Kennels fit for now – and the future
catherine.austen@futurenet.com
WE live in an evolving world, but for most hunts the one constant has been the location of their kennels. Many of these are hundreds of years old and were built by the great hunting families. Some are lucky enough to be still nestled on estates, others in beautiful, remote locations, but the majority are based in or around villages and towns that have grown over time and now surround the kennels.
On the whole, the hunt’s relationship with the local community is excellent, with most relishing the sight and sound of the hounds in the morning and the social engagement that the hunt brings to the area.
For us at Chipping Norton, the practical side of going about the daily task of exercising the Heythrop horses and hounds had become very much harder. The road outside the kennels is so busy that it is unsafe to take horses and hounds on.
Once upon a time, the staff used to ride through the town and out into open countryside. The horses are now boxed out
