Be Stronger and Safer in the Saddle
Falling from a horse was the most common reason for visiting the emergency department at Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore in 2013. It’s a reminder that horse riding requires a coordinated effort of all muscle groups, and for riders who are new t...
Horsey Summer Camps for kids – they offer far more than just a brief escape to the outdoors
Lorna Keogh from Dunbyrne Equestrian Centre in Kildare gives us the low down on pony camps for kids. While the weather is still typically Irish, leaving us in short sleeves one minute and winter coats the next, summer is definitely in the air. Talk to an...
The Key to Equestrian Happiness? Put Enjoyment before Achievement
By John Haime Sometimes things get fuzzy in sports and a reset is exactly what you need. Very often my phone will ring, or I’ll get an “emergency” text and an athlete client will be in a funk. Their focus unconsciously shifts to the many distraction...
What does it take to become an Olympic Equestrian?
Did you watch the Olympic Equestrian events last year and wonder how you could become involved? It looks like a wonderful experience, but it’s a long, challenging and expensive road to get close to becoming an Olympic rider. You need to put in 100% dedi...
If you’re going to get injured, get injured in January…
You may or may not have noticed, but we’ve been a little quieter than usual here at HorsePlay.ie… Unfortunately, I had a wee accident back in the middle of January. And yes, of course it was horse related! It was one of those ‘yeah, I probably shoul...
Keeping Your Kids Safe and Sensible Around Horses
Teaching a child to be kind and respectful of all animals is an essential part of parenting. Normal child behaviours like running around and screaming can be confusing to animals, so to enjoy time with a four-legged friend, they need to understand how to ...
3 Day Camp at Balcultry
Wed 22nd, Thur 23rd and 24th Fri February. 10.30 am – 2pm. 1 day camp €35 or €90 for 3 days. All levels welcome. Sibling Discounts available. Booking deposit €50 needed by Sat 18th February. Midterm Pony Camp Wed 22nd Feb to Fri 24th Pon...
Why take up Horse Riding?
January is upon us again. It is a time for resolutions, for planning and for many it is a time for self-improvement. We hear so much in the media and from the world health organisation about the National obesity problem and about the need to help people t...
Self esteem… it’s not just a human condition. Our horses possess it too and it can work for you or against you.
Low self esteem is a common affliction of the human condition. Sadly, a great many people feel that they are not worthy or somehow not quite good enough, and they can end up enduring a rather passive existence. The same is also true of horses. Whilst man ...
Hard Core!!!
Core strength… if you haven’t heard whisperings of it, read something about it, or been told you need to improve it, you must live a life of blissful isolation (or have very polite friends), as it’s been something of a buzz term recently. Our rider ...
