Riding Holidays on the Isle of Wight
- At the Island Riding Centre we offer horse riding weekends and midweek short riding breaks with guests able to stay in our luxury self-catering accommodation and enjoy the equestrian centre facilities on site.
- At the Island Riding Centre we offer horse riding weekends and midweek short riding breaks with guests able to stay in our luxury self-catering accommodation and enjoy the equestrian centre facilities on site.
"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle"
Winston Churchill
Enjoying a milder climate and more sunshine hours than most other parts of the UK has made the Isle of Wight a popular destination for holidays and short breaks. Add in hundreds of miles of off-road bridleways, spectacular landscapes and dozens of sandy beaches the IOW is the perfect destination for a UK horse riding holiday.
Our two equestrian holiday packages are flexible to suit riders of any ability from complete beginners to novices and advanced riders with a choice of on-site riding lessons, including tuition in dressage and show jumping. A safe on-site trail ride is available for riders of any age or beach and trail rides which can be guided or self-guided for guests bringing their own horse or choosing to hire one of our horses. See below for details of what the riding holidays include.
Beach Riding on the Isle of Wight
Being centrally located on the Island, there is a good choice of different beach rides within easy reach of the riding centre. Trips to the beach are organised around tide times and include Ryde, Yaverland, Yarmouth and Bembridge beaches. Early starters can enjoy a full cooked breakfast at their destination whilst afternoon rides can be accompanied by a cream tea.
Trail Rides on the Isle of Wight
Large parts of the Island are designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and what better way to see it than from horseback. Our trail rides are a great way to explore the Isle of Wight and make friends within a group ride. Riders of any ability can participate with experienced guides on hand and safe horses happy to follow the rest of the group. For the more experienced riders, we are happy to provide bridleway maps allowing you to choose your own rides.
Bring Your Own Horse
The Isle of Wight is easily accessible for horse boxes and lorries (with special ferry travel rates available) and we are happy to provide DIY, part or full livery for the duration of your stay, so why not give your horse a holiday too!
Learn to Ride
Our horse riding holidays will give beginners and novices the chance to learn to ride and develop their skills in a relaxed, friendly environment with lessons from our qualified instructors on horses and ponies that will be matched to the riders’ ability.
Riding Lessons
Following an initial assessment, our instructors will tailor lessons to suit your goals which can include dressage and show jumping tuition or developing your confidence in the saddle. Our ABRS approved riding school on the Isle of Wight is staffed by our team of experienced, qualified instructors. We are a fully insured riding school and all of out staff are first aid trained, DBS checked and qualified. We offer disabled and wheelchair-friendly riding lessons and cater for all ages and skill levels.
Accommodation
Our luxury self-catering accommodation can cater for between 2 and 12 guests at a time so groups, families and individual riders are all welcome. Some of our cottages have been purpose built to cater for disabled guests, with downstairs bedrooms and wet-rooms suitable for wheelchair users. As an RDA accessible kite mark centre, we have accessible riding facilities and qualified instructors on site too.
Guests can enjoy a continental breakfast in their accommodation or the occasional cooked breakfast when out on an early morning beach ride. In the evenings we have a selection of local eateries close by or why not enjoy a beachfront cocktail or cosy country pub around the Island.
The Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight has lots of activities for non-riders too including golf, cycling, walking, sailing, clay pigeon shooting, go-karting, paragliding and various water sports. Visitor attractions start right next door at Monkey Haven or a short walk to Butterfly World. A short drive takes you to Robin Hill, Blackgang Chine, Carisbrooke Castle, Osborne House, Godshill Model Village, The Needles Landmark Attraction, Isle of Wight Zoo, Amazon World. The list goes on… Why not try the Isle of Wight Steam Railway or even go on a dinosaur hunt……OR just relax on one of the award winning beaches.
For our wheelchair users and those with limited mobility, read our blog post on exploring the accessible Isle of Wight.
Facilities
Opened in 2017 our facilities include a 60m by 40m outdoor fibrewax sand school and an on site off-road hacking track. Towards the end of 2018, we will be launching our indoor riding arena which will include a café, restaurant, shop and classroom as well as a fibrewax 60m by 25m sandschool for year round all-weather horse riding lessons.
So why not give a UK riding holiday a go and explore the Isle of Wight from horseback!