dunfanaghy stables

If you love horse riding on some of Ireland's, and indeed the World's, finest beaches then this is the place to do it. My girls have been doing it here for years and when they are in Dunfanaghy it is a must and a highlight. The horses are very well looked after, and the staff who work at the stables, ably managed by Helen, are excellent. Riding with the splendour of Donegal's scenery and cantering on the tide line is an experience not to be missed. Beginner or experienced, there is something for all!! Outstanding.

I always wanted to go horse back riding in Ireland and we finally chose this place to try the experience.We couldn't have chosen better! The place is amazing, the stables are close to a beach we went for the ride.Everything was amazing! the place is wonderful and even if you are not an experienced rider they make you feel comfortable!Too bad I live too far or I would go again tomorrow!

I visited Dunfanaghy Stables this September for a week's horse riding holiday. My 'milestone birthday' celebration trip was my most enjoyable and memorable holiday ever and in fact far exceeded my expectations. The horses were well trained, well mannered and sure footed. The staff were friendly, warm and professional and every day of horse riding was well planned and a joy to experience. The scenery was absolutely stunning and even the weather was marvellous. I was so impressed and would highly recommend this wonderful riding experience. I will be returning next Spring for more cantering on the beach.

I visited the stables in the summer and did the one hour beach ride. I have previous riding experience but I am extremely nervous due to past experiences. My horse voodoo was an absolute gentleman and I was guided around the beach by a fantastic young man named Chris. At first I was nervous but Chris had me laughing from the get go and made sure I was comfortable with everything we were doing and before I knew it my nerves where gone and I was cantering down the beach with no worries. I honestly cannot thank the staff enough for the experience and for matching me up with voodoo! I will definitely be back and encourage anybody who is in dunfanaghy to get to the stables and see the beautiful scenery on horse back. Massive thanks to Chris and Voodoo!

While I travelled along the irish westcoast along the wild Atlantic way I did several trail rides at different places. I love to explore Ireland on horseback and I enjoyed all of them. all were between 1 and 4 hour rides, and mostly part was on the beach. at Dunfangahy stables I did the 3 h marble hill ride. i had an amazing time. the beaches and the surroundings are beautiful, i even say this is one of the most beautiful areas along the way. we had some very nice canter on different beaches (where I, after the ride, could watch some dolphins). for the way back we rode up the hill where we could have another canter. so i especially enjoyed the mix of different landscapes and pace. and the view from top of the hill was great. the horses are very well trained and have good manners. niamh and her mother are very friendly and helpful. you can feel that they love their horses they’re not just for business. safety has first priority so I had to do a short trot in the paddock before we left. after the first beach we had to trot along the main road for a while. i very appreciated that Helen drove behind us with the car to slow down other cars. when i need to say someting negetive i can only think of having not more time there. ireland has very nice corners, and i loved it at many places, but I guess now i can say i have found my favourite part. cant wait to come back here. (it is not about IF I come back, it is about WHEN I come back.) and i surely recommend Dunfanaghy Stables to some friends back home. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! (and see you again)

I am a 52 year old adult with little formal training, but enough experience to stay on a horse and enjoy a good trot and canter. The best ride of my life was on a beach in West Iceland. At The Dunfanaghy Stables, I was able to relive it. I immediately booked a second two hour ride and after an amazing wet and windy then sunny ride on the beach, I enjoyed a good chat with the ride leader as we quietly walked on a lane on a nearby hill. The highly dedicated young staff take care to select the right horse for each rider and introduce the ride nicely. Siobhan who assisted on our ride, gave me a helpful tip to improve my riding position which i really appreciated. Hats and a good range of appropriate boots are provided (at no extra cost), so you can ride in greater comfort. Afterwards, I enjoyed watching classes in the paddock where kids were given challenging classes in small groups, the horses where very responsive, everyone had a good turn. I was very impressed.

very reasonable for kids and great fun. children feel secure and parents can have coffee in lovely cafe arnou while waiting for thier return trip from the beach.

Our grandkids and our daughter really enjoyed their ride along the bay shore. Staff was helpful, animals well behaved. Just an enjoyable experience.

Great horses, and the most beautiful beach...we even saw 3 dolphins close to shore..this just made it super special

Turned up at the stables without a booking around 11am on the August bank holiday Monday. They could fit us in at 4.15 - the last outing of the day. So we decided to spend the day in Dunfanaghy as our kids really wanted to go horse riding. We had one of the best days of our holiday! The weather was lovely and there was a parade and a fair which we enjoyed while we waited for our slot. We got there on time but previous treks were running late so we had to hang about for quite a while with a by now very tetchy 2 year old. However when he eventually got on his wee Shetland pony (Billy) he totally calmed down and just loved it from then on. I walked with him and the girl who was leading the pony (Maisy I think) was delightful. A wee gem. The older girls loved their ponies (Jimmy and Star) and looked very comfortable. We had a truly marvellous day. Highly recommended!

We did the one hour beach trek The weather was great and the beach was beautiful.. Both kids really enjoyed it even though one of my daughters got a bit nervous, the guide was able to get her laughing again. Will definitely be returning when we are in the area.

Such a fantastic family run stables - Niamh was a brilliant guide and you can tell that Helen puts so much love into running the place so well. My horse was an absolute dream - safe but full of energy - and we had a great canter down the beautiful beach. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to see the beauty of Donegal from the saddle. They also seem to have a great range of horses for all levels and the smaller ponies looked very safe and friendly. I want to try out the trail ride! Thanks so much Niamh and Helen!! We'll be back again very soon!

We took our 4 year old twin daughters for a half hour lead out on the beach. The staff were lovely and the whole experience was well worth the 11 euros. Would definitely do again.

Great weather great horses - so recommend the beach trek as it cleanses the soul!My partner was a beginner and he was trotted within minutes as he felt safe yet the horses still had some life in them :)

Thanks for an amazing first horse experience on the beach.one of the highlights of our 2 weeks following the Wild Atlantic Way.Helen and Niamh were the perfect companions for a T-R-O-T (it's important to spell it, horses are always listening LOL)Thanks again