[Mike Matson]

http://youtu.be/HQdSDIti8_k

[Liberty]

I couldn't watch the whole thing. "Crazy" is a nice word for it.

[Eventer55]

Thanks, I'll pass

[Miss J]

Man that was awesome! I couldn't help but cluck the horses on laugh and cheer!

[Alagirl]

no wonder they don't ride ponies.

[ReSomething]

I've seen other Irish vids and why is it than when they get to trappy stuff they jump from a standstill - I can see the first couple over having to measure it out - and I see that second ditch is OMG huge - but the first one they could have stood off and jumped out of stride instead of crashing and burning, couldn't they?

[Alagirl]

I've seen other Irish vids and why is it than when they get to trappy stuff they jump from a standstill - I can see the first couple over having to measure it out - and I see that second ditch is OMG huge - but the first one they could have stood off and jumped out of stride instead of crashing and burning, couldn't they?

seems like it was deep and steep edges...kind of like the second, just with less water!

(I wonder...the guy who took a bath at the first, I am sure he owed a case....how much will bailing over the neck cost you?!

[Chardavej]

Wow, uh, how about not hanging on their mouths?

[oliverreed]

Looks like a really good way to injure or kill your horse.

[Liberty]

Looks like a really good way to injure or kill your horse.

My thoughts exactly.

[mvp]

"Honey badger don't give a sh!t."

Those people are whack.

[RedmondDressage]

I love going hunting here... And I *used* to want to hunt in the UK at least once... But that was back when I was a crazy eventer and young enough to have less of a sense of self-preservation. I think I'll stick to our lovely hunts with the jumps that you can ride *around* if you so desire

[Mozart]

This is why people used to buy their eventers in Ireland. Nothing they could do to them would make them even blink.

[Bells]

? This looked like a training session - the horses were all pretty calm about it, they had folks on the ground, and no one was running off like they would do on a real hunt. Not whacked or really that exciting at all.

[Foxtrot's]

That is what being able to ride is all about. The comments about horse abuse below the vid are ridiculous - none of the horses seemed to care.

As the mud hole got bigger and deeper, I think I would have found a different spot. How funny, everybody laughing and cheering, and not one "Are you OK?" after a soft landing.

[CFFarm]

I can hear my horse now. "You want me to go where and do what"?

[onelanerode]

Looks like a really good way to injure or kill your horse.

The folks who had their horses go in at an angle to that second ditch—fine. I'm not sure I have the brass ones to do that myself, but I've got no issues with that approach for folks who are skilled/brave enough for it.

The ones who put their horses straight to that ditch and let them take an underwater header into the opposite bank, especially after watching the first horse do that ... epic fail of horsemanship there.

And now I'm sure I'll get roasted.

[RaeHughes]

Wow! Some good riding there and I loved how quickly some of them dismounted when the horses didnt quite make it .... and the ones that went "ho hum, let's go for a swim instead". Definitely not one for the wimps and the horses were nice. Probably was a training ride - and that would be a very wide obstacle to meet out hunting.

I have not hunted in years(! and in NZ not Ireland!) but I was always told not to let go of the reins if the horse is balking. Straight and true are the best ways to get "over" these obstacles - a strong but giving contact provides clear guidance (and it wont be a grabbing one if these guys are anywhere near as good as the Irish in our Waikato hunt) to both you and the horse. Once they are through it - well, they dont have an issue with ditches after that .

Most of the time when I was hunting, the only one balking was me . The old hunter that I was riding would have flown over this without even looking - I was told, tho', to always have a good solid grip on his mane and to just look between his ears .

[ako]

OMG, I would so love to take a number of those horses. Maybe I'd have the cojones to do eventing with one of those guys!

[cranky]

The folks who had their horses go in at an angle to that second ditch—fine. I'm not sure I have the brass ones to do that myself, but I've got no issues with that approach for folks who are skilled/brave enough for it.

The ones who put their horses straight to that ditch and let them take an underwater header into the opposite bank, especially after watching the first horse do that ... epic fail of horsemanship there.

And now I'm sure I'll get roasted.

Not to mention that most of them were wearing standing martingales. Martingales + all that deep, deep water - YIKES!