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Ireland Horse Riding

This listing has one of the 10 most popular offers available in in Ireland

Join Country Cottage Stables for a luxury five-day horse riding adventure set in Wicklow, along Ireland's Ancient East. They offer a blend of different horse riding experiences combined with cultural excursions and award-winning dining experiences while staying at a four-star luxury accommodation.

Key information

  • Rider weight limit: 215 pounds / 95 kilograms
  • Tack type: Top-quality English tack
  • Horse breed: Sport horses, Irish cobs, Irish draughts, and Connemara ponies

Meet the instructors

Kieran & Sophie
Read more

Highlights

  • 5 riding days
  • Approximate daily riding time: 3 to four hours
  • Tailored itinerary to suit your riding level and preferred riding experiences
  • AIRE riding instructors and professional guides
  • 4 nights accommodation in four-star hotel (upgrade to five-star available)
  • Daily meals and dining experiences
  • Whiskey tour and tasting, and traditional Irish Hooley evening Transfers to and from the airport, plus private chauffeur each day

Skill level

  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced

Styles


5 days with instruction
Group size: Maximum of 6 participants
Airport transfer included: Dublin Airport
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Accommodation

Check-in Time:
15:30
Check-out Time:
12:00

Facilities

  • Spa
  • Dining area

Four nights will be spent at Summerhill House Hotel Wicklow, a four-star country house hotel. The hotel has just been awarded a four-star rating, which highlights its commitment to exceptional quality and providing guests with an unparalleled experience.

The hotel is located only four minutes from the stables and beside the picturesque cozy village of Enniskerry. Powerscourt Estate is also only a short walk away.

Rooms are spacious with an ensuite. You can also book a nice relaxing massage at the neighboring award-winning spa. In the event of the hotel being fully booked for your requested dates, an alternative hotel will be suggested.

Program

Ride along quaint Irish country lanes, rolling green hills, and mountain trails with stunning views of Ireland’s largest waterfall (Powerscourt Waterfall). Explore enchanting forests and feel the freedom of galloping down the long golden sandy stretch of beach at Brittas Bay.

Enjoy lessons with top-class instructors who will help you work on your flatwork, dressage, and jumping. Also, experience fun days at cross-country courses and show jumping at Ireland’s premier facilities.

Country Cottage Stables' diverse array of activities showcases Ireland’s vibrant traditions and flavors, providing an enriching horse riding holiday experience.

They offer cultural experiences of beautiful historic estates and gardens, agricultural shows, country fairs, award-winning restaurants with seasonal local cuisine, traditional Irish Hooley nights with music and dancing, and a whiskey-tasting tour.

There will be three to four hours in the saddle each day. The top-class tack type is English tack and upon request, they can provide a McClellan saddle (a hybrid between an English and a Western saddle - one available).

They take pride in looking after guests in a fun, safe, and confidence-giving environment. Their horses are very well-schooled and are happy, level-headed, and sensible souls. They can tailor the vacation to match your needs.

Check-in at the hotel is 15:30 and if guests wish to, they can make the most of their horse riding experience by taking their assessment that evening. Time permitting, guests can also enjoy a trek on both the first and last day. Lessons include flat work, dressage, and jumping activities, but guests can decide their preferred lessons.

If your flight arrives in the morning, Country Cottage Stables will be happy to accommodate you. You will be brought to the stables where you can freshen up and have a bite to eat before you meet the team and horses.

This holiday offers a fantastic Irish foodie experience, with an emphasis on locally sourced food and seasonal cuisine, with a variety of fabulous dining experiences - from picnics, lunches at Avoca handweavers, and dinners at award-winning restaurants, to a traditional Irish evening with a pint of Guinness.

It will not just be about horses and amazing scenery, it will also be about the best of Irish food and culture.

Your host

Niall will be your holiday chauffeur for the duration of your vacation. He will take you to and from the stables, riding locations, excursions, and restaurants. He provides exceptional service to the guests, beginning with their airport pickup and continuing throughout their entire stay. He is the heart of the operation.

Niall is an electrical engineer by trade and is a Dublin man. He owned and ran a successful business before retiring to the “Good Life” in The Garden of Ireland with his partner and a menagerie of animals.

Niall’s passion after horses is his free-roaming hens and of course, his Irish terrier Harvey. He has been the National Riding Club Showjumping champion two years in a row and now competes regularly on the jumping circuit.

Availability

Arrival day is Sunday. Please send an inquiry to Country Cottage Stables if you need to arrive on an alternative day. Shorter holidays are available too, so please also send an inquiry if interested.

Daily itinerary

Kieran and Niall will go through the following sample itinerary with you upon your arrival and you can decide which activities suit you best.

Day 1

You will be picked up from the airport and dropped off at the hotel for check-in. Hotel check-in will be at 15:30. Country Cottage Stables can make arrangements for early arrivals. Meet Kieran and get a show around the stables. Meet Bear and Wolfe, their friendly German Shepherds, and Harvey, the terrier, their little sidekick.

Get to know your new companion. You will be more than welcome to groom and tack your horse. This is always a nice way to get to know each other. They believe in forming a nice partnership with your new friend. Of course, if you would prefer to relax, they will do the work for you.

You will then head down to the arena where you and your horse can get to know each other. At CCS, their motto is safety first so they will always take the best care to match you to the best horse that will suit you. The horses are honest, sensible, and sure-footed.

CCS' assessment lessons will allow you to get to know your guide and allow them to evaluate your current riding and fitness level before matching you with an appropriate horse. They have plenty of horses so you will be welcome to try different horses during your stay. After the session, they will provide refreshments.

Transfer back to the hotel where you can relax before they pick you up and accompany you for dinner at a top restaurant with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and Wicklow mountains. You will have the option to experience a local restaurant that offers fresh ingredients inspired by global flavors.

Day 2

Have a morning ride in the forest and venture out towards the Wicklow Way, with its wonderfully unspoiled spectacular mountain trails. Take your lunch at Country Cottage Stables, where you can try Niall's popular egg sandwiches sourced from his own flock of happy hens and homemade soup and brown bread.

There will be a lesson after lunch for you to try some flatwork, dressage, or jumping.

Dinner on this evening will be in the affluent seaside heritage town of Dalkey, one of Ireland’s wealthiest suburbs and home of Bono and many famous writers and artists. En route to dinner, you will drive around the area, spotting celebrities’ houses.

Take time by yourself to wander around Dalkey village. With its beautiful narrow streets lined with fancy delis and old architecture, you will understand why so many famous residents call it home. Dinner will be at a fabulous welcoming restaurant that is decked out in deep reds and mahogany wood. Choose between tasty grills and seafood specials.

Day 3

Start the day with an early snack and tea / coffee. CCS will then transfer you to Brittas Bay Beach, where you will meet your horse. The place is a five-kilometer stretch of powdery sand and dunes on the Irish coast.

Ride according to your level, so either a relaxing one or if you prefer an exhilarating one, well, CCS will only be happy to accommodate. The horses love the beach and especially love having a splash in the water. Brunch will be a beach picnic.

Transfer back to your hotel to freshen up and then take a scenic drive to Avondale Treetop Walk and Avondale House, or Glendalough, a stunning glacial valley and old medieval monastic settlement. Late lunch will be at Avoca Handweavers.

You'll then go back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner at a local neighbouhood restaurant that showcases the very best of local organic produce.

Day 4

Trek out towards the Sugar Loaf Mountain or Powerscourt Estate this morning and take in the beautiful sea views. A light snack and refreshments will be provided.

The afternoon will be spent exploring the fabulous Powerscourt House and Gardens with a tour of the house and a very special tour of Powerscourt Whiskey Distillery, with a unique whiskey and food tasting. Or, an arena lesson can be arranged if preferred; guests can choose to work on their flatwork, jumping, or dressage.

This evening, your final night, immerse yourself in an unforgettable experience at the highest pub in Ireland, in the Dublin Mountains.

Experience traditional Irish craic agus ceol (Irish for ‘fun and music’): the Irish Hooley includes hugely experienced, traditional Irish musicians, and the world-famous, talented Irish dancers, plus a four-course meal of delicious Irish Fayre.

Of course, the Hooley may be too lively for you and you may prefer a quieter experience at the restaurant in the same venue. Menus can include Irish seafood chowder, wild Irish mussels, tempura crab, seasonal oysters, blue cheese salad, lamb shank, beef and Guinness pie, and more. Menus will vary between the Hooley experience and quieter dining options.

Day 5

This day, CCS will bid you farewell. You can choose to enjoy a morning hack or lesson, and if you will depart in the late evening, you can take advantage of an extra lesson / trek before you leave.

Please note that this itinerary is subject to change due to availability, weather, and unforeseen circumstances.

Included excursions

On some afternoons, CCS will offer non-riding activities as you might want a rest from riding:

Kilruddery Estate

The ancestral home of the Earl of Meath has over 750 acres to explore.

Wicklow National Park

Glendalough is an ancient monastic site located in a glacial valley renowned for an early medieval monastic settlement, with spectacular views and walks through the valley.

Powerscourt House and Gardens

Recently voted number three in the World’s Top 10 Gardens by National Geographic, these 47-acre gardens are carefully curated and maintained. There is a mix of gardens, from the dazzling drama of the Italian Garden, the oriental features that meet exotic plants in the Japanese Garden, to the enchanted Walled Garden and the Tower Valley.

The house is a Palladian mansion and has also been listed as one of the top 10 houses globally (Lonely Planet).

Other excursions:

  • Powerscourt Whiskey Distillery tour with unique whiskey and food-tasting
  • Avondale Treetop Walk (including Ireland's largest giant slide)
  • Meeting of the Waters - The Avoca Valley
  • Avoca Handweavers
  • Agricultural shows (for example, Bannow and Rathangan Agricultural Show)

Instructors

Kieran Morrin

Sophie Moy

Location

The holiday will take place in Enniskerry, Leinster, Ireland. This will be a great holiday for passionate riders who are seeking to improve all aspects of their riding.

Country Cottage Stables is a top-class private boutique Association of Irish Riding Establishment (AIRE) equestrian center specializing in treks throughout the beautiful Wicklow countryside, and lessons including flat work, dressage, and jumping, as well as cross-country and show jumping at top facilities.

They are conveniently located close to Dublin, just off the N11 and only 35 to 40 minutes from Dublin airport, as well as approximately 40 minutes from Dublin city center.

The stables are minutes from the fairytale village of Enniskerry, where Hollywood movies have been made, and Powerscourt House and Garden and Ireland’s largest waterfall, Powerscourt Waterfall, can be found.

Distances

  • Dublin Airport (DUB) - 35 to 40 minutes
  • Dublin city center - 40 minutes

Food

You will be served daily meals at top restaurants as well as water, tea, and coffee at the stables, included in the price.

Breakfast

Start your days off with the best breakfast in Wicklow with fine local ingredients. Breakfast will be served in the beautiful bright surroundings of The Terrace restaurant at your hotel.

Choose from a traditional Irish breakfast, vegan breakfast, eggs benedict, French toast, Irish smoked salmon, pancakes, and more. You may even choose a simple continental breakfast or porridge.

Lunch

Lunch on some days will be served at Country Cottage Stables. All lunches will be made with the best Irish ingredients. Their good friend Janet of Janet’s Country Fayre will provide tasty chutneys, sauces, and relishes. And of course, fresh eggs will also be provided by their happy flock of hens that can be seen roaming around the stables.

On other afternoons, they will take you to award-winning restaurants and cafes - where you can savor some delicious seasonal food. These restaurants and cafes are set in charming buildings and renovated stables.

You can also pick up some lovely gifts in local shops - maybe some traditional Irish hand-woven scarves and throws, or some artisan jam or delicious Irish chocolate.

Dinner

Ireland's foodie scene has indeed been flourishing with a fresh wave of innovative chefs and producers revitalizing the country's culinary landscape.

From traditional dishes like Guinness stew and smoked salmon to modern creations using locally sourced ingredients, there are plenty of gastronomic delights to explore. The finest local ingredients and produce are at the forefront of these restaurants.

Whether you are looking for a traditional Irish evening with Irish music and dancing, or wish to dine at trendy new restaurants, there will be something for everyone to enjoy and savor.

Dietary restrictions

Vegan and veggie options are available upon request. Please note that changes to menus are outside Country Cottage Stables' control.

The following meals are included:

  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Snacks
  • Drinks

The following drinks are included:

  • Water
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Soda

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten Free
  • Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
  • Pescatarian
  • Seafood
  • Lactose Free
  • Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

  • 5 days of riding
  • Daily horse riding adventures and lessons
  • Excursions
  • AIRE riding instructors and professional guides
  • Airport transfers
  • Private driver - door-to-door daily transfers
  • Hard hats and boots
  • 4 nights accommodation
  • All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners
  • Natural fountain water, tea, and coffee

What's not included

  • Airfare
  • Insurance
  • Alcoholic drinks at the hotel and restaurants
  • Spa treatments
  • Upgrade to Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa upon request

How to get there

Recommended Airports

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Dublin Airport (DUB). Transfer from and to the airport is included. Country Cottage Stables will pick you up from the airport. Please let them know if you will be organizing your transfers on the first and last day as some guests hire their vehicle.

Airport: Dublin Airport Airport transfer included: Dublin Airport No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.

Cancellation Policy

  • A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
  • The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
  • The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.

Value for money
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