Fox hunting is it Acceptable?

All blood sports they say are wrong, cruel and shouldn’t be allowed. The next sentence ought to be, “Who are they?” and “Why do they make those statements?” The upholders of such traditions will tell you it is a honourable sport. They say the countryside would be over run with animals, some considered to be vermin, if hunting was banned. You would hear arguments of poor country folk who would be on the verge of ruin, if hunting was to be banned ie; saddle and boot makers, uniform suppliers, servants, hunt masters, kennel keepers, inn keepers and so on and so on.

However, I feel that the only honour in such a sport belongs in the imaginings of those ‘honourable people’ who perpetuate such bloodshed.
It is after all is said and done a blood sport, at the end of a day of frivolity, something living dies.

Will the countryside really be over run; is human interference really needed to abnormally ‘cull’ certain species? Wouldn’t you think by now people would realise, that nature mostly has its own way of keeping things under control. If by mere chance interference was needed by ‘Mother Nature,’ it must, at all times, be done in an utterly humane way.

Animals in the wild seem to have little problem sorting out, who lives where and who is in charge. When there is no human interference, like ripping down habitats etc, they seem able to cope and survive. In my opinion, fox hunting is not a form of culling at all. It is however a form of killing with fervour and delight, a social occasion when ‘one does, doesn’t one’ if you are well placed on the social ladder. As for their so-called uniforms, blood red jackets, now that’s appropriate!

There are psychological tests that have been done with prisoners that prove beyond doubt that colours do affect our moods. Bright red is an energy colour, an aggressive colour that has been known to cause or promote violent behaviour. Then those ‘white’ trousers, a virginal colour of purity, of blamelessness. Food for thought indeed!
So, lets marry these two colours and what do we have (psychologically speaking, of course). A bright energetic sometimes aggressive male, to marry a pure and virginal maid. That would have given Sigmund Freud enough theories to last a lifetime. Most likely those same theories would still be rattling round many halls of learning even today.

As far as the poor country folk who will be jobless, homeless and most likely bankrupt are concerned, well I say, Rubbish. What of all the village crafts that are dying out because not enough young people are spending years as apprentices? Dry stonewalling; roof thatching is two of the more obvious arts that are dying out, amongst others. Another old art in the news this week, intertwining hedges so they grow laterally and form natural boundaries, no one learning this skill. Maybe instead they are all breeding hunting hounds, running grooming parlours, becoming vets, mending fences, serving cream teas with a cup of earl grey to wash it down. One would suppose the farriers, along with the Inns and local B&B’s do a pretty good trade.

A debate on the television clearly stated that there is not nearly enough in this country to cater, entertain or encourage the tourist. So often we hear moans and groans about how much money is leaving the country, why not encourage some back. It was said that there are pockets of facilities but there was a great deal more that could be done. A group of teenagers came up with numerous ideas to help, some old and trusted ideas, which had been tried in a few places. It was argued that these could be expanded to other parts of the country where there is large unemployment. Who would know better about country pursuits than the folk who live and work there? Who would know the lie of the land? Where tree planting by guests could be done? Thousands every year go abroad on conservation trips. I myself have considered several such schemes, well why not here in good old green England and leave the foxes in peace.


Figure 1 The uneatable-pursued by the unspeakable