Happy Hooves Therapeutic Riding

Happy Hooves Therapeutic Riding At Happy Hooves, we cater for children and adults of any age and abilities. Over time, we’ve seen how much more horses can offer beyond the saddle.

Therapeutic riding is at the heart of what we do—plus fun, horse-based services that support emotional and physical well-being. At Happy Hooves, we offer a range of equine-assisted services designed to support emotional, physical, and social well-being. Our primary focus is therapeutic horse riding, a tailored experience where each session is built around the individual needs of the rider. Whether

it’s supporting motor skills, boosting confidence, or simply creating a joyful connection, therapeutic riding offers a gentle yet powerful way to grow, explore, and regulate—especially for children and young people with additional needs. That’s why we’ve developed our equine outreach school programme, which we have been delivering to local special needs schools and units, over the last 2 years with the help of our therapy pony, Teddy. More recently, we've expanded our services to include horse mediation—a ground-based, reflective practice where the horse becomes a mirror for self-awareness, emotional regulation, and connection. Rooted in the principles of equine-assisted therapy, horse mediation offers a unique space to slow down, ground yourself, and explore your inner world with the support of a sensitive and intuitive animal companion. We also offer mindful grooming and individualised stable management sessions. These practices offer accessible, body-based ways to build confidence, presence, and connection without the need to ride. Participants can engage in hands-on learning, calm their nervous systems, and develop meaningful relationships with the horses through grooming, yard work, and horse care. Whether in the saddle or on the ground, each session at Happy Hooves is shaped with care, compassion, and curiosity. We meet each person where they are—offering space, support, and the magic of the horse-human connection.

Reconnect with your inner horse girl 🐴✨Remember the version of you that loved horses more than anything? The one who’d h...
31/08/2026

Reconnect with your inner horse girl 🐴✨
Remember the version of you that loved horses more than anything? The one who’d have given anything for an afternoon in a field with them? She’s still in there — and we’d love to help you find her again.
Happy Hooves is looking for volunteers to join us this term. Spend your mornings or afternoons in the fresh countryside air, alongside horses and a genuinely lovely team, while making a real difference in the lives of children and adults with additional needs.
Whether you’re a lifelong horse lover, have experience supporting people with additional needs, or simply have some free time you’d love to fill with purpose — this is for you.
📅 Mondays & Thursdays, mornings and afternoons
🐴 Horse experience preferred
💛 No experience with additional needs necessary — just an open heart
As one of our volunteers puts it: it’s a blissful place, and seeing the horses each week is as much of a boost for you as it is for the people you’re supporting.
Ready to reconnect, get outdoors, and give back? DM us to apply! 💌

With the new term time approaching for our riders, we want to recognise the invaluable support of our volunteers here at...
29/08/2026

With the new term time approaching for our riders, we want to recognise the invaluable support of our volunteers here at Happy Hooves! This year our volunteers were recognised by Volunteer Ireland for their hard work and dedication. They are such an integral part of our services and bring so much joy and creativity to the herd. We look forward to welcoming them back and introducing some new faces soon 🐴

Horses are always honest……... They respond to how you feel — your tension, your calm, your confidence. That honest feedb...
13/04/2026

Horses are always honest……... They respond to how you feel — your tension, your calm, your confidence. That honest feedback is unlike anything else in a therapeutic setting. 🐴
For many of our riders, the rhythmic motion of riding regulates their nervous system in ways that are hard to replicate elsewhere. Parents regularly tell us their child is calmer and sleeps better on riding days.
The predictability of coming to the stables each week matters too. Same ponies, same routine, same safe space. For children who find the world unpredictable, that consistency quietly builds emotional regulation and reduces anxiety over time.
And when a child realises they can communicate with — and be understood by — an animal ten times their size? That's self-belief you can't manufacture.
Every session is tailored. Because growth looks different for every rider. ⭐

Meet Áron. He loves Daisy. Fully, completely, and with everything he has. 🐴🧡When he first came to us, Áron wore a DMO su...
03/04/2026

Meet Áron. He loves Daisy. Fully, completely, and with everything he has. 🐴🧡
When he first came to us, Áron wore a DMO suit ten hours a day to help keep him upright.
Communication can be tough for him but is full of gratitude and like to touch foreheads to convey his enjoyment ❤️

And somewhere in between those two moments — his comprehension grew, his core strengthened, his posture transformed.
His mum told us his posture and spine had come on in ways they never thought possible.

He no longer wears his DMO suit.
He has something that is entirely, proudly his own. 🏅

Without a doubt he earned his rosette, he’s a rockstar 🤩
Drop a 🌟in the comments if you agree 😊

WeAreHere HappyHooves

01/04/2026

We're just horsing around. Promise we'll rein it in! 🐴✨
Drop a 🦄 if you think Tonnta suits his new role 👇
Happy April Fools from all of us at Happy Hooves — riders, ponies, and newly appointed unicorns included.🦄 🐴✨

Horses don't lie......Last week we focused on the physical benefits of therapeutic riding — the balance, the core streng...
30/03/2026

Horses don't lie......
Last week we focused on the physical benefits of therapeutic riding — the balance, the core strength, the motor skills.
But some of the most profound changes we see in our riders happen on the inside. 🧠🧡
Horses have an extraordinary ability to create trust. They respond to how a rider feels — their energy, their tension, their calm. That feedback is immediate and honest in a way that's unlike almost any other therapeutic relationship.
The rhythmic motion of riding also does something remarkable to the nervous system. For many of our riders — particularly those with sensory processing differences, anxiety, or emotional regulation difficulties — that steady, predictable movement is deeply regulating. It's not unusual for parents to tell us their child is calmer and sleeps better on riding days.
The stables themselves matter too. Many of our riders find real comfort in the predictability of their sessions — the same ponies, the same routine, the same smells and sounds each week. For children who find an unpredictable world difficult to navigate, that consistency builds a foundation of safety that over time translates into better emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, and improved focus.
And then there's what happens when a child realises they can communicate with an animal ten times their size. That moment of connection — of being understood without words — builds something that no amount of coaching can manufacture. Self-belief.
Every session at Happy Hooves is individually tailored. Because the right environment for growth looks different for every single rider. 🐴⭐

27/03/2026

Teddy made another wonderful visit to St. Michael’s!
Room 11 students had a great morning with their favourite pony, grooming and dressing him up to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day ☘️

From feeding, handling, and navigating interactive obstacle courses together, it was a morning full of laughter, learning, and connection.

Our Schools Outreach Program offers something truly unique — a chance to build confidence, practice communication and develop sensory tolerance.
Working with a pony encourages turn-taking, emotional regulation, and purposeful movement, all within a joyful, low-pressure environment where every child can shine.

A brilliant team-building experience that brought out the best in every one of them, creating memories that will last well beyond the classroom
A heartfelt thank you to the school and to the wonderfully generous parent who sponsored the morning.

The smiles said it all.



AdditionalNeeds EquineAssistedLearning TherapeuticRiding TherapeuticRidingIreland DevelopmentalDisabilitiesAwarenessMonth

Meet Anabella, one of our riders. 🧡She does the macarena while riding a pony. She loves to pick and eat the blackberries...
26/03/2026

Meet Anabella, one of our riders. 🧡

She does the macarena while riding a pony. She loves to pick and eat the blackberries on our lane every autumn. She's a huge Elsa and Anna fan and she and Daisy make a brilliant team.

When she first came to us, she could only walk in a straight line on flat ground.

Now? She runs up and down hills. She jumps. She's learning to tumble. She knows all the moves to Round and Round the Garden. And she can tell us which song she wants next. 🎵

What looks like pure joy is also hard work. While Daisy walks, Anabella's core fires constantly to stay upright on a moving horse — that's postural work that's almost impossible to replicate on the ground. Adding her arm movements through the dance sequence increases that demand significantly, strengthening her trunk, improving her balance, and building her endurance.

This is what person-centred therapy looks like. We start with Anabella — her interests, her personality, what makes her light up — and build the therapeutic work around that. The novelty of doing something familiar in an unexpected place keeps her engaged and motivated. It also gives her something precious: choice. She decides which song comes next. For a child for whom communication is a daily challenge, that matters enormously.

Her parents tell us she's calmer and sleeps better on horse riding days. 🌙

She's learned to kick-start a horse, built a real bond with Daisy, and learned to hold the roller independently.

Anabella has earned her rosette. 🏅

Not just for riding. For showing up, working hard, and doing it all with a macarena and a grin. 🐴

Address

Killegar Stables, The Scalp
Enniskerry
A98C7Y0

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 11am - 2pm

Telephone

+353876982393

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Happy Hooves Therapeutic Riding posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Happy Hooves Therapeutic Riding:

Shortcuts

Share

Category