MANY of us experienced our first joy of riding at a local riding school or holiday trekking centre but the spiralling cost of insurance, combined with Ireland’s notorious ‘compo claims’ culture is now posing a very real risk to that very foundation - and one which will have enormous consequences for the entire Irish equestrian landscape if it continues unabated. Countless riding schools and trekking centres have closed their doors in recent years and ready access to lessons or trekking simply cannot be taken for granted anymore.

Long waiting lists exist in many of the remaining riding schools as a result. Some operators are put to the pin of their collar to keep the gates open due to the huge cost of the only-offer insurance premium coming through the postbox.