Great weather for a relaxing hack (Rosie & Cherry)
Larry and a guest
A BHS St III trainee and Alfie
Vistas that your horse enjoys as much as his rider!
A client - being helped by Floy to re-discover the joys of riding
Tesoro & Sheila
Ico, Oska & Billy - enjoying the summer sunshine
Our Riding Holidays
We offer a range of "packages" to suit a range of needs and aspirations! As we only cater for up to four riders per party, we offer exceptional attention to detail and a personalised service.
Gilfach Equitation offers each client the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience beyond just riding a horse. All good horsemen/women need to have an appreciation and understanding of what makes a horse be a horse, and what makes a horse be a great horse for our needs and desires. Therefore, any of the packages may include instruction, lectures, demonstrations and practical sessions in order that you can explore horsemanship in as much depth as appropriate to you - in a perfect setting.
Our holidays are not just about riding, they are about horsemanship!
The Great Weekend Hacking Break
Suitable for non-novice riders only. A whole day's riding through spectacular countryside on our fabulous, forward-going horses. Lunch included. Not available for nervous or novice riders.
Price from £150 per person inclusive
Our popular made-to-measure holidays
Pick and Mix Holidays
Suitable for non-novice riders only. Design your own riding holiday schedule. This may include ridden & non-ridden instruction, and hacks out - as desired. Hacking is not available for novice or nervous riders.
Price from £125 per person per night's stay
The Novice & Beginner Rider Package
Suitable for beginner and novice riders. We take you through, and enhance, the essential basics of horsemanship and riding, and beyond.
Price from £125 per person per night's stay
The Intermediate Rider Package
Suitable for non-novice riders only. Geared to developing your riding skills and horse knowledge with more advanced techniques on our experienced horses.
Price from £125 per person per night's stay
Our Specialist holidays
Classical Dressage Course
Suitable for intermediate & Advanced riders only. A chance to enhance your existing skills by riding schoolmasters of a higher level of ability/performance.
Price from £555 per person per three day course
Horse Ownership Certificate Package
Suitable for novice/intermediate + riders. An intensive course following the syllabus of the British Horse Society's 'Horse Ownership' Horse Ownership Certificate course. To include written exam and certificate from the BHS when you pass!
Price from £145 per person per day
Suitable for any standard of rider. A subtle mix of horsemanship skills off and on the horse to enable the nervous rider to understand, explore, and hopefully overcome, their riding nervousness. Two riders per time only.
Price from £125 per person per day
Frequently Asked Questions
I am not sure which package will suit me/my ability
Please read this website as thoroughly as you can before making a decision! We are happy to guide you if you would like to contact us - email is best. If, on arrival, we feel that the incorrect package has been booked, we will adapt your booked package to suit your needs.
In order not to disappoint or overwhelm on arrival, it is essential that you are guided towards booking the correct package for your needs. We offer the following guidance as to what each package entails and suits.
Key: (Gilfach's definitions)
Beginner rider - those who have never ridden before, or have ridden a few times in the past, but cannot do rising trot and have never cantered.
Novice rider - those relatively new to riding (within the last two to three years), can do rising and sitting trot, but not yet fully established in canter.
Novice/Intermediate rider - one who has ridden for at least five years on a regular basis and can comfortably ride "easy" horses at all gaits.
Intermediate rider - one who has ridden for at least five years on a regular basis and can comfortably ride most horses at all gaits.
Advanced rider - one who has ridden for at least ten years on a regular basis and is capable of riding advanced movements on highly sensitive/schooled horses
Nervous rider - one who is nervous of horses on the ground and/or when riding, regardless of experience or skill.
I wish to come on my own/I am the only rider within my party
We are happy to take bookings from sole riders out of season, or on a late-availability basis. A single rider supplement applies. Please contact us for details.
My group is of mixed abiltiy, can we all ride together?
This is fine, but the package and riding will be geared to the least able/experienced/competent.
My group is of mixed abiltiy, can we book separate packages?
Due to the small size of our establishment, this is unlikely - but please do enquire as we may be able to accommodate your needs.
My group includes young children (under 12 years), can can you accommodate us?
Due to the small size of our establishment, this is unlikely - but please do enquire as we may be able to accommodate your needs. All children, and their accompanying party, would be required to follow the format of our novice rider package - no matter how competent a child rider may be, they will have less stamina than the average adult, thus riding hours are adjusted accordingly.
Why do most of your packages include non-ridden elements as part of the instruction?
Having an appreciation and understanding of what makes a horse be a horse, how we train him or her to work with us, and how we are trained as riders will help you to work with our horse in "harmony" when riding, be safer, and enable the horse to enjoy his interaction with us.
Can we book extra riding?
Each of our instructional packages now include two hours of riding/instruction. We are happy to offer further instruction and riding per day, which preferably are booked in advance. We will do our best to accommodate your wishes for extra riding if we can on arrival. Prices are £40 for a private 45 min, or £30 for a group hour. Please indicate on your booking form what extra riding you would like if at all possible.
I wish (my children) to help out on the yard as much as possible. Is that OK?
As all horses and stable yards are potentially dangerous places to be for the uninformed/uninitiated (!), we can only accept help having assured ourselves that you have sufficient knowledge and experience. We actively encourage all guests to engage with the horses on the ground as well as under saddle, but we insist that appropriate training and instruction has been given first. At Gilfach, we take Health and Safety for our clients, staff and horses very seriously. We do not allow children (under 13 years) to be left on the yard unaccompanied by a responsible adult.
What happens to our riding schedule in the event of bad weather?
Unfortunately, the weather in this part of the World is notoriously unpredictable and often inclement during the winter months, and totally outside of our control! Without the luxury of an indoor school, we have a policy of "playing it by ear" and adjusting the schedule if possible so that riding can be undertaken when the weather improves, or by changing the schedule to include under-cover horsey activities if appropriate. If the weather looks unlikely to improve during your stay, and its is positively unpleasant for all concerned to go out in, or even dangerous, we now offer vouchers to cover your missed riding oportunities for a future stay.
Do you offer a loyalty discount?
We appreciate the "vote of thanks" our guests give us by returning to Gilfach. Guests who book two or more stays with us within a year are entitled to a 10% discount off their second visit.
I am bringing my pet(s) with me, is that OK?
We are happy to accommodate well behaved, non-aggressive pets. We do ask that you keep them under control and on a lead when out on the yard with horses around. You must keep your dogs on a lead during walks through fields with livestock at all times. Muddy feet and coats must be cleaned off before being allowed back into your accommodation here. Pets that are not happy to be left on their own, should not be left on their own in the accommodation! Pets are charged at £4 per night per pet.