Training at Holkham Hall and Park grounds after sharp frost overnight, running our dogs through stubble fields and through woods and cover but far too many rabbits which distracted our young dogs.
All off to the local pub for a fine lunch, rest and long chat with the keeper of 40 years service there. This evening, we bought supplies and made our own tea and rested rather than drinking and socialising with the other handlers for this had not been a very edifying day
Another comfortable night, if short after more late-night philosophy, and the dogs continued to settle well. We were fortunate to be able to gain access to Holkham Hall & Park for the day's training and had the head keeper to help us and join us for lunch. He was an interesting character and had been employed there for over forty years. They do not put out reared stock and only have wild pheasants.
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They are also building up their stocks of the native grey partridge and doing their best to limit the amount of the French red-legged variety. This pleases us as the greys sit better for the pointers and do not run off so much. A sharp frost overnight and then a scramble to get ready and out for the drive to Holkham Hall. The park has a stock of around 650 to 750 fallow deer of which they have been culling about 300 a year to maintain a steady population in keeping with the grazing.
The total estate is of several thousand acres with about three tenant farmers, but they keep the sporting in hand with a team of keepers; three of whom came over to watch and admire our German Pointers working. Once there, we parked and took a long walk to a very large stubble field in which we each got a chance to run our dogs with me near last. Sam was headstrong and, with the woods and cover on each side full of rabbits and the fields full of hares, he started well but got out of control and ended up in the doghouse. Another attempt on my own later had a similar result and, coming back last to help with the retrieving of cold game in the woods, he failed to find any after the other dogs had run through.
All off to the local pub for a fine lunch, rest and long chat with the keeper and we treated him to the lunch out of our gratitude and found him good company. The next session in late afternoon began with some more cold retrieves of pheasants and pigeon in the deer end of the park. I was one of the first to go after we had to walk the dogs off the lead through the loose bantams kept for incubating deserted eggs. Then we found the woods infested with rabbits and the scent of game and deer everywhere so that, when I released Sam, he just ran out of control and chased off after fur. Then back to try again, keeping him at tighter range and doing better before another rabbit got up which he chased into a field drain!
Though good for the older dogs, Holkham was rather too much for the inexperienced ones. Janice's bitch was also out of control at times and she became disconsolate and then Jim had a nightmarish time. I was sickened by him being encouraged to punish his dog so hard by the trainer who insisted he "square him up" to get his attention before another run. This is a dog-training euphemism for holding him up by his jowls and shaking him which Jim did for a full thirty seconds so that the dog was making a fearful whining and wailing. I let it be known to everyone, including Jim, that there must be a better way and, if that was what had to be done, then I would rather not bother.
The walk down to the lake where we all tried some water retrieves which Sam managed all right. I was paired with Janice and her dog was fine but Jim had another torrid time with Ben who refused to go in and I think that this shouting and punishment saps the poor dog's confidence. Back to the cars in poor spirit and then the drive along to the beach for some coffee and cake as the sun set and the geese flew eastwards to their roosts along the shores of Holkham Bay. We stopped off at a garage on the way back and bought some bread, milk and baked beans and, with the fire lit and the dogs looked after and taking turns inside, we made our own tea and rested rather than drinking and socialising with the other handlers for this had not been a very edifying day.