Horse Riding Vacations
Your adventure through Connemara will be guided by Willie Leahy, quintessential Irish horsemen. Willie Leahy was the first man to lead a vacation trail ride, anywhere in the world. Willie is the largest breeder of Connemara ponies in the world and is also the Field Master of the famous Galway Blazers Hunt. For over 30 years the Leahy family have enjoyed introducing visitors to this very special part of Ireland. Their friendly care ensures that every rider goes home with special memories of a wonderful holiday

The Horses:
Experienced or novice riders alike can enjoy this holiday. Riders spend four to six hours a day on well-mannered, surefooted Irish hunters and Connemara ponies. Your mount for the week is selected with a caring and experienced eye to ensure that equine and rider are well matched.

Connemara Trail:
Willie Leahy, quintessential Irish horsemen, guide the Trail ride through the Highland of Connemara to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Connemara Trail began over 33 years ago.
It is the oldest trail ride in the world.The trail crosses the most wild and beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer.
Riding is available from May to October.
Riders are in the saddle for four to six hours per day.
Experienced or novice riders alike can enjoy this guided Trail Ride.

Connemara Coast Trail:
Willie Leahy, quintessential Irish horsemen, guide the Trail Ride along the Connemara Coast from Clifden to the aerea near Galway.
The Coast Trail began over 20 years ago to compliment the Connemara Trail.
The trail rides through the most wild and beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer.

"Connemara has always been a wild place, too barren and bog-ridden for agriculture but good for ponies, sheep, fishermen and ghosts. Men earn their living by fishing and gathering seaweed and by breeding horses. The annual Connemara Horse Show in Clifden is world famous. You'll hear Gaelic, the native Irish language, spoken here more than anywhere else in Ireland.
The people of this rugged coast have an aura of toughness about them." (by Viginia Westbury)

Aille Cross Country Trail:
Ireland's winter climate is idealy suited for cross country riding.
The Aille Cross Cross-Country Ride provides cross country jumping and trail riding at a pace that can be varied to suit riders of different abilities.
The ride will take you cross country from one farm to another , and at each farm, if you wish, there will be opportunities to jump a variety of very varied cross-country courses.

Hunting:
Ireland is known the world over for its hunting.Aille Cross is in the Galway Blazers country. This is ideal hunting country, open, level going divided by the stone walls for which the hunt is so famous.
The Irish hunting horse is as unique as the country itself.
We pride ourselves on being able to match your ability to one of our horses to ensure that your hunting holiday is the experience of a lifetime.
Aille Cross offers riders, experienced or novice, the opportunity to hunt in the Galway countryside. Willie Leahy, your host at Aille Cross, is the Fieldmaster of the Galway Blazers Hunt.
Riders should be secure at all paces and over fences. However, unlike many other hunting holidays, riders have a chance to get to know their hunters and the country beforehand. The package includes six days of riding with one to three days hunting.

Dartfield Horse Museum
"The "Dartfield Horse Museum" is the dream realized of Willie Leahy, the famous Irish horseman. He is the largest breeder of Connemara ponies in the world, the inventor of the trail riding holiday, and the field master of the famous Galway Blazers hunt club. The museum is a loving tribute to the horse and the exhibits are fascinating"
... by Geoff Young

At Aille Cross Equestrian Centre and Dartfield Horse Museum riders of any level can ride for an hour, half or full day, all year around.

Aille Cross Equestrian Centre
Connemara Trails
Loughrea, Co. Galway
Ireland

Enquiries - Reservation

or phone us:
Tel. No. 00353 91 841216

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Fax No. 00353 91 842363