dog hunting

consists in baiting and catching animals with greyhounds (see), originated, initially, 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 on 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 for lack 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 hunting away from home) from one apartment (temporary hunting camp) to another. This ride is divided into riding on a ride, on the 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(in late autumn, looking out from a distance for noticeable faded, that is, 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 outgoing fields (only in autumn) 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 - semi-circular, 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 1940s, 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. Dryyansky, "Notes of a small-grassed" (St. Petersburg, 1859); Baron Rosen, "P. hunting" ("Nature and Hunting", 1888, XI and XII); L. Sabaneev, "Russian greyhounds" (ibid., 1897, III-V); Ya. 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. Obtaining wild animals, large 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 ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of 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 Russia. As elsewhere, in Russia, 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

In different regions, the terms of the hunting season for different animals are different. On the territory of the Leningrad region, hunting for a hare and a fox opens from October 1 and continues until the end of February. And hunting for these animals with hounds and greyhounds can be started a little earlier - from mid-September. In the same period, they begin to issue hunting permits, which must be obtained when going out into the fields along with a valid hunting license. But the optimal time for hunting with dogs will come a little later, when a thin layer of the first snow falls, on which both the tracks and the animal's beds will be visible.

The only trapping breed that itself completes the entire cycle from tracking prey to catching it is the Russian Borzoi. Therefore, any tests in greyhounds are equated to hunting, while when testing the working qualities of most dogs of other hunting breeds, the extraction of an animal is completely optional, and tests on both decoy and free animals, followed by the issuance of diplomas and awards, can be carried out all year round.

Calm and phlegmatic at home, in the field the Russian canine greyhound is radically transformed - it becomes active and reckless. At the same time, few of the four-legged brethren can demonstrate similar strength and speed. Dog breeders say that the greyhound is able to cope with a powerful mastiff and catch up with a swift whippet. But to achieve good results, like any athlete (and a greyhound is an athlete), she needs a strict training schedule. And if you go out into the field with an unprepared, "taken off the couch" dog, then you can "burn" it, planting its heart and lungs in a few jumps. Of course, a tight training regime is established exclusively for "working" dogs, which are able to please not only with their amazing beauty at exhibitions.

And since there is very little time from the opening of the season to the start of the tests, and the weather can present an unpleasant surprise at any moment (after all, it is far from possible to go out with dogs in the field in any weather), there are no free weekends for greyhounds in the near future. In total, it turns out that only 2-3 months a year are allotted for training, and even less in the conditions of our region.

Events dedicated to the opening of the season, with the departure of several packs in the field - a tradition of many clubs. True, there are very few animals left in the Leningrad Region (mostly when hunting with greyhounds they are guided by a hare). So you have to travel with dogs to remote regions, where it is better with a beast: Crimea, Krasnodar Territory. But nevertheless, during the next trip out of town, if you're lucky, you have a chance to observe from the sidelines the well-coordinated work of a pack of greyhounds, which, stretched out in a line (in hunting terminology, it is called "levelling"), combs the fields in the hope of "raising" hare.

"Master's" dogs

Aristocratic, elegant, refined, graceful - all these epithets are indispensable in the story of Russian canine greyhounds, which are invariably associated with royalty, palace interiors and masterpieces of famous painters who loved to depict greyhounds on their canvases. The very name “canine” Russian greyhounds received from the word “psovina”, which means “wavy silky hair”.

As the old saying goes, “Falconry is royal, dog hunting is lordly, and gun hunting is kennel hunting.” The killing of animals with a gun, since the time of Ivan the Terrible, was considered a shameful act among the nobles. They hunted only with dogs or birds of prey - falcons and hawks, and those who went hunting with guns were called "skin hunters". In dog hunting, it was not so much the prey of the beast that was important, but the splashing of energy, excitement and the competitive process - whose pack is faster and more lovable.

“Hound hunting, the dashing pastime of our ancestors, still delights the hearts of hunters who value the precepts of antiquity, support the breeds of bloodline greyhounds and hounds and all the traditions of this noble pastime both in the rules of riding with complete hunts and in the strict use of the hunting language ( terminology) in stories or descriptions of these hunts, - wrote General D.P. Valtsov in his book, published a hundred years ago. - During the time of serfdom until 1861, when most of the nobles lived on their estates, there were no greyhounds in a rare manor estate. Wealthy hunters kept complete hunts, that is, a flock, and sometimes two, of hounds that set the beast from its forest shelters (islands) into clean fields, and a different number of greyhound packs, depending on the size of the hunt, chasing and catching the beast put into the fields . To what a large scale some landowners brought their hunts is evident from the example of the Smolensk hunter Samsonov, who had a kennel set of 1,000 dogs and who proudly signed: "the first hunter of Russia." Hunters were poorer than only a few packs of greyhounds.

For many years, D.P.Valtsov was the manager of the famous Pershinsky dog ​​hunting (late XIX - early XX centuries), which belonged to Emperor Nikolai Nikolayevich Romanov. It was known not only in Russia, but also abroad, having become a kind of standard in its composition and organization, despite the fact that it arose after the end of the “golden age” of domestic canine hunting.

In 1861, after the abolition of serfdom, a period of their decline began, when even the most avid hunters were forced to significantly reduce the number of dogs. And after the revolution of 1917, Russian canine greyhounds were declared "master's" dogs, which must be exterminated. Most of the livestock was taken abroad, and all the buildings on the hunting grounds were destroyed and burned. And only in the 90s of the twentieth century, the Russian canine greyhound reasserted itself, and clubs engaged in breeding them began to emerge. However, today, according to experts, only enthusiasts are engaged in keeping and breeding Russian greyhounds. The number of dogs of this unique ancient breed has been declining in recent years, giving way to dogs of decorative breeds. After all, in order to raise and train a greyhound, you need not only to be ready to devote all your free time to it, but, perhaps, even completely change your lifestyle. Often greyhounds sell apartments in the city and buy a house in an area where the dogs will be much more comfortable.

With the onset of October, dogs start leaving for trials and hunting in the fields, - Igor Batig, president of the Tsarskaya Zabava club, told OK-inform. - In the off-season, when there are no hunts and trials, dogs are happy to participate in cross-country competitions and coursing. This is quite a spectacular event and at the same time a good training for dogs. For a greyhound, communication with the owner, family members, human friends is very important. The owner does not train the greyhound in any case - he educates her. She does not tolerate pressure on herself. It is much easier to negotiate with her, if we take into account not only her needs, but sometimes her wishes. Then she will become your second "I" and give you her tender soul.

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Dictionary of the canine hunter

Greedy for the beast - a greyhound, recklessly and stubbornly pursuing the beast.

A breeder is a hunter engaged in breeding, raising and raising thoroughbred dogs.

To fall in the field - to get an animal or game on the hunt.

They laid down - the greyhound galloped in the direction of the beast's run.

Complete dog hunting - hunting with a full set of greyhounds, hounds, horses and attendants.

Red beast - fox, wolf.

Red field - hunting with greyhounds, when it was possible to take a wolf or a fox.

Dashing - a greyhound of exceptional agility, overtaking with lightning speed and reliably taking, capable of catching up with any animal on any ground.

Field - hunting with greyhounds or hounds.

Field trials - checking (examination) of the hunting qualities of dogs, as well as determining their suitability as producers.

Poimista is a greyhound, taking the beast without a miss.

Pickle - miss the beast.

Leveling - a line of hunters with greyhounds in packs, walking (or riding a horse) at a certain distance from each other (in this way they comb the area). Before whom the beast rises, he sets off a pack.

Pack - 1) greyhounds walking with a hunter, from one to four; 2) any number of greyhounds belonging to one person; 3) a combination of greyhounds, a horse and a hunter as a hunting unit; 4) a belt-pack on which greyhounds are led.

Match - pick up greyhounds in a pack for the same agility.

"With the field!" - an appeal to a hunter who has obtained a bird or beast.

Photo by Elena Kurakina.

Departure fields, the 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, will never 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. The old Russian hunting embodied their dream of freedom and will. 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 Russia ...

It's time, it's time! Horns blow;
Psari in hunting gear
Why are they sitting on horseback,
Greyhounds jump on packs...

A. S. Pushkin

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; "Greyhound" - 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.

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


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 teachings of Vladimir Monomakh, it is said that all his life he worked “fishing”, “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."

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, the daughter of the Grand Duke of Kyiv, but also three canine greyhounds.

Alexander Gorbikov Russian hunting 2006

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.

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

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. It was necessary in 1619 to send "two hunters and three horse kennels" 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. Loving 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." 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.

N.E. Sverchkov. Hunting with greyhounds. 1889. Private collection

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.

Hunting in Ropsha. 1857. Ulyanovsk Art Museum, Ulyanovsk

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 dog "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 same one who bred the Orlov horse breed, also owned the initiative to set up a cage in Moscow (for a wolf, a hare), for which invitations were sent out in advance throughout Russia.

Sergey Potapov Dog hunting 2006

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. Numerous nurseries specializing in breeding this breed have appeared. Thanks to its refined aristocratic appearance and docile nature, the greyhound quickly won the sympathy of foreign dog breeders, who saw in it no longer a hunting dog, but a show dog and a companion dog.

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 among the true lovers of Russian dog hunting.

Mikhail Dianov Hunting trip 2007

The centuries-old tradition of hunting with dogs has firmly entered the mentality of Russian society in pre-revolutionary Russia. Scientific works were devoted to dog hunting, specialized magazines were published, where lovers argued about the exteriors of dogs, about the order of hunting, shared stories about their leisure time in the fields. 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 prizes and incentives.


Nikolai Komarov Royal Hunt

The history of Russian canine hunting keeps the memory of outstanding connoisseurs-craftsmen, artists of their craft. These are Feopen Ivanovich from E. E. Dryyansky’s Notes of a Small Herb, Danilo from L. N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”, Akimka from F. A. Svechin’s story “Two Souls”, Leonty from the story of I. A. Bunin “ Huntsman, the tsarist hunter V.R. Dits, famous throughout Russia, the famous Pershinsky hunters of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich Romanov - Efim Aleksanov and Mikhail Mamkin, this is the mysterious magician and wizard "B" from the story of N. N. Karamzin " Canine hunting”, efficient hunters from the hunt of K. V. Sumarokov, M. I. Alekseev and N. P. Pakhomov – Krasov, Pavlov, Milovanov and Nikitin and many others…

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.


Alexey Shalaev Russian dog hunting (sketch) 2007

Pershinsky hunting 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, the other - nightingale-piebald (white with marks). Pershinsky "bloods" were supported by young animals - there were constantly about 100 puppies in the hunt, mostly greyhounds and hounds.

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 ...

Alexander Sychev Wolf hunting 2004

“Thirty versts from the city of Tula to the west, 4 versts from the large old Kaluga dirt road, on the elevated bank of the Upa River, the beautiful estate of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich of Pershinsky’s estate is widely spread,” this is how his story begins about the Pershinsky imperial hunt in a monograph published in 1913 by General D. P. Valtsov, the manager of this hunt.

The estate in Pershin was built back in the time of Empress Catherine II by the famous Russian banker Lazarev. The old Russian word "estate" itself comes from the verb "plant": the tsar then "planted" service people on the ground and gave them the opportunity to arrange life in their own way. Once upon a time, Russia was decorated with estates, like a meadow with flowers. About the Russian estate, the poet Fet wrote: “This is a house and a garden arranged in the bosom of nature, when the human is one with the natural in the deepest, organic flowering and renewal, when the poetry of native nature develops the soul hand in hand with the beauty of the fine arts, and under the roof of a manor house a special music of domestic life arises, living in the change of labor activity and idle fun, joyful love and pure contemplation.

Alexander Sychev Hunting expectations 2003

Under Lazarev, a magnificent two-story palace was erected, and the temple built here in 1696 in the name of the Kazan Mother of God was put in order. In the future, the estate changed its owners several times. In 1887, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov acquired Pershino as a hunting residence. The estate was rebuilt, many new buildings appeared, including stables for thoroughbred horses, carriage and barnyards, kennels.

The palace flaunted against the dark background of an amazing park with centuries-old linden alleys, and in front of it, on a wide platform, flower beds were laid out with a circular path, poured out with crushed brick powder. Hunting dogs were led out along the path for the guests. Spectators admired such broods from the lower terrace.

The interior of the imperial hunting palace was designed according to the purpose of this residence. The walls of the vestibule are hung with hunting paintings and portraits of purebred dogs from Pershinsky hunting. Stuffed wolves stood on the landing of the stairs. In the large dining room on the second floor, the walls were decorated with medallions of the heads of bison, bears, wolves, lynxes, wild boars, elks, deer, goats, capercaillie. Stuffed huge bears stood in the corners, holding lamps in their raised paws, and at the balcony door there was a stuffed animal of a seasoned wolf baring its powerful fangs.

Many interesting hunting stories were heard by the walls of this dining room from the guests of the owner of the estate. But even more heated conversations and disputes were held in a room on the ground floor, called the "club". Greyhounds were examined here, deals were made for the sale of puppies, hunting was discussed. On the walls of the "club" hung portraits of the best producers of the Pershinsky hunt by the artist and passionate hunter G. K. von Meyer.

Vladimir Doronin

Already in 1898, the greyhounds of the Grand Duke began their victorious march through the exhibition rings in Russia and abroad. At the same time, few people could compete with them in the fields.

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. Pershinsky greyhounds were distinguished by a special nobility of appearance, powerful frets, exquisitely shaped heads, a restroom dog 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 the hunt - 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.

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.

Natalya Baronetskaya Royal Hunt 2007

N. P. Kashkarov, who repeatedly judged domestic hounds in the rings of Russia in those years, wrote: “Hounds of different breeds are common among Russian hunters, in the vast majority of mixed breeds; hounds of pure breeds are now almost never found ... Between modern hounds, a brilliant exception is the crimson flock of "Pershin" hounds ... "

Persh hunting was served by a whole complex of livestock and poultry farming: blood herds of Swiss cows, English sheep, herds of Kabardian and Arden horses, Tamier pigs, Rouen ducks, French chickens, etc. - all this was kept in exemplary order and under the personal eye of the Great Prince Nikolai Nikolaevich. In addition, there were nine stone houses for greyhounds with rooms and kitchens, walking areas, kennels for hounds, a hospital for dogs and horses, a boarding house for "pensioners" - dogs that had worked out due to age or injuries.

Sergey Potapov Falconry 2006

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 10-hectare wolf-hut with three ponds, a 30-hectare hare, and a pheasant house, located on an area of ​​more than 50 hectares, were arranged. Wolves were brought to the wolf hut, hunted in autumn by greyhounds in the surrounding forests. Their separate maintenance was arranged there: a department for over-flyers (last year's wolves) and profitable ones (born this year). Young greyhounds and hounds were taught on the newly arrived wolves, they hunted with them in cages. About 3 thousand hares, regularly brought here from Siberia, were kept in the rabbitry. At least 2,000 pheasants were constantly kept in the pheasant farm.

In the monograph by D. P. Valtsov, we find information that a special train was used to transport people, horses, dogs, tents, kitchens, carriages and much more to the hunting place, consisting of 42 freight cars, including two passenger first and second classes . The Grand Duke himself and his guests arrived by separate train.


Natalia Baronetskaya Hunt 2006

More than 100 greyhounds, the same number of foxhounds and rangers took part in the hunt. Horses for hunting were specially selected, as were packs of greyhounds and foxhounds. When the whole group arrived at the place where, according to preliminary data, there were wolves, plans were made, preparations were made and the hunt began.

The beaters, accompanied by a pack of foxhounds, drove the animal, usually a wolf, out of the forest into an open field, where mounted hunters were waiting for them at a respectful distance, each with a trio of greyhounds on a leash - one female and two males. When the beast showed up, the hunter let the dogs off the leash. The greyhounds chased the wolf, and the hunters rode after them. After an exciting chase, if the wolf failed to escape, the greyhounds had to grab it and keep it until the hunters arrived, who hurried at full speed to the place of the fight, so that, according to the custom, they immediately got involved in the fight, plugged the wolf's mouth and tied it. After that, the wolf was often released and, of course, the next time he behaved smarter and much more careful. A fascinating story about such a hunt can be read in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace.

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 through 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, who were in a hurry 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.

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

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 a pile of dogs, pulled out a 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 ... "

The 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. Keeping, for example, greyhounds at that time in Russia became almost impossible. Their main elite composition was taken abroad, and those who remained at home were declared "lordly" and subject to mass extermination.

N.E. Sverchkov. Horses and greyhounds

With the outbreak of war, the reduction of the Pershinsky hunt began, and the World Hunting Academy, as it was once called by numerous foreign guests, ended its existence in 1919. Most of the greyhounds were taken to Czechoslovakia, the hounds and the remaining greyhounds went to the hands of the local population.

This eradication of "bourgeois survivals" continued for more than 15 years. As a result, the Russian population of greyhounds and hounds suffered enormous damage. It seemed to many at that time that everything had gone to dust and domestic dog breeding could no longer be revived.

The October Revolution was a disaster for canine hunting and dog breeding. Was it up to dogs when they blew up temples and burned estates. For several years, the breed of domestic greyhounds practically died. And it's not that they killed out of hatred for the attribute of a class enemy. The population, hunters-traders dismantled dogs in the yards without any idea about the appraisal and selection work with them. But in a purebred dog, the main thing is “pure blood”.

It is possible to restore a monument of architecture according to the drawings, but a line of breeding animals, even once having launched alien blood into it, will not return many generations to purity. Dissolved blood greyhounds at that time among the balls and tuzikov. There were greyhounds, but there were “selections”. The rescue and restoration of the wonderful breed, and with it the re-creation of Russian canine hunting, is a long, dramatic story.

The fate of the Russian hounds was somewhat more successful. And only because they were more adapted to the Russian climate and did not look as aristocratic as greyhounds.

As for the Russian greyhounds, it was only after the end of the Great Patriotic War that the first blood representatives of this breed, found in the nurseries of occupied Germany, returned to Soviet Russia. Then the gradual return of the Russian canine greyhound to his homeland began.

In 1962, the nursery "De Norois" was registered in Switzerland in the name of Ursula Vera Trueb. being hundreds of kilometers from Russia, the breeder of the kennel then, and then in the next more than 40 years, devoted herself to the preservation and breeding of the classic type of Russian greyhound. And before starting breeding greyhounds, this amazing woman studied the history and culture of Russia, visited Pershino. It is impossible to recreate the breed without getting acquainted with its origins, roots, as Ursula believed. Today, the positive impact of the De Norua kennel on the restoration and conservation of the number of greyhounds in our country, which already number several thousand, is well known.

An even more difficult task turned out to be the revival of the Pershinsky type of greyhounds, once famous all over the world ... Moscow, Rusich kennel, breeder Irina Korshunova: about twenty years ago, Irina brought a greyhound from Germany, the roots of which went to the dogs of the Pershinsky hunt. This dog was also of Pershin type. Today in the kennel it was possible to restore and consolidate this type of Russian greyhounds.

The metropolitan nursery "Lunnaya Raduga", breeder Elena Balakireva, today specializes in breeding thick-dog Russian greyhounds of the Pershinsky type and has the most titled pack of Russia.

Kennel "Borzoi Romanovs" (Moscow), breeder Inna Estrina, working in close contact with the nursery from Sweden "De Norua". It was from this nursery that Inna once brought Hurricane. It was a dog, a real hunter, full of dignity and some kind of masculine strength. Hurricane aroused respect for himself not with a formidable look and a roar that put everyone in their places, but there was something special in his large, expressive dark eyes that spoke of him as a person.

And some time later in this kennel, from the parents of the bloodlines of the De Norua kennel, a fiery-bred aristocrat, a black-and-tan male of the Pershinsky type Bursh was born .... So in Russia in the last century this type of Russian canine greyhounds was recreated ...

Kirill Datsouk
Kirill Datsuk name:
"Fox hunting in Kostomloty on the feast of the patron saint of hunters St. Hubert"


On the calendar, the beginning of the 80s of the last century ... In those years, Vasily Terentyevich Urvachev, an honorary hunter of the regional hunters' society, a native of the village of Pershino, was a frequent guest of our family. We lived side by side and had a lot in common. Urvachev helped me in preparing a book on the history of the region, advised me on the creation of museum expositions, where I worked as a director at that time, and often went hunting together. How many then were lucky to hear hunting stories from the lips of this amazing person and talented hunter. About, for example, how he hunted in the local forests with academician Boris Stechkin, the main developer in the Soviet Union of rocket engines for spacecraft. But that, like many others, is another story...

N.E. Sverchkov. Hunting. 1881. National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, Minsk

Urvachev was born in 1902 and from childhood he was a witness, and then a participant in the royal hunts, which came to his native places in spring and autumn. His father, Terenty Eliseevich, served in the Hunt of His Imperial Highness and early began to accustom his son to hunting tricks, caring for hunting dogs.

For a long time, Urvachev's words that dog hunting, unlike gun hunting, is not the extermination of animals, will be remembered for a long time. This is, first of all, sports, adrenaline and a beautiful sight. This is a competition between two animals - wild and bred, grown by man. There are no wounded animals in dog hunting. Hunting is carried out in strictly limited terms, when there are no more young hares and pregnant hares. The hunting greyhound herself practically does not touch the hares, because she only knows how to poison and catch up. If the animal is gone, good. It means a strong animal. Overwinter and give healthy offspring. More than once, the old hunter expressed regret that after the revolution, along with thoroughbred hunting dogs, national dog hunting also disappeared into oblivion, and today's greyhounds are mainly urban "sofa" dogs ...

N.E. Sverchkov. Hunter. A hunting halt. Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum, Nizhny Novgorod

Two more decades have passed since those meetings with a well-known hunter in the Tulshchina. And I happened to be at the head of the development of the project for the recreation of the Pershinsky dog ​​hunt, to take part in the beginning of the return to the original homeland of the Pershinsky type of greyhounds. Alas, all this is far from being so simple in our today's world, with its predominantly technocratic mentality...

And although central and local publications wrote about the work that had begun at one time, there were reports on television, the first dog hunts with greyhounds took place, so far it has not been possible to break the minds of many that Pershino should stand in Russia, on Tula land in one row with Yasnaya Polyana, Polenov, Kulikovo field.

N.E. Sverchkov. Wolf hunting. 1873. Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Karelia, Petrozavodsk

And with the revival of the national dog hunting here, perhaps even brighter, more significant ...

But everything in the world once returns "to its own circle." That is why I want to end this essay with the words of a passionate hunter, a talented Russian writer Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev:

“Now I will 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 the spirit ... - would still flourish for a long time in our Motherland!"

"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 ladies' 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 are taking 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 for many years was a favorite pastime 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 far from nature in everyday life, living in a fast world of new technologies, 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 overall 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. 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 is 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 specific period can be chosen, 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 of natural materials (wool or cloth) in soft 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.

Providence was pleased to create a person in such a way that he needs sudden shocks, delight, impulse, and at least momentary oblivion from worldly worries; otherwise, in solitude, the temper becomes coarse and various vices take root.
Reutt. dog hunting

1.
The watchman walks around the master's house,
He yawns viciously and bangs on the board.

The sky and the distance are covered with darkness,
The autumn wind brings sadness;

Gloomy clouds are driving across the sky,
There are leaves across the field - and plaintively groans ...

The master woke up, jumped out of bed,
He put on shoes and blew a horn.

Sleepy Vanka and Grishka shuddered,
Everyone shuddered - up to the baby boy.

Here, with the trembling fire of lanterns,
The long shadows of the hounds are moving.

Scream, commotion! the keys rang
The rusty hinges sang dejectedly;

They lead out with thunder, water the horses,
Time does not endure - saddle as soon as possible!

In blue Hungarians on hare's feet,
In pointed, unheard-of hats

The servants drive up to the porch in a crowd.
It's nice to look - well done to well done!

Although many have thin soles -
Yes, there are yellow seams in the coats,

Though the bellies let down with oatmeal -
Yes, in laces under each saddle,

The horse is a feast for the eyes, two packs of dogs,
Circassian belt, arapnik and spurs.

Here is the landlord! Down with the cards.
Silently he twists his gray mustache,

Terrible in posture and magnificent attire,
Silently moves an authoritative glance.

Listens importantly to the usual report:
“The snake is dead, in the slaughter of Nabat;

The falcon went mad, the blues limped.
Stroking, bending down, Nahal's favorite,

And, voluptuously agitated, impudent
He lay on his back and wagged his tail.

2.
In strict order, at an accelerated pace
Houndsmen go over the hills and ravines.

It began to grow light; passing through the village
Smoke rises to the sky

The herd is chasing, with a painful groan
Ochep creaks (forbidden by law);

The women from the windows look fearfully,
"Look, dogs!" The boys are screaming...

Here they go up the hill slowly.
Wonderful distance opens to the eye:

The river below, under the mountain, runs,
The greenery of the valley glistens with frost,

And beyond the valley, slightly whitish,
A forest illuminated by a striped dawn.

But indifferently meet the psari
A bright ribbon of fiery dawn,

And the awakened nature of the picture
Not one of them enjoyed it.

“To Banniki,” the landowner shouted, “throw it!”
The wrestlers are driving apart,

And the leader of the dog team,
A screamer-reacher hid in the island.

God gave him an enviable throat:
That will blow a deafening horn,

That will shout: “Get there, dogs!
Don’t give him, the thief, a wheelbarrow!”

It will yell: “Go-ho-ho! - that! - that!! - that!!!"
So they found it - they poured on the trail.

Varom-cooks a boiled flock,
The landowner listens, enthusiastically melting,

A spirit is engaged in a powerful chest,
Hearing basks in wondrous harmony!

Littermates musical barking
Takes the soul to that ideal world,

Where there are no payments to the Board of Trustees,
There are no restless police officers!

The choir is so melodious, melodic and even,
What is your Rossini! what is your Beethoven!

3.
Closer and barking, and squealing and screaming -
A brisk mainland hare flew out!

The landowner yelled and rushed into the field ...
That is the expanse of the landowner's will!

Through streams, gullies and ditches
Rushing furiously, do not feel sorry for the head!

In stormy movements - the greatness of power,
The voice is imbued with the power of passion,

Eyes burn with noble fire -
Something wonderful happened to him!

Here he will not be afraid, here he will not give in,
Here Croesus won't buy it for millions!

Violent prowess knows no barriers,
Death or victory - not a step back!

Death or victory! (But where, if not in a storm,
And turn around Slavic nature?)

The beast sucks - and in mortal anguish
Weeping landowner, crouched to the bow.

The beast was caught - he screams wildly,
Instantly otpazonchil, he sticks around,

Proud of the luck of your favorite fun,
In a hare's tail wipes armor

And freezes, bowing his head
To the neck of a foam-covered horse.

4.
They poisoned a lot, jumped a lot,
Hounds were thrown from island to island,

Suddenly failure: Fierce and Terzai
They rushed into the herd, Rugai followed them,

Following them Ugar and Chamomile -
And they tore the lamb to pieces in a minute!

The master ordered the rebels to be whipped,
He himself spoke harshly to them.

Dogs jumped, snarled and howled
And they fled when they were let in.

Rheuma - the ill-fated shepherd roars,
Behind the forest, someone swears aloud.

The master shouts: "Shut up, animal!"
The brisk kid is not appeased.

The master got angry and jumps to the cry,
Cowardly - and falls at the feet
and a man.

The master drove off - the man started up,
Scolding again; the bartender is back

The master waved a rapnik angrily -
The brawler barked: “Sentry! Guard!"

A beaten guy pursued for a long time
The master with his poisonous scolding:

“We will beat you up with a cudgel
Together with your vociferous lackey!

But already the angry master did not listen,
Sitting down on a haystack, he ate hazel grouse,

I threw bones to Nahala, and to the kennel
He handed over the flask, having tasted it himself.

The psari drank - and were gloomy silent,
Horses chewed hay from a haystack,

And in blood-stained mustaches
Hares were licked by hungry dogs.

5.
So rested, continue the hunt,
They jump, porskat and poison without counting.

Meanwhile, time passes imperceptibly,
The dog changes, and the horse gets tired.

A gray mist falls over the valley,
The red sun has half set

And showed up on the other side
Essay on a lifeless white moon.

Dismounted from horses; waiting by the haystack
The hounds are knocked down, summoned with three horns,

And repeat the echo of the forests
Wild sounds of discordant horns.

It's getting dark soon. quick step
They go home through the hills and ravines.

When crossing a muddy stream,
Throwing the reins, watering the horses -

Greyhounds are happy, yappers are happy:
We got into the water up to our ears!

Seeing a herd of horses in the field,
A stallion neighs under one of the kennels...

We finally got to our overnight stay.
In the heart of the landowner, joy and bliss -

Many hare souls have been lost.
Glory to the diligent rut yapkush!

Knocking out timid animals from the forest,
You honestly served, faithful flock!

Glory to you, unchanging Nahal, -
You are like a desert wind flying!

Glory to you, rezvonozhka Pobedka!
Jumped briskly, you caught aptly!

Glory to the zealous and violent horses!
Glory to the survivor, glory to the kennel!

6.
Having drunk fairly, having dinner densely,
The master goes to sleep carefree,

Tomorrow tells himself to wake up earlier.
It's a wonderful thing to jump and poison!

Almost half the world in itself combining,
Russia stretched wide, dear!

We have many forests and fields,
There are many animals in our country!

We have no ban on the open field
Amuse the steppe and violent will.

Blessed is he who surrenders himself to power
Military fun: he knows passion,

And to gray hair young impulses
It will be preserved, beautiful and alive,

Black thought will not come to him,
In idle peace, the soul does not fall asleep.

Who does not like dog hunting,
He will fall asleep in himself and destroy his soul.