BRING YOUR HORSE ON HOLIDAY
Not only are dogs welcome at Sir Johns Hill Farm, but there are great facilities for horses too, with stabling and grazing both being available. Stabling and turnout is available year round, but turnout only is available from April to October. There are 9.5 acres of grazing land at the Farm, split between two large fields and seven paddocks, so that you can be assured that your horse can have its own paddock, or just share with its friends.
The Old Stables cottage has its own stables (one very large stable and two average sized stables) and tack room with store area. The stables have rubber matting and if horses are stabled, shavings/sawdust beds are provided. There is a 20m x 40m all-weather floodlit arena with a surface of sand and rubber chippings. The arena has been marked out for dressage tests and there are also a number of jumps, which can be used either in the arena or in one of the paddocks.
The riding around Laugharne is enjoyable, but not taxing. There are some pleasant off-road rides where you can have a good long canter, and there are also plenty of quiet country lanes with spectacular views to hack around. In addition there is the 7 mile stretch of Pendine beach along which to enjoy a very brisk gallop and paddle in the sea. It takes approximately one hour to hack down to the beach from the Farm. Escorted rides can be arranged further afield to places such as Colby, Llawhaden or Llandowror. Guests bringing horses will need to have their own transport available during their stay if they wish to travel further afield.
There are opportunities to attend the many local shows or join in the various fun rides organised by the local riding clubs and bridleways associations: www.CarmsRiders.co.uk or www.pembrokeshirebridleways.org.uk. There are a number of hunts within 30 miles, but Carmarthenshire is the local hunt, www.carmarthenshirehunt.com.
Guests are requested to bring their own hard feed, but/haylage and sawdust bedding is provided for stabled horses and haylage can also be purchased for horses on grazing livery. Haylage is from our own fields, which are not fertilised and the haylage is always taken later in the year, so is better for "good doers".
Riding lessons can be arranged with a local BHS registered riding instructor, Nicky Griffith, on your own horse or on one of the horses at the farm. Horlicks is very much a schoolmaster and is currently competing at Elementary level dressage, and is great for people wanting to ride an experienced dressage horse, but equally is great as a confidence giver for complete beginners. Queeny is a younger horse currently just starting her dressage career. We also have a couple of Welsh Section A ponies, one of who will be brought on this year for small children to ride. Four of the five horses/ponies at the farm have been adopted from the RSPCA.
People who do not have their own horses can also have lessons with Nicky at the farm. If you would like to have lessons during your stay at the farm, please let us know in plenty of time so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
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