Flowerhill Equestrian

Horses & Riding

Tack

English.

Horses

Flowerhill horses come in all shapes and sizes but are primarily Irish Sport Horses, cobs and ponies. They are brave and well-cared for.

Riding

There are 3 itineraries:

• Long Weekend (4 Nights) is a based ride
• Weekend Programme (3 Nights) is a based ride
• Drag Hunting Weekend is a based ride

Ages

12+ years

Health

We recommend good general health and fitness.

Weight

95kg / 14st 13lbs / 209lbs for experienced jump riders, 85kg / 13st 5lbs / 187lbs for intermediate riders

Food & Accommodation

Food

If you stay at Oak Lodge in Portumna town then the breakfasts are fantastic and your hosts will also make you a simple packed lunch for your full riding days. NOTE: from 2025 stays at Oak Lodge will include basic supplies for breakfasts and packed lunches but guests will make their own.

At Gordon's Guesthouse B&B you can stay with breakfasts and packed lunches only or you can upgrade to full board and have dinners included.

Accommodation

Guests are generally accommodated at Oak Lodge in Portumna town.

Oak Lodge is a 4* accommodation, situated less than 15 minutes by car from Flowerhill and situated within walking distance of the restaurants and pubs in town. Mary and her family are known for their exceptional hospitality and for being helpful - they can happily help you out with booking restaurants and taxis or for any advice about the local area. When staying here you have breakfast included and Mary sends you off with a packed lunch each day (usually a bottle of water, a sandwich, some fruit and a chocolate bar/biscuit).

NOTE: from 2025 onwards stays at Oak Lodge will be on a self-catering basis - simple supplies for breakfasts and packed lunches will be provided but guests are asked to prepare their own using the kitchen facilities.

For those who prefer it we can also offer accommodation at Gordon's Guesthouse B&B is located in the village of Tynagh, around 10 minutes drive from Flowerhill. Your hostess there is Caroline who is an experienced horsewoman herself. Caroline runs the B&B alongside a successful café and she is also able to upgrade you to full board if you'd like to have dinners included in your stay.

Private youth groups may be accommodated at Flowerhill House, subject to availability. These rooms are more basic but you have a comfy bed, a hot shower and access to a kitchen to cook your meals. There is also a seating area and WiFi, plus you are on site with the horses which is always a treat.

Itineraries

Long Weekend (4 Nights) Standard accommodation.

Weekend Programme (3 Nights) Standard accommodation.

Drag Hunting Weekend Standard accommodation.

Other Activities

Please contact us if you'd like to bring a non-rider along - the area offers beautiful countryside and we can advise on other activities.

Travel

Flowerhill Equestrian is approximately 1.5 hours by car from Shannon Airport or 2 hours from Dublin airport. Car hire is recommended but it is also possible to come from the airport by bus and/or taxi. In this case your hosts at the B&B or Oliver and his team at Flowerhill will transport you back and forth between the stables and B&B each day.

If you stay self-catering at Flowerhill itself then you will need a hire car to shop for food supplies or you can use a taxi service for this.

Testimonials

Jo C., Oct. 18, 2023

Incredible in every way. Mary at Oak Lodge was fantastic, the food was perfect. (Guides?) Brilliant and helpful, I learnt a lot. (enjoyed) Jumping things I would never normally dream of doing.

Alison B., Sept. 27, 2023

Incredibly fun, so great for my riding confidence & provided my son and friend with a lot of really challenging and thrilling cross country. Exceptional horses & the staff were wonderful.

Caitlin A., Sept. 27, 2023

Amazing and an experience I am so glad I treated myself to. The horses, the staff and the grounds were an eventers quintessential Irish cross country holiday. I loved all the horses and every fence we jumped, but the water obstacles were my favorite!

Kayti M., Sept. 27, 2023

Exceeded all of my expectations! Connie was absolutely terrific! Mary Lynch is a queen!

Fiona A., Sept. 27, 2023

It exceeded my expectations in every way. I feel like I came back a new person and rider. I'll admit I was terrified going in and Holly did an amazing job ensuring that they would look after me and boy did they! I did more in the first morning riding than I had expected over the course of the entire trip. Oliver, his horses and his team were just beyond. He's an incredibly special human and I will forever treasure having been in his presence. It was transformative.

Robert M., Nov. 29, 2022

An amazing experience! Oliver was such a treat! He was encouraging and provided helpful comments.

Emma S., Sept. 22, 2022

AMAZING! One of the best holidays I've ever been on. So much fun and definitely jumped much more and bigger fences than I imagined. Speckles was an absolutely gem and Zorrow, Dessie and Lee too. Mary at Oak Lodge is so accommodation, the best B&B host! She went above and beyond, what a diamond. Oliver is a great character and Connie was a fab instructor and great at setting the ground rules and foundation for a great time. Exceeded all expectations!

Annbjørg N., Sept. 14, 2022

Love Flowerhill and Portumna. Oak Lodge is a perfect B&B, and Mary is an extraordinary host. Very happy with the horses. Found a favourite and got her several times. I liked the rides with Giulia very much. She nearly matched Oliver as a guide.

Clare M., Oct. 20, 2018

Brilliant! Great horses, exciting and fun riding, lovely accommodation. Oliver and his team and great and Mary at Oak Lodge is so welcoming and wonderful host. Favourite memory was riding fences with Jamieson on a glorious sunny day - big smile on my face.

Kathryn C., Oct. 20, 2018

It was all fantastic! For me it was a personal achievement that was such a boost for me. Loved it. Five Star accommodation at Oak Lodge and Mary is just so wonderful. Lovely horses and well matched to the riders. Tack all ok. All the staff at Flowerhill were so warm and friendly. It was so well put together - well done!

Michele D., July 12, 2017

I have nothing but great things to say about my trip to Flowerhill and Ireland! Everything was fantastic and I hope to plan another trip there, maybe even next spring. I wish I lived closer so I could visit more often. The scenery was amazing, the horses and cross country jumping was excellent, and the guides were wonderful! It was an invaluable jumping experience for me and boosted my confidence for training my own horse. The BnB and the owners were extremely friendly and excellent too - nice location and comfortable accommodation, great breakfast too. Thank you, Natalie and Holly, for coordinating everything on last minute notice!