Russian dog hunting. Nikolay Nekrasov - Dog hunting: Verse

Departing fields, sounds of hunting horns, graceful packs of greyhounds, flocks of black-backed, crimson, black-and-white hounds, brocade caftans, scarlet jackets - all this was a long time ago, infinitely long ago, and that hunting life of our ancestors, in their original form, alas, never again will not come back. They were surprisingly beautiful and sometimes gloomy and silent - all these dexterous, reaching, stirrup, vyzhlyatniks, hounds, screamers. They treated hunting and everything that surrounded her with great love.

Koch Joseph Anton. Landscape after a thunderstorm. 1830

The old Russian hunting embodied their dream of freedom and freedom. Their beauty was in a blood relationship with nature: with grain-growing fields, with copses dressed in autumn gold, with quiet backwaters, with sunset distances and clouds floating in the heavenly heights. The beauty of the action itself was also in the fact that all this was native Rus' ...

A.S.Stepanov. Hunting. 1885. Memorial Museum-estate of the artist N.A. Yaroshenko, Kislovodsk

P.I. Tchaikovsky - Seasons - Hunting (September) 2:44 min, 1.88 Mb.

A.S. Pushkin

Count Nulin (detail)

It's time, it's time! horns trumpet;
Psari in hunting gear
Than the world is sitting on horseback,
Greyhounds jump on packs.
The gentleman comes out on the porch,
Everything, akimbo, surveys;
His contented face
It shines with pleasant importance.
Chekmen tightened on it,
Turkish knife behind the sash,
In the bosom in a flask of rum,
And a horn on a bronze chain.
In a night cap, in one handkerchief,
Sleepy eyes wife
Angrily looking out the window
To the collection, to the kennel alarm ...
Here the horse was brought to the husband;
He grabs the withers and in the stirrup leg,
Shouts to his wife: don't wait for me!
And leaves on the road.

In the last days of September
(Speaking in despicable prose)
The village is boring: mud, bad weather,
Autumn wind, light snow
Yes, howling wolves. But that happiness
Hunter! Not knowing neg
In the departing field he prances,
Everywhere he finds his lodging,
Scolding, getting wet and feasting
A devastating run.

The history of Russian dog hunting, and primarily with greyhounds and hounds, is one of the most important pages of the past of our Fatherland, inseparable from the culture, traditions, customs and mores of Russian society. The very name “Russian canine greyhound” sounds the breadth and freedom of Russian open spaces, the antiquity of this unique breed sounds: “canine” - canine (obsolete) wool; "borzoi" - frisky, that is, fast-running. dog hunting, with its centuries-old traditions, is a whole layer of not only Russian but world history and culture.
Thanks to the works of art by Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dryyansky, Machevarianov, the scientific works of Gubin, Rosen, Sabaneev, Reut, Kishinsky and others, picturesque and detailed pictures of old national hunts have been preserved, written in an original language that vividly conveys all the passions that once boiled while baiting the beast graceful greyhounds, swift hounds, dashing greyhounds.

S.S. Voroshilov. Hunting with hounds. Chuvash State Art Museum, Cheboksary

Even in the most ancient Russian sources, we meet the word "fishing". In the "Initial Chronicle", dated 1071, it is said that Prince Vsevolod near Vyshgorod in the forests "did animal catches, swept the net." In the teaching of Vladimir Monomakh it is said that all his life he worked as a “catcher”, “he himself kept a hunting outfit”, that is, hunting - a stable of hawks and falcons. In the annals there are indications that already in the 12th century under Vladimir Monomakh "the animals were poisoned by dogs."

N.K. Roerich. Prince hunting. Morning. 1910

The first Europeans to see the outlandish Russian hunting dogs were the French, who in the 11th century brought to Paris not only the new bride of their king Henry I - Anna Yaroslavna, daughter of the Grand Duke of Kiev, but also three canine greyhounds.
Vasily III was a passionate canine hunter, who went with dogs to hunt a hare. When the hunt was not entirely successful, he took his soul with cages (for a decoy hare). Up to 300 riders took part in such cages. In 1509, Vasily III formed a special Hunting Order at the court, which was in charge of “all kinds of amusing dogs, greyhounds, hounds” and from which he sent several of his greyhounds as a gift to the Danish king Christian II.
The son of Vasily III - Ivan the Terrible, like his father, loved dog hunting and observed the same crowd and splendor in its organization.

S.A. Vinogradov. Hunting with greyhounds. 1907. Lugansk Regional Art Museum, Lugansk

After the end of the Time of Troubles, the new Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich faced an unexpected problem - there was not a single dog in his Hunting Order. Some died during the occupation of Moscow by the Poles, the other was taken away by the retreating gentry. In 1619, “two hunters and three horse kennels” had to be sent to the lands near Novgorod and Vologda. After a couple of years, life in the kennels of the Hunting Order began to boil with renewed vigor.
Alexei Mikhailovich, who replaced Mikhail Fedorovich on the Russian throne, was also fond of hunting. Who loved orderly order, harmony and "rank" in everything, the Quietest personally wrote in 1656 a detailed instruction for his falconers - "The constable or the New Code and the arrangement of the rank of the Falconer's Ways."

N.E. Sverchkov. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich with boyars falconry near Moscow. 1873. State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

The period of his reign also includes the appearance of the first book dedicated to complete hunting - “Hunting regulation, belonging to dog hunting” (circa 1635), written by a certain Christian von Lesin.
Peter the Great was not fond of hunting. He introduced other, European amusements for the nobility - assemblies with dances and issued a decree: “Near Moscow, in nearby places with their people through the fields and in them with a dog hunt so that they don’t go.”
But Elizabeth and Peter II were passionately ill and devoted themselves entirely to dog hunting, devoting a lot of time and money to it. Under Peter II, the Imperial kennel consisted of 420 greyhounds, 200 hounds, and there were 70 servants with dogs.
Paying tribute to fashion, hunting in Russia more and more became the main entertainment of nobles and landowners. By the end of the 18th century, huge kennels appeared, in which there were thousands of dogs. L.P. Sabaneev writes about this: “In those days, almost every independent landowner, especially in the provinces near Moscow, made it his duty to keep greyhounds and hounds, sometimes in significant numbers - hundreds.”
In Catherine's time, the owners of large kennels were known and noble, such as Prince G.F. Baryatinsky - the owner of the then famous thick-dog male "The Beast", who alone, without a pack, took a seasoned wolf, Count Alexei Orlov-Chesmensky - the owner of greyhounds of all breeds . Orlov-Chesmensky, the one who brought Oryol breed horses, belonged to the initiative to set up a cage in Moscow (for a wolf, a hare), for which invitations were sent out in advance throughout Russia.
The significance of hunting was then great from a political point of view. Many important state and interstate affairs were decided during them. For this purpose, foreign ambassadors and major diplomats were often invited to the sound of a hunting horn. The fate of an entire state sometimes depended on a successful hunt.
Throughout the 18th century, there was an exchange of blood borzois with Polish and Courland nobles. And in the 19th century, aristocrats from Western Europe began to buy our greyhounds. At the same time, the first clubs of Russian greyhound lovers were created in England and Germany. Since the second half of the 19th century, Russian greyhounds have already spread widely throughout Europe and America ...

Krueger Franz. Departure for hunting

The "golden age" of domestic dog hunting ends with the abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861. The owners of large kennels lost their serf kennels and the number of kennels was sharply reduced. They were preserved at that time only by true lovers of Russian dog hunting ...

Ruisdael Jacob Isaac. Hunting. 1670

Later, in 1873, the "Imperial Society for the Breeding of Game and Game Animals and Proper Hunting" was created, which began to organize exhibitions, show the work of dogs for playfulness and malice with the presentation of prizes and incentives ...
In the second half of the 19th century, in the village of Pershino, Tula province, the Pershinsky Dog Hunting of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke N. N. Romanov was created. Contemporaries noted that Pershinsky hunting was the only canine hunting in Russia at that time on such a large scale, with such thoroughbred dogs, with such knowledgeable hunters and with such a device for leading dogs.
The Pershinsky hunt consisted of 365 dogs, including 125 Russian canine greyhounds, 15 English greyhound greyhounds and two packs of hounds of 45 dogs each: one pack of crimson Russian blood color, the other - nightingal-piebald (white with marks) ...
This hunt was known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. People from Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, England, the USA came here to buy elite hunting dogs of the Pershinsky type, to participate in the hunt ...

The type of Russian canine greyhound is a calm, balanced dog, the true character of which wakes up only at the sight of the beast rising in front of it.

A.S.Stepanov. Hunting with greyhounds. Etude. Irkutsk Regional Art Museum. V.P. Sukacheva, Irkutsk

Pershinsky greyhounds were distinguished by a special nobility of appearance, powerful frets, exquisitely shaped heads, a dressing hound and had exceptional agility. Among them were the so-called spiteful men who worked furiously for the wolf.
A real old dog hunt has always been a “complete” one: it consisted of a set that included 5-12 packs of greyhounds (20-36 dogs), a pack of hounds (18-40 dogs), as well as a whole staff serving the hunt and consisting of a senior in hunting - a hunter, greyhounds (with greyhounds), vyzhlyatnikov (with hounds), driving (senior over greyhounds), reaching (senior over vyzhlyatniks), stirrup (responsible for the greyhound packs of the owner of the hunt), several laborers-houndmasters, a special convoy for "departing fields ”, i.e. for hunting trips away from home, riding and draft horses.

Carl Maria von Weber - Chorus of Hunters from the opera The Magic Shooter 2:42 min, 1.87 MB.

hounds

In addition to greyhounds, the “set” of the Pershinsky hunt included a crimson flock of hounds, famous throughout Russia. According to the exterior, they were very tall, powerful hounds with excellent bones, rather dry, very well dressed, with a thick undercoat. The dogs of this pack were distinguished by malice and perfectly worked on the wolves. Many of them had voices with a bay. A flock of nightingale and piebald foxhound hounds worked here - mostly fox dogs ...
In Pershin, old dogs were not destroyed. They were kept until death. And when the dog fell, she was supposed to have a separate grave and a cast-iron slab indicating: when she was born, when she fell, who her parents were. Strict tribal records and pedigree books were kept. In addition to local peasants, 78 former soldiers of the Life Guards of the Imperial Hussars worked here, headed by Grand Duke N. N. Romanov.
In the vicinity of the estate, a wolf farm with an area of ​​10 hectares, with three ponds, a hare with an area of ​​​​about 30 hectares and a pheasant, located on an area of ​​more than 50 hectares, were arranged...

F. Liszt - Transcendental Etude No. 8 - wild Hunt 4:28 min, 1.8 Mb.

And what hunts Valtsov himself described! The heart stops when you read: “... the yellowish color of his coat and his head held high proved that the mainland favors me. Knowing the edge of the forest close behind me, I was very afraid to let the beast loose and, moving towards it, pointed it out to the dogs. I had three males of my own pack and among them the handsome Armavir. Noticing the sleeping dogs, the wolf turned to the left, and they had to get him in good measure in very deep snow. All three males rushed to him together, and where they caught up, they laid him down, but I didn’t have time to drive up, the wolf broke and just rushed to the edge, when Golovin’s three dogs, hurrying to help me, covered him; six dogs squeezed the wolf into the snow, forming a star, I was already three steps away from them, how, in an incomprehensible way for me, the wolf twisted out from under a bunch of dogs from below and, while they managed and rushed after him, moved away 30 steps and in all legs laid down to the edge.
Many times I have seen persecution by the most vicious dogs of the blood of Nazim and Novikov, and always in such conditions seasoned wolves left; having broken after two tricks at a nearby edge, the mainland no longer allowed itself to be reached, especially along the heavy field, and then my heart trembled: “It will leave!”. But the playfulness of the Persh dogs again came to the rescue: the red bitch from Golovin’s pack flew out of the heap of dogs, pulled out the wolf with a terrible throw and hung on his neck, the males covered him and lifted him into the air at the feet of Golovin, who had jumped off the sleigh ... "

P.P. Sokolov. Wolf hunting. 1873. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

First World War, the revolution and the civil war that followed them became a sad milestone in the history of domestic canine hunting and the development of hunting dog breeds.

Vos Paul de. Roe deer hunting

But everything in the world once returns "to its own circle." Currently, active development of a project to recreate the Pershinsky dog ​​hunt is being carried out.
I would like to end this story with the words of a hunter, a talented Russian writer Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev:
“I will now limit myself to the desire that hunting, this fun that brings us closer to nature, accustoms us to patience, and sometimes to composure in the face of danger, gives our body health and strength, vigor and freshness to our spirit ... - would have flourished for a long time in our Motherland!"

Courbet Gustave. Prey (dog hunting)

AFANASIY FET

dog hunting

The last sheaf is brought from the bare fields,
A herd walks along the worn-out stubble,
And the village of cranes stretches
Over the lime-tree of the silent garden.

Yesterday dawn for the first time at the porch
The evening rain began to freeze like stars.
It's time to saddle the agile bottom
And throw a ringing horn over your shoulders!

To the fields! To the fields! There from the greenery of the mounds
Hunters watchful eyes
Hate on the islands of forests
And motley forest slopes.

For a long time, crumbling from the peaks,
Osinnikov thins deep deep
Over the echoing winding valleys
And waiting for the horns and bay barking.

The wolf family's den was open yesterday,
Will our persecution succeed today?
But now the hare flashed from under the hooves,

Yekaterinburg city

I have been invited to visit for a long time by my friends - Aleksey and Galina Adayevs, with whom we have known each other for many years thanks to pointing dogs. But in last years they also became avid canine hunters, and I always wanted to see how it happens. But in the fall, something didn’t work out, the winter flew by in worries, and suddenly it turned out that the next weekend was the last of the season! Must go! And, as luck would have it, the flu begins to break down on me ... I gnaw some pills all day, drink hot wine, and by the evening I already feel quite tolerably. I'll go in the morning.

Two hours of travel - and I'm on the spot. Besides the owners, four greyhounds and three setters come out to meet me from the house! Here is the team! Until I hugged everyone, they didn’t let me pass.

We drink tea and gather in the field. Galya also fell ill, stays at home. Alexey and I and four dogs (bandyuki, as they are affectionately called in the family) are loaded into an old field. And then the dogs sang!

What's this! - says Alexey. Now, if they see a dog on the road ... or a cat ...

So we met the dog ... how my eardrums remained intact - I can’t imagine.

Soon we move out into the field and fall out of the car. Here the dogs surprised me for the first time. Any self-respecting setter in such conditions would lay a few circles around the field to relieve tension, and just to warm up. Greyhounds don't run anywhere. Although howled in anticipation! No, they stand, calmly waiting for us to put on our skis and move forward. Done, let's go! And the dogs don't run. They go on foot next to the owner. This is amazing for me too! After all, the cop, working at a gallop, will comb the area in front of the hunter without stopping, sometimes all day (if he is in good shape).

What if a hare, and I'm tired? Alex explains to me. - the greyhound is so laid out during the race for the beast that in the heat it can even die. They save energy.

In the meantime, we're plodding along hunting skis sticking to the spring snow already, I’m covered in flu-like sweat, and the camera pulls my neck - Oleg Anatolyich purposely gave the healthiest lens ... iron, heavy ... and if you hang it over your shoulder, you will definitely miss all the most interesting!

From time to time, Alexey stops, examining the area through binoculars, and tells how he competed in this place with a fox, which nevertheless deceived him and the dogs, and left, leaving everyone with a nose.

After some time, Karay broke away from the company - he is the most mature and independent. He walks a hundred meters from us, thinking about something of his own. He sits on the mane and looks out for the beast while we crawl through the lowlands. Then he slowly moves to the next mane, and again sits in meditation.

Finally, we come across a hare trail, not too fresh. And then the dogs surprise me for the third time. They're on the trail! That's something I've never heard of! Of course, this is not a hound that will keep the smell on the flair, and rush at a gallop. They work "on the heel", plunging their anteater noses into all the holes, and slowly moving forward. Nevertheless, Alexei says, they often unravel the fats themselves and lift the hare from its bed. And now the whole company has moved to comb the peg - but, alas, to no avail.

After two hours we sit down to rest, drink tea. The dogs are impatient - why are we sitting, we must go!

But we are already turning towards the house, because the day is short and it will soon begin to get dark. And although we walked in a circle, the dogs immediately realized that the hunt was over. And now Azarnoy also broke away from the company, went through the bushes, hoping to finally frighten something off.

If it were sunny, - Lyosha explains, - the foxes would come out on the field, their rut begins. And so - gray, gloomy, windy, they sit out somewhere.

And suddenly one of the dogs galloped, the rest followed him, and the whole pack rushed away in the blink of an eye. What, who, where???

Behind the crows, - Alexey laughs. - since there is no game, at least warm up like that.

Alas, our campaign was not successful.

But I felt better, the disease went away with sweat, and I return to the car quite cheerfully.

Initially, one day of hunting was planned, but after a bath and evening gatherings, we decide to try again, to go to a new place, prompted by the huntsman.

So, new morning, new entry! We leave further, we find a congress in the field - the path is very successfully cleared by a bulldozer. We start to move out - and Alexey slows down, because a flock of partridges leisurely runs out from under the wheels, and runs in front of us along the path. I don’t know what kind of look I had then (Lyosha says - his eyes almost popped out on the hood)), but the first thought was - where is my dog, where is my gun ?!

So shoot! - Oh, right, I have a fotik on my knees! But while I opened it, turned it on - it was too late, they took off.

Well, a good start to the day!

We again go around the fields, and again there is no sun, but the light has already changed - it is quite spring, watercolor, with March blue.

There are many more tracks in this area, and I ask St. Tryphon, the patron saint of hunters, so that we can at least see the beast.

We imperceptibly go down to the lowland, where there is much more snow than on the blown manes, go around several pegs trampled by hares and marked by foxes. At some point,

filled with grace, I break away from reality, merge with the sky and space ... And then the exclamation of Alexei brings me back to life - just about, just about, just about !!!

And immediately the dogs rushed, and I see a fox that rose from the peg in front of us, thirty meters away. Ooh and tail! And it seems to be running slowly ... I throw up my camera, - click-click-click, - and the jump is already a hundred meters away. Aleksey watches through binoculars and comments on what I can hardly see: Paramon caught up!!! That's it, the end of the fox, they'll take it right now !!! He opened it!!!

Indeed, the most frisky, Paramon, caught up with the fox and forced it to turn back, but ... Azarnaya and Twinkle, who were literally a couple of meters behind, did not have time to catch it, and, elegantly waving its tail, the beast leaves literally from under two pairs of dog noses.

Oh you! Dogs fall through the snow, and the fox went on the crust !! Leave!

Indeed, the distance between them increases, the cunning beast went along the puffs, along the snowy ridges, where the dogs drown up to their chests. Soon they are all out of sight, the bandits can not give up the pursuit.

Aleksey, red and excited, drags on a cigarette:

I was sure they would! How did he leave! And after all, he let him very close, he rose in front of us!

We go to look for a bed, and we find

almost on the edge of the split, on the leeward side, but on level ground - not under a bush, not under a tree. We move further along the tracks, and read the race - here Paramon overtook the fox, turned around, yeah, failed ... and the fox tracks - along the ridge itself, like soft cat paws, ran, not stopping anywhere.

After about ten minutes, Alexey takes off the horn from his shoulder, and begins to call the dogs - “well, that's it, they will be firewood now ...”

Dogs do not return immediately and reluctantly. They grab the snow, plunge their long snouts into the snowdrift up to their ears - and they really did their best.

Twinkle stops a hundred meters from us, and suddenly starts whining, kissing the snow.

Muscles cramped, - says Alexei, - he is already old.

We go to the suffering dog, we are sorry, Lyosha rubs his paws.

Something Karay is not returning ...

The horn plays again, but the dog is not visible. Alexey looks around the area through binoculars. And suddenly the barely alive dogs take off again, and again disappear over the horizon.

Karay drives the beast there !!! - and we follow.

But while they ran around the pegs, on wide skis, everything was already over. Already from afar, the dogs began to pursue the beast, of course, he left. There is no point in continuing the hunt, the dogs are exhausted, and I have to go in the evening.

This time, Alexei and I made the return journey all alone - the dogs trailed far behind, hid in the bushes, and did not even respond to the horn. In the car with difficulty assembled:

They know they didn't! Are experiencing. They want to work. Fall-fall!

After this walk, I can hardly climb the stairs, but I think that I will definitely not miss the next invitation to a dog hunt.

"Hunting ... brings us closer to nature, teaches us to be patient, and sometimes cold-blooded in the face of danger ..." I. V. Turgenev

All of us have repeatedly reviewed the film “Peculiarities of the National Hunt”, which has become popular, where the harsh Russian reality is intertwined with dreams. Riding horses, greyhounds, dogs, women in Amazons and saddles, French and stirrups...

Horse hunting with greyhounds is a primordially Russian fun, perfectly reflecting the scope of the Russian soul. And therefore it is especially pleasant to note that in recent years this type of leisure has been reviving and gaining momentum in modern Russia.

More and more equestrian clubs take up the organization of a real dog hunt for a hare and a fox, allowing participants to plunge into the past at least for one day, enjoying the spirit of the tsarist time. And although the beast is rarely caught on such hunts, active spiritual pastime completely replaces the pleasure of catching prey.

So, on January 24-25, in Mozhaisk, near Moscow, a reconstruction of horse hunting took place, organized by the Outpost horse base led by Evgeny Matuzov, a man with inexhaustible energy and incredible organizational skills.

It should be noted that simultaneously with horse hunting, a master class was held by the wonderful photographer Svetlana Petrova.

History milestones

Horse hunting with greyhounds long years was a favorite occupation of the upper classes of Russia. Already from the middle of the 18th century, many landowners began to acquire their own kennels, where they kept up to a thousand greyhounds and hounds.

Gradually, dog hunting began to supplant the previously widespread persecution with birds of prey. Riders (by the way, there were both men and women among them) began to participate in horse hunts with greyhounds, which were gaining popularity year after year. Such hunts were also important from a political point of view. Foreign ambassadors and diplomats were often invited to participate - this is how important state affairs were decided during the hunt.

In 1887, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov acquired the Pershino estate in the Aleksinsky district of the Tula province, which served as the beginning of the creation of the famous Pershinsky grand ducal hunting (Pershinskaya dog hunting of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke N.N. Romanov). This hunt has become the largest canine hunt in Russia, bringing together more than 300 greyhounds (mostly Russian) and hounds. The best hunters, the best greyhounds and the best riders participated in the Pershinsky hunt. Especially for this, more than 80 horses were kept in the stables of the estate.

This hunt was famous not only in our country, but also abroad. People came from Switzerland, France, England, Belgium and even the USA to take part in it or to buy the best Persh type puppies. All hunting trips were well organized and distinguished by special pomposity. The staff of Pershinsky hunting even had its own brass band. All participants dressed in specially tailored costumes. And the Grand Duke himself acted as the main manager of the hunt.

The time of popularity of Russian greyhounds began to be called the "golden age" of domestic canine hunting. But after the abolition of serfdom in Russia, kennels with greyhounds began to gradually disappear, and they ceased to be engaged in maintaining the characteristics of the breed. After the 1917 revolution, many greyhounds became the property of rural hunters who did not understand anything about breeding dogs.

Our days

It is the 21st century, and equestrian hunting with greyhounds in Russia began to revive in its traditional form. People who are in Everyday life far from nature, living in fast world new technologies, they suddenly began to feel the need to break free, catch the wind in an endless field, feel the excitement of the chase and, wearing a beautiful historical costume, plunge into the past for a day or two.

In the photo - Alla Mikheeva, who made a "sharp report" for Evening Urgant.

Modern hunting provides for a number of requirements for participants, the most basic of which is excellent riding skills. The rider must not only sit firmly in the saddle at any gait, but also confidently control the horse, keep the general pace and follow the commands. The action of the hunt most often takes place in the fields, where both horses and greyhounds during the chase can suddenly change the trajectory of their movement. The task of the rider is to be ready for any maneuver at any moment. Each potential participant in the hunt must objectively assess their physical capabilities and experience.

Another important requirement is a historical costume. In order to fully recreate the hunting of past centuries, you need to try to match the spirit of that time in everything. Therefore, a hunting suit, as an important attribute of dog hunting on horseback, must be thought out to the smallest detail.

And the third requirement is the desire to hunt. Participants must understand that they are going to participate in hunting, and not in aimless races over rough terrain.

In addition, there are many more important sub-clauses in the rules that each participant must take into account.

Here are some of them:
Drinking alcohol before and during the hunt is prohibited. The exception is stirrups (a glass of vodka, 25 grams. It is offered to each participant in horse hunting and is one of the traditional rituals of such events).

During the hunt, you must strictly follow the commands of the hunting distributor and not engage in free riding. Successful hunting is possible only with the coordinated actions of the team. A free ride can frighten away the beast.

You should not approach the greyhounds and the beast closer than 30 meters. Pack and prey behave unpredictably, and due to the inattention of the rider, they can fall under the hooves of horses.

How is everything going?

During the hunt, riders and greyhounds line up in one line and walk straight across the field to pick up the beast lurking in the grass. As soon as he appears, the greyhounds release their dogs, and the riders begin the chase. The role of the mounted hunter is very important for several reasons. First, a trained greyhound on command can jump on a horse and continue to move along with the rider.

This is true if there is thick grass on the field and the dog does not see the prey from the height of its growth.

Secondly, part of the horsemen always moves along the edge of the field in order to prevent the beast from escaping into the forest, where the greyhound loses its advantage - speed. And thirdly, a horse hunter can recall the dogs in time in case of catching prey. Otherwise, inexperienced greyhounds can simply tear the beast to pieces, leaving the hunter without a trophy.

What to wear for hunting?

Expert - Elena Potapova, master of historical costume:

Historical costume is beautiful and unusual. Properly selected clothes allow participants to be transported into the past, to feel like a hero of that time. Putting on a dress or uniform, we notice how our posture and manners involuntarily change.

Almost all hunts have the same dress code - these are historical costumes of the 18th-19th centuries. At the discretion of the organizers, one certain period for example, the beginning of the 19th century. This puts the participants in a rather rigid framework, but the fact that everyone is dressed in the same style leaves an unforgettable impression.

The main clothes of a hunter are harem pants, a short fur coat, boots and sometimes a raincoat.

Very often, men prefer to wear hussar uniforms, consisting of chakchirs, dolman and mentic, worn one over the other.
As outerwear, depending on the season, short jackets (spencers) and short fur coats are used. Headwear is also different. In the Empire era, small-brimmed hats and berets were popular. The Romantic period is characterized by cylinders. In the middle of the 18th century, hats were added to the cylinders, and a little later - cocked hats. By the end of the 19th century, bowlers had already appeared.

As for women, preference is mainly given to Amazons - dresses and wide skirts that fit beautifully on the horse's croup and do not hinder the movement of the rider. Amazons are different, depending on the period to which they belong. For example, in 1812-1817, Empire-style Amazon dresses were in fashion, and already in 1830-1835, Amazons in the style of romanticism became popular.

All of them are distinguished by cut: different waist height and different sleeves. Amazons have always been dark non-marking tones: blue, green, black, brown, red. Until the middle of the 19th century, dyes were mostly natural, fabrics had "natural" colors. There were fashionistas who wore light-colored suits that required a thorough cleaning after each hunt.

Women pay special attention to hair styling. Hairstyle for costume hunting should not interfere while riding. “It is advisable to remove the hair and carefully pin it up, otherwise, when jumping, it can get into the eyes, and they are very confused. The simplest hairstyle is a bun, you can wind the temporal part and pin the ends, this will allow the hairstyle not to be disheveled and last until the end of the event. Hanging curls on the sides are not recommended, because during the hunt they will simply develop, ”Elena Potapova shares her experience.

The perfect look for a lady

A calm outfit made from natural materials (wool or cloth) does not bright colors. Hair neatly pulled back or styled in a hairstyle. On the head is a hat, top hat or any other suitable headgear. Shoes - elegant and as close to historical as possible, classic riding boots are allowed. Gloves made of light leather or the color of the suit will be a good touch. The abuse of cosmetics is not welcome.

Tired together - horses, people ...

At the bivouac, participants of horse hunting are offered not only stirrups, but also all kinds of traditional treats!

Horses have a harder time hunting in the snow than humans...

Today, many horse farms in Russia are interested in the development and promotion of equestrian hunting with greyhounds. This process allows not only to plunge into the past, but also to feel all the delights of entertainment that has been so popular for several centuries. For some, such a hunt is an adrenaline rush. Someone enjoys active riding in open areas. Others see horse hunting as a fashionable trend and want to try themselves as hussars, counts and noble ladies, dressing in historical outfits and adopting the refined manners of the past. In parallel with this, there is an active revival of the Russian canine greyhound, which is an integral companion of almost any such hunt.

Photos - Valery's Skid.
Organizer - Horse Base "Outpost", Mozhaisk
Master class by Svetlana Petrova, 2015.

What should a real dog hunter be like and why is hunting with greyhounds a purely Russian fun? Prince Boris Vasilchikov, an associate of Stolypin, the governor of Pskov and a passionate "greyhound" tells about the rules, traditions and spirit of dog hunting.

Dog hunting, unlike all other types of hunting, was a purely Russian phenomenon, original, unparalleled in any other country and among any other people. Everywhere they hunt with hounds, in many places they poison the beast with greyhounds, but dog hunting was a combination of both: the hounds drive the beast out of the forest and, when it is in the field, it is poisoned by greyhounds. This simultaneous use of hounds and greyhounds is a feature of canine hunting, for the image of which on foreign languages there isn't even a proper expression.

Dog hunting is undoubtedly an accessory of the life of the former rich nobility. It required large spaces for its existence; that freedom, which even before the revolution was rapidly disappearing in the central provinces under the influence of population growth, the fragmentation of landed property, the intensification of arable farming, etc.

In those days, the gentlemen themselves never led greyhounds and each had a special stirrup, and some had two, of which one in turn and by order poisoned the beast. When I began to hunt myself and began to personally lead dogs, my father was unfriendly to this and saw this as an innovation, a departure from traditions, which, despite his progressiveness in many respects, he very much adhered to in matters of hunting.

In any dispute between canine and gun hunters, the latter usually try to convince that in gun hunting success depends entirely on the skill of the hunter himself, and in canine everything, as it were, consists in the quality of dogs, and that, therefore, it is only worth buying good dogs, which is available to every rich person, and he is already becoming a dog hunter. Such an opinion is deeply mistaken.

First, we must agree on what is meant by the word "hunt"? In Russian, the meaning of this word is wider than in its exact translation "chasse" or "jagd". The Russian language knows such expressions as "trotting hunting", "pigeon hunting", and in this application this word has nothing to do with the concept of extermination, but, on the contrary, contains the concept of reproduction. Any reproduction of animals and birds, any "breeding" (horse breeding, poultry breeding, cattle breeding) is very apt to turn from a purely economic matter into a partly sporting matter and even into a passion.

In a true canine hunter, the passion for dog breeding prevailed over the passion of a hunter in the narrow sense of the word, and to designate a hunter who found satisfaction in one persecution of an animal, there was a contemptuous name "skin hunter". Canine hunters, whose names were pronounced with the addition of “big” or “famous”, were certainly dog ​​breeders, and they gained their fame not by the number of hunted animals, but thanks to the breed of canine dogs they bred (“Kareevsky”, “Machevaryanovsky”, “Protasevsky” greyhounds, "Pershin" greyhounds and hounds, named after the estate of Pershino, in which the famous hunting of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich was located).

A true canine hunter will not experience from hunting with other people's dogs even a shadow of the pleasure that he experiences from hunting with his own dogs, bred by himself and justifying the hopes placed on them.

It was possible to buy two or three good dogs, but it was always impossible to make a whole hunt of greyhounds and hounds recruited from the forest and from the pine, even in modern times, when the old prejudice disappeared that it was shameful for a hunter to trade in dogs. Therefore, those who think that in order to become a dog hunter, it is enough to mount a horse and take two dogs in a pack: you need to skillfully pick up a horse, and lead your dogs, and you need to skillfully move in with the beast. And that it is not so easy to bring out your own dogs, which would serve you as fun, anyone familiar with animal husbandry in any of its forms will understand; this requires time, and knowledge, and experience, and most importantly, you need to arm yourself with patience in order to persistently endure the inevitable mistakes and disappointments.

To his successes and disappointments as a dog breeder, the dog hunter is very sensitive, and on this basis, a competition is established between brothers in passion, which, manifesting itself both at home when examining dogs, and in the field, hunting, and at cages and exhibitions, if it takes place in sports spirit and among well-bred people, captivates and fills with content everything that is closely connected with dog hunting as a well-known sport.

From under the greyhounds, wolves are usually taken alive, “stringed”, as it is called. These wolves are kept alive in specially arranged wolves, and "cages" are arranged on them, i.e. artificial baiting, which teaches young dogs to take wolves. This ability is not assigned to all greyhounds; it is called "malice" and consists in taking, firstly, "according to the place", i.e. in the neck or in the ear, so that the wolf, defending himself, could not injure the dog, and secondly, to take what is called "deadly" with a death grip, without breaking away until the wolf is accepted by the greyhound. Combining the serious matter of elections with what many seem to be the wild fun of "cages" may now seem strange, but in those days noble elections, in which once every three years noblemen from all over the province gather in the provincial city, were always accompanied by all sorts of celebrations, dinners, balls, performances, and for connoisseurs of strong sensations, “mounts” on wolves could be a welcome entertainment.

Compiled on the basis of the memoirs of Prince Boris Vasilchikov, chapter "Something about hunting in general and canine hunting in particular."

dog hunting

consists in baiting and catching animals with greyhounds (see), originally arose among the Arabs, then passed to the Mongols and from them, during the Tatar invasion, became known to us. This hunt received full citizenship rights in the Moscow state from the time of Ivan the Terrible, when, after the capture of Kazan, many Tatar princes and Uzbeks (nobles) were resettled in the current Yaroslavl and Kostroma provinces, which became the main breeding grounds for greyhounds and hounds; at the same time, by crossing the eastern greyhound with the Central Russian laika (see), the withdrawal of the modern Russian breed began canine greyhound. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich amused himself mainly with falconry, but his boyars were mainly engaged in P. hunting; from the same time, an extremely peculiar terminology P. hunting, partly given in this article.

P. hunting is carried out on horseback, mainly for wolves, foxes and hares; according to the time of hunting, it is divided into ride By blackthrope(on land not covered with snow) and to ride on the white trail(in the snow), and in both cases drive(hunt) either with greyhounds alone, or with greyhounds and hounds together. Regardless of the last division, riding on the black trail is further divided into riding in spray (in early spring when only the top layer of the earth thaws), by fire(later, but before the sowing of spring crops) and autumn(main driving time, from September 1 to November 1-15). They ride on the white path during powder time(see Powder), on the crust(cm) and riding in a sleigh. With only greyhounds they ride either in the absence of hounds [The owners of a hunt consisting of only greyhounds are called, jokingly, small-grass.], or in places abounding with animals, as well as during the transition in vacant fields(in long autumn hunts far from home) from one apartment (temporary hunting camp) to another. This ride is divided into riding on a ride, on riding in the plain or even and on dressage at dawn. Riding in a ride is made in one pack (one hunter with 2-4 greyhounds roaming free) and is divided into a ride for clapping(only for hares, which the hunter drives out of the little things, clapping a rapnik), on a mouse(mainly by foxes, while they are getting food for themselves in the fields), with shouts(with a voice and a knock, driving the animals from the detachable islands to the greyhound), with bloodhounds(yard dogs, old hounds, cops, prowling in front of a hunter with greyhounds and searching for animals with instinct) and to the uzerka (late autumn, looking out from a distance for noticeable faded, i.e., whitened by winter, hares). Riding into the plain, mainly on foxes, is carried out in several packs by hunters moving in a deployed front, with flanks pushed forward; an animal marked "in moderation" is poisoned as soon as it runs; animals, overlooked at a very long distance, the hunters try to go around from all sides and, then, poison inside the circle, at each other. Dressage at dawn is made only by wolves, at such a time in autumn when nesters (old wolves) begin to lead young wolf cubs with them to prey; when they return from prey in the morning, hunters lie in wait for them at the edge of the island, in which there is a nest of wolves, where they are placed with greyhounds in packs at night. Correct riding with greyhounds and hounds together can only be made complete(independent) P. hunting, consisting of a pack of hounds in 18-40 dogs with arriving and 2-3 squeezers(see) and 5-12 packs of greyhounds (assuming 3-4 dogs per pack), with hunters or greyhounds(cm.); that greyhound who leads the lord's pack is called stirrups, the head and manager of all such hunting - stalker. Riding with greyhounds and hounds together is carried out either near the house (at any time), or in out-of-town fields (only in autumn time) and is divided, according to the place of hunting, into island ride(according to detachable places, see Island), hostile(along ravines or gullies covered with large forests or frequent undergrowth), marshy(in a swamp covered with large or small forest: alder, birch, willow, and reeds) and peaceful(only for wolves and, moreover, for such only lots, i.e., solid wooded places that provide at least some convenience for baiting, in the form of copses, open swamps, clearings, etc.). Riding in powder time is carried out in the first winter with greyhounds and hounds, or with greyhounds alone; in this latter case, it is subdivided into three separate types of riding: to the congress(when they look for the beast, moving out on the trail), by eye(trying to see the beast directly, without a trace) and with the help bait(looking for wolves in the area where the bait is laid - carrion). Hunting on the crust is carried out at the beginning of the spring months, mainly for hares, and only such crust is considered capable of hunting, which keeps the horse walking everywhere; otherwise, the galloping greyhound will break the crust, risking breaking his legs. Riding on a ride, in a sleigh, is done with mounted beaters, directing wolves to hunters riding in a sleigh, for the most part with 3 greyhounds in each. The essence of riding with greyhounds and hounds together lies in the fact that called(send) the hounds on the trail of the beast, which these dogs drive out of the forest, swamp, ravine, in a word, from whatever shelter it is, to an open place where greyhounds are waiting for it. After waiting for an opportune moment, the hunter, standing closer to the running animal, lowers his greyhounds from the pack (long belt) and then pursues the dogs and the animal (usually with an increased gallop) until the dogs catch him, or until it becomes obvious that the animal left the greyhounds, after which the hunter catches his greyhounds as soon as possible and again takes his place. When the beast is caught, the hunter, jumping off the horse, instantly accepts him from dogs; while the hare chip off(stick a knife into the chest between the shoulders 1 1/2 -2 inches deep in the vertical direction), back off(see Pasanki) and push into the back toroko to the saddle by the hind legs; the fox is knocked down in the head, with a blow to the nose with the whip of a rapnik and, making sure that she is no longer alive (since foxes often pretend to be dead), they push her into the saddle by the neck; the wolf is taken with the left hand by the hind leg, and with the right hand they stick a knife into the side of the beast, under the front shoulder blade; they rarely attach a wolf to the saddle, but for the most part they leave it until the end of the hunt on the spot; when they want to take a wolf alive, to arrange a cage (see), it are composing, i.e. squeeze the jaws with a rope loop. During the production of hunting are given signals horn and pantomime. Of the horses, geldings and mares are most often used for hunting, as they are calmer; the horse is required to be cavalier (obedient to the occasion), not shy, tolerable and meek towards dogs. In general, all canine hunters dress in trousers, long boots and caftans (for greyhounds - dark, for vyzhlyatniks - bright colors); for a headdress, caps with visors are most preferred. Hunting accessories: a knife (in a sheath, pointed, 9 inches long), a pack (from a rawhide belt, 9 arshins long), a rapnik, a signal horn (for greyhounds - semicircular, for vyzhlyatnikov - straight, with a curved neck of the mouthpiece) and wolf snare ( usually 12 wings, each 1 sazhen wide and 20 sazhens long), with the help of which they block "strong" places and thereby force the wolves to flee to the greyhounds.

As a result of the changed conditions of social life, Russian hunting began to decline as early as the forties, but with the liberation of the peasants, only a small number of landowners survived large complete hunts; in connection with this, wolves greatly multiplied, since of all hunts, P. hunting is the best hunting method for exterminating these predators. From the end of the 1970s hunting began to recover, although not to the same extent; currently most practiced prefabricated or friendly hunts which consist of 3 or 4 companions. In 1886, with the formation of hunting teams (see), P. hunting on horseback was appointed the primary subject of employment in the cavalry. Until now, hunting has been of commercial importance among the Kirghiz, Turkmens, and other aliens of the Aral-Caspian lowland, for hunting wolves, foxes, hares, corsacs, and karaghans (Canis melanotus). In the steppe belt, the Kirghiz hunt only for riding; in mountainous areas - both in a ride (moreover, the greyhound is sometimes placed behind the saddle, on a special circle of felt mat), and with a corral (on foot and on horseback). In the provinces of the former Kingdom of Poland, the production of hunting is extremely constrained by the collection of duties: 15 rubles per greyhound. and with hounds for 5 rubles. per dog per year. According to the new rules on hunting on February 3, 1892 (see. Hunting), which are in force in most of European Russia, the development of P. hunting is equally hampered by the prohibition of hunting for hares - the main subject of this hunt - from February 1 to September 1 (eliminating the ability to drive on ice, in splashes and on fire) and the requirement for written permission from landowners to hunt on their lands (making it almost impossible to leave the fields); these circumstances are, apparently, one of the main reasons for the revision of the laws on hunting undertaken now. Abroad P. hunting almost does not exist: in France, for example, it is generally prohibited and can be carried out only with special permission for the extermination of predatory or harmful animals; in England, hunting with greyhounds took the form of their competition in speed (see. Sadki).

See also the articles: Greyhounds, Brasok, Waba, Vysvorka, Hounds, Zaezdnoy, Laz, Huntsman, Inciting, Hunting, Porkane, Kennel, Psari.

Literature. G. B., "Canine hunter" (M., 1785); H. Reutt, "P. hunting" (St. Petersburg, 1846); P. Machevarianov, "Notes of a dog hunter of the Simbirsk province." (supplement to the "Hunting Journal" for 1876); P. Gubin, " Complete Guide to P. hunting" (M., 1890); E. Dryansky, "Notes of a small-grass" (St. Petersburg, 1859); Baron Rosen, "P. hunting" ("Nature and Hunting", 1888, XI and XII); L. Sabaneev, "Russian Greyhounds" (ibid., 1897, III-V); Y. Polferov, "Hunting in the Turgai region" (Orenburg, 1896) .

Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron. - St. Petersburg: Brockhaus-Efron. 1890-1907 .

See what "Dog Hunting" is in other dictionaries:

On a deer. Lucas Cranach the Elder. 1529 This term has other meanings ... Wikipedia

Hunting, pl. no, female 1. for whom or for whom. Capturing wild animals big fish and birds by killing them (for whom that) or catching them (for whom). "The hunt was unsuccessful: the wolves broke through the roundup." L. Tolstoy. Commercial hunting. Hunting for ... ... Dictionary Ushakov

The favorite pastime of the landowners was hunting. Wealthy landlords had entire hunting farms with an extensive staff of servants. The kennel took care of the hunting dogs: the SENIOR HUNDRED, who was in charge of the training of the GREYHOLD dogs and disposed of the dogs during ... ... Encyclopedia of Russian life of the XIX century

This article should be wikified. Please, format it according to the rules for formatting articles. Royal and Grand Duke hunting in Rus'. As elsewhere, in Rus', hunting warns history. History notes the existence of hunting as a fact ... ... Wikipedia

Hunting, catching wild animals and birds; one of the oldest branches of human activity. Known to almost all nations. Initially (in the era of the ancient Paleolithic) it was predominantly collective in nature; loot was also consumed…

1. HUNTING, s; and. 1. to Hunt. Industrial, sports about. O. on a large animal. O. for an enemy aircraft, for the leader of the gang. Go hunting. Bear about. (on a bear). O. with a camera, photo gun (photographing animals, birds, etc. in ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

I Hunting prey of wild animals and birds; one of the oldest branches of human activity. Known to almost all nations. Initially (in the era of the ancient Paleolithic) it was predominantly collective in nature; booty… … Great Soviet Encyclopedia

In the broad sense of this concept, it means a passion directed to the acquisition and breeding of certain types of animals, as well as to improvement through exercise and selection of their distinguishing features; this includes horse O. (horse breeding, trotting ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

hunting- I s; and. see also hunting, to hunt 1) to hunt Commercial, sports hunting / that. Oho / ta on a large beast. Oho / ta for the enemy ... Dictionary of many expressions