As might be expected going foxhunting is not cheap. There are membership fees, which vary from hunt to hunt. Prospective members are asked to contact the Honorary Hunt Secretary; who can obviously be expected to check on the background of an applicant and decide whether s/he is worthy of joining. This is very much an exclusive club, which not just anyone can join. If you are permitted to join then in addition to the membership fee there is a day fee for every ride; this probably averages about £50. You do not, in fact, pay to go riding; you pay for a cap, which entitles you to go riding.

It is the cost of getting fitted out with a horse, transport and costume which considerably adds to the cost.

Horse prices vary but the following advert from Horse and Hound of 28/02/02 gives some indication of the costs involved - £6,000.

In the same issue a horse – box costs £6,800 for a J Reg Ford Transit suitable to transport 2 horses [Horse and Hound 28/02/02]

A few phone calls to Livery stables during the week beginning March 4^th 2002 revealed that stabling and grazing can be relatively cheap, for example, Hall Farm Livery Yard at Consett in County Durham quoted a weekly price of just £12. The average of the others contacted was approximately £30 a week or £1,560 a year.

Each hunt has a slightly different dress code, which includes the need for a coat in which to ride and one for evening dress.

Country Supplies on 01422 395300 have an extensive web-site. . The cost of purchasing some of the cheapest items include a decent jumper at £49.95, Charles Owen Chester Gloves at £25.00, a Musto Snug Rider coat at £139.95 and a more formal riding coat at £150, Stubben Gents Spurs at £22.95, a cheap Charles Owen Rider 2000 Riding Hat at £58.00, the Hunter Stablemate riding boot at £24.99 and the most expensive item, the working hunter saddle at £520 to come to £1,015.75.

Throw in the need to ‘splash the cash’ at such events at say £50 a time, then someone who goes out 20 times a year will spend another £1,000.

A grand total to kit yourself out with a decent horse, well looked after, transport, membership and daily fees, suitable clothing and spending money and at the end of the year it’s £16,360 or over £300 a week. Note these figures do not include vets fees, accident insurance, petrol/diesel to or from meets, road tax and insurance and a whole host of other ‘extra’s.

Of course, for the larger landowners that hunt the cost must be enormous, as many of them have their own stables, a large number of well-bred horses and a large staff to look after them. Still, even without these additional expenses, it is a lot of money.

It seems an incredibly expensive way of keeping the fox population down and ‘our’ chicken’s safe and cheeping away!