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. On the 2nd 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.
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.
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).
