5* star experience from food, to excursions to horses - I spent a week with my daughter (age 13) and son (age 11) at CCS. We looked at several other options in Southern Europe and Ireland but decided to book... read more with CCS as the program seemed very personalized to the wants and needs of each individual rider in our group. It was exactly the right choice. CCS far exceeded my expectations. My daughter was able to ride to her heart's content; several days I think she was on a horse for 6+ hours which was apparently a CSC record! My son, a beginning rider, had lots of personal attention and made absolutely amazing progress in his riding skills. His riding instructor at home was in shock when we came back. He said he was so improved that he was like a completely different rider.

Because I was traveling with children, I also liked that safety was top priority for the instructors and on all hacks and excursions. I know that on programs with a less personalized approach, they can often try to cater to the average rider in the group and those who are not as experienced can be pushed to do things beyond their comfort or experience. This was not at all the case at CSC. I felt like each hack or excursion was carefully planned around me and my children. We would do some parts together and then break into separate groups as needed to offer more challenge for some and to keep others within their comfort zone. The horses were also a dream. Very well behaved and of varying levels. Kieran matched everyone with a great horse for their level.

If anyone is coming along as the 'non-rider' in a group of riders, I think CSC is great for this. I had not ridden in a number of years and planned the holiday at the request of my horse-crazy daughter. I had some great hacks and also did a few lessons with the kids, but I didn't feel like I always needed to ride. There were plenty of excursions to beautiful estates, gardens and shops to keep me entertained outside of riding, and the delicious lunches, dinners and sweet treats were also a high point of each day.

Thank you again to Niall, Kieran and the rest of the CSC team. We had an amazing holiday and are already looking at schedules to plan a return!

  Amazing experience horseback riding with CCS  - We had an absolutely amazing experience horseback riding with CCS! The scenic trail took us through breathtaking Irish landscapes – we rode past lush forests, rolling hills, friendly sheep, and... read more even a stunning waterfall. The horses were incredibly gentle and well-cared for, making the whole ride so enjoyable. Niall and Carole were fantastic guides, offering not just expert guidance but also warm and friendly Irish hospitality that made us feel right at home. The beauty of the nature combined with the charm of the people made this an unforgettable adventure. We can't recommend it highly enough!

  Fabulous riding trip to beautiful Enniskerry, Ireland  - Hard to say what we enjoyed the most - the riding, the hosts, the food, the variety of both riding and dining experiences, the "cultural" sites we visited, including the... read more whiskey distillery at Powerscourt; the historic home and treetop walk at Avondale; and Avoca, the oldest wool weaving mill in the country. This trip was fabulous, and so personalized both to what we wanted to do and see AND to the different riding levels as between my daughter and me. Kieran, Niall, and Carole were all such great hosts: attentive, gracious, engaging, considerate. From the big picture (riding, dining, transportation, shopping, cultural sites) to the personal details, like (i) Niall's preparing egg salad sandwiches from his chickens' eggs at the yard (the barn) and Kieran's elderflower tea made from a bush at the yard on the day we didn't have time to go out to lunch between morning and afternoon rides, (ii) lovely tailgates from the back of the Range Rover on the days we did our cross-country ride and our early morning beach ride, complete with fresh sliced fruit, yogurt, Irish brown bread and jam, butter (oh, that Irish butter!), juices, and sparkling as well as flat water, and (iii) arranging a food pairing with the whiskey tasting at Powerscourt. Did I say the horses were wonderful? And Kieran was determined to find a perfect fit for each of us - I think I rode 6 different horses while I was there (and enjoyed every one!). We loved the whole trip and would go back - in fact, we hope to!