BARRGLEN EQUITATION CENTRE

ABOUT US

Barrglen Equitation Centre’s proprietor, Fiona McArthur is a qualified BHSAI (reg’d) instructor. Fiona qualified in August 1993 while working in a competition/ livery yard for Trisha Harvey, in Ayrshire. From there, gaining teaching experience working in riding centres in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, before heading off to New Zealand and Australia.

On returning home to Kintyre, Fiona decided to fulfil her lifetime ambition and began designing the layout of the outdoor arena and stables. Next on the agenda was to begin searching for suitable horses. From here the business has gone from strength to strength.

Since opening it has won the 1998 PSYBT Council Award (local) and was Argyll’s finalist in the 1998 Highlands and Islands PSYBT Business Award in

Inverness.

On the 2^nd May 1997, the doors opened for the first time offering pony rides to children under the age of 6 years and riding lessons for beginners, through to the more experienced rider - both adults and children.

Barrglen is set in 5,000 acres of a working hill sheep farm, situated in a quiet secluded glen, approximately half way down the beautiful and world famous Kintyre peninsula amongst the rolling heather hills and forestry with access to sandy beaches and spectacular views of Ireland, Gigha, Cara, Islay and Jura.

The centre is designed to encourage small groups of adults, families and accompanied children to come along and improve their riding skills in a fun relaxed atmosphere. Good quality well-trained horses are available to suit all levels of ability; “The good, the bad and the wobbly” are all welcome and thoroughly catered for!!

Barrglen offers an all-weather 60m x 30m sand arena, seven large loose boxes - either 10x12, 12x12 or a 14x12, show jumps available to hire, breaking and re-schooling, livery, either grazing or stabled, excellent hacking along forestry tracks, rides through the hills around the farm, or beach rides, either hacking to the beach below Glenbarr or transporting the horses to Westport where the beach goes around to Machrihanish (approximately 5 miles long).

We can offer B&B for yourself and stabling for your horse, so why not consider using Barrglen as a base, come and go as you please, ride around Kintyre and enjoy our scenic corner in the West Coast of Scotland.

If you find throughout the web site that I haven’t included something that you wish, then please do ask - whatever it is large or small... we will do our best!!