Icelandic weather, long days in the saddle and one very good jacket. Here’s why EQUIDRY earned a spot in Kate’s riding holiday kit. Hand on heart, Iceland is in Kate Pilcher’s top five riding holidays. The horses. The landscapes. The people. The belly laughs. The saddle time. It all adds up to one phenomenal adventure.…
For intrepid adventurers who have taken the plunge and booked our Touch of the Highlands Ride or our Icelandic Highlands Ride in Iceland your first port of call in this extraordinary land of fire and ice is Reykjavík. Few capitals are as delightful as Iceland’s — charming, quirky, and welcoming, much like the people who call…
Name of breed: Friesian Country of origin: The Netherlands Breed origin: The Friesian horse originated in the province of Friesland, a northern province of the Netherlands. Despite having the confirmation of a light draught horse, Friesians are graceful and athletic, with a natural elegance that gives them great presence whether under saddle or in harness.…
Name of breed: Paso Fino Country of origin: Puerto Rico, Colombia and other Latin American countries. Breed origin: The ancestors of the Paso Fino travelled from Spain in 1493 on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the New World. Columbus brought a mixture of Barbs, Spanish Jennets and Andalusians and established new populations at Santa Domingo…
Name of breed: New Forest Pony Country of origin: England Breed origin: The ancestors of the New Forest pony roamed the woods and heath of the New Forest before the last Ice Age! The forest itself has been protected since William the Conqueror reserved it as his ‘new hunting forest’ in 1079, and the development…
Name of breed: Peruvian Paso Country of origin: Peru Breed origin: The Peruvian Paso is a light saddle horse known for its natural four-beat, lateral gait, the paso llano. Peruvian Paso foals can be seen gaiting alongside their dams within a few hours of birth. The breed has been protected by the Peruvian government since 1992 and…
Breed name: Suffolk Punch, also known as the Suffolk Horse or the Suffolk Sorrel. Country of origin: England. Breed origin: The Suffolk Punch is England’s oldest breed of heavy horse, dating back to the early 16th century. Developed in Suffolk and the surrounding counties in East Anglia, the breed’s most distinguishing feature is its colouring.…
Breed name: Dartmoor Country of origin: England Breed origin: Named after its ancient habitat, the moors of Dartmoor in southwest England, the Dartmoor pony pre-dates modern Britain by a long shot. The bones of their prehistoric ancestors have been discovered in tombs in southern Britain dating back to around 3500 BC. At that point in…
If you’re anything over a size B, you’re probably painfully aware of the importance of wearing the right bra for horse riding. The photo above is actually part of a social campaign from the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, but I’m betting I’m not the only one who’s reminded of my own bra collection! The…
Breed name: Waler Country of origin: Australia Breed origin: The Waler was developed in colonial Australia by crossing a huge number of breeds including heavy draught types, strong coach horses, Timor Ponies and native British ponies, Thoroughbreds, Arabians and the African Cape Horse. To handle the harsh Australian conditions and the tough work required of…
Name of breed: Tarpan Country of origin: Russia, although Tarpans once roamed over most of Europe. Breed origin: The original Tarpan is an extinct subspecies of horse whose scientific name is Equus ferus ferus. The Tarpan developed during the ice age as a subspecies of Equus ferus, which lived all over the land from western…
Name of breed: Brumby Country of origin: Australia Breed origin: ‘Brumby’ is the name given to Australia’s wild horses. Populations exist in every state and territory except Tasmania thanks to a huge variety of reasons and events. The first horses came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. Only seven survived this initial voyage,…
A Chilean huaso is ‘an excellent horseman with gentlemanly ways who identifies with the hacienda’ (‘hacienda’ is a South American term for a large estate – think an estancia, but bigger). Have you heard of gauchos? Huasos are the Chilean equivalent. Until the 20th century, huasos were far from gentlemen. They started off as bandits…
Anna King, globetrotter and medical professional, has kindly written an in-depth guide to staying healthy and identifying and treating illnesses and injuries while travelling. She’s covered common complaints and their treatments, first aid, coping with long-distance flights, and a whole lot of handy tips. Keep this info on-hand for your horse riding holiday! (Make sure…
