way to an experience that is only attainable thanks to a rural community has worked together to make it possible.

Northern Ireland currently has no shortage of headlines about division, culture clashes or political differences; however, this weekend as I stood awaiting both the mounted riders and foot field to take off, it was quite clear that these headlines were not on the agenda, reminding me how rural culture has always been able to cut through the differences reported on the news. Whether it’s shared passion for horses, hounds, fishing, game conservation or a simple love of the land, questions of cultural stances or political views are replaced by questions such as “have you got that girth done up enough?”. At a time when so much is seemingly threatening to pull us apart, our countryside remains as set as ever on coming together.

While this oneness remains at the heart of our countryside, the pressure against it continues to rise, as we have witnessed a series of unjustified attacks over the last number of months on rural livelihoods, and still face the proposed Hunting with Dogs Bill that would lead to the loss of much of this way of life. Not only does this jeopardise people's pastimes, social gathering and communities, but creates irreparable damage to the livelihoods of so many working in our agricultural and nature sectors in the process, risking much of the habitat and wildlife that we love and threatening the ability of fun-ride-style events to take place across Northern Ireland.

This is why it’s more important than ever to support these local hunt events, by finding your nearest club, checking out their upcoming dates and turning up, tacking up or simply joining in. By doing so, CAI can assure you you'll you have a fantastic day and make many happy memories. There is no need to be an expert rider. You do not even need to have a horse or own a pair of jodhpurs, simply a willingness to say yes, and in the process, you will be standing up for your community, your culture, our countryside and the people who sustain it.