Watch This: The Banagher Horse Fair

If you thought wading through Facebook groups to find your next horse to buy was a lot of work, wait until you see this.

Many aspects of equestrian life are said to be “an art” — wrapping the perfect standing bandage, braiding a mane for the hunter ring, or matching just the right horse to a lesson student.

In small towns in Ireland, however, the art of horse trading truly comes with its own code of conduct and centuries-old traditions both of which elevate the mundane process of buying or selling a horse into a dance.

This video, from vlogger Ronan Kelly and his Ronan Kelly’s Ireland series, takes us deep into the Banagher Horse Fair in County Offaly so we can experience this cultural event for ourselves.

Disclaimer: there is some NSFW language in this video, as well as a few scenes that may be upsetting to viewers involving a horse pulling back and a rider using a whip excessively.

The next time you’re trying to squeeze more answers to your questions out of a seller that you found on Facebook, remember this video. How far have we come? That’s a difficult question to answer, but this video certainly provides plenty of food for thought.

Go riding!