RIDING WITH THE GALWAY BLAZERS • FOX HUNTING IN IRELAND

[@joelhall5124]

Wonderful documentary. Would you by any chance be able to upload Todhunter and the Fox?

[@equine2020]

George Washington introduced foxhunting here in the states. He had his own pack. Its a sport that is very enjoyable. And challenging.

[@bigverybadtom]

Of course in that era it was necessary because firearms of the day were terrible quality.

[@equine2020]

@@bigverybadtom That's a ridiculous answer. Foxhunting has been a fixture for centuries. To kill predators, or for food. Some hunted stag back then, plus fox.

[@tadhgcronin175]

A fantastic day out for people who like horses and the countryside. Nice to see young riders enjoying it.

[@bigverybadtom]

Incidentally, Ronald Reagan often relaxed by riding his horse out in the countryside. Though he never hinted.

[@ElaineMilne-o7l]

Excellent film

[@bigverybadtom]

I looked up an Irish Hunt Sabs organization, but it seems to not have survived.

[@henriborius6158]

Image quality is terrible

[@HorseTVGlobal]

If you noticed in the description, it was filmed in 1989, in standard definition as high-def did not exist then. It would have originally been formatted in a Beta format for broadcast, so it is several generations of technology in the past. Even creating a digital copy of the original, you start with an older copy- and because there are far less pixels to work with, you can only do so much to improve the original copy.

[@vikingsong2068]

It was filmed in the 80s, you prat.

[@l.ashleygarr6537]

I absolutely love riding horses and always wanted to go out riding with a group of people like this, horses and hounds, seems like so much fun. I also understand the controlling of fox population amongst farm country. A high fox population can be devastating to a farmers lively hood. I have a friend here in Texas that raises chickens for their eggs, he’s lost several good laying hens to foxes and bob cats. Their income has suffered and he’s had to measures to keep his hens safe as these birds are not just livestock but members of his family. It’s a shame so many people have criticized this tradition without doing their research and maybe going on a ride or two to truly understand how much work goes into owning, training & riding horses as well as dogs for any sort of skill, work or sport. Horses are not just for the rich, I’m working class here, working 9 to 5 sometimes 6 days a week and I get dressed up and ride whenever I can, going on leased trail rides across open spaces. After the ride I help tend to the horse I borrowed for the day as a way of thanking them for a magnificent adventure. You can’t really speak about it till you tried it, it’s a whole other experience.

[@heroicflawzyt3610]

I go fox hunting there hunting but there over doing it aswell if u know wat I mean

[@patbash5718]

Cruelty is cruelty. Why would anyone want to see a fox ripped apart. What happens to the hounds when they get to slow for the hunt

[@HunterSW1]

@@patbash5718they get retired to other packs like packs that want slower hounds for their country or mink hound packs. Do ur research mate

[@LJ5-ds1cv]

Farmers can shoot ‘troublesome’ foxes. Some people raise cubs in sheds just for hunting later. No need for such abject cruelty at all 😢

[@equine2020]

It's the best there is. You, & your horse enjoying the day. It's challenging You better have a good horse & be an experienced rider.

[@waltham99]

The days before the protesters!

[@bigverybadtom]

There don't seem to be any fox hunt protesters in Ireland.

[@bigverybadtom]

There was an organization called "Irish Hunt Sabs", but it seems to have gone out of existence a couple of years ago.

[@patbash5718]

​@@bigverybadtombe careful

[@bigverybadtom]

@@patbash5718 Check for yourself if you think I'm wrong.

[@patbash5718]

@@bigverybadtom 97% of irish people want it banned

[@equestanton1017]

All those walls must have left not just a few horses with irreparable chronic blunt trauma, long term damage to the foot never mind knees and stifles. One wonders how this makes ideal hunting country? Oh that's right horse safety was never paramount fox hunting anywhere. Thrown around the countryside until broken, they're just replaced, disposable objects.

[@bigverybadtom]

Considering how expensive horses are, I find that people who own them wouldn't be that careless with them.

[@equestanton1017]

Ireland produces many hunters, they arrive on the ferry every season. People buy them and destroy them in a season and just buy another one the next. I've even seem adds in "Horse & Hound" saying, "Broke your hunter before the season ended? Buy this one ready to go". This is the general mentality. Hunters come in many shapes and forms and generally are not expensive warmblood sport horses bred for show jumping, dressage, eventing or even showing. They do still require upkeep like any horse.@@bigverybadtom

[@equine2020]

We make sure the horse isn't hurt. Remember those are trained horse with (hopefully) knowledgeable riders. Some hunts won't tolerate ignorance of the sport, or horse. Our masters have asked people not to come back.

[@riverp9019]

@@bigverybadtom You would be very surprised then. Isn't jumping a stone wall careless in your odd little world?

[@bigverybadtom]

@@riverp9019 Wouldn't know, I haven't ridden a horse since my youth and I never tried jumping-or hunting. You will have to ask people who actually do this sort of thing.

[@tomwilson7390]

Was the late great Walter Swinburn rider of Shergar a joint master o the Galway Blazers

[@patbash5718]

Walter that is a great irish name

[@richardgreen7811]

I am 3rd Generation Irish whose heritage extends from County Galway. My heritage name is Kerney (from my Sainted Mother), which is the only heritage we claim. While not reviewed in this video, my Grandfather took great delight in having a pint in front of the fireplace and telling us the story of how "The Hunt" came by its name one faithful evening at Dooley's Tavern. Here in America, I have pursued my heritage activities by Fox Hunting and competing as a rider in the Jumper Division of the West Tennessee Hunter/Jumper Association. Try as I might, I have attempted to obtain a shoulder patch from the Galway Blazers to wear as a conversation piece and commemorate my heritage. To date my efforts have been in vain. As they say about patience, all good things come to he who waits.

[@HorseTVGlobal]

What a fascinating story. We filmed a Fox Hunt east of Knoxville for the Cleveland Bay group about 12 years ago. You can see the episode at this link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZLJcoaYm69_qdk

[@richardgreen7811]

@@HorseTVGlobal It's something I / We truly enjoy. Great fun, great exercise, great food. America is a beautiful place when left alone to "be". GOD SPEED America

[@richardgreen7811]

@@HorseTVGlobal Love it. Knoxville, Memphis, Germantown ... they're all great people and have the sharing nature of Ireland. It was great fun.

[@vikingsong2068]

You're not Irish. You're American with, allegedly, Irish ancestry. Britain and Ireland are nextdoor neighbours and have been interbreeding for thousands of years. Foxhunting originated in Britain. Though it is popular in Ireland too.

[@richardgreen7811]

@@vikingsong2068 Edwin Owen Kerney ... traceable to County Galway whose Great Grandfather was with the rabble who set fire to Dooley's Tavern that faithful night Thursday, October 13, 1895. What did your great grandad do that evening Linda ?

[@seanhill1810]

❤

[@denisoconnor6343]

The minutes should have been read in Irish 🤣😂🤣

[@equine2020]

The joy of fox hunting is. Undescribaeble. You, & your horse spending a days joy.

[@equine2020]

@@pumpkinhead8593 Pls get educated. Many hunts in the states use drag scents. No fox involved Bit than foxes are predators. Theh kill smaller livestock and pets Landowners ask us to eliminate the fox. Condem the gun/bow hunters. They injure an animal and let it crawl off to die a slow painful death. Hounds do kill it within seconds. Condem pet owners who abuse their pets Close puppy mills. Stop dog/bull/cock fighting. Improve slaughter houses, horror chambers. Hear the screams of the terrified animals, see the fear in their eyes. Oten times they're not killed outright, & get skinned alive. Pls if you condem one, work to cond r m ALL animal abuse. Note these foxes know their territory, they know to go to ground. Seldom is a fox killed in the USA. Perhaps the old , sick ones get caught. Do you eat meat, or wear leather. You've killed an animal to get these. Farmers kill foxes to protect their livestock. We are no worst (even better) than other hunters. The animal doesn't get shot to go die in pain. Wait till you lose a pet (or farm animal) to a fox. They may be cute, but they're killers. Ted Bunndy was cute, but a serial killer of women.

[@cathalodiubhain5739]

@@pumpkinhead8593 well said

[@kevinturner5857]

Tally-ho master Fox sir 😁

[@jimimack.2046]

RIP Michael Dempsey, a great huntsman and a legend in his own lifetime.

[@Richard2E0IKJ]

Beautiful sight along with the sound of hounds in full voice. Truly uplifting

[@patbash5718]

Not for the fox

[@ianwhite5799]

​@@patbash5718the clue is in the name fox HUNTING. If you do not like it don't watch it , nobody is forcing you.

[@patbash5718]

@@ianwhite5799 that's what the hunter want for nobody to say anything

[@ianwhite5799]

@@patbash5718 no hunters just get on with their lives it is Karen's like you that think they need to interfer in other peoples business.

[@patbash5718]

@@ianwhite5799over 70% off irish want it banned, so it's not just me. It's a another English cruelty we could do with out. It's everyone business you are killing a wild animal for fun.

[@bigverybadtom]

Horses and hounds fox hunting may have originated in England, but if Ireland didn't want to continue it they would have stopped it long since. Ireland did not bring back its own royal family.

[@equine2020]

Foxhunting has been in other countries for years Germany, France, etc.

[@bigverybadtom]

@@equine2020 Foxhunting exists everywhere foxes live, but I thought the horses and hounds version only exists in the British Isles.

[@equine2020]

@@bigverybadtom No George Washington had English hounds. Then later the American foxhound was developed Our hunt has English hounds. Lineages going back years. You need hounds that can keep up with horses.

[@itsbrilliant-bt8sv]

With so much of Ireland being destroyed these days long live this magnificent tradition. The Blazers used to pass my house when I was a kid so they are part of me.

[@derekgladwin5163]

Brilliant never give it up

[@patob4868]

Tally ho old chap ,a lovely British tradition

[@richardgreen7811]

IRISH ...

[@vikingsong2068]

This was filmed in Ireland, but fox hunting did originate in Britain.

[@richardgreen7811]

@@vikingsong2068 That is true ... but the Irish Hunts have singers and Irish dancing at the evening dinner / pub event. While I reasonably agree to pay $50 USD for the tickets, I'm happy to pay $1,000 USD just to hear them talk to each other.

[@patbash5718]

The brit went and the rich Irish took over

[@richardgreen7811]

@@patbash5718 My brain is British, my liver is Irish, and my johnson is Negro ... and YOU are outmatched.

[@gottasay4766]

Silly sport for the rich.

[@cockerlass1689]

It’s comments like this that are incredibly damaging to the reputation of of people who live in the countryside and we are not a certain class of people you have assumed this and you add to the so called class war .It is evident that you are deluded beyond comprehension about the countryside and those of us that reside and are caretakers of this land.I suggest to you that you do the urgent research you have clearly overlooked on a subject you evidentially know nothing about ?,,,if you are against fox hunting what do you suggest as a direct replacement to managing foxes that will kill newborn lambs ground nesting birds etc? On the subject of class war I throw this back at you,I expect you are one of those types of people that are in favour of ‘rewilding’ but the wolves you want back in the wild are exactly the same method of natural predators as a pack of hounds! There is no better way to control foxes as hunting with dogs! Go and find out !!!

[@toomuchrespect]

​@cockerlass1689 you're worse replying to the fool.

[@pumpkinhead8593]

@@cockerlass1689 Fox populations don't need to be managed by humans. Nature does that perfectly well without your "help". You do it for fun, nothing else. Don't try to pretend otherwise.

[@richardgreen7811]

It provides jobs for a lot of people and rids the countryside of vermin. Maybe YOU should try it sometime just to see how silly "you" would look going over a fence on horseback. BTW ... how much exercise to YOU get sitting in front of that TV ?

[@pumpkinhead8593]

@@richardgreen7811 Ehh well, if you make the decision to build your livelyhood on animal abuse and blood sports, knowing that outdated hobby will be done away with in modern times, and yet you refuse to adapt and find a proper job, then that's kinda your own fault isn't it? Foxes aren't vermin and the countryside doesn't need a bunch of drunks on horseback to bumble around to "manage" them.

[@betty-jocarlo5980]

That was very helpful and informative. Thank you. 😊

[@vikingsong2068]

Lovely video.

[@DarrenPhillips001]

Yes. Brilliant. Never give up. 👍👍👍

[@cheep55]

As a foxhound owner great video,wonderful dogs

[@equine2020]

Hounds, not dogs !!! We never call them dogs.

[@cheep55]

I stand corrected,hounds