April Showers !!

Just a few lines  to fill you in on recent goings on at Rainbow Farm. We had 2 cross country rides recently which went very well & certainly challenged all our riders after a long winter stuck in the indoor arena. Sinead Reilly, Aoife Caffrey, Aoife Tunney, Caoimhe (Eoin Leavy`s cousin sorry can`t think of sir name), Octavia & Jennifer, Maggie, John Crauhan, Mark O`Reilly, Ryan Sorohan, Claire (Aoifes cousin from Delvin) Jack & Molly Cosgrove were the ones who braved  over 4 hours in the saddle through lanes, roads & fields. Well done to one & all, some bought home a bit of mud on their bums but hey that`s all part of riding. Get well wishes to Aoife Tunney who fractured her pelvis last week & is distraught because they told her she can`t ride for 2 months....don`t think she`s too worried that they told her not to go to school for 2 weeks!! A big thanks to Sinead Hyland who welcomed us all for a spin around her land & all her lovely jumps & then made tea for us & passed around lovely chocolates while we took our lunch break.

Remember Becky who worked at Rainbow Farm until recently ?  Becky just had a baby boy & has named him Archie. Congratulations Becky he is absolutely gorgeous.

Ciara is also off work after taking a fall off her mare Shakira at The Ballymacad Hunter Trials & breaking her collar bone. Ciara fell at fence 7 but got back on & completed the open course before giving in to the pain of it....tough as nails ! Wishing you a speedy recovery Ciara.

Hopefully if the weather ever improves we`ll schedule some more cross country rides...until then au revoir!

Spring is coming

Not the best at keeping up to date....last time I wrote Joker was only born & this week we have just brought him in to wean (very late we got delayed!) He`s a cheeky little monkey & will have to have a few manners put on him before he goes back out.

Hunting is over & most of the hunters have gone out to grass but some are still in work for the various charity rides & hunter trials....so never a dull moment.

Next job on the horizon is to bring in the young 3 year olds to break in; so that `ll be a challenge.

Saturday 21st we are taking out our first Picnic Ride of the year ( weather permitting) so we look forward to 3 or 4 hours in the saddle & plenty of fun.

Will try & keep things up to date a little more regularly from now on. I`m going to do a camera course soon so I might even get all technical & put pictures & videos up on our site too.......watch this space !!

Anne-Marie 

Joker - The new arrival

Zoe had a great coloured colt foal this year by Calina Gold an Irish Draught Stallion. Looking forward to hunting him in a few years; he`s called Joker. Will post some photo s soon.

Hunt Chase time of year again. Chris, Sarah, Nicky & Anne-Marie are heading to Letterkenny, Donegal this Sunday for the first competition of the year.

Nicky & Gemma start their Leaving & Junior Cert exams in a week or so. Both are working very hard & ver stressed out NOT!!!!!!

Foreign Student Holidays

We offer a full service here where we will meet you at the airport and look after you like one of our own during your stay.
Sleep in and relax or jump out of bed and join in whatever’s going on; anything up to 4 or 5 hours riding a day available most days.


A days shopping to one of the larger towns and some sight seeing thrown in too. This is done very much as a small and personal visit and we do not take more than one student at a time, otherwise you would not learn the language as well.



If 2 children from the same family want to come together that is acceptable.
If you are interested browse through our visitor book and photographs and contact us for further details.

Hunting Breaks

Rainbow Farm is in the heart of the Ballymacad Foxhounds hunting country; hunting Saturdays and Tuesdays over extremely varied countryside taking in every type and combination of bank, ditch, hedge and drain plus some sound stonewall country. Hunting, hirelings and accommodation can all be arranged.

Adjacent hunts Meath and Westmeath Foxhounds also close enough to hunt with various Harrier Packs and Louth Foxhounds and Ward Union Staghounds.

General Holidays and Breaks

We are very happy to tailor make a break to suit you. We have a self-contained luxury apartment available for self-catering or B&B. We can cater if you wish to bring along your own horses or ponies and enjoy a riding break in new surroundings or we can provide animals. Beginners or advanced we will arrange your equine entertainment to suit. If you wish to bring your dog with you this is no problem. Make your holiday as horsey as you like; ride every day or just fit in a little along with your other holiday fun.

Cavan International Horse Sales

This, one of Irelands biggest sales, is situated 30 minutes drive from Rainbow Farm and have a sales every 2 months. Why not have a break and take in the sales as well. www.cavanequestrian.com

Locality

Largest Cairn and Loughcrew Hills are within sight of Rainbow Farm. Remains of more than 30 Megalithig tombs, passage graves, stones circles, etc.. pre-dating the Egyptian Pyramids with a wonderful 360 Degreee view across 14 counties on a clear day. View interior of major Tumuls, stones decorated with prehistoric art work. Key available at Loughcrew Heritage Centre.

View ruins of St. Oliver Plunkett's family church. Born in Oldcastle in 1635, he went to Rome in 1641, was conscecrated Archbishop of Armagh in 1669, hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London, 1681. Beatified 1920 and canonised as a saint in 1975.

Visit Fore, hear about the Seven Wonders and see the 13th century Norman Monastery.

Kells (22 km) and Trim (38km) Heritage Towns are well worth a visit.


Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff (11km) has many interesting exhibitions.

Forest walks at Mullaneen (8km) and Deerpark (8km)

Lakes, Lough Bane, The White Lake, Lough Ramor, Lough Sheelin, Lough Larne (EU Blue Flag lake suitable for swimming) are all within easy reach.

There are three first class Golf Courses in the surrounding area, Headfort, Crover and Virginia Park.

Some other activities that are hosted in Oldcastle:
- The Annual Oldcastle Rally
- The Oldcastle Agricultural Show
- Le Ceile 3 day Music & Arts Festival

Dogs

Whether you are going away for a long holiday or just going shopping for the day and don't want to leave your dog on its own. Rainbow Farm will look after your four-legged friend for you.
All kennels are separate and have 20-foot individual runs on them; we are on hand all day every day to attend to their needs.

All dogs must have up to date vaccination certificates.

Contact us for further details. Viewing always welcome.

We also breed German Short Haired Pointers and Yellow Labrador Retrievers.

Horses

We teach children and adults of all standards to ride and we also run a livery yard. We break and school young horses and ponies, we look after hunters etc... for busy people and go out on group rides at the weekends.





We breed Connemaras and Irish Sport horses, so Spring is alovely time to be around.

For those new to the game it`s a great place to bring your new horse or pony on part livery to learn what`s involved in owning your own animal and there`s always someone around to ride with or offer advice.



We have an arena and a Cross Country course and many lovely hacks out through woodlands and roads. Locally we have Cross Country courses and Show jumping and very large forests to ride in. In the summer we swim on horse back in nearby Lough Sheelin.




In winter time we go hunting with our local pack "The Ballymacad Foxhounds". We hunt 2 days a week and have up to 12 horses and ponies hunting out of our yard on Saturdays and a few less on Tuesdays.

Full Livery

Most popular during the hunting season but also available throughout the year. Your horse / pony will be looked after 24 7 . Ridden, whether it is just simply to exercise and keep fit, or young horses schooled and brought on for you. Whatever your requirements, we will work to personal preference. Full service available farrier, vet, clipping, mane and tail pulling, tack cleaning and transport to and from hunting and shows. Contact us for further details and viewing of facilities always welcome.

Half Livery

Many people buy their own horse / pony and when the novelty wears off sometimes it all becomes a little overwhelming. At Rainbow Farm there’s always someone to ask advice if you’re not sure about something, always someone heading off riding if you’d like some company or just head out on your own and use the facilities. Or simply, if life is a bit hectic and you’d only have time to ride a few times a week we’ll keep an eye on them the rest of the time.

About Us

Rainbow Farm is a family run concern...
Phil works a regular day job and puts his hours in mornings, evenings and weekends. Anne-Marie spends all her hours in and around the Farm. Nicky at school is an avid horse rider and a great footballer playing Gaelic Football for his local club and his county. Gemma likewise is at school, another avid rider and also plays football for her club and county - Gemma also lives to socialise and loves to chat!
Everything evolves around the animals, horses, ponies and dogs.

We run a boarding kennels for dogs when people go on holiday and breed German Shorthaired Pointers and Yellow Labradors.
We teach children and adults of all standards to ride and we also run a livery yard. We break and school young horses and ponies, we look after hunters etc... for busy people and go out on group rides at the weekends.
We breed Connemaras and Irish Sport horses, so Spring is alovely time to be around. For those new to the game it`s a great place to bring your new horse or pony on part livery to learn what`s involved in owning your own animal and there`s always someone around to ride with or offer advice.

With all these things going on this is a great environment for a holiday if you`re interested in horses. For many years we have been entertaining French students here at Rainbow Farm; what a wonderful way to improve your language and your knowledge of horses whilst having a great time in a friendly family atmosphere.

We have an arena and a Cross Country course and many lovely hacks out through woodlands and roads. Locally we have Cross Country courses and Show jumping and very large forests to ride in. In the summer we swim on horse back in Lough Sheelin.

It is the Winter that is really OUR favourite time of year as we all live to and love to hunt with our local pack "The Ballymacad Foxhounds". We hunt 2 days a week and have up to 12 horses and ponies hunting out of our yard on Saturdays and a few less on Tuesdays.

The general overview of life at Rainbow Farm is that no matter when you visit it is always a hive of activity, always loads of people around and always time for a cup of tea and a good "ceili" at the kitchen table.

Links of interest

Meath Tourism
County Meath, Ireland
Loughcrew House & Historic Gardens Meath Ireland
Ballinacree Historical Society, Oldcastle
Oldcastle Area Development
Le Chéile Music Festival
Cavan Equestrian Centre
Rally Experience

Links of interest

Meath Tourism
County Meath, Ireland
Loughcrew House & Historic Gardens Meath Ireland

Ballinacree Historical Society, Oldcastle
Oldcastle Area Development
Le Chéile Music Festival

Cavan Equestrian Centre
Rally Experience