Hairy Henry

Hairy Henry Hairy Henry offers Therapeutic Riding, Care Farming and Animal-assisted Therapy to children and adul All have been trained specifically for this job.

We offer Therapeutic Riding sessions and Care Farm activities on our small farm in West Cork. Our team consists of Sandra, a fully qualified Therapeutic Riding Coach with 28 years experience of working with horses and 24 years of working in the health and social sector, and our extremely friendly and experienced therapy horses, Henry, Winnie, Flora, Daisy and Dolly, and lots of other farm animals

- our two dogs Trudi and Turnip, the flock of sheep - Sean, Otto, Tilda, Harriet and Mr. Lammy, the donkeys Nell, Eeyore, Gordon and Gulliver the geese and ducks and chicken and the rabbits Alex and Oreo and their families. We also offer animal-assisted therapeutic outreach visitis with our team of dogs, rabbits, sheep and donkey to nursing homes and hospitals - please get in touch for more information! Animal-assisted Therapy, Therapeutic Riding and Care Farming promote well-being, social confidence, sense of purpose and achievement - and offer long-lasting physical, psychological, social and educational benefits. Please, see our website www.hairyhenry.com for more details!

Our welcoming ambassador is in place and ready to greet all who are lucky to spend some time with us today 🐕👉 Please not...
13/06/2026

Our welcoming ambassador is in place and ready to greet all who are lucky to spend some time with us today 🐕

👉 Please not that all sessions are by appointment and must be pre booked.....

We had three new arrivals here last week - Camilla's baby guinea pigs 😍 They are amazing creatures that are born fully d...
12/06/2026

We had three new arrivals here last week - Camilla's baby guinea pigs 😍 They are amazing creatures that are born fully developed - eyes, ears, nose all working, fully furred, ready to run and eating heartily away on grass and grain from day one (as well as mammy's milk of course).
Eager lively things they are, we took them along today to Kinsale Community Hospital, and there were heartmelting scenes of tenderness and affection from residents, gently holding the babies and cherishing moments of cuteness and love.

After so much excitement over the weekend at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs Festival, Skye is now well back to h...
11/06/2026

After so much excitement over the weekend at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs Festival, Skye is now well back to her important job as therapy horse here on the farm 💗.

Meanwhile, on a different continent ..Our busy Kate who usually keeps the yard in order and all animals happy and conten...
10/06/2026

Meanwhile, on a different continent ..
Our busy Kate who usually keeps the yard in order and all animals happy and content, has made it to the top of Kilimanjaro!!! What an incredible achievement, we are in awe of her strength, bravery and stamina, and very proud for her. Well done Kate, you are amazing - now take care on your journey home, we are looking forward to having you back in one piece and hear the full story!

Thanks to the great photographers on site at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs Festival, we have these lovely mement...
09/06/2026

Thanks to the great photographers on site at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs Festival, we have these lovely mementos....We even got caught on camera over the very few jumps Skye DID do, so that is a reminder to me that she did try and deliver, dear Skye. And doesn't she just look fabulous, whatever she's doing!!!
It was just wonderful to experience so much kindness and positivity from everybody - when we came out of the show jumping ring after mere two jumps, the first thing the steward at the gate said 'but you looked pretty!' That's what floats a sports event like that - when everyone celebrates fellow sportspeople's success however small or big and is ultimately supportive of everyone's effort!

A weekend of flying highs and deep disappointing lows at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs Festival in Mullingar.Sky...
08/06/2026

A weekend of flying highs and deep disappointing lows at the Association of Irish Riding Clubs Festival in Mullingar.
Skye showed herself in best form at the Handy Horse (1st), Dressage (2nd) and Equitation Showing (4th), and, in the Irish Draught class - although not being placed (....she's not quite there yet with the extended canter...) - she got lovely remarks from the riding judge for whom she performed obediently and calmly.
On the slippery deep downside, we couldn't have done worse in the jumping classes, and I am utterly gutted and deeply disappointed and very puzzled about this. Skye simply did not want to jump. She did well in the warm ups, was in good form, entered the ring energetically but then just put the breaks on and nothing I did could undo them. So we got eliminated in both Sunday jumping classes, and that after having made such progress lately at home, I feel we are rock bottom again where we were 3 months ago, and I don't quite understand why, I wish Skye could tell me what went on for her.
Despite all that, it was a great experience, our first National event together, and all in all, Skye managed all that travelling and the buzz of the venue and the long days very well.
Being the only member this year of my local West Cork Riding Club to participate, it made all the difference to meet riders from other clubs in our region and I am grateful for their kind words and support.
It was fantastic to be part of such a big sports event where everyone is so proud of their four-legged team mates and bringing out the best in them.
Now it is time to relax and celebrate our successes and eventually, we will pick up the pieces of my broken dreams, too...

And over and out. A long mixed day, lots of impressions to take home andxreflect on. ..eager to hit the road now to ge...
07/06/2026

And over and out. A long mixed day, lots of impressions to take home andxreflect on. ..eager to hit the road now to get home before dark...full report soon 🙃

So proud of Skye.2nd in Dressage and 1st in Handy Horse.She obviously did impress with the growing strengths and skills ...
06/06/2026

So proud of Skye.
2nd in Dressage and 1st in Handy Horse.
She obviously did impress with the growing strengths and skills she has.
We'll put the Performance Hunter competition in the morning down to practise, she just found to much to look at in the jumping course, but jumped it all safely in the end, that's the main thing.....
Now for an early night, four more competitions tomorrow 😃

Still smiling ðŸĪŠ 6am start with feeding Skye, feeding myself, then plaiting Skye's mane and tail whilst stopping her from...
06/06/2026

Still smiling ðŸĪŠ
6am start with feeding Skye, feeding myself, then plaiting Skye's mane and tail whilst stopping her from fidgeting, 8.30am into the saddle and checking out where to go and what to jump and in which order, 9am dressage warm up, 9.40am dressage test, then straight to changing outfit for performance hunter class, 10.30am jumping warm up, 10.45am performance hunter class, 11am settling Skye into her stable for a break and make coffee for myself, now off to cleaning out the stable, checking where the next competition is and learn the course, take Skye out to let her have some grass, get her ready for her next competition....and of course never stop smiling 🙃
What did you do so far today???!!!

Arrived safely at our venue 😊 Skye swapped her box for a nice comfy stable while I took over the box as a field kitchen ...
05/06/2026

Arrived safely at our venue 😊 Skye swapped her box for a nice comfy stable while I took over the box as a field kitchen and the van as my night camp, all good. Trying for an early night...3 competitions tomorrow!!!

Address

Ballylickey
Bantry
P75AV82

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+353879389867

Website

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