National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdle

Hurdle

A hurdle is a moveable section of light fence. Traditionally they were made from wattle , but modern hurdles are often made of metal. Hurdles are used for handling livestock, as decorative fencing, for horse racing and in the track and field event of hurdling.-Types:*Traditional hurdles are made...

s or fence

Fence

A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...

s (except in the case of a 'bumper

National Hunt flat race

National Hunt Flat races, informally known as Bumper races, are flat races run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland....

'). The biggest events of the year in the UK is generally considered to be the Aintree Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Most of the National Hunt season takes place in the winter when the softer ground makes jumping less dangerous.