Horse holidays abroad · Ireland
Horse Riding Holidays in Ireland: Kerry, Clare, Mayo and Donegal
Horse riding holidays in Ireland run along the Atlantic coast, as trail rides from one guesthouse to the next or weeks based at one yard, and last five to seven nights.
- Best monthsApr to Sep
- Level
Novice to experienced - Typical trip5 to 7 nights
- Price guide
Higher
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Ireland involve?
- Best monthsApril to September
- Riding level
Comfortable at walk, trot and canter in open country - Hours in the saddle4 to 6 hours a day
- Typical trip5 to 7 nights, with 4 to 6 riding days
- Weight limit85kg to 110kg, depending on the ride
- Group sizeUp to 8 or 12 riders
- HorsesIrish Draughts, Irish Sport Horses, cobs and Connemara ponies, 14.2hh to 17hh
- TackEnglish saddles
- AccommodationFamily-run hotels, guesthouses, farmhouses and B&Bs
- Price guide
Higher for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Ireland like?
Horse riding in Ireland means Atlantic beaches, quiet lanes and open hill, ridden either as a trail that moves each day or from one base.
On a trail your luggage goes ahead by road and you sleep somewhere new most nights. On a base week you ride out from the same yard each day and return to the same room.
Beach riding is a large part of most weeks. Rides in Kerry use Rossbeigh and Waterville strands, the Mayo ride finishes on Carrowniskey beach, and Donegal has long sands around Dunfanaghy.
Inland, the Clare-Burren trail covers around 140 miles from County Galway into the limestone country of the Burren. At a country estate in County Monaghan you ride up to three hours a day in cross-country training, on horses from 14.2hh to 17hh.
Kerry
Clare and the Burren
Mayo
Donegal
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Ireland?
The best time to ride in Ireland is April to September, when the trails run weekly and the days are long.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
The Clare-Burren trail departs every Saturday through that season, and most Kerry and Mayo departures fall in late summer. Rain is possible in any month, so you need waterproofs even in July.
The cross-country course in County Monaghan usually closes from November to February, so jumping weeks there run from spring to autumn.
Your level
What riding level do you need for Ireland?
You need to be comfortable at walk, trot and canter in open country, and able to keep your distance from other horses on a beach.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You want beach canters within a short flight or ferry of home
- You are happy to ride in rain and wind as well as sun
- You like a hot bath and a proper bed each night
It is not for you if
- You weigh more than 110kg in riding clothes
- You want guaranteed dry weather
- You are not yet confident cantering in a group
The Clare-Burren trail asks you to be comfortable at all paces. The Mayo and Kerry rides suit a confident intermediate rider on about four hours a day. Weight limits run from 85kg on the Clare-Burren trail to 110kg in Kerry, and minimum ages from 10 to 12.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Ireland?
The horses are mostly Irish bred: Irish Draughts, Irish Sport Horses, Irish cobs and Connemara ponies, with some hunters and Percheron crosses.
They range from about 14.2hh to 17hh, so a tall rider can be matched to a big horse. Strings run from steady schoolmasters to very forward horses, and all are ridden in English saddles.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in Ireland?
You stay in small family-run hotels and guesthouses on the Kerry and Mayo rides, with your own shower and toilet. The Clare-Burren trail uses a farmhouse at each end and small hotels or B&Bs along the route.
In Donegal you stay in one family-run hotel all week. At a country estate in County Monaghan you stay in a lodge beside the stables.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in Ireland cost?
A riding holiday in Ireland is a higher price for five nights in Mayo, and it stays a higher price for an estate week too, before flights. Dinners are extra on some rides.
Clew Bay Trail Ride
Price guide
Higher
Ring of Kerry
Price guide
Higher
Cross-country training, County Monaghan
Price guide
Higher
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Ireland?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Ring of Kerry
Five riding days around the Ring of Kerry, with beach rides at Rossbeigh and Waterville, on Irish Draughts, cobs and Percheron crosses. Groups of up to 12.
Clew Bay Trail Ride
Four days of about four hours from Westport in County Mayo, below Croagh Patrick and along Carrowniskey beach, in a group of up to eight.
The Clare-Burren Trail
Around 140 miles from County Galway through rural Clare into the Burren, departing every Saturday from April to the end of September. Minimum age 12.
Donegal Beach and Mountain Ride
Five riding days of five to six hours around Dunfanaghy on the Donegal coast, on Irish hunters, native crosses and ponies, staying in a family-run hotel.
Common questions
Ireland riding questions
Do riding holidays in Ireland include beach riding?
Most do. The Kerry ride uses Rossbeigh and Waterville strands, the Mayo ride finishes on Carrowniskey beach, and the Donegal week rides the sands near Dunfanaghy.
What is the weight limit for riding holidays in Ireland?
It runs from 85kg on the Clare-Burren trail to 110kg on the Ring of Kerry ride, measured in riding clothes.
Can children go on a riding holiday in Ireland?
Yes, from about 10 to 12 on the trail rides, and from seven on the Monaghan estate week, as long as they meet the riding standard and ride with an adult.
Will you ride a Connemara pony in Ireland?
You may in Mayo, where the Clew Bay string includes Connemara ponies alongside Irish Sport Horses, Irish Draughts and cobs. Elsewhere most horses are bigger Irish Draughts and sport horses.
How many hours a day do you ride in Ireland?
About four hours a day in Kerry and Mayo, and five to six hours in Donegal. Estate weeks in County Monaghan ride for up to three hours a day.
Can you jump on a riding holiday in Ireland?
Yes, at estate yards in County Monaghan that run cross-country training on their own courses from spring to autumn.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.