The drag is prepared and, when ready, a trail is laid for the hounds to follow.
The newspapers tell us that over 300 hunts will meet today. Hunts have traditionally met on Boxing Day ( the day after Christmas Day) and large numbers of supporters gather to see them. In previous years these meets would have attracted protesters ( and some still do ) but since the ban on hunting with dogs, these hunts now 'hunt' by following a trail. It is still a very contentious subject as there are many grey areas to this piece of legislation and it is proving difficult to enforce. Cruelty to animals can never be condoned but, by banning hunting, there is the possibility that other forms of pest control will be adopted that are more cruel and unregulated For now, the sight of the hunt gathering and then riding off across the moor is quite a spectacle.
