with Horse and Hound

February 26, 2016

British Hunts: Damned If They Do and Damned If They Don’t

British hunts are damned and accused by hunt protesters whether the evidence is valid or not. A dead fox was found in a hedge in the vicinity where the Ledbury foxhounds were hunting. A member of the hunt staff, who had a chance to handle the carcass before it was hustled off by hunt protesters, claims it was cold and had a gunshot wound. Hours later, photos of the dead fox were posted on various social media strongly accusing the hunt for unlawfully killing it. The local hunt saboteurs association reported on the Ledbury Reporter’s website that the fox’s body had been taken away for a “post mortem.”   Hunt spokesman Donald Haden said the hunt conducts its activities within the law. “We are now into the lambing season,” said Haden, “and farmers quite understandably are not hesitant in shooting any foxes they see disturbing their sheep. We believe that in this particular case the fox had indeed been shot by a local farmer several hours or possibly days before and the dead carcass then thrown into the hedge.” Click for Gary Bills-Geddes’s story in the Ledbury Reporter. Posted February 26, 2016
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witch.rosemary coates

The Witch With Warts

witch.rosemary coatesIllustration by Rosemary Coates

Back in the late 1950s, Sarah and I—both just nineteen—came to America. We had left Britain, where post-war ration books were still in use. Sarah was to train horses and riders for Jamie Kreuz at Bryn Mawr Farms outside Philadelphia. I was to work for the Insurance Company of North America in Philadelphia and help Sarah on weekends.

Jamie picked us up at the airport, but by the time we reached the farm we were in the midst of a snowstorm and a power outage. Our first night was spent in total darkness. It was perhaps merciful that we could not see the mess.

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