So many different takes on what has actually probably happened here, all of them with a possible grain of truth. However, the fact remains that hunting of a living animal using hounds or dogs is illegal in the U.K. Trail hunting is legal. And we don’t even know whether this pack in the photo are a trail hunting or drag hunt - they are often mixed up and the differences misunderstood by the general population. They are (just out of the numbers involved across the U.K.) probably trail hunting though. Unfortunately, across the entire population of people who follow trail hunts, there is (as with many things) a broad spectrum of attitudes.
At one extreme are the horse riders who just want to experience the thrill of galloping across country and jumping fences, and the social aspect with their friends. The hunts close to where I live the hunts (which include 2 packs of Draghounds, 2 packs of bloodhounds, and several packs of foxhounds) put on point to points, pub quizzes, winter and summer balls, charity auctions, horse shows, open days at kennels and stables, parades and displays at large country events such as county shows, clay pigeon shoots, fun rides and sponsored rides, pub evenings, and more. For many members of rural communities they provide a huge component of their social lives.
It is tempting to believe, if you want to, that every single person who has ever had a fleeting glance in the direction of a hunting-related event is a bloodthirsty monster keen to rip a fox to pieces and paint its fresh blood on the faces of their children. But they are not. They just want to enjoy their horse and time with friends in a legal and non-harmful way - which trail hunting is when it is done correctly. Suggesting that all people who follow trail hunts, or take part in any events organised by them, support killing of foxes is somewhat like suggesting all football supporters are lagered-up brick-throwing hooligans prowling the streets after a football match looking for a fight to start with the oppositions’ supporters and failing that just doing a bit of looting before going home to beat their wives. This is absolutely not the case - most football fans just enjoy watching 2 teams kicking a ball full of air around a very neat grass field, and perhaps chatting with their mates about the most exciting bits of the match in the pub afterwards (I can’t understand this myself but each to their own!)
Just as the hooligans to exist though, there are unfortunately less desirable elements in trail hunting. Given the opportunity, they would love to return to a pre-ban world. This has never been acceptable and never will be, but it is deeply ingrained in some dark corners of the countryside. This element is the same sort of person who will pull farmer’s gates off their fields so they can illegally course for hares, who will steal a quad bike and then kill the policeman sent to stop them (this happened less than a mile from me.) They are the poachers, and also those who shoot protected rare birds of prey that might interfere with their pheasant rearing. Quite how the regular, law abiding trail hunter who really just wants to ride their pony following a smelly rag is supposed to bring these characters to order, I do not know. They have no more power to stop this than a family enjoying watching their favourite football team have to stop a post match riot taking place. This does not mean all football must be banned though.
@Henrysmycat your words “stupid costumes, horses, dogs and all the pretentiousness” highlight which direction your thoughts are coming from. If any one of those things - wearing the clothing associated with your sport, riding a horse, owning a dog, or being pretentious - are illegal, then call the police.
I do not follow any hunt, but have grown up in the countryside and have followed many hunts (trail, drag and bloodhound) in the past and know many people in those communities. I’ve seen much ignorance and many inaccurate posts on social media over the last few days as trail hunting has been in the news. But I’m also a great believer in sticking to your principles so if the OP wishes to cancel her order for a kitchen based on a single ‘look what happened outside our shop today’ post on Facebook, then good for them. Like others, I have not set foot in a Lush shop since it became clear they fund guerilla action groups who break the law and cause criminal damage, as well as inciting hatred of the police. I also won’t buy meat I know to be cheaply and cruelly produced, or buy clothing I know to be made in Indian and far east sweat shops, and I try not to buy anything with palm oil in it, or anything from a company that supports Mermaids or Stonewall for their stance towards vulnerable children. Once you start to look more deeply into it, it becomes quite tricky to buy anything at all without shedding the odd principle along the way!