Sunday 21st August will be our first Hound Exercise from Dawgates Farm Dawgates Lane Skegby NG17 3DA, by kind permission of The Tatham Family !! 
A nice steady day over trails & stubble fields to break us all in gently. There will be optional jumps for those that wish to jump & we will be out for approximately 2.5 hrs . Dress code is tweed & ties (or smart jacket) cap is £25 per person payable in advance, to book please contact Deb Kane on Facebook or 07814372383.

What do I need to wear?

Please be smartly turned out. For hunting that means a black coat (ladies may wear blue), black velvet covered hat, beige or tan breeches, long boots and a white or ivory stock.

Children may wear hacking jackets, ties and jodhpurs.

For hound exercises members of the mounted field wear a tweed coat and tie.

For the hunt rides we run through the summer you can wear whatever you like.

I've never hunted before and I don't have all the correct 'kit'. What can I do?

We don't expect you to spend a fortune just to come and try hunting with us. If you do your best to look smart no one will mind if you don't have everything.

My horse has never hunted before. Do you have any advice?

If you want to try a more low-key day to start with we would recommend coming on one of the hunt rides we run through the summer or on hound exercise in the autumn. However all of our meets have a non-jumping as well as a jumping field master and there will be plenty of people on hand to help and advise if you have any problems.

Do you know anyone who offers Hirelings?

Hirelings are available from Deb Kane - 07814372383

I would like to jump but I'm a little nervous. Are there any options for me?

We have both a jumping and a non-jumping field so you always have the option to go round anything you don't like the look of. If you let your field master know that you would like to jump but only the smaller stuff, they will be happy to let you know when a smaller jumping line is coming up.

Where can I buy knee boots?

The Four Shires Bloodhounds does not endorse any one make of knee boots and there are a variety of types you can buy.  A few examples are given below, others may be available.

Saddler Robert Hepworth custom makes wide-coverage leather knee boots designed for jumping.  He can be contacted on 01777 248541.

Jeffries Jumping Knee Boots.  Jeffries make a skeleton knee boot with elastic side straps designed for jumping.

Your local saddler may also be able to make up knee boots for you in leather.

 Important

You should be aware that jumping stone walls comes with risks that the use of safety equipment goes some way to mitigate, but can never completely remove.  All boots can fail and you should make your own enquiries as to the boots most suitable for your own horse.

Please do feel free to contact our hunt secretary for any other questions on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  She will be very happy to help.

Once again our wonderful Bloodhounds were invited to exhibit at Crufts, as examples of healthy working hounds. 

We exhibited (as opposed to shown) at Crufts on Thursday Activity/Working Dogs' Day:  Fourteen year-old, Grace, our junior whipper-in, Dean a whipper-in,Deb, first whipper-in and Claire a field master.

The Sunday Telegraph came to spend a day with us.  You can read all about it here (behind a paywall) or download the pdf here.

The Four Shires Bloodhounds is the official, registered pack for Derbyshire and its borders. As members of the Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds (MDBA) we uphold the highest standards at kennels and in the field. Like the MFHA, the MDBA is recognised by DEFRA and the MoD.  Association members are also welcome on National Trust land.

Save yourself money and raise funds for the Four Shires Bloodhounds with the Vintage Tack Room

R.A.B.I  - the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution - is a grant-making charity that helps farming people of all ages if they are in financial difficulty.

Support is offered in confidence, and includes for example one-off or regular grants and the provision of essential household items and specialist equipment.

In addition to funding relief farm staff and training, the charity can pay towards care home and home-help costs, and runs two residential homes of its own.

R.A.B.I supports more than 2,000 farming families a year with grants of around £2 million. Its work is funded by voluntary donations, money raised at events arranged by county volunteer committees, businesses and community groups, our fundraising staff and investment income.

To find out more visitwww.rabi.org.ukor call R.A.B.I’s confidential helpline 0808 281 9490.

NRK (Norway’s BBC) filmed cult comedian, Robert Stoltenberg, as Roy Narvestad, 'the quirky Olso janitor’, who in his latest series goes on holiday to England.  During the episode, he hopes to stay at 'Downton Castle’, has a lesson in etiquette and tries to go hunting.  Lizzie Shuttleworth, our host at Nether Hall, gave a brilliant performance as the etiquette tutor.  While practicing taking tea, Narvestad asks Kennel-Master, Chris Kane, if he can go hunting.  Chris replies that he can be the quarry.  Narvestad does not realise that he will hunted by our Bloodhounds.  The crew filmed hounds in pursuit and used a drone camera for some aerial shots. 

https://tv.nrk.no/serie/narvestad-tar-ferie/MUHH43000517/sesong-1/episode-5.