The best kind of equestrian properties are the ones built by equestrians themselves. Spruce Lodge, located in Ballyrogan Upper, Redcross, Co Wicklow, Ireland, is one such piece of heaven. The 108-acre large horse farm is on the market for nearly $6.5 million and seems worth every penny. The Spruce Lodge Training Facility was built by Joan Keogh, a prominent name in dressage in Ireland, in 1989.

The estate houses a large Georgian country house and contains state-of-the-art equestrian facilities constituting the dream of any horse lover. Unfortunately, Joan Keogh passed away in 2022. Now, after her death, the Keogh family is selling the property. Indeed, Joan’s legacy will be appreciated by anyone buying the property, as it’s an equestrian dream come true.

The beautiful legacy of an accomplished equestrian

Joan Keogh was considered the most influential person in the sport of dressage in Ireland. She founded what is now known as Dressage Ireland. She built the Spruce Lodge Training Facility from the ground up, in a bid to further the cause of dressage and to provide a perfect place to train show horses. As a result, the equestrian center contains stabling areas, an indoor training arena, an outdoor training area for showjumping, dressage, cross-country, conferencing facilities, paddocks, and riding trails.

The estate, located within an hour of Dublin, has a separate manager’s house, a two-bedroomed garden cottage, and three apartments to comfortably host guests. A lake situated on the property, with an adjacent chalet, provides a quick getaway in summer. According to The Irish Times, Aidan Keogh, son of Joan, revealed that Joan wanted Ireland to have an advantage in dressage competitions, which was her vision while building the equestrian center. He said, “She never cared about making money from it.”

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Joan also built a therapeutic training facility, especially for children with physical, cognitive, emotional, and developmental challenges. The main house is proportioned at 501.6sq m (5,399sq ft) and has modern interiors, a rear hall, and a clock tower. The house has a porch and two recreation rooms. The downstairs is equipped with a large study, utility room, and showers. All 5 bedrooms are located upstairs. In addition to horse racing, golfing sailing, and fishing are options in the larger Redcross area. The equestrian center is the dream of a prominent personality, and it shows.

An inspirational attempt to put Ireland on the dressage map

Joan Keogh, who passed away on July 6, 2022, founded the Irish Dressage Society in 1989 at the Spa Hotel, Lucan. The organization is now known as Dressage Ireland. Joan was born in Dublin till her father decided to buy the Stepaside Stables in 1953. That began her journey in the equestrian world, and when she got riding lessons as a gift for her 15th birthday, she never turned back. When her youngest child, Aidan Keogh, started competing in equestrian sports, Joan got involved in horse trials and dressage.

Till now, Aidan has competed on an international level in dressage, showjumping, and eventing. Consequently, Joan got involved with the Irish Horse Trials and Dressage Society, which has since changed its name to Eventing Ireland. She ultimately became the chairman of the organization. And the rest, as they say, is history. Joan left her indomitable mark, specifically in dressage, and the equestrian facility she so lovingly built is proof of the same.

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