Day riding in Ireland (Galway)

[EventingMaff]

I’m hoping some well-traveled cothers can help me find a good stable/outfitter to ride with while I’m on a trip to Ireland this spring. My long-time friend and I are going to Ireland together for 4 days (I live in EU, she’s using it as a stopping point on a longer trip - hence the short duration). We’ll have Sat - Tues AM in Galway.

We’re both confident and capable riders and much prefer riding horses with a bit of spunk rather than schoolies. My concern is that the few times I’ve gone riding on vacations through tourist-serving outfitters I’ve never enjoyed it. It seems even telling these places my riding past and what I look for in a horse I still end up on half-dead school ponies (and I LOVE ponies, just ponies with typical pony attitude).

Everybody raves about riding in Ireland and I’m a huge fan of connemaras (friend’s horse is a Connie x TB so she’s also a huge fan). We’d love to have a 2-3 hour ride out, hopefully with some jumping and a good gallop fit in somewhere. We can’t do anything overnight as we’ll have the non-horsey husbands with us. We’ve convinced them to entertain themselves for a half-day but don’t think we can get more time than that.

We’ve rented a house in Clifden for the 4 nights but will be out and about around the region site-seeing so as long as there is something else to see nearby we’ll happily drive 1+ hours for the right experience!

Anybody knowledgeable on the area and have recommendations??

[Kathy_Nebel]

Two suggestions: I have ridden twice with Willie Leahy, once for a week and once just for a day, meeting the group near Clifden. I enjoyed the rides with him and it is not a nose-to-tail trail ride. He also has riding at his farm east of Galway in Loughrea. Edited to add that there is a nice x-Country course at the Loughrea Farm; I got to jump a stone wall.

http://connemara-trails.com/

You might also talk with the owner of the Buttermilk Lodge, Cathriona, in Clifden. She is a Connemara breeder and I remember suggestions for rides at the reception desk. She may be able to point you to an outfitter. Also, it is a great B&B, nice rooms, fabulous breakfast and in walking distance of “downtown” Clifden.

http://www.buttermilklodge.com/

Enjoy your trip!

[stargzng386]

I did a day trek in Cleggan which isn’t far from Clifden. I ended up being the only person so it was all at my own pace. I am sure you could do a more private ride with just the two of you. They had mostly Gypsys and there wasn’t any jumping but the cool part was galloping around a beach. Basically at low tide you can ride across the sand to an island. http://www.clegganridingcentre.com/

If you can go further I rode at a farm near Dublin and pretty much thought I was going to die, no nose to tail ride there. You’d be able to gallop and jump if you wanted.

[Janet]

About 5 years ago, my husband and I went on a ride at Willy Leahy’s farm. I am experienced. My husband is competent at a trot, and can canter with a generous horse. I was on a green Connemara pony, and Tim was on an Irish draft.

The young lady leading us was so thrilled to have clients who could get out of a walk, (and SHE could get out of a walk) that we had quite a challenging ride.

We jumped up and down banks, in and out of water, over ditches, and so on. One time she wanted me to jump a bigger up bank, after the pony was a bit hesitant on the smaller up bank, and _I said I did not think it was a good idea. She had Tim jumping a bunch of “Intro level” jumps. I wasn’t “pretty”, but it was safe.

Of course, it may vary , depending on who is leading, and whether there are other, less competent people in the group.

But I would not worry about a boring ride.

[Cabaret_SK]

@stargzng386

I did a day trek in Cleggan which isn’t far from Clifden. I ended up being the only person so it was all at my own pace. I am sure you could do a more private ride with just the two of you. They had mostly Gypsys and there wasn’t any jumping but the cool part was galloping around a beach. Basically at low tide you can ride across the sand to an island. http://www.clegganridingcentre.com/

If you can go further I rode at a farm near Dublin and pretty much thought I was going to die, no nose to tail ride there. You’d be able to gallop and jump if you wanted.

I also rode with Cleggan and had a nice time - I did the ride out to Omey Island, which was beautiful! All of the horses were in good care and well behaved.

[anon40672407]

Flower Hill is in County Galway. Oliver Walsh outfits hunt weekends for people from over from Europe on a regular basis. You can ride over his XC course on the Flower Hill estate. He’s got 80 or so horses, all crack hunters, who will give you a nice gallop and take all the fences in stride. I also rode at a place along the Galway coast just north of the city-- lovely beach gallops, but I don’t remember the name anymore. Only a small field for jumping but the scenery was beautiful.

[LuvRedHeads]

@anon40672407

Flower Hill is in County Galway. Oliver Walsh outfits hunt weekends for people from over from Europe on a regular basis. You can ride over his XC course on the Flower Hill estate. He’s got 80 or so horses, all crack hunters, who will give you a nice gallop and take all the fences in stride. I also rode at a place along the Galway coast just north of the city-- lovely beach gallops, but I don’t remember the name anymore. Only a small field for jumping but the scenery was beautiful.

It was 20 years ago, but I rode at a place in Salthill, just outside Galway. No jumps, but a really nice gallop on the beach with some lovely horses. May be the same place where @anon40672407 rode. I can’t imagine there are too many places in that area.

[Hilary]

Second Flower Hill! Oliver has a lot of safe horses, and can take you out hunting or just riding on the farm which has a lot of jumps and other stuff.

[anon40672407]

@LuvRedHeads

It was 20 years ago, but I rode at a place in Salthill, just outside Galway. No jumps, but a really nice gallop on the beach with some lovely horses. May be the same place where @aregard rode. I can’t imagine there are too many places in that area.

Salthill and Flowerhill aren’t the same spot. Flowerhill does not have coastal access. It’s between Killimore and Portumna. Salthill (the place, dunno about the stable) is on the ocean.

[gottagrey]

I third contacting Willie Leahy, as you can spend a day or 2 or a 1.5 days riding either from his riding center at Aille Cross or his place at Dartfield - both of which are about a 20 minute drive from Galway City. Willie converted this big old estate into a horse museum and also has a great cross country course with lots of different obstacles in addition to riding out from their facility in Loughrea. However, depending on when in the spring you plan to go, if it’s end of April, beginning of May that’s when their Connemara Trail starts so probably no Willie to take you around, but someone from Dartfield can. One of his sons may also be able to take you out. I can PM his son’s info if you’re interested.

[pastabean]

Also rode with will Lehey Rode Irish hunters went out for half day ride with daughter. Horses had spunk and we got lots of cantering and jumping. Love the Irish horses!