2026 – The Year of the Horse

Welcome to a brand new year at Bespoke Equestrian Ireland — and what a fitting one it is.
As we step into 2026, the Year of the Horse, we can’t help but feel the symbolism: strength, freedom, partnership, and forward momentum. It feels like the perfect backdrop for the adventures, connections, and stories we’ll be sharing with you in the months ahead.

To all our long‑standing supporters, thank you for riding with us.
And to our many new followers who’ve joined over the holidays – you’re very welcome here. 

This month, we’re looking ahead to the upcoming season, sharing:

• Horse of the Year 2025 – crowning the standout star of last season.
• An introduction to our up and coming horses – a first look at the rising talents preparing to join the team, each with their own spark.
• An itinerary spotlight – Find out what makes our 6 Day Iconic itinerary so popular.
• Our competition winner – from thousands of entries, whose luck is in?

It’s a fresh year, a fresh season, and a fresh chance to celebrate the horses, the land, and the people who make this place what it is.

Here’s to 2026 — a year shaped by the horse.

The Mane Events

In December we asked you to vote for your horse of 2025, and the results are in! 

Drumroll please….

The Horse of 2025 is…. Ziggy! 

Lead guide Debbie says: “Ziggy, crowned Bespoke Equestrian Ireland’s 2025 Horse of the Year, is a gorgeous wee horse who quietly goes about his job with a maturity that belies his age. A hugely popular beach and lesson horse, he is adored by clients and guides alike for the care, confidence and reassurance he gives his riders. Always happy to travel at whatever pace is asked of him, Ziggy has an instinctive way of looking after people, the kind of horse who would do anything to prevent you from coming to harm. He is more than happy to enjoy his ‘wee canters’ among the main group, yet is just as content to drop in behind and travel at ease. On occasion, you might even find him at the head of affairs when the notion takes him. While speed may not be the first thing that comes to mind with Ziggy, his calmness, kindness, patience and professionalism along with a genuine love for his job make him truly special to all who ride him.”

The man behind the magic

With a team of such fabulous horses, it’s easy to assume they were trained by magic. That’s not strictly true, but Ben, our trainer for the past 7 years has certainly demonstrated the magic touch. 

Ben works with our horses from the beginning of the backing stages, to their first canters along the coast. 

A significant part of Ben’s process is long reining. The horses learn to trust Ben from the ground and take the lead themselves on the tracks around our farm. They walk through streams, climb banks and balance themselves on the route back down. A lot of their confidence is built here, leading to the surefooted and self-assured horses that you meet on your vacations with us. 

An opportunity for you 

We have volunteer opportunities this year for confident riders to join us, spending 2 weeks on our farm, schooling the young horses alongside Ben.

You will be an integral part of our horses’ education, setting them up to enjoy life with confidence. Your days will have variety, from handling the horses on the ground, to developing balance in the arenas, and building confidence hacking through the moors on our farm.

This is a great opportunity to build on your skills with young horses, boost your CV, travel to Ireland and meet like-minded people. If this sounds right up your street, you can find out more, and apply for our various volunteer programmes here: Volunteer with us – Bespoke Equestrian Ireland

Meet some of our up and coming stars

2026 may have gotten off to a very snowy start, but our first group of volunteers have been getting stuck in with a small group of young horses under Ben’s guidance.

Itinerary Spotlight: 6 Day Iconic

The Iconic itinerary certainly lives up to its name. Packing the best, and most iconic locations of the Causeway Coastal Route into a one-of-a-kind itinerary.  

The 6 Day Iconic is the perfect itinerary if you are looking for:

• An emphasis on spectacular coastal riding
• Sightseeing at some of Ireland’s world renowned sights sprinkled throughout your riding days
• 5 days in the saddle, combing our favourite beaches and emerald countryside locations. 

A snapshot of the itinerary:

Day 1

Arrive into Dublin or Belfast, taking in the immediate sense of Irish hospitality and warmth. Spend some time in the city, or make your way directly to your north coast accommodation. Get to know the town that you will call home for the following week, visit the seafront, boutique shops and sample the local cuisine.

Day 2

Our driver will whisk you to our farm in the Antrim hills where you will meet our team, and discover the tales of the land that will shape your week with us. Now for the exciting part, you will be paired with your horse. Spend some time in the arena together before trekking through the moors, forming a connection that you can enjoy throughout the week. With canters through the hills, and an afternoon tea style lunch overlooking the Irish countryside, there’s a lot to like about this day. 

Day 3

You will meet us by one of the most spectacular beaches on the isle. Almost designed for the most thrilling beach canters, Downhill Beach offers miles of flat, golden sand to enjoy. Take space to relax as you then explore the sand dunes, offering a framed view of the coastline and opposing cliff face, featuring seabirds and waterfalls. Dismount for a hot drink and exploration of Mussenden Temple, which has been the striking backdrop for your ride. Remounting, you will explore the ancient forest, before a local lunch and driven tour of the Causeway Coast.

Day 4

Today, we meet at the famous Whiterocks Beach, which adjoins Royal Portrush Golf Course, host to The Open Championship in both 2025 and 2019. Explore the sandy beach and dramatic arches carved into the cliffs. You will ride to Dunluce Castle, dismounting to tour the castle and feel the history. From here you will ride through a quaint village, along the beach or dunes of Portballintrae and along the old railway line towards the Giant’s Causeway. Sample lunch in the Causeway Hotel before exploring this world heritage site, which no trip to Ireland is complete without.  

Day 5

Today we meet at the quaint fishing village of Ballintoy. This area was host to many of your favourite scenes in Game of Thrones, with the rugged landscape offering the perfect backdrop to the drama. Canter along Whitepark Bay, keeping an eye out for the cattle which call this coastline home. There to conserve the land more naturally, they are also known to enjoy sunbathing on the beach. You will enjoy lunch in the Fullerton Arms, displaying stunning Game of Thrones memorabilia before reconnecting with your steed to explore the hills above the village. 

Day 6

This morning we will venture to Loughareema, “The Vanishing Lake”, so called because one day you will find a full, sparkling body of water, and the next you could find nothing at all. A natural phenomenon or faerie magic, you can decide. This day features stunning countryside riding through the moors and forests, ending at another one of our traditional and quaint villages, giving you a true sense of Irish life. We will enjoy some final time on this peaceful beach, before we say our farewells, reminiscing over our fabulous week together. 

The 6 Day Iconic is available year-round by request. Should you wish to join an existing group, we have the following arrival dates confirmed for 2026: 

June 14th (provisional)

July 19th

July 26th

August 23rd

September 6th

Not able to stay for so long? Our 3 or 4 Day Iconic itineraries may work for you. Get in touch to find out more:

Winner of A Dream Equestrian Vacation for 2 

Our competition proved to be very popular, with over 10,000 entries. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner.

Our draw was completed randomly on January 9th and we can confirm that the winner of the 3 Day Iconic itinerary for 2 is

Ines Diaz!

We have been in contact with our winner directly, but want to thank each of you for your entries and interest. We hope that we will still get to meet you one day.

Existing Ride Dates 

Hoping to join an existing group and enjoy our most competitive rates? Here’s some of our confirmed arrival dates for 2026