Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

We are Bespoke Equestrian Ireland, a trading name of Sheans Horse Farm Ltd. These are the terms on which we will arrange a booking for your accommodation, transfer, horseback riding, or any travel experience or activity. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. References to “you“, “your“, “customer”, “guest” or “traveller” in these terms means all persons on the booking (including anyone added or substituted at a later date). “We“, “us“, “our” and “BEI” means Bespoke Equestrian Ireland.

Where you book a combination of any two of transport, accommodation and any tourist activity or experience, this results in the creation of a ‘Package’ as defined in the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. All multiday BEI experiences, or single day experiences that involve transportation constitute such a package. 

In cases where a package is formed, your contract is with Dalriada Tours Ltd, a licensed tour operator. For the purposes of these terms, any references to “we,” “us,” “our,” and “BEI” should be understood as referring to Dalriada Tours Ltd in the context of such Package travel arrangements, except where explicitly stated otherwise.

 

1. Booking and Confirmation

1.1        When organising a package, the lead traveller, so defined as the person with whom correspondence to BEI is made, asserts that they have the authority to negotiate and agree the terms of a booking on behalf of all members of his/her party. 

1.2 The lead traveller further agrees that they have read these terms and conditions, agrees to be bound by them and agrees to bind all members of their party to them.

1.3 Furthermore, they agree that he/she and all members of the party who intend to partake in any horseback riding experiences are capable of doing so and are not restricted from partaking due to any of the ability/weight restrictions outlined in Section 2

1.4 The lead traveller accepts financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking. If the other party members for whom you have made a reservation renege, it will be the sole responsibility of the lead traveller to bear the associated costs of the booking.

1.5 A booking is made when you pay us a deposit (or full payment if you are booking within 90 days of departure). Your booking contract will be made up of these booking terms and any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking. 

2. Rider Information & Responsibility: 

2.1 Our maximum weight limit is 15.75 stone (220lb/100kg). If you or any member of your group are over the weight limit then please get in touch and let us know your height, weight and level of experience prior to booking and we will establish if there is a larger horse that may be suitable for you.

2.2 Guests are required to disclose accurate information about their previous horse riding experience in their correspondence with BEI and in their rider profile form. The minimum required riding level for our advanced coastal rides is intermediate, specifically in an English saddle. We define intermediate riders as those confident and capable of controlling a forward going, fit horse in all paces in varied terrain and beaches, have a firm balanced seat and be able to ride for at least 4.5 hours per day. Please note that our rides can be tailored to suit riders desired pace however riders must be able to demonstrate the ability to control a forward horse while having a firm balanced seat in order to pass the assessment. 

2.3 As a riding school and trekking center, we do offer a wide range of beginner friendly rides. Beginner riders or any riders who are unable for any reason to take part in the advanced rides can be accommodated with alternative options suitable for their level of competence.

2.4 Riders taking part in a package with a coastal riding element will be assessed for their riding ability prior to the ride’s departure. Bespoke Equestrian Ireland reserves the right to exclude any rider from a trek should they be deemed to be incapable of riding safely on the ride they have booked, to pose a risk to themselves, to their horse or other members of the group. Should this occur, Bespoke Equestrian Ireland will try to arrange an alternate ride for the rider, as outlined in Section 7 but this is not guaranteed and may be subject to additional charges. 

2.5 We also reserve the right to change advertised riding locations for circumstances beyond our control such as adverse weather conditions, ground condition, tide patterns, road works, construction, public events, where we feel that riding at a certain area at a certain time of the year may put riders and the public at risk or for any other reason. 

2.6 We reserve the right to refuse riding or other activities to those who management or leaders deem to exhibit behaviour that they believe will result in risk to themselves, others, staff or the horses. No refund will be available if a cancellation of the trip or exclusion from any or all activities is required due to this.

3. Payment

3.1    The balance of the cost of your arrangements (including any applicable surcharge) is due prior to scheduled departure, unless you are otherwise notified in writing. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case the cancellation charges set out in clause 8 will become payable. 

3.2 All payments can be made by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or via wire transfer. To ensure financial security, all payments for package travel are directed to an independent trust fund, in compliance with the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992. Payments will be made, through Northern Ireland Premier Tours, a trading name of Dalriada Tours Ltd, the licensed tour operator used by BEI. These payments will be held in trust using the Protected Trust Services.

3.3 Booking Fees: A 20% booking fee per rider is required to reserve a riding space on all riding holidays or single day rides. Booking fees are due within 5 days of making a booking and no booking is secure until the booking fee has been received. Booking fees are not refundable.

3.4 Final Payment: Final payment will be due 56 days before the package start date, defined as the day upon which you first make contact with us or any of our suppliers (usually, this will be your arrival day, when you check into your accommodation). For riders booking within 56 days of the departure date, deposits will be due within 5 days of booking and final payment within 12 days of booking. We reserve the right to cancel any reservation for which payment is not received by the due date. 

4. Allergies, medical conditions and dietary requirements

4.1    If you, or any members of your party, have any special dietary requirements or allergies, please let us know at the time of booking. 

4.2 In instances where we, Bespoke Equestrian Ireland, are not the catering supplier, we will pass on all such requests to the relevant supplier but we do not guarantee that they will be met, and we will have no liability to you if they are not. Furthermore, we accept no liability for the communication, or lack thereof, of dietary requirements or allergies. It is the sole responsibility of each guest to communicate their requirements directly with any hotel, B&B, restaurant, pub or any other establishment in which they will be eating.  

4.3 Our catering team may be providing lunch for you during your experience with us, particularly on Day 1 of any package riding holidays. We can cater for a range of special dietary requirements however please be aware that our food may contain or come into contact with common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, wheat, soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish or wheat; we make no guarantees as to the absence of any particular ingredient from any food that we provide. If this is an issue or you have any more questions, please contact us directly. We accept no liability for the contents of any food, nor for any allergenic materials you come into contact with. We accept no liability for allergic reactions, illnesses, or other adverse effects resulting from the consumption of food or beverages we provide or that you come into contact with during your trip. 

4.4 Bespoke Equestrian Ireland does not provide medical advice. We are not physicians and cannot provide guidance as to the safety, with regards to their health conditions, of any particular taking part in any component aspect of travelling nor any form of activity, including horseback riding. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions or any health concerns that you believe may impact your ability to safely engage in any element of your proposed package with us, please inform us of said condition or concern and consult the guidance of a registered medical professional. It is the sole responsibility of the traveller to distinguish what activities they are physically and mentally capable of undertaking and Bespoke Equestrian Ireland accepts no responsibility for any harm or damages caused as a direct or indirect result of a health condition or concern. No refunds will be owed if you are unable to ride or partake in any element of a package you’ve booked due to any medical condition.

5. Insurance

It is important to protect your trip investment. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss, unexpected sickness or injury could impact travel plans. Bespoke Equestrian Ireland strongly recommends the purchase of a travel protection plan/travel insurance that provides coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay and more. It is the responsibility of the traveller to ensure that all personal requirements are covered by their chosen policy and that they are fully transparent with their insurers to protect the validity of their policy. Those who opt to book any of our experiences without adequate insurance cover do so with the understanding that Bespoke Equestrian Ireland refutes any and all liability for any losses, regardless of their cause, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available. 

6. Amendment, Cancellation and Transfer of bookings by you

6.1    If you wish to amend, cancel or transfer the whole or any part of your booking after a confirmation has been issued, you must inform us in writing, by email as soon as possible. Cancellation notices will take effect at the time we receive them and shall be subject to the cancellation charges set out below.

6.2 Transfer: It may be possible to transfer some or all of your booking to another individual, with certain restrictions. You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. Transfer conditions are outlined below:

1. a) Accommodation: A one to one, direct and complete transfer of accommodation is entirely possible. If you, or any member of your party, is unable to avail of accommodation that you’ve booked through us, you are entitled to find a replacement. As long as the dates of the stay, number of rooms required and bed/room configuration remain unchanged, any other traveller can avail of your accommodation in your stead. If the room configuration and number of beds required changes, a transfer can still possibly be facilitated, although this will be availability dependent and may be subject to additional charges as the rooming costs may be altered. If the dates on which accommodation is required are altered, this may be treated as a cancellation, with all monies agreed being due, and forfeit to Bespoke Equestrian Ireland. 
2. b) Transfers: A one to one, direct and complete transfer of any taxi or private driver transfers is entirely possible. If you, or any member of your party, is unable to avail of a transfer that you’ve booked through us, you are entitled to find a replacement. As long as the pick-up date and time, number of passengers, the specifics of the journey and the destination remain unchanged, any other traveller can avail of a transfer in your stead. If the pickup date or time is altered this may be treated as a cancellation, with all monies agreed being due, and forfeit to Bespoke Equestrian Ireland. If the specifics of the journey are altered substantially, this may also be treated as a cancellation; a change of transfer details in terms of date, pickup time and route can usually be facilitated, although the transfer cost will need to be recalculated.
3. c) Riding packages: A one to one, direct and complete transfer of the riding portion of a riding holiday is possible in certain circumstances. For this to occur, the transferee must be capable of fulfilling all riding criteria and be available to partake in the package, as outlined at the time of booking, without any alterations. If the transferee possesses sufficient riding experience to join the booked experience and is available to join the package without any alterations to daily ride transfers, a transfer will be possible. 

6.3    Amendment:

1. a) Date changes: Once a booking is confirmed, changes at no cost are only possible if the adjustment does not cause extra costs or hardship to other parties; whether a date change is permitted will be at the absolute discretion of BEI. Altering your date may alter your price if, non-exhaustively:
2. i) Your own party now encounters a different ride rate. Prices are based on the number of riders confirmed on a particular week and any alteration may be subject to additional charges.
3. ii) The accommodation or transport costs on your new dates are different from the original dates.

iii) The package price of other riders on your original booking dates are increased due to reduced rider numbers.

1. iv) Any supplier with respect to the original booking has already been issued with payment, or payment to any supplier is due. If a supplier of any component of the original booking dates requires payment then the corresponding portion of the deposit/balance that has been paid will be attributed to paying that supplier and will not be transferred to a new booking date. The remaining money, after supplier payments, or any other deductions have been made, can be transferred to a booking on another date.

 

1. b) Package change: Any substantial change of the package, including, but not limited to, change of duration, accommodation style, transport requirements or number of riders is only possible at the discretion of BEI. Charges may apply and a repricing of the experience may be necessitated, overruling any previously discussed prices. We cannot guarantee that we or any supplier/principal will be able to meet any requested change. 

6.4    Cancellation by you: Deposits are not refundable or transferable. We will refund 50% of the final payment if notice is given 31 days or more before the trip begins. No refund will be given for cancellations by the client 30 days or under from the beginning of the trip.

7. Amendment or Cancellation by us or the supplier/principal

All trekking holidays are subject to availability. Although it is an extremely rare scenario, Bespoke Equestrian Ireland reserves the right to cancel and/or reschedule any trek. In the event a cancellation is made by Bespoke Equestrian Ireland, all deposits and monies paid will be refunded in full, unless the cancellation is for one of the reasons stated below. Bespoke Equestrian Ireland accepts no liability for any costs incurred by the rider/client including travel arrangements made and paid for. 

 

7.1 Cancellations where no refund will apply

1. a) Weight: BEI reserves the right to cancel a booking if a rider is, or appears to be, over our weight limit, unless a prior agreement has been made regarding weight. If such an agreement is made based on a particular weight, and the guest’s weight upon arrival exceeds, or appears to exceed, the agreed weight, BEI reserves the right to revoke their permission to override the weight limit. No refunds will be provided for a cancellation made with respect to rider weights. If possible, BEI may offer an alternative package, with slower paces or shorter rides, as long as this will not negatively impact animal welfare, health and safety, or the enjoyment of any other riders. 
2. b) Ability: We reserve the right to cancel your riding package in its entirety if you are unable to pass the requisite riding assessment that corresponds to your chosen package. Alterations, outlined later in these terms, may be possible at this point. No refunds will be available if you are unable to take part in your ride due to a failed riding assessment. 
3. c) Behaviour: Behaviour that negatively impacts our horses or staff, our reputation, relationships with suppliers or the enjoyment of any of our guests will not be tolerated. BEI reserves the right to identify and define unacceptable behaviour and to cancel any package as a consequence of such behaviour. No refund shall be paid for any cancellation due to unacceptable behaviour. A non-exhaustive list of conduct that may merit a cancellation is:

• Property damage
• Failure to comply with instructions
• Mistreatment of horses
• Intoxication during a ride
• Abuse of staff or guests, physical or otherwise

7.2    Amendments made by BEI:

1. a) We reserve the right to make changes to specific riding locations included in a package at any time due to weather conditions, tide patterns or for any reason we deem necessary. 
2. b) We reserve the right to alter your riding package in its entirety if you are unable to pass the requisite riding assessment that corresponds to your chosen package. We will endeavour to offer a suitable alternative package with you at this point, which may incur additional costs. No refunds will be available if you are unable to take part in your booked ride due to a failed riding assessment. 
3. b) If you have requested a specific accommodation upgrade that we are unable to reserve, we will refund in full the cost associated with the upgrade and offer a suitable alternative. The alternative may entail its own upgrade cost and you will have the opportunity to accept or decline the proffered alternative.
4. Force Majeure

Except where expressly stated in these booking terms, we will not be liable or pay compensation if our contractual obligations are affected by Force Majeure. For the purposes of these terms, “Force Majeure” refers to events beyond our or our suppliers’ reasonable control, which could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures.

Examples of Force Majeure include but are not limited to:

• Warfare, acts of terrorism, or the threat thereof.
• Civil unrest or significant risks to human health (e.g., serious disease outbreaks).
• Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, or severe weather conditions.
• Government actions, including those by local or port authorities.
• Industrial disputes, strikes, or lockouts.
• Natural or nuclear disasters, fires, or chemical/biological incidents.
• Unavoidable technical issues with transportation.

We reserve the right to amend or cancel bookings affected by Force Majeure events without liability.

9. Liability

9.1  We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements. Liability is limited to the furthest extent permissible by law in cases where any harm or danger occurs due to the actions of any of our guests, or of individuals with no association with us.

9.2 Within the furthest extent permissible by law, we limit our liability for any injury, illness, or death that occurs during your trip unless caused by our negligence.

9.3 We accept no liability for the cancellation of aspects of your trip by the supplier of any element, beyond a refund of the exact funds corresponding to that activity. As non-exhaustive examples, if your ferry journey or driven sightseeing tour is cancelled, the only refund due will be the cost of the ferry or of the sightseeing tour, respectively.

9.4 We do not accept responsibility for loss, theft, or damage to personal belongings or luggage during your trip. Within the furthest extent permissible by law, we limit our liability for any such loss, theft or damage

9.5 It is your responsibility to check and fulfill the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your trip. We accept no liability if you cannot travel or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. 

10. Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions of Sale and any bookings or agreements to which they apply shall be governed by the laws of Northern Ireland and you agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland courts. You further agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises between us out of or in connection with your contract or booking will be dealt with only through the laws of Northern Ireland. We are required by law to inform you that sales can be concluded in English only and that no public filing requirements apply.