‘A happy hunt’
catherine.austen@futurenet.com
East Essex, Paines Manor, Suffolk
GARY THORPE nudged his hounds along the crest of a ridge above the River Stour, slowly drawing the strips of wild bird covert and shelter belts on the farm of Peter Maddever, a keen hunting man who hunts with both the East Essex and the Thurlow. It was past 3pm and no one has second horses here. Hounds and horses had been busy all day, but there was time for one more hunt if things worked in our favour.
It is easy to see that shooting is the dominant sport here and the open landscape lends itself to commercial wheat farming, with fertile soils and large fields the norm. There is, however, a lot of space and, despite the cultivation, it is very rural.
The ground underfoot was well drained and perfect going for horses, whether on headlands, tracks or even riding the tramlines
