to think fox hunting is not a big deal at all?

[chandellina]

and should never have been the subject of national debate, since it affects about 100 people? (ok, maybe more, but not many)

I was a vegetarian when it was banned, btw. I just think it's such a non-issue, and can't believe it is still being trotted out as a reason not to vote Tory.

er no he is a weirdo tell him from me

and a ponce

Downdog: absolutely it's a class thing. It's only acceptable because its participants are upper classes.

There is a HUGE problem with urban foxes, how about inventing a new "sport", only in the inner cities. Its participants are hoodie teenagers on bicycles accompanied by staff terriers or similar that pursue the urban fox before its ripped apart. What are the chances of that being deemed a legal and effective pest control?

PS: I'm a fully signed up meat eater but support humane farming methods. Intensive farming and choices that cash strapped people make with their money are entirely different debates IMHO.

And you have lovely manners on the other hand.

IMO you think wrong.

It's certainly as big an issue as ever for me and one of the major reasons why the Tories won't get my vote.

Oscar Wilde was right.

My horses adored hunting, in fact one of them disliked almost anything else. I have never had a horse injured out hunting but have had two killed by cars on normal rides. Can we ban traffic?

It is the Hunts responsibility to repair and in many cases maintain all the fencing. The hunts have many agreements to do maintenance work for farmers and it is a shame that the people that often critise hunting do not understand how the countryside works.

I am very much not upper class.

anyone who hunt is a bit odd imo sorry

brillant debate, was going to bed, but having too much fun!!

primrose

It's a good debate, I agree.

And you have mey everyone who hunts? I know quite a few people who hunt, the level of oddity seems in line with the rest of society.

met everyone

Never knock something you havent tried, I would not pot hole, but I would not knock those who want to.

Oh dear, why does any discussion on hunting turn into a class argument??? Everyone who hunts round here is surprisingly ordinary. They are just horsey, and often farmers. The last person who went out (we go draghunting) with me was a single mum on benefits

I hope she was available to work throughout the hunt elasta

I've met a few..I have friend that hunt.

Working class,typical farmer country types,middle class and typical upper class gentry types.

?

Ok for anyone who does not support blood sports please check this out.

www.save-me.org.uk/

Thank you.

I do feel quite upset about fox hunting - I was brought up in the country and its not the killing of the foxes (which can be a menace) but just the way its not humanely done. Its a bit like traps most people I knew didn't like them either.

You can still go riding point to points and drag hunting even. Just going for a ride maybe. I really don't like it I'm sorry. However I agree with Primroselady that its not a class war issue all sorts of people are involved in the hunts and yes I know the dogs are also an issue - but there is still drag hunting.

I don't see how anyone can justify hunting ever...

Primroselady, are you seriously saying you can't exercise your horse unless its a by-product of killing a fox?

"How the countryside works" Hmmm. Just because something has been done for many years doesn't make it morally right. And people who have never lived in the countryside are perfectly capable of understanding the impact of something which is morally odious. I didn't have to live in South Africa to understand and oppose apartheid. [NB: I am NOT saying I equate the two issues, I'm illustrating the argument using something which PL is likely to find morally wrong]

totally agree elastamum, I have stopped going, for financial reasons (actually seemed to have stopped everything for that). But the people I hunted with were lift engineers, stable girls on their own ponies, civil servant, a single mum and they are just the ones I can think of.

Anyone who thinks hunting is only enjoyed by toffs is wrong. Hiariously so. It's stupid for townies (some of whom have never lived outside London) to dictate what goes on in the countryside.

southeastastra

You said that 'upper English classes are weirdos', not the people that hunt.

As you can see from other posts, it is not exclusively upper classes past time and even if it was, then so what?

I went to a couple of hunts ( as a spectator, cannot ride) and it was a mixture of 'classes'.

Whole thing is a big ado about nothing.

Once you stop supporting intensive animal farming by eating battery chickens, then I might listen to you.

Any views on my newly invented sport? I might advertise it on my local sink estate. The yoofs love a bit of violence and bloodshed.

ok everyone who hunts are weirdos - is that better?

Yabu - i thought it was illegal, so whats the fecking point in talking bout it.