Horse Travel Blog

did you know that one of the best beaches in this nation is in texas?  south padre island is home to some great sand and palm trees that make photographs ideal.  horseback through that scenery and it’s even better!

my senior year of college we went to texas for spring break as we were sort of strapped for cash (as students are) and being able to travel domestically provided the most financial relief while still allowing us to get away.  there weren’t many options of where to horseback ride, but the one place we found was awesome, so that didn’t matter.  you didn’t have to stick to trails or ride single file down a narrow path, it’s all open beach waiting to be rode.

island equestrian center has information online to, so you can call and check that it meets all your standards (for those of you more advanced riders).  coupons are also available online, so it pays to plan.  you can take in sun rises, sun sets or going the middle of the day to just soak up some sun and check out the sand dunes.

for our last vacation we went to turtle island, fiji.  we choose an all-inclusive resort which actually included fun things like snorkeling, scuba diving and horseback riding into their all-inclusive instead of just the food, drinks and float rentals!  this is an excellent way for beginners to give horseback riding a chance.

helmets are provided for your safety and the tours are guided.  if you’re not happy with the ride or horseback riding just isn’t for you, you can easily turn back and there was no money lost out of your pocket!  for those of you on the other end of the spectrum, who love horseback riding, you can ride all day if you’d like.  it’s really a great feature for all-inclusive resorts to have.

we made sure to ride at different times of the day to both catch a sunrise and sunset.  i must say that the sunrise was much more breath taking…or maybe i had just found the horse for me by day 2.  star was the third horse i had ridden and her and i bonded instantly.  i will definitely go back to this resort when i feel like taking some trail rides along with soaking up some rays.

you definitely feel like a cowboy riding in this dry state.  we rode at the hill country equestrian lodge, which has the most beautiful weather (if you love the sun) and a headquarters that is over 100 years old.  it’s an old cattle ranch that spans over 6,000 acres…perfect for horseback riding trails!

they have cabins, so you can stay right on the grounds and it’s very family oriented, which makes it good for whoever you are traveling with.  even if everyone in your group isn’t a fan of riding, there are other activities that they can do.  the spa is great for the non-animal fans.

this ranch offers lessons, clinics, boarding and more.  so no matter how long your stay, it’s ideal for you and/or your horse.  it’s also located right next to a state owned area that has other activities such as biking, hiking and more horseback riding.  it’s definitely a win for the family with all types of interests.

after taking a helicopter tour of the grand canyon and a white water rafting trip of the river, we decided on a more peaceful way to view canyon de chelly.  we took a horseback tour which allowed us to better soak in rich color, heritage and geology the canyon had to offer.  it also allowed us to better take in the life of the navajo who still inhabit the canyon.

due to the extreme desert conditions, this trip entailed a lot more planning and ‘rules’ then any other vacation where you decide to go horseback riding on a whim.  you have to factor in the weather conditions and the health of the horse and the rider.  proper planning needs to be done so that neither is lacking water or proper cover when needed.

once you have everything prepared on your end to actually take off for the ride, there a still a few other things you need to look out for.  cactus and snakes can cause for a not so fun ride if they aren’t dealt w/ properly, but if you bring the required necessities and avoid contact w/ those two, you’re good to go for one of the best rides of your life.  it’s a really exciting adventure exploring the canyon on horseback.

i never thought this town was known for more than it’s great skiing mountain, but boy was i wrong.  it’s also the home of a therapeutic riding program for those of all ages and various conditions.  it not only involves horseback riding, but grounds management and and what skills are required in the stable/barn.

it’s open 3 season’s of the year (all but winter), M-F and rides are available by appointment on saturday.  you can choose from 1/2 hr to 1 1/2 hr lessons…whatever works best for the need you are trying to fulfill.  but all lessons, whether they are group or private, are designed to help you develop in the needed areas.

finiancial aide is also available for those in need of an alternative method of therapy, that also have an interest in horses.  there are trails and fields for you to ride in and some spectacular views to take in.  this is definitely the place to go for those who have high standards when it comes to riding and horses in general.

we found a great place to horseback ride the last time we were in norco.  they offered a variety of different length rides.  they had great prices to begin w/, but then it got better b/c the more riders, the cheaper it got.  they also offered options of moonlight, dinner and children rides, along w/ the normal trail rides.

they had 4 different drop off/starting locations, so it was easy to get to no matter what direction you were coming from.  the area owned to ride on was so large, you got to see a lot of different geography…trails, lakes, rivers, fields and jungle (yes, jungles exist in cali)!  obviously some of those things were only available to see if you took a longer trail ride during the day.

we lucked out and had a day that wasn’t too sunny so that you were sweating along the coast, but it wasn’t rainy either.  even if it had been, they’re open rain or shine, so weather doesn’t matter.  they’re even interactive online so you can e-mail the same day you wish to ride and set something up.  and if you’re not looking for a leisurely ride, they have racehorses available to ride as well!

george is pictured above. the horse i rode while on our latest vacation in costa rica. more specifically we were in the playa tortuga beach area. the sunsets were unreal (we didn’t view via horseback, but just a general statement).

we took a 2 1/2 hr ride through the rain forest and then ended up on the beach. it was a nice and easy ride, so it was good for everyone in the group, even if they weren’t very experienced. it was good to travel the rain forest on horseback b/c if you saw any scary creates (spiders, snakes, etc), you felt safer b/c you’re on a huge horse!

once we got to the beach, we were able to go full speed ahead and allow the horse to run. The weather was so warm, I had george take a dip in the ocean and run in the tide so i could get splashed. then we sat in the sun and used one of the locals machete’s to crack coconuts and drink the milk. it was a good ride.

if you’re lucky enough to be in new york during autumn, you’re in for a treat.  the fall foilage is amazing and the views are even more breath-taking on horseback then driving through the country roads at 60+ mph!  there’s plenty of streams to keep the horses hydrated and to make nice picnic stops along your ride.

you’ll run into one problem when trying to take in the view via horseback, though.  there’s only a few trails in the region if you’re just visiting.  however, if you happen to know people who own property / fields in the region, there’s plenty of land to explore.  there are plenty of wineries in the area that will let you ride along their property…and it makes a great stop for the non-horseback riders in the group

you’ll need to keep in mind a few rules if you have to stick to the trails that are located on state land.  your horse will have to have a negative coggins test, which is the only main concern.  the other rules involve no horses in the camping areas and not being able to tie your horse to a live tree (which are pretty easy rules to work around).  if you can live w/ those three things, bring your camera and soak in the deep colors of the red and orange leaves…amazing.

i had the most awesome time horseback riding at an equestrian center in france.  it was a 3-day experience that i will never forget.  riding, beautiful scenery, gorgeous chalet’s to stay in, you couldn’t beat it!

we also got a mini history lesson and got to hang out at a castle.  they had swimming pools, bicycles, saunas and more to keep you occupied during non-riding hours.  we got served a gourmet meal while on the grounds as well, before spending the night.

the following days we got to wander through the forest.  we also got to practice our activity of choice, whether it be jumping, dressage, etc.  we could ride french or spanish and had english saddles.  a wide range of languages were spoken at the center, making for a truly culturing experience.

i rode the most adorable horse pictured above on the most gorgeous beach in new zealand, pakiri. the horses name was ahuru and i just loved his mohawk! although most horses get their good looks from their mane, this was very fitting for this horse and the attitude he had to go along w/ it (don’t worry, it wasn’t a bad attitude)!

what made the ride the best was the natural-ness of the land all around. the beaches were surreal and peaceful. the farm land and hills we came across seemed to stretch forever. and the trees, gardens and flowers were just amazing.

we did an overnight safari, so we got to see our fair share of animals that inhabited the area, as well. we saw a black swan, kiwi, hedge hogs and even a wallaby. we shacked up in chalets for the night, so we didn’t even have to rough it and were very comfortable the whole trip.