Fox hunting has always been thought of as a British thing to do. Highly trained dogs and hunters on horses go after the red fox. People who care about animal rights think that the "blood sport" is cruel. But those who ride horses and support it see it as a traditional sport and an important part of England's aristocratic history. Even though it takes place in more than one country, its roots can be found in Britain.
The practise of using scent hounds to track down prey is called venery, and it goes back to ancient Assyrian, Babylonian, and Egyptian times. But before the Romans came, fox hunting was really popular in England, where the Agassaei breed of dog was used.
Later, the Romans brought over the Castorian and Fulpine breeds of hounds, as well as the brown hare and several types of deer to hunt. Wild boars were also known as animals that were hunted.
When William the Conqueror came to England, Gascon and Talbot hounds were used to start hunting traditions. In fact, "tally ho" is the Norman version of the French phrase "il est haut," which means "he is up."
The first known fox hunt took place in Norfolk, England, in the year 1534. As a way to get rid of pests, farmers there sent their dogs after foxes.
It wasn't until the 17th century that hare and fox were hunted by organised packs, and it wasn't until the 18th century that fox hunting became a sport.
People moved out of the country and into towns and cities where they could find work during the Industrial Revolution. Even though roads, railroads, and canals cut up the hunting land, they made it easier for hunters to get to. During the 19th century, shotguns got better, which helped game shooting become more popular.
Even though hunting with hounds is often thought of as a British country sport, it happens all over the world. Some people think that the hunts in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and India are a part of the British Empire's history. But some people say that the United States was where the first pack was used only for fox hunting.
Because of the Greeks and Romans, hounds are also used to hunt foxes in some other countries. France and Italy, for example, still have fox hunts. But fox hunting is against the law in places like Switzerland and Germany.
As of 2004, the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America included 170 registered packs from the United States and Canada, as well as many more farmer or unrecognised packs.
When fox hunting is done in the U.S., the fox that is being chased is often not caught. In fact, they are trained to stay away from the fox hunt so they don't get caught.
In the late summer, young hounds go on hunts called "cubbing," where puppies learn how to hunt and young foxes learn how to chase. Usually, the right time of year starts in early November.
