If you haven’t been out autumn hunting yet - either following hounds on foot or mounted - you’re missing out on what many consider to be the best time of the year, as well as being the most important in terms of the education of the young hounds.
Social media posts from the first couple of weeks of the season have been showing beautiful, misty morning images, many also capturing the classic sight of the sun rising as hounds are viewed between a horse’s ears. Nothing signals the start of autumn hunting quite like it.
For those of us who follow any pack of hounds, autumn hunting holds a special place in our hearts. It’s not the high-octane action of the main season, but rather a gentle reintroduction to everything that the hunting calendar is geared towards as we head towards opening meets. This time of year gives us the chance to shake off the summer rust and to reconnect with the people who make up this extraordinary community.
The most important aspect of autumn hunting is the education of the young entry. It’s a time when the next generation of hounds begin to learn their trade, with masters, puppy walkers, huntsmen and their staff, watching over them with intense pride as they mature over the course of the season.
Autumn hunting provides an invaluable opportunity to watch hounds work whilst also preparing for the season ahead as horse and rider build up their fitness together, as do those following hounds on foot.
The slower pace of autumn hunting can provide a good opportunity to introduce a new or young horse to the hunting field in a more relaxed, gentle setting than during the open season too. They’ll be able to get used to the sounds and the sights, as well as the company of other horses.
As the leaves fall and the young entry gain in confidence, it’s easy to forget that what we all hold dear is yet again going to be under scrutiny with the government’s manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting. With our hunts and our hounds under threat, the start of the 2025/26 season is a chance for the hunting community to unite, reset and refocus. A moment to remind ourselves why we do this and what is at stake if we don’t protect it.