Loch Ness Riding
Loch Ness Riding
5
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Loch Ness Riding offers great hacking in a wonderful landscape for competent english-style riders only. Sorry but we do not take beginners. We are endurance specialists but we also give lessons in all disciplines. You can ride from an hour and a half to several days. Advance booking is essential. BHS approved riding and training centre with resident Stage 4 Senior Eventing Coach on hand for lessons.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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5.0
81 reviews
Excellent
74
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Mel
5 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
My friend and I are two competent and capable dressage riders from the US who were so excited to celebrate our 40th birthdays in Scotland and the horseback ride around Loch Ness was going to be the highlight. We both ride plenty at home so a nice leisurely trail ride around the area was what we were looking for. For reference on our abilities, I train my own horses, rider upper level dressage, and regularly ride in lessons and clinics with dressage judges and professionals from several countries. I list my own experience for reference that I am quite capable and am well in touch with my riding ability and am happy to be yelled at and instructed by a someone competent. I will start with saying the horses were sweet and willing and the scenery was beautiful. However, Candy was condescending, patronizing, belittling, and yelled at us, and pretty much everyone and everything we encountered on the three hour trail ride. She is clearly terrified of her horse spooking and projects this on absolutely everyone. We are not nervous riders but she clearly rather pretend her customers are the problem vs. herself. We were yelled at, hikers, walkers, joggers, dog walkers, cars, small children (maybe 5 years old) in their school yard, and mothers with little ones in strollers over a dozen feet away who dared to turn around to look at the horses were all yelled at by Candy. The only unsafe condition was her inability to control her own nerves and her nasty attitude. She also belittled the way the second guide handled her horse so this is just clearly how Candy operates with everyone. "Not a people person" doesn't even begin to describe her. I can’t stress enough that if you want an enjoyable horseback riding experience, find a different place to go. There are enough good reviews that maybe she can actually be a decent human being but there isn’t enough money out there to pay me or my friend to be in her company again. In hindsight, we wish we hadn’t wasted our money or time just to be so disappointed, it honestly took us the rest of the day to get over the negative feelings we walked away with. This is the first negative review I have ever posted for anything and the first time in my life I almost opted to get off my horse and just walk back and it was 100% from the nasty attitude we were subjected to. If this review saves just one person from experiencing what we did, it’s worth it.
Written 10 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Constance&Shobbie
2 contributions
May 2021
We were very excited about riding at Loch Ness Riding and were not disappointed, despite being soaked by the playful Scottish weather :-)
Candy was very welcoming and her horses are great and very well trained! it is so much fun to ride with experienced riders and have a good pace. We had a beautiful ride through the woods and the along the Loch Ness, with beautiful changes of scenery through the ride. It was lovely to be followed by the deers and does at the beginning.
A great way to discover Loch Ness if you ride decently
thank you candy for having us and for leading us trough your beautiful region. Shoaib and I will definitely come back and hope to see you in Portugal too
Give some carrots to Cruz from me too :-)
Candy was very welcoming and her horses are great and very well trained! it is so much fun to ride with experienced riders and have a good pace. We had a beautiful ride through the woods and the along the Loch Ness, with beautiful changes of scenery through the ride. It was lovely to be followed by the deers and does at the beginning.
A great way to discover Loch Ness if you ride decently
thank you candy for having us and for leading us trough your beautiful region. Shoaib and I will definitely come back and hope to see you in Portugal too
Give some carrots to Cruz from me too :-)
Written 4 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChaDeen
Aberdeen71 contributions
May 2021
A return to Loch Ness Riding with Candy for a second time. My mum and I managed to pack in 3 days riding this time. Amazing horses and scenery as usual. I was so pleased to ride the horses here - they are very well schooled and responsive.
Great tips to improve my riding which were quickly picked up on by Candy.
Great tips to improve my riding which were quickly picked up on by Candy.
Written 11 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there, I am sorry but have only just picked up your review. I dont seem to get them automatically any more. We were delighted to see you guys again and it was a pleasure. Haste ye back!
Written 7 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Berit B
Oslo, Norway12 contributions
Aug 2023
Amazing horses and the beautiful landscape surrounding Loch Ness makes this a unique experience. Candy's horses are of high quality and very well schooled and trained. It is both a privelege and a learning experience to be allowed to ride such living, vibrant horses. Candy's demand that you must be an experienced rider makes more than perfect sense - her horses deserve nothing less and an inexperienced rider could harm both themselves and the animals, making it a question of both safety and animal welfare.
We did a three hour hack and my only regret was the porcinis and chanterelles we trampled going through the forests around Loch Ness. ;)
I'll be bck for 'shrooms and brambles next year, and hopefully also to ride :)
We did a three hour hack and my only regret was the porcinis and chanterelles we trampled going through the forests around Loch Ness. ;)
I'll be bck for 'shrooms and brambles next year, and hopefully also to ride :)
Written 6 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abi L
Reading, UK9 contributions
Oct 2020 • Solo
Just finished a great 2 hour ride with Candy, beautiful autumnal scenery through the woods and over Loch Ness. We went on some lovely tracks with some perfect areas for trots and canters. The sun even shined for most of the ride! Had a great time, would highly recommend! Also worth noting that the Covid protocol is great and very thorough, it felt very safe in that sense.
Written 9 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Abi,
It was a pleasure taking you out and we fared well for the weather didnt we? It is always great to ride out and blow away the cobwebs - so good for our mental health!
Written 10 October 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Millie
United Kingdom2 contributions
Jun 2021
Hating to go a week without any riding, we've done many a holiday hack across the world. No where compares to Loch Ness Riding for the quality of horses and exhilaration of the ride. It is nothing like a typical riding school experience.
THANK YOU to Candy for schooling such wonderful horses, and sharing them with strangers like us.
The ride took us through deer, woodland, along the edge of the loch with some stunning views, before climbing back up through knee-high ferns, across heather and between foxgloves. The scenery was utterly stunning, and so varied - we felt very lucky.
If you're a confident rider, you won't find better than Loch Ness Riding for a holiday trip. I only wish there were more yards like them about!
THANK YOU to Candy for schooling such wonderful horses, and sharing them with strangers like us.
The ride took us through deer, woodland, along the edge of the loch with some stunning views, before climbing back up through knee-high ferns, across heather and between foxgloves. The scenery was utterly stunning, and so varied - we felt very lucky.
If you're a confident rider, you won't find better than Loch Ness Riding for a holiday trip. I only wish there were more yards like them about!
Written 7 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah Schulz
1 contribution
Mar 2022 • Solo
I had a wonderful two hour hack with Loch Ness riding. Connie took me out, and I rode Jonty who was absolutely perfect. Connie knew the trails very well and there were plenty of opportunities to trot and canter. She was a lovely guide and we had great conversations while we rode through the beautiful landscape. Like the website clearly states, Loch Ness riding caters to experienced riders, so you should be a confident rider who can walk, trot, and canter over varied footing. Candy’s horses are wonderfully trained and each one has its own personality, which makes for a lovely ride, However, this is no pony trek and you do need to ride them not just sit idly on their backs. I hope to return if I am ever in the area again!
Written 19 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael C
1 contribution
May 2022 • Solo
I'll start with the positives: the horses are lovely and clearly well cared for; the location is great.
Sadly the experience was ruined by Candy (the owner). My partner had booked a 1.5 hour hack, and it was Candy who took her out. We always try to find a good riding centre while in Scotland and it is usually very much a highlight of the holiday for my partner. However throughout this ride Candy's attitude was patronising and rude. I understand she holds a high standard of riding at her centre ("experienced riders only") but the whole ride was like an assessment, with shouted orders and unnecessary criticisms, which made the experience far more stressful than enjoyable. Perhaps "perfect riders only" would be more appropriate, though it seems from other reviews that some riders of all levels have experienced harsh words from Candy.
My partner is a very experienced rider, but came away from this centre genuinely upset and it's knocked her confidence while riding too. Sadly negative experiences stick in the mind and this one cast a shadow over the entire holiday.
I think Candy really needs to think about what she's trying to do - if the aim is to provide an enjoyable experience riding in this lovely area then the guides should have the personality to match. If the aim is to provide riding critiques then it should be advertised as such.
Sadly the experience was ruined by Candy (the owner). My partner had booked a 1.5 hour hack, and it was Candy who took her out. We always try to find a good riding centre while in Scotland and it is usually very much a highlight of the holiday for my partner. However throughout this ride Candy's attitude was patronising and rude. I understand she holds a high standard of riding at her centre ("experienced riders only") but the whole ride was like an assessment, with shouted orders and unnecessary criticisms, which made the experience far more stressful than enjoyable. Perhaps "perfect riders only" would be more appropriate, though it seems from other reviews that some riders of all levels have experienced harsh words from Candy.
My partner is a very experienced rider, but came away from this centre genuinely upset and it's knocked her confidence while riding too. Sadly negative experiences stick in the mind and this one cast a shadow over the entire holiday.
I think Candy really needs to think about what she's trying to do - if the aim is to provide an enjoyable experience riding in this lovely area then the guides should have the personality to match. If the aim is to provide riding critiques then it should be advertised as such.
Written 6 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kat L
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Solo
Wonderful ride out with Candy yesterday in the beautiful countryside around Dores. Jonty was an absolute gent, well mannered and very responsive - a real treat to ride. Candy was chatty and extremely knowledgeable, giving me riding tips for the terrain we covered. I totally understand why its not a beginners ride, due to the responsiveness of the horses, roughness of terrain and pace of the ride - you do need to be able to look after yourself on a horse. Such a shame my sister couldn't make it - maybe next time.
Written 14 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fanny B
3 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
The best souvenir from our trip in the Highlands. The views during the ride were outstanding, the trail goes through the forest but as well on the top of the Loch Ness. The stables are really well located. Candy was really flexible to accommodate us and I can’t be grateful enough as we really wanted to ride. We were taken out by Connie who is lovely and you can see she is passionate about horses. The horses were beautiful and really calm. Thank you again for this memorable time and I recommend it 100%!!
Written 8 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greetings, we would love to join one of your tours. Could it be possible to pick us (two people) from Inverness or do we have to come on our own?
Written 7 September 2019
HI there -best to reach me directly by email as I dont always see messages here. There are buses to Dores from Inverness all days apart from Sundays and we could pick you up from the bus stop in Dores if that would help. Taxis are also available from town to our yard.
Written 8 September 2019
Hi there - looking for some additional information on what rider levels you can accommodate. (For example, could someone just recently able to walk trot canter on their own be suited to this?)
Written 13 June 2019
HI Georgia,
Thanks for your enquiry.
I am quoting our requirements for riders of our horses as we send it out to enquirers -
We require our riders to be balanced and competent on responsive and forward going horses over all types of terrain at walk, trot and canter – to maintain their distances in a ride and to ride the horses sympathetically. They are all my babies!!
If you feel that you can comply then we would be delighted to take you out. The thing to remember is that these are not riding school horses - we do not teach people to ride and the horses are all responsive and reactive as they are not ridden by novices.
Hope this helps
Candy
Written 19 June 2019
Hannah
Whalley, United Kingdom
Hi I’m thinking about booking a hack, unfortunately I no longer have my own riding boots or helmet, is it possible to borrow these at the stable?
Written 14 April 2019
Of course we can supply both. Look forward to meeting you
Written 14 April 2019
Hi, I live in Brazil, and thinking of visitinha my daughter who lives in Glasgow. Is it possible to book several days of your trips? Maybe four or five days? In this case, how mantém hours a day and what is the cost? Are there hotels nearby?
Written 7 March 2019
All our riding prices are on our Loch Ness Riding website.
1 1/2 hr ride out is £50. Please note that we can only take experienced english-style riders
Written 31 July 2017
My mom and I are planning a trip to Scotland in mid July of this year, and we'll be spending a day in the Inverness area. We're considering doing a short ride. While I am an experienced rider, my mom is only comfortable as long as the horse is well behaved, and she's never ridden English. Do you offer a 1ish hour ride that would accommodate our riding abilities?
Written 13 May 2017
Hi there, Thanks for your query. As long as you Mom is able to ride in a balanced way at walk, trot and canter on a quiet horse then I would be able to take you for an hour's private ride. It is necessary to book in advance however and our weight limit is 14st.
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Written 13 May 2017
How long is the ride and is it suitable for a very average and rusty rider? Also do we need to book? Many thanks
Written 1 July 2016
Sorry - I have only just seen your question. As long as you are confident and balanced at walk, trot and canter (english style) then we can take you out. We do not gallop hard or jump.If you haven't ridden for a long time then I suggest you book a reasonably short ride. And yes - you need to book in advance. I look forward to hearing from you if it is not already too late
Written 10 August 2016
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