hunting in Ireland

[mroetter]

I am taking my daughter to Ireland the week after Christmas to hunt with the Roscommon Hunt. I have several questions for those who have done this.

1. Can you wear your hunt coat with colors over there or do we need a solid black coat? What about vests? Do they have to be yellow?
2. It will be cold 40’s can we wear Mountain Horse insulated tall boots or do they need to be the regular tall boots?
3. Has anyone on COTH ever hunted with Oliver at Flowerhill? If so could you give me some tips?

[Thomas_1]

1. You can and they don’t have to be.

2. You can if you want but personally speaking I’ve never seen anyone hunt wearing those. But might be a plan to take your regular boots

You’ll find you’ll be welcomed and it won’t be terribly snooty or strict protocol for visitors.

[Molasses]

If you cannot get hold of the correct clothing, don’t worry too much as protocal certainly isn’t strick for visitors. But try and be as smart as you can while keeping warm. Show jackets are worse than useless at keeping the cold and rain out and look out of place in the hunting field. A good heavy dark wool tweed is perfect and don’t forget a good waterproof jacket also. Breeches in cream or light yellow and plain tall boots. I would avoid showy fancy or brightly coloured attire, you’ll just stand out as a newbie and be freezing wet also. Generally avoid white breeches and fancy stock pins. I’m not sure what boots your are describing look like but regular tall boots will be fine. And enjoy you’ll have a ball and FH have some lovely horses and great countryside.

[Equibrit]

Check out the pics here - I think you’ll be fine ! http://www.roscommonhunt.com/all/all.html
You should be more worried about whether you can handle the booze ! I see on their fixture card that they are hunting on Boxing Day.

[My2cents]

I’ve ridden in the Kildare hunt a few times and wore jeans and my suede chaps, paddock boots and Barbour wax coat. On one of the hunts, we had farmer’s literally joining up along the way and you should have seen how they were dressed. The hoity toity is soooo not a part of the hunt in Ireland. Be prepared for the ‘after’ party tho’. Many cups of tea (with a little extra something for warmth) and the telling of the stories. God help you if you fell off, THAT became fodder for a good hour of bantering and laughing. A good time will be had, that’s for sure!

[Groro]

Rubber Boots

Formal hunting gear is greatly appreciated by the Masters of any Irish hunt. But leave your leather boots at home. Buy rubber boots there. Very few Irish foxhunters wear anything else. If you do take your leather boots, they will probably be wet for the entire week!

(My husband was a MFH of the Golden Vale for 12 seasons)