How to blow a hunting horn

It’s a skill that will win you admirers and teach you more about what is happening on a hunting day, says Rory Knight Bruce. Just warn your neighbours first...

- Rory Knight Bruce

IT could be a hunting supper or dinner party anywhere in the land, and the master and huntsman is sitting after a fine day’s sport in the glow of praise at the best seat at the table. In front of him, as the port is passed round, sits a silver presentation hunting horn, perhaps an ancient heirloom belonging to the hosts.

In one of the few heart-sinking situations of hunting, it too will soon be passed round to the guests, and woe betide the diner who can only blow a raspberry.

“An ability to blow a hunting horn is not the be-all-and-end-all of hunting or following a pack of hounds, but everyone who hunts should know the basic commands and what they mean,” says Jacky Thomas, a senior master and huntsman of more than 30 seasons and nine-time winner of the Dorian Williams horn-blowing trophy at the Horse & Hound Ball. Starting off his hunting life, Jacky would take his horn everywhere.

“I would carry it in my car and van. The first command to learn, and perhaps the easiest, is ‘Gone Away’,” he says.

He stresses that accuracy of commands is not just important to the hounds and field master, but to the followers as well.

“They should know the calls,” he continues, “so they are alert to what’s going on. When I play ‘Gone Away’ with a rattle at the end, I want to give the followers a good stir.”

Of the 50 or so silver presentation horns in his collection, he says that only one of them is any good to blow in the hunting field.