Horse Riding Holidays | Horse Riding Lessons Trekking Holidays and Livery Yard

7 Day Luxury Horse Riding Holiday with Cultural and Foodie Experiences.

Join Country Cottage Stables for a luxury seven-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 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
Tailored itinerary to suit your riding level and preferred riding experiences.

Highlights

7 riding days
Approximate daily riding time: 3 – 5 hours
AIRE riding instructors and professional guides
Excursions
6 nights accommodation in 4 star hotel (upgrade to five-star Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa available)
Daily meals and dining experiences (including whiskey tour and tasting, traditional Irish Hooley evening and meals in top class restaurants)
Transfers to and from the airport, and private chauffeur each day.

Riding level

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced.

Ride along quaint Irish country lanes, across 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 flat work, 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 flavours, 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, and traditional Irish Hooley nights with music and dancing, and a whiskey tasting tour.

There will be three to five 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. 1 available).

They take pride in looking after guests in a fun, safe, 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 3.30pm and if guests wish 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 your first and last day. Lessons include flat work, dressage, and jumping activities, but guests can decide their preferred lessons.

This holiday offers a fantastic Irish foodie experience with much locally sourced food and 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.

The holiday is not just about horses and amazing scenery, it is also the best of Irish food and culture.

Arrival day is Sunday. Please contact us if you need to arrive on an alternative day. Shorter holidays are available, so please send an inquiry if you are interested.

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

Some afternoons, they offer non-riding activities as you may 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, an ancient monastic site located in a glacial valley renowned for an Early Medieval monastic settlement with spectacular views and views and walks through the valley
Powerscourt House and Gardens, recently voted No.3 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, where oriental features 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).
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)

FOOD

Gourmet breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinners at top restaurants are included. Refreshments, water, tea, and coffee are included in the price.

Testimonials:

Check out our holiday testimonials

Contact details:

email: ccsholidaysireland@gmail.com

Start day is Sunday, but if you would like to arrange an alternative day please get in touch.

A five day version of this holiday is also available from €3,900 per person sharing.

We also offer tailor made holidays, so if you’d like a short holiday where riding and accommodation is only included, or if you’d like us to put together a riding programme please get in touch.

					  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!				
Paula S
September 30, 2024 

					  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!				
Wendelin W
September 9, 2024 

					  Unforgettable First Horse Riding Adventure with CCS! - I had never ridden a horse before this trip—it was my first experience! Over the two weeks, I gained so much knowledge and confidence. By the end of the first... read more week, I was ready to explore some incredible mountain trails, where we discovered a breathtaking waterfall. Riding on the beach was another highlight—truly unforgettable!

The horses were exceptionally gentle and well-cared for, making each ride a pleasure. I’ll always remember Bowie, Rothko, and Guinness—they were amazing companions!

Niall and Carole were outstanding guides, offering expert instruction and genuine Irish hospitality that made me feel right at home. They taught me everything from how to tack a horse to grooming and preparing them for a ride. I learned so much and can’t wait to return.

This adventure beautifully combined the stunning landscape with the warmth of the people, creating a truly memorable experience. I highly recommend CCS to anyone looking for a fantastic riding holiday!				
Mark S
October 2, 2024