Stone Walls, Beaches & Hospitality: Riding in Ireland
By Louise Carelsen
I arrived in Ireland after a busy week at
work and a long journey, feeling exhausted. The rental car company started my
stay in Ireland on a good note by giving me a free upgrade to a larger vehicle.
The drive to Portumna in County Galway was uneventful and adapting to
driving a manual on the left side of the road is really not too hard!
The owner of Oak Lodge Bed and Breakfast, Mary welcomed me warmly. Mary, with
true Irish hospitality, made me a cup of tea, and provided me with a map and
detailed explanations of everywhere I needed to go, including restaurant
recommendations and other useful suggestions.
Dinner in a pub, which walking distance from the B & B, was delicious.
Jumping for joy
The next morning, I set off to meet Oliver at Flower Hill Equestrian. I was
introduced to my first Irish sport horse of the trip, a lovely bay gelding.
After a short walk over to a series of jumps, Oliver asked, "Can ye
jump?" I responded: "More or less." He had me jump a series of
five fences, ending with a stone wall. Satisfied with my riding, we set off
along with his pack of hounds, which he was exercising, and about six
volunteers who were schooling horses.
Oliver has about 70 horses, with 50 in work, spread across 150 acres, set up
with bluestone tracks crisscrossing the property, each featuring a series of
three to five fences. He had me follow one of his volunteers over the fences,
and my horse took care of everything for me. After an hour and a half, we
returned to the yard for a cup of tea and a biscuit. Oliver has XC jumping weeks
all year around -- these include a mock hunt or a mini-event at the end of the
stay. If you’re interested in gaining confidence and jumping a lot, this is the
place to go!
My first Irish hunt!
Oliver had kindly arranged for me to hunt with the Galway Blazers the following
day and gave me the contact information for a man who could rent a horse to me.
The next morning, I headed out to meet someone named Johnny at a pub in
Ardrahan. After asking around, everyone pointed me toward Johnny’s lorry, where
I met my hunt horse, a Connemara gelding named Woody, about 15.2 hands high.
Woody is usually ridden by a 12-year-old, and as I was about to discover, he
was a perfect gentleman.
The Galway Blazers were hosting their Hunt Ball that evening, so we set off
with a larger field than usual, including several hunt masters from other
hunts. I was a little apprehensive, as I had never hunted in Ireland before,
but from the moment we jumped our first stone wall, I knew Woody knew exactly
what he was doing. My only job was to be a good passenger.
I quickly lost track of how many stone walls we jumped. I also learned that
staying closer to the front provided a better ride, as those at the back risked
jumping walls with loose stones knocked off by earlier riders. It was a full,
five-hour day, and by the end of it, Woody was still full of energy! I felt
privileged to ride such a fantastic little pony and would definitely love to
hunt in Ireland again.
Beach canters & mountain trails
The second part of my trip was a trail ride along the Ring of Kerry, starting
in Killarney, County Kerry. This leg of the journey was special, as I was
joined by my 16-year-old son, who had not been on a horse in several years. The
Killarney Riding Stables have about 70 horses, and after a tour of their
facilities, we loaded our horses into a trailer and drove about half an hour to
the starting point of our ride.
On the first day, we rode over the Seefinn mountains??, enjoying stunning views
and a particularly windy pass aptly named "Windy Gap." We descended
into the next valley, rode around Coomasaharn lake, and made our way back
toward Glenbeigh. The horses were surefooted, steady, and a pleasure to ride.
Our guide was passionate about her job and the horses, eagerly sharing
information about the area.
That night, we stayed at the Glenbeigh Hotel, an old establishment that
reminded us of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers — but in a good way! The
hotel was right next to the beach at Rossbeigh, adding to the charm.
The following day, we were transported back along with our horses to where we
had finished the previous day's ride. We had the most beautiful ride over the
mountains and into Rossbeigh. Once on the beach, we enjoyed five or six
exhilarating long canters. We were incredibly lucky with the weather—it was
sunny and slightly windy, making for stunning photos.
Again, the horses were rock solid, and my son was well taken care of by his
lovely mare. After a picnic lunch on the beach, we rode back over the
mountains, where we met the trailer and were taken to our hotel for our final
night in Ireland.
An unforgettable experience
These were two very different riding experiences, but my biggest impression of
Ireland was how well-trained and easy the horses were to ride. Both places
prioritised safety, dispelling my preconceived notion that riding in Ireland
would be a wild experience. Another key takeaway was the warmth and hospitality
of the Irish people. At no point did we feel anything less than completely
welcomed and cared for. Our hosts at the bed and breakfast, fellow riders,
hunters and horse owners, were all courteous and inviting. We couldn't have
been looked after better on this trip, and I returned home feeling well-rested
and enriched by a truly unforgettable experience.
More information:
To find out more about our rides, please visit our website.
You can also contact us directly at info@equus-journeys.com or +44 (0)1905 388 977