We are very proud of our small team of characterful and willing horses.  They are a young and enthusiastic team between 9 and 22 years of age.  They range in height from 14hh-16.2hh and we have a mixture of types from native breeds (i.e. Connemara, Irish Cob) to more exotic breeds (i.e. Appaloosa, Arab, Irish Sports Horse, Hackney x).  There should be a horse to suit everyone.
 
We have worked hard to hand select these horses. We would happily ride any one of them all day long, and we regularly do!  The confidence of our horses is important to us.  We want a team that love to work and enjoy the environments we ask them to explore with us.  Using various natural horsemanship techniques we play games with our horse to ensure they are as adventurous as we are.  This has seen them climb in, on, under and over almost anything you can imagine.  They are well travelled by road and sea, and always eager for the next adventure.

We probably shouldn’t ‘personify’ our horses.  You want to know how lively they are, how fast they will go and how good their brakes are.  The truth is, these horses will reflect you.  They are great at getting a sense of the capabilities and aspirations of their riders and they never fail to deliver whether you are looking for relaxation or exhilaration.  So below is a snippet of their vital statistics and our take on their ‘horse-nalities’ to give you a feel for what they are like ...

AVA

Ava

15.2HH, mid weight, age 9
Irish Sports Horse, skewbald

​Cara’s own horse, often head of the herd and not afraid of anything.  Truly inquisitive, we have a job keeping her out of our tent!  Very striking but quite monogamously Indi’s wife.

​BILLE JEAN

Billie Jean

16HH, light weight, age 15
Irish Sports Horse, chestnut

​She likes her men, a bit of a floozy.  A gorgeous chestnut mare – and she knows it.  A very talented clever horse with lovely paces.  A technical ride, very enjoyable for those who can.    

DENVER

Denver ​

​16HH, heavy weight, age 14
Hackney x Irish Cob, skewbald

A forward but gentle giant, who I am sure would own a pocket watch, wear slippers and smoke a pipe if he were a man, but he definitely has a twinkle in his eye and really is very handsome, despite him loving being filthy!

INDI

Indi

14HH, heavy weight, age 13
Guinness Cob, black

​The moustached man with the heart of a lion. One of our smaller horses but don't be fooled, he keeps up despite his little legs.  Stunning markings (white spectacles) this boy is utterly charming and is a peat bog fairy who can navigate us over any terrain.  

KNEKA

Kneka

15HH, light weight, age 10
Arab x appaloosa, chestnut with spots!

​Nikki’s own horse, a dainty fairy is the only way to describe her.  Lovely floaty paces and a real gentle girly character.  Nikki has transformed this horse from a nervous weaving wreck to a joyful delight.

MANGO

Mango

​14HH, light weight, age 16
Arab x Welsh, palomino

A complete pretty boy and yet a real ladies man.  A fun little horse who is a school master and show jumper, now loving the wild life.  Mango is a real hit with our younger riders and his palomino colouring seems almost iridescent in summer.​

VINNIE

Vinnie

15.3HH, mid weight, age 13
Irish Sports Horse, piebald​

A real mummies boy who loves nothing more than affection! if he was a man, he would carry your bags and cook the dinner. His sweet nature is transferred into his riding where he is very responsive and works to please. 

UISGE

Uisge

​14HH, mid weight, age 15
Connemara, grey

Our little project.  Uisge has had a tough start in life and is now enjoying being part the herd where she is gaining confidence.  It’s a hard life being the baby though!  A sensitive wee horse that needs quiet handling but is clever and extremely rewarding in the right hands.

PEARL

Pearl

14.2HH, mid weight, age 11
Appaloosa x Hanoverian, bay
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A mischievous 14.2 mare from Blackburn, Pearl is a bay appaloosa x hanoverian, with no spots but with that classic Appy tail and attitude. She's light and responsive to ride, calm and well schooled, but with a glint of fun in her eye and a great fondness for hay! 

IOREK

Iorek

16.2HH, mid weight, age 15
Appaloosa, white

He is a gentle giant in spotty pyjamas.  Standing at 16.2hh he'll even over-top Denver, but he's a great softie, always keen for a rub.  Iorek is an Appaloosa from a show-jumping home, with a gleaming white coat that he likes to keep scrupulously clean at all times.  No Iorek - don't roll again!!

PUZZLE

Puzzle

15.2HH, heavy weight, age 12
Cob, piebald

This guy is also from Tomintoul and is still eagerly learning all he needs to know about trail riding. Puzzle wants to be everyone’s friend, has a calm and willing nature not to mention his magnificent hairy legs! 

BLU

Blu

15.1HH, mid weight, age 13
Irish Sports Horse, grey

This lovely 13-year-old lad came to us from central Scotland and slotted straight into his new life – cool as a cucumber. He has dabbled in a little bit of everything, but from what we hear the trail is where he comes to life. Could you find a more fitting home? ​​

RUBY​

Ruby

15.2HH, light weight, age 12
Thoroughbred, dark bay
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Miss Ruby is our 12-year-old local girl who has come to be put through her paces with the Wilder Ways herd. An exciting summer lies ahead for the Rubster.

JAZZ

Jazz

15.2HH, light weight, age 19
TB cross, skewbald

​Jazz is the gentleman of the herd who came to us from a previous trail-riding home with Rosie in Tomintoul.  Jazz is a total professional who knows his job and has lovely paces with touch button control. He loves nothing more than to be sang to and given a good scratch!

MIDGE

Midge

10HH, mid weight, age 22
Shetland pony, black

​A feisty old girl, she's been a family pet since she was a foal and no bigger than a spaniel.  Now spending her time watching her figure and keeping the boys in order.

RHONA AND CARA

Rhona and Cara

14HH, heavy weight, age 6
Traditional Highland ponies, grey

You may have met Rhona and Cara whilst on Knoydart and they have now joined us at Glen Kerran, , to get fully broken in and experience life through trail riding. They are half sister originally bought as stalking ponies. These two are completely inseparable and love nothing more than a good cuddle and scratch.

Rhona is VERY laid back and if she was a human she would definitely spend her day sitting outside watching the world go by, whilst feasting on delicious snacks of course!
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Cara is a very inquisitive horse who loves to seek new things. She has the most incredible long mane that flows past her chest however does take a good 3 hours to get a comb through it!

Martha

Martha

13HH, mid weight, age 4 
Gypsy Cob, piebald

Martha is the latest member of the herd who came from Aberdeenshire to start her adventure at Wilder Ways. She has been backed and is now ready to start experiencing life on the trails. Martha is a sweetheart and will turn her hoof to anything, she’s eager to please and always puts a smile on your face. With her loving, cheeky personality she fits right into the herd, not to mention her wonderful long mane and hairy legs!! ​
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Echo

14 HH & Rising, mid weight, 18 months old
Irish Cob x Welsh, palomino
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This fine young man is only 18 months old and already putting his best hoof forward to become a future member of the wilder ways herd.  He is a splotchy palomino, bred at Crosshill Farm, and very curious about his new home – Mango has taken him under his wing, teaching how to charm the ladies!

RITA

13.2 HH, mid weight, 19 years old
Irish Cob, skewbald

​Echo’s Mum and a cute little skewbald mare, also from Crosshill.  She’s an older pony and very motherly so, at only 13.3HH, will be great schoolmistress for kids club.

​RAVEN

14.3 HH, mid weight, 6 years old
Irish Cob, black

This stunning black cob mare is only 6 years old but already tackling rough terrain and obstacles with Wilder Ways’ style.  With her glossy coat, broad white blaze and energetic paces we think she’ll soon become a favourite.

Cara & Tilly

In October 2019 we welcomed baby Yeva to the herd. A wee lurcher puppy bursting with energy and full of character. She is now all legs and loves joining us on the trail  to show off her top running speed, which is phenomenal!

The Dogs

​​You may see our loveable hounds around during your stay. 
 
In the summer of 2018, we lost our beloved Tilly. We miss that big character with tiny legs. She sure did make the most of all her adventures with us. 

Kiyo is Nikki’s English springer spaniel and the wise old girl of the pack.  She has a hair-do like Tina Turner and pulls really big cheesy grins when she is excited to see you but she is as soft as a lamb…in fact softer as our sheep often enjoy chasing her!




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Kiyo & Yeva

Moss

Moss is our trainee sheepdog who loves nothing more than a good game. She will happily spend hours playing games, games and more games and the occasional belly rub. She is an independent soul and is always finding new ways to keep her mind occupied.

The Cats 

In July 2019 we welcomed fabulous kittens into our ever-growing herd! We’d love you to meet brothers Cthulhu and Inigo Montoya who we can certainly say have personalities as interesting and whacky as their names. You will no doubt meet these furry pawed friends during your stay as, despite being great hunters and long distance travellers, they love nothing more than affection!

Cthulhu

Inigo Montoya

Anastasia

​At Wilder Ways we are passionate about becoming as self-sufficient and home grown as possible.  We are therefore committed to producing our own meat wherever possible so we can ensure the quality of life of any livestock for human consumption.  So if you are joining us at our home location you should meet some of our farm animals who help to sustain us and our guests.

The Sheep

 Ever growing, our flock is now over 20 strong!  These are a colourful selection of Shetland sheep who produce delicious meat and super soft wool.  They do a great job tidying up the fields after the horses and provide plenty of opportunities for hands on farming time throughout the year, be it lambing, shearing or routine care.  Looking after these guys is a firm favourite on our Farm Escapes, when you can even have a go at spinning their fleece into beautiful handmade wool.

The Pigs

​Every year we rear some pigs but whether you meet them as wee piglets of fully grown pigs, they are always bursting with character and desperate for a tummy rub.  They really are so friendly and terrible nosey.  The pigs have their own home in our woods where they are great at ploughing up the ground to clear the otherwise impenetrable bracken and make room for more diverse woodland flora to return.  

The Chickens

​Our chickens may be small but they are mighty and have three extremely important roles on the farm. 1) Keeping up with Cara’s insatiable appetite for boiled eggs; 2) Clearing the veggie garden of slugs; and 3) Providing hours of entertaining ‘Chicken TV’.