The Kennels, Slivericks Farm

October 24th, 2002

A small field met at the kennels on a very warm and sunny Thursday to enjoy a day's hunting. It was also an opportunity to get the horses ready for the hedges at Mark Cross meet on the Sunday by jumping some of Nic and Sue's and Colin Baker's challenging hedges.

Roger Manning was nominated as the field master for the day, but confessed to having no idea where we were going! Nic warned him that we were not jumping some of the drop hedges although they were trimmed and ready for action. Roger in turn told the field to watch him over the hedges first and, if he dropped out of sight, to find another route through!

Hounds were laid on below the farm. They hunted through Pagden Wood out onto Corr van de Meer's land in a big circle before jumping back onto Slivericks and hunting up the hill to take the quarry by Chapel House.

The second hunt laid on into Weavers Wood where hounds made a great noise through the trees before jumping out at the top onto Colin Baker's - where the field enjoyed jumping some of the large holly hedges, successfully missing out the large drops as the ground was still firm. They took the quarry in the pond at the top of the hill.

The third hunt started with the field given about ten strides to a very large hedge. It was like taking an adrenaline shot straight into the arm, after the relaxing wait for the hunt to start! Hounds hunted back into Wheeler's Wood where the hounds were at fault and stopped and given a good telling off by the huntsman. Once laid on the correct line they raced back across the farm to take the quarry at the back of the kennels. The field enjoyed some mixed jumping over tyres and ditches, finishing with a large hedge below the kennels - which we did not realise dropped away so much until Roger disappeared (after a slight argument with Thomas, his horse, who wanted to take a more direct route after the hounds!) But most of the field followed him over, to their obvious enjoyment.

The field then retired for tea at Mr and Mrs Faulkner's, otherwise known as Sue's mum and dad.

It was a gloriously sunny day with the ground was on the firm side of good. All in all a pleasant midweek meet of the unemployed. Quarry were Adrian and Louise.