Fox Hunting with Hounds outside Fethard

Tipperary Foxhounds Hunt, in Fethard. This Film captures a fox hunt with horses and hounds and explains the various stages and what happens. The weather was dry, foggy and overcast. The ground was good to soft. Fethard is a small town in county Tipperary, Ireland, that is surrounded by rich grazing and tillage land. It is a medieval walled town, the walls are 700 years old. Huntsmen, hounds, riders and spectators gathering. Fox hunting is a countryside tradition and community occasion, which is hundreds of years old. The riders wear jackets, jodhpurs, boots, hats and ties. Huntsmen wear red jackets to distinguish themselves. The riders arrive early to the meet, allowing plenty of time to mount up, as the hunt moves off sharply at the start time. Prior to going to the hunt horse’s legs are checked for lacerations, swelling or lameness. Horsebox trailers and trucks are parked so as not to cause an obstruction. Riders pay a fee, before the start of the hunt, to take part. The fee is known as a Cap. The pack of hounds is kennelled at Tullamaine, outside Fethard. There are 102 hounds. Horses are trained to deal with the circumstances encountered at a hunt. Horses new to hunting, have a green ribbon tie in its tail. For a horse that might kick, a red ribbon is used.