Hunting in Ireland, Ireland Trip! Help!

[StaceyA]

Hi everyone!

Firstly, I just want to mention that this is the first time posting on this site so bear with me while I figure things out! This is going to be a long message so please try and stay with me I need some help/guidance.

I have a question regarding trips to Ireland to hunt, live and work. My boyfriend and I are traveling to Ireland in January 2013 with intentions to hunt and I’d like you ask you all for pointers/suggestions/guidance on how to go about doing so. Why not ask the pros right? haha

Okay, so the plan is to arrive in Ireland (we’re from Canada, both 23) early January and stay there for a minimum of 2 months. My hunt club here can hook me up with a lot of Irish guests we’ve played host to, but at the same time we’re both really outgoing people and I’d love to experience as many new things/clubs as I can.

Ideally, I’d love it if both of us could get jobs, even just part time jobs, to sustain our visit (no profit, just break even) as we’re heading to China soon after. I’ve been offered a job on the site YardandGroom.com as a steeplechase exercise rider in Ireland before, when I was in first year of University, but had had to turn it down as a need to put myself through school took priority, so I’ve visited that site once more and see that there’s a lot of job opportunities in Ireland; I worry, though, that people wouldn’t take me on for just two months, or that they’d be uncomfortable with a couple staying at their establishment, which is kinda silly but I guess it’s a respect/professionalism thing.

Also, my boyfriend isn’t a horse person, at all. He’s a country person though, and a hard worker, just isn’t familiar with farming or riding or horses haha. He just knows it’s been my dream to hunt in Ireland forever and is coming along before we extend our travels throughout the rest of the world. He’s really laid back about this whole thing, so is letting me plan the Ireland portion while he’s got the rest, hurray!

Okay, so here’s the big questions:

How do home rental/leases work? In canada we can sign a year long lease but some other people (few, but they do exist) rent by the month, which is what I think would be what we’d need.

Does anyone have any idea how we could work? OR, even better, does anyone need anyone to work for them the first two months of next year? (it’s a stretch, but I thought I’d ask anyway haha )

Hunt clubs, where’s the ideal places we should situate ourselves where we could arrange hunting? I understand that the Galway Blazers exist, but I worry that it targets ‘tourists’ rather than the genuine irish experience, thoughts?

How could I arrange to hunt? I’ll obviously have no horse, no trailer, or anything besides my hunt gear so I’ll need some guidance, any ideas would be appreciated!

When we have guests hunt with us here, 9/10 times we supply the horse, and the trailer ride as anyone who has room in their trailer usually brings am extra horse along. When we go down to Virginia there’s businesses where you can rent horses and services and you just need to show up (which I don’t really want to do but who knows!). Or, if I was working at a hunt barn I could just tag along!

Am I making sense? I understand there’s a lot going on here but I’m just trying to get organized now so we can find a place to stay, work and hunt before we arrive in 10 months.

Also, does anyone have any ideas on what my boyfriend could do work wise? Us horse people are pretty lucky as we have ‘friends’ everywhere we go, but since he doesn’t ride it’s a bit tougher.

In relation to work, and hunting, does anyone have any staying ideas? As in, places to live.

I also want to mention that I don’t plan on hunting twice a week, every week for as long as I’m there. I think financially that’s unrealistic and if we’re both working we plan to use Ireland as home base as we travel around to other places in the UK and Europe.

Even if people know of trips, organizations or anything that organize these things. Or hunt clubs that welcome guests with open arms.

so! sorry about the mess but if anyone has any ideas, suggestions or guidance anything is appreciated.

Cheers,

Stacey

[Napoles]

[QUOTE=StaceyA;6164188]
Hi everyone!
Okay, so here’s the big questions:

How do home rental/leases work? In canada we can sign a year long lease but some other people (few, but they do exist) rent by the month, which is what I think would be what we’d need. [/QUOTE]

Usually rental agreements are for a year, but if you visit www.daft.ie you might be able to find some information on short term rentals.

[QUOTE=StaceyA;6164188]
Does anyone have any idea how we could work? OR, even better, does anyone need anyone to work for them the first two months of next year? (it’s a stretch, but I thought I’d ask anyway haha ) [/QUOTE]

You could look at getting work in a hunt yard as riding staff and your boyfriend could do yard work - mucking out etc. Point to point and racing yards might also need some extra hands during this busy time.

[QUOTE=StaceyA;6164188]
Hunt clubs, where’s the ideal places we should situate ourselves where we could arrange hunting? I understand that the Galway Blazers exist, but I worry that it targets ‘tourists’ rather than the genuine irish experience, thoughts? [/QUOTE]

The only slight problem with basing yourselves out of Galway is that it wouldn’t be as busy in terms of different competition yards as Munster and Leinster.

[QUOTE=StaceyA;6164188]
How could I arrange to hunt? I’ll obviously have no horse, no trailer, or anything besides my hunt gear so I’ll need some guidance, any ideas would be appreciated! [/QUOTE]

Introductions via your own hunt at home if, as you mentioned you have had Irish visitors over.

[QUOTE=StaceyA;6164188]
When we have guests hunt with us here, 9/10 times we supply the horse, and the trailer ride as anyone who has room in their trailer usually brings am extra horse along. When we go down to Virginia there’s businesses where you can rent horses and services and you just need to show up (which I don’t really want to do but who knows!). Or, if I was working at a hunt barn I could just tag along! [/QUOTE]

Yep, as far as I know there are a number of hunts which will supply that service. (never had to avail of it myself obviously! )
This site would be a good first port of call:
http://www.hai.ie/ and also
http://www.imfha.com/

Also, to get in touch with the Irish equestrian community:
www.stabletostable.com/forums

And lastly http://www.theirishfield.ie/site/index.php

[SuffolkRider]

Have watched the Duhallow Hunt go a few times when I was visiting family in Millstreet. Definitely not a “tourist” operation!! Have ridden there and it was a blast. http://www.millstreet.ie/blog/2011/02/08/duhallow-hunt-meet-at-the-sandpit
“The Sandpit” is a pub between Millstreet and Mallow.

[Flagstaff_Foxhunter]

The Irish are famously friendly so once you’re in country, you should have no problem chatting people up. It’s been a few years–14–since I hunted there. But each of the four hunts I went out with had hirelings available. In one instance, we had lunch in a restaurant and I ended up hunting the owner’s ex-steeplechaser the next day. (The restaurant owner whipped in to a local hunt.) We sat there for hours and nearly drowned on good Irish tea talking like old friends. That was a fabulous horse–the Wintec dressage saddle not fabulous, eeek, big hedges and ditches! The capping fees and the hireling costs were generally about the same–quite expensive. At the time, would have been the equivalent of $100 USD for each.

The Grandmaster of hunts, tourism and trail rides has to be Willy Leahy. My concern is that the Irish Tiger is no longer roaring, and in addition to labor laws, I imagine people are keeping their families employed and may not have opportunities for outsiders. On a trip in '99 we stayed at some lovely riding bed and breakfast places. Perhaps one of those would have lodgings and a spot for some working students.

I Googled Irish Horse Riding and the first site I looked up had such jobs available on their website for Galway, Clare and the Burren. Being outgoing will definitely be in your favor, and ther is no substitute for a handshake and a smile.

I know you’ll hear from others on this forum with much more (and more recent) experience. We have at least one Irish MFH on this board! No names…

Good luck!

[StaceyA]

Thank you everyone! I’m in the process of making a couple Irish friends so I think hunting is going to be the easy part.

Finding a place to stay I think my best bet is subletting, or bunking up with people. Once we find work the rest seems like it’s going to fall into place.

If anyone has any other suggestions I’d love to hear them

[MapleMeadows]

FYI Willy Leahy is still roaring! He’d be a fantastic contact to make…
www.aille-cross.com/foxhunting.html

[Sunnymeadefarm]

Stacey, have you done much research into working abroad? It sounds like you are a Canadian citizen. That means your country is not a part of the EEA, and you will find securing a work permit, which you must have prior to beginning employment, and additionally, finding a sponsoring employer, to be exceedingly difficult. As in - nearly impossible, unless one brings along a very specialised skill set that is not available from an EEA applicant.

Why not work in Canada, save every penny you can, and then travel on a budget to Ireland and Europe? That way, you will have all the free time to explore, experience, and enjoy.

Good luck to you, however it turns out. My fondest memories and wildest adventures came about when we were young and travelling on a shoestring and a prayer. Great times.

[StaceyA]

Hi everyone,

Sorry I disappeared there for a while, I’m finishing up my degree and got side tracked. Anyways, thanks everyone for your help!

Sunnymeadefarm, yup! your right, permission to work was really hard to come by, I’ve gotten a couple job offers for farm work which abled me to apply for a Visa and get that ball rolling, but since we’re going to be moving around so much we’ve decided not to pursue the work path and just the travel path haha. It would of saved me a lot of time if I had read your message a month ago!

We’re going to be in Ireland for two weeks hunting as much as we can, then are heading out to do most of Europe before we carry on. Luckily we have friends and family in the UK, China, Australia, and New Zealand and are planning to bike Europe on the EuroVelo trails, so we’ll save a lot of money on accommodation.

Thanks again to everyone for everything, I’m in contact with 3 organizations that are linking to lots of the clubs in Ireland it seems so regardless if I get out 3 times or 7, I’m sure it’s going to be a blast

[otterhound]

Our hunt season here in NZ has just started - you should try to plan your NZ trip so you can get a hunt or 2 in here! =) Last hunt closes around mid-August. My partner (who’s Irish and a huntsman) has a brother who hunts the Co Clare pack back in Ireland - I spent 6 weeks there back in 2001, hunting 2 or 3 times a week, and it didn’t cost me a cent! I was very lucky that my partner has many, many hunting friends back home who provided me with horses, and because of his brother I didn’t even have to pay any capping fees. It was certainly a trip to remember!

[Equibrit]

You would need a work permit; http://www.djei.ie/labour/workpermits/

[EmmyKat]

You should also check out the Limerick Harriers if you have time!! Big drains etc, but a very friendly hunt who always welcome a visitor! I hunt with them myself, both a local mans horses and my own, so you wont be short of a horse. And transport, tack etc for same would be provided. I hope to get my young horses out Jan 26th, so if you choose that day, I could introduce you to all our weird and wonderful characters. And I’m sure the Limerick Lads will welcome you in their homes, save on hotels!

Workwise, an eventing woman called Ann O Grady is Limerick based if you still want work. She works a lot with young horses, so good experience!!