Horse hunting has a long and storied tradition. Its roots can be traced back to the middle ages when horses were believed to be unlucky and to spread disease. Over time the stigma was lifted and horse hunting became a favorite pass-time activity for many European elites. With the expansion of the British empire, horse hunting was spread as a tradition throughout the world. King Henry the VIII was well renowned for his enthusiasm of horse hunting. He thought horse hunting by traditional means (like sword and crossbow) as too easy and instituted a policy of horse hunting exclusively by club. Many contemporary horse hunters still uphold this tradition. King Henry VIII is often depicted beating a horse to death with a stick, deriving the idiom "beating a dead horse" (shown above).
Horse hunting was stopped during WWII as horse meat was used as rations in the war effort. It is estimated that as much as 6 million pounds of horse meat was consumed by allied and axis troops between 1939 and 1945.
Horse hunting declined in popularity during the latter half of the 20th century due to unfair criticism by the counterculture movement of the 1960's and was even outlawed in some states. During the 1980's horse hunting began to regain popularity due mainly to the "Back to the Future" films who's lead actor was a vocal supporter of the sport. Today horse hunting continues to be enjoyed by big game hunters and families alike. It is an honor and privilege to bring the tradition of horse hunting to you!
A Brief History of Horse Hunting
Horse hunting has a long and storied tradition. Its roots can be traced back to the middle ages when horses were believed to be unlucky and to spread disease. Over time the stigma was lifted and horse hunting became a favorite pass-time activity for many European elites. With the expansion of the British empire, horse hunting was spread as a tradition throughout the world. King Henry the VIII was well renowned for his enthusiasm of horse hunting. He thought horse hunting by traditional means (like sword and crossbow) as too easy and instituted a policy of horse hunting exclusively by club. Many contemporary horse hunters still uphold this tradition. King Henry VIII is often depicted beating a horse to death with a stick, deriving the idiom "beating a dead horse" (shown above).
Horse hunting was stopped during WWII as horse meat was used as rations in the war effort. It is estimated that as much as 6 million pounds of horse meat was consumed by allied and axis troops between 1939 and 1945.
Horse hunting declined in popularity during the latter half of the 20th century due to unfair criticism by the counterculture movement of the 1960's and was even outlawed in some states. During the 1980's horse hunting began to regain popularity due mainly to the "Back to the Future" films who's lead actor was a vocal supporter of the sport. Today horse hunting continues to be enjoyed by big game hunters and families alike. It is an honor and privilege to bring the tradition of horse hunting to you!
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