Believe it or not, the majority of our globetrotters travel solo. And why not? There’s something pretty special about arriving somewhere you’ve never been, climbing into the saddle with a group of people you’ve never met, and discovering that you already have one very important thing in common: That inconquerable passion for horses, riding and…
Food is one of the great joys of any horse riding holiday, whether it’s a hearty lunch after a morning in the saddle or a warm meal shared around a camp table as the sun goes down. We want every single guest to feel well looked after, including those with dietary requirements, restrictions and allergies.…
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…
Did you know that the first ever motion picture featured a horse and rider? In 1873, Leland Stanford, horse breeder and founder of Stanford University, commissioned Eadweard Muybridge to photograph his prized trotter, Occident. In doing so, Stanford wanted to settle a long-disputed question: does a horse have all four hooves off the ground at…
Name of breed: Arabian, or Arab Country of origin: This is a much-disputed point! There are arguments to support the breed’s development in northern Syria, southern Turkey, the Piedmont region in northern Italy, the Fertile Crescent running from Iraq to the coast of Egypt, and southwestern Arabia. Breed origin: The prototype for the modern Arabian…
