Holidays

Horseback Riding - Trails of Many Faces

Updated:

April 30, 2021

Stan Walchuk Jr, horse trail riding, trail riding guide

For many people riding across a pasture, down a laneway, or along a road is considered to be trail riding. It’s a good thing that we have those options since we cannot instantly wish ourselves onto the wilderness trail of our choice. But interesting trails spoil us

Checklist for a Comfortable Riding Vacation

Updated:

March 31, 2021

horseback riding holiday checklist, what to bring on a horse riding vacation

On any riding vacation, whether it’s camping or glamping, there are a few essentials that I always bring along.

Holidays on Horseback: Morocco

Updated:

March 5, 2021

vacationing with horses, holidaying with horses, horse riding abroad, local horse riding, horse riding adventure, morocco sahara horses, tania millen

As we trudged up a scorching gully of black boulders, I tried to ignore my parched throat and the sweat dripping down my back. It was a late afternoon in February, 2020, and I was hand-walking Farouk, a spicy, 14.1 hand, 18-year-old chestnut Arabian stallion who preferred galloping across the desert to fancy footwork in rocky ravines

Horseback Holiday Outfits Rise to the Challenge

Updated:

February 17, 2021

horse riding holidays canada, vacationing with horses, shawn hamilton, anchor d guiding, bar w guest ranch, brewster adventures, flying u ranch, alberta horse riding, ontario holiday riding

How guest ranches and riding resorts have survived and thrived during the pandemic - It’s been almost a year now since we began dealing with the repercussions of the global pandemic, and we’re not yet anywhere near “business as usual.” No aspect of the horse industry remains untouched. Although some businesses were agile enough to adapt fairly quickly, the livelihood of a guest ranch owner or an outfitter depends on vacationers coming to their location to experience a day or a week in the saddle. Horses cannot simply be parked; they need to be cared for, and wages need to be paid.

Holidays on Horseback: Saugeen Bluffs

Updated:

September 4, 2020

horse laminitis, horse campground ontario, horse campground canada, saugeen bluffs campground, horse vacation ontario, horseback riding canada

Ontario’s Horse Campground - Saugeen Bluffs is located in the heart of Bruce County in Southern Ontario. This is the third horse campground in the province, and it includes an entire area designated for horse camping enthusiasts with 42 spacious sites tucked in amongst towering hardwoods. In addition, there are three bunkies and two RVs available to rent.

Horse Packing Adventures in the Backcountry

Updated:

May 15, 2020

rocky mountain trail rides, mountain trail rides, holiday with horses, holiday horse ride, blue creek outfitting, trail riding, tania millen, Crown Creek, holidays on horseback

The horses were tired and hungry, and we needed to find them good feed. We had travelled all day in the alpine, over shale ridges and snow patches, through meadows that were just greening up, and finally over a pass between two rocky promontories. Route finding had gone well, but the last trail — dropping 1000 feet down into a pass — eluded us. We ended up in the bottom of a bowl above 400 foot cliffs, taking the brunt of a nasty wind.

Holidays on Horseback - The Land of the Long White Cloud Ride

Updated:

May 14, 2020

riding vacations, holidays with horses, wild women exhibitions horse rides, new zealand riding vacations

Off grid, offline, and in sync with your breathtaking surroundings is the only way I can describe The Land of the Long White Cloud Ride with Wild Women Expeditions. On this ten-day ride hosted by Adventure Horse Trekking New Zealand in the South Island, one quickly learns to trust their mount as it carefully manoeuvres the trails clinging to the mountainside with the lake below. Civilization and the realities of everyday life are left behind and soon forgotten as you bond with fellow riders lunching alongside a babbling brook, or belting out familiar songs around the crackling fireplace in a herdsman’s hut.

Destination: The World’s Largest Camel Fair

Updated:

May 7, 2020

Pushkar Camel Fair, horseback riding Rajasthan Desert in northern India, Marwari horse dancing, Indian horsback riding, World’s Largest Camel Fair

Never wear a backpack while horseback riding – especially in 35 degree heat when you’re going for a seven hour ride through the sand-blowing desert. I learned this the hard way on the first ride of my 10-day horse safari across the Rajasthan Desert in northern India (our destination: the world’s largest camel fair) and nursed rubbed-raw-by-sand-and-sweat shoulders for the rest of the journey. But in the end, my soreness became just another element of the experience of being pushed out of my comfort zone.

My Riding Vacation at Wild Deuce Women’s Retreat

Updated:

April 5, 2020

Shawn Hamilton, Wild Deuce Outfitters, Rocky Mountains Alberta, Bighorn Backcountry, Wild Deuce Women’s Retreat, Clix Photography, Horse riding holidays, canadian riding holidays, canadian horse holiday, equestrian vacations, horses in the rockies

Along with my travel mates Ali and Heather, I leave the Calgary airport in our rental car, stock up with snacks and refreshments, and head to The Grandview Stage Inn just outside of Rocky Mountain House, AB, where we bed in for the night. The next morning, we start off for the Cutoff Creek Staging area in the Bighorn Backcountry. The herd of wild horses grazing in a small clearing at the side of the road is so complacent with our presence that the foals remain lying down as we snap photos. Upon arrival, we spot a group of women gathered in the staging area, their gear laid out on the grass. Introductions reveal that our fellow riders are from Manitoba, Winnipeg, New Brunswick, Ontario, British Columbia, and as far as Australia and New Zealand. Most are new to Wild Deuce Outfitters, and a few are repeat visitors like me, although it was eight years ago.

On Horseback in Vermont

Updated:

January 23, 2020

horse riding holidays in vermont, best places horse holiday, horseback riding holidays usa, horse riding in the fall, shawn hamilton, vermont icelandic horse farm

Fall Colours Best Seen from the Saddle - Autumn, one of the most colourful times of the year, is my favourite season for riding. The pesky bugs are gone, the air is crisp, and the horses are fresh and eager to head out on the trails. Nothing beats a good canter in the woods as the reds, yellows, and oranges of the leaves go whizzing by. Living in Ontario, we pride ourselves on the colourful vistas our province displays as the trees dress themselves in fall finery, but a hop across the border into Vermont provides the rolling hills of the Green Mountains as a scenic backdrop.