Here we see some hounds followed by a group of riders or "huntsmen." Generally speaking this is a sport for "upper middle class" or "upper class" people. It costs a lot of money to keep a horse! They are setting out on a hunt. The "Master" of the hunt is tipping his hat courteously to a villager. Traditionally country people greet each other warmly. Hunting like this has long been a part of country life, but it was banned by the previous Labour government. Groups of riders still go out in hunting parties like this, many dressed in red, but they are no longer allowed to chase or kill animals.

Fox hunting is very controversial, with many people, particularly "animal rights" activists thinking it is an inhumane sport. Anti-hunting protests are not something new. This cartoon from the magazine "Punch" in 1850 shows a hunting protester preventing one of the riders from passing through the gap in the fence. In the background we can see other riders jumping over the fence.

This picture shows two policemen whose job is to make sure that there is no trouble at a hunt protest in the village of Waterford, in Hertfordshire, north of London. Members of a group of "hunt saboteurs"—people who want to make it impossible for the hunt to take place—are holding up a banner behind them.

A man is standing on a stage in an auditorium, addressing an audience of foxes. He is about to open a debate on foxhunting, and wants the audience to try to be "objective."

This is a Labour Party election poster, aiming to persuade people to vote Labour in the upcoming election. It shows a picture of a fox cup with soulful eyes, and the words "or the fox gets it" mean that if Labour loses this sweet-looking little fox will be killed.

This picture shows a fox lying on the ground, taking aim with a rifle. Some dead rabbits that the fox has already killed are lying on the ground next to it. Unlike the previous one, where the picture generates sympathy for foxes, this picture expresses the idea that foxes are vicious killers.

This cartoon shows a fox riding on a horse chasing after a man. It seems to be asking the question, "How would you feel if you were being chased by someone on horseback?". So it has an anti-hunting message.

This picture, taken perhaps a hundred years or more ago, captures the festive atmosphere of a hunt. All the villagers have come out to see the riders and hounds of the hunting party.

This is a more modern picture that also captures the exciting atmosphere of the hunt, as the riders pass along a village street, with local people enjoying the spectacle.

This cartoon shows two foxes in a field. They both look overweight. One of them is telling the other the "good news" that fox hunting has been banned. However, since the ban they have been putting on weight!

This cartoon, drawn probably over a hundred years ago, shows two ladies in the garden of their house. They are startled to see a fox jumping over the garden gate, looking a bit like a hunting horse jumping over a fence. The cartoon expresses the idea that foxes are pests who get into people's gardens, where they kill animals such as chickens or pets. So hunting is a good thing, the cartonn seems to be saying, but in a very gentle way.

This cartoon shows a fox talking to an aggressive-looking bull. Bulls are known to get angry when they see something red, and the fox is telling the bull that he has been chased by riders on horseback, all dressed in red. He thinks the bull will appreciate it if next time he leads the bull to him. Foxes are said to be cunning, and this fox certainly seems to have a clever strategy for dumping his problem on the bull!

The expression "see red" in English means to become very angry.

This picture shows two villagers lying naked in bed together. The man is commenting on the news that fox hunting has been banned. He is complaining that "Next they'll ban us from sleeping with our sisters." In other words, he is afraid that the government will soon do something even more stupid: ban people from sleeping with their sisters. This is a rather rude and disrespectful joke by the cartoonist, referring to the fact that a long time ago there used to be a problem of incest in many country areas.

When hunting hounds "tree" a fox, they cause it to run in fear to the safety of the upper branches of a tree, and bark at the bottom of it until the huntsmen come. Here we see some hounds that have just treed a fox. But one of the hounds is doing something he isn't supposed to do..!