Book Review by Dulany Noble
True to the Line, A Hunting Life, Adrian Dangar, Quiller, UK, 2017, Hardbound, $31.50, available at Horse Country Saddlery
I looked forward to reading this book by Adrian Dangar because I love stories about foxhunting, and, to be clear, this book is about foxhunting and about hunting all sorts of quarries, not just foxes. It is not about fox chasing. If you are reading this, I am sure you know that foxhunting in England was not strictly for the sport. It was to kill foxes that harm the livestock of the landowners and farmers in the country and to control the prolific fox population.
Adrian Danger was born into a foxhunting family where “foxhunting was a religion of sorts” in the household. He attended his first meet in a pram at his grandparents’ home. He has fond childhood memories of hunting rabbits and rats with his whippet and rough-coat terrier, foxhunting on his Exmoor pony behind Avon Vale or the Duke of Beaufort’s hounds. One day he lost his stirrup, was rescued with some baler twine, and went on to run a fox to ground on a five-mile point. At that moment he recognized his love for “venery, bravery, and horsemanship that combine to offer the complete hunting experience.” He was ten.
His career as Master and huntsman of a pack of hounds began in 1987 when he was just twenty-four and continued for some thirty years. He hunted and fished all over the world. As a writer he continues to contribute to Country Life, The Field, Horse & Hound, and Trout & Salmon; judge hound shows; and was the founding/owner of Wild and Exotic, specializing in riding safaris.
He was sent to boarding school at Stowe where there were seven hundred acres to explore and hunt, as well as three lakes. The headmaster said he hoped to “inspire students to recognize beauty wherever they saw it for the rest of their lives.” There were ferrets for hunting rodents and rabbits, a fishing club, and a fine beagle club to which Adrian was appointed Master/huntsman in his senior year. The beagle club is still operating at Stowe. He took a gap year and went to Australia for more hunting: night hunting with hounds, hunting wild pigs, as well as working on a sheep farm. He came home to attend the Royal Agricultural College but found time to hunt Beagles, foxhounds, and ride steeplechase horses.
On May 1, 1987, Adrian was appointed Masters to the Spooners which included two packs, the Devonshire and Cornwall mink hounds and the Spooner Hounds. He brought with him the skills of managing and hunting hounds. He had a keen interest in breeding and improving the pack of hounds he had been given and mentions many of them by name and year of entry. His skills in skinning sheep and calves helped him with his relationships with the farmers as he was able to remove the deadstock, feed the hounds, and sell the skins adding to his income. Nothing went to waste!
There are stories on racing and stories about the horses he rode. There are more tales about long runs as well as developing and keeping good relationships with the farmers and landowners and trying to keep the shooters happy. It was a lot to juggle. There were endless fundraisers, hunt balls, hound and puppy shows, and territories and fences to repair and maintain.
In 1998 he was appointed by unanimous decision of the Quorn Hunt to be their Joint-Master and huntsman. He followed in the footsteps of the legendary professional, Michael Farrin, who had hunted the Quorn hounds for nearly thirty years. Farrin’s were big boots to fill. It was a vastly different territory than he had ever hunted. The challenges were many, not only the politics of the hunt but the changing politics in England. The antis were getting stronger and the Hunting Act would be passed five years after he came. In 2002, 400,000 people took to the streets in London to protest the Hunting Act. The saboteurs started showing up at the meets. Windows in his house were broken when he was not at home. Hunting in England was never to be the same.
I thoroughly enjoyed the last few chapters of the book: his trips to judge hound and puppy shows. He discusses the importance of good breeding and the vital contributions of puppy walkers. There are descriptions of mounted hunting competitions and trips to hunt in the States.
He is a great writer and storyteller and concludes the book with these words.
“There is the additional thrill of crossing country on a good horse during a fast run; the split-second decision for where to jump in and out of each field, …the powerful surge of a brave horse that never turns his head from a fence…the reality of a successful conclusion becomes apparent and when that is achieved there comes an unsurpassed sensation of elation and gratitude for hounds that have given their all. Simply put, there is no better feeling in the world.”
Tales of hunting well told and thoroughly enjoyable.
Posted July 1, 2021
Dulany Noble is Master Emeritus of the Carrollton Hounds (MD). She served as Master for more than thirty years and hunted the hounds for fifteen of those years. She is a voracious reader and actively participates in rating books online for Goodreads.