Lis was a hunter, now she fights for the fox

Lis is pictured pursuing other equine activities

By Lis Key of the International Fund for Animal Welfare

I have a dual perspective on the issue of hunting with dogs: I work for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and I am firmly convinced that hunting is cruel and unnecessary.

In addition, as a keen horserider, I have been foxhunting on many occasions when I was younger and I can understand that many people follow the hunt not for the thrill of the chase but for the thrill of the cross country ride.

When I subscribed to the local hunt my sole reason for doing so was to be able to ride across countryside which was otherwise inaccessible to me.

Nowadays, opportunities for riding cross-country are limited and much riding has to be done on the roads which, with ever-increasing volumes of traffic, is more dangerous than most car drivers realise.

Ms Key changed her perspective on fox hunting as a foot follower

To ride across open countryside in the company of other "horsey" people, and have a good canter and tackle a few challenging fences, was a complete joy: the fact that a small animal was being pursued and often horrifically killed was not something that really registered with me at all.

I was more interested in how my horse was performing and, since she was not the boldest mount, I enjoyed the additional courage she gained in the company of other horses.

As for the fox, it was easy to detach myself from its suffering: it is a small creature and the field of riders may well not even catch sight of it during the chase or the kill.

Although I have never been staghunting, I can't imagine that the field can be as oblivious to the plight of that poor creature.

'Not something to be proud of'

But either way, whether you can see the hunted animal from the back of your horse or not, the fact remains that if you subscribe to the hunt you are subscribing to the cruelty.

I came to the realisation that pursuing a live animal with a pack of dogs was not something to be proud of more from observing the "sport" from the ground than from being a mounted follower.

As I lived for several years in an area where hunting took place, I was aware of the hunt, even when I no longer went hunting myself.

"Easy to detach myself from its suffering"

When I considered the nature of hunting without the justification of the riding challenge that it presented, I could no longer pretend that it was anything but cruel.

In my case I confess that I went hunting for the ride, I didn't ride in order to go hunting.

Once I had taken the decision that I could no longer condone hunting an animal, I took up other equestrian activities which enabled me to ride across country.

I also sought out places where it was possible to obtain a permit to ride on private land.

I took up competitive riding, particularly eventing.

Horse trials require the skill and precision of riding at speed over fences, but horse and rider are pitting their wits and courage against other, equally determined competitors. The reward of success is obvious.

Far better that goal than the deliberate hounding to death of an animal.

'Plenty of viable alternatives'

From the equestrian point of view, I firmly believe that there are plenty of viable alternatives to hunting.

As horse riders, we enjoy a special relationship with our mount: riding safely and successfully depends on building and maintaining confidence and trust between horse and rider.

Riding through open countryside is possible without hunting

How can we then use that rapport between rider and animal as an aid to hunting another animal to its death?

From the equestrian point of view, I firmly believe that there are plenty of viable alternatives to hunting wild animals with dogs.

Draghunting, endurance riding or other forms of competitive riding, or simply finding bridleways and other areas of countryside where riding is permitted, all enable us to ride cross country.

As riders we should be honest with ourselves: we don't need to hunt to ride and we shouldn't try to justify it as an equestrian pursuit.

We are not going to give up riding when hunting is banned - we will simply enjoy our riding with a clear conscience.