Steve - thanks for that, I thought I might just have to get drawn into discussion!

The knee-jerk view is mainly caused by the fact that the "sport" is perceived as being exclusively for the wealthy, landed class who have most of the money. The main opponents tend to be (caution!!!! - sweeping generalisation about to happen) left-wing and socialist who tend not to have most of the money. Sometimes known as the envy motive.

Though this whole concept is ridiculously outmoded in today's economic society, the fact is that hunting almost never was an exclusive preserve of the wealthy. The Welsh miners hunt is just one example of a "working class" hunt, but most hunts would traditionally be avidly supported by local villagers, on foot if they had no horses.

Terry