All activities / Horse Riding / Equestrian / Connemara
Horse Riding / Equestrian in Connemara
A wild region of west County Galway between the Twelve Bens mountains and the Atlantic, of blanket bog, sea inlets and white-sand beaches. It is the homeland of the Connemara pony, Ireland's native breed, and a long-standing place to ride on empty beaches and through open mountain country.
Why here
Connemara is horse country in the deepest sense: it is the birthplace of the Connemara pony, Ireland's only native breed, a hardy mountain-and-moor animal shaped by this exact landscape. Riding here means the two settings that make the west famous, long white-sand beaches where you can canter at the tide line with the Atlantic on one side and the Twelve Bens on the other, and open bog and hill tracks that run for miles without a fence. The riding centres are small, family places rooted in the area, some of them working pony studs where the horses under you were bred on the ground you are crossing. It suits complete beginners taking a led beach ride as much as experienced riders wanting hours in open country. Set against Connemara's changeable Atlantic light and empty scenery, a ride here is one of the simplest and best ways to get into the landscape that draws people to this corner of Ireland.
Best months
The riding season runs roughly from Easter to October, when the weather and ground are best; beach rides depend on the tide and are graded to the rider's level. Connemara weather is famously changeable, with sun, wind and rain in a single day off the Atlantic, so bring warm and waterproof layers. Centres run daily or on set mornings in season and book up in summer.
Getting there & around
Connemara spreads west of Galway city around the town of Clifden, roughly an hour and a half from Galway by road, and a car is the practical way to reach the coastal riding centres near Clifden and Ballyconneely. Rides range from short led beach outings to longer treks in open country, booked ahead in season. Wear long trousers and bring waterproofs and warm layers for the Atlantic weather.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Errislannan Manor
SchoolErrislannan Manor is a riding centre and Connemara pony stud on the coast four miles south of Clifden, set on an old manor estate with walled gardens and woodland. It breeds the native Connemara pony and guides riders on horseback through the estate and out into the moors and hills of Connemara. Pony trekking runs on weekday mornings, charged by the hour, and the centre has welcomed riders here for decades, pairing riding with the gardens and grounds of the manor.
The Point Pony Trekking Centre
SchoolThe Point Pony Trekking Centre sits on the coast at Ballyconneely in Connemara and specialises in beach rides along the white-sand strands of west Galway. Rides go out with experienced staff across the sand and open countryside, backed by the Twelve Bens, and are graded to suit everyone from first-timers to confident riders. The centre is approved by the Association of Irish Riding Establishments, the national standards body, and runs daily through the season.