You’re Never Too Old to Go Globetrotting

You're Never Too Old to Go Globetrotting - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Are you over sixty and concerned that you’re too old to complete one of our horse riding holidays?

Age is no barrier in signing up for a horse riding adventure. The majority of our globetrotters range in age from 35 right through to 72, so you’ll be in good company no matter which ride you decide to join. Believe me: if you’re in good health and want to grasp life with both hands and go on a wildly exciting adventure that will blow your socks off, then one of our riding holidays is for you.

At sixty, gone are the days of riding young horses that prance on the spot, am I right? You want to relax and enjoy the experience, knowing that you’re riding safe, responsive horses, surrounded by like-minded people, and that your creature comforts on and off the horse are delivered. THIS I can guarantee, and that’s the true benefit of booking with Globetrotting: we offer impartial advice as an agent that specialises in horse riding holidays. We can steer you in the direction of a horse riding holiday that suits your riding level, interests and budget.

If you haven’t stopped riding throughout your adult life, you’ll be MORE than fine to conquer a huge percentage of our rides. And to be honest, if you’re in your sixties and lucky enough to be riding regularly, you should be taking advantage of this time in your life – leave the cruise ships and the New York shopping trips for when you’re 80 and need a zimmer frame!

For those who haven’t been in the saddle for a few years and are concerned about whether your body will handle the riding hours each day, I recommend looking into our entry-level rides. Click here to read about our recommend rides for first-time globetrotters. And if you need to get yourself riding fit for your next holiday, this blog post will give you some very handy tips.

Meet some globetrotters aged 60+

First up, there’s Margaret Mooney, who has notched up more riding holidays with Globetrotting than we can even count, including the Maasai Mara ride in Kenya, the Arhangay Ride in Mongolia, The Sahara Ride in Morocco, The Patagonia Trail and more! This is what Margaret thought of her ride in Patagonia:
‘If riding a surefooted Criollo horse up and down precipitous mountain trails under a blazing blue sky is on your wish list, then The Patagonia Trail is for you! Experience luxurious glamping on the banks of a crystal clear river, feast on delicious asados and parillas washed down with plentiful Malbec. Ride through ancient forests to remote campsites that can only be reached on horseback to find a cold beer and delicious lunch waiting for you. Sit around the campfire in the evening, listening to the profound silence and watching the moon rise over the mountains. Swim in the icy Lake Traful after enjoying the amazing hospitality of Felipe’s home. The only thing I didn’t like about my time in Patagonia was that it came to an end all too soon! If there was just one word to sum up this experience it would be EXHILARATING!’
Not bad, huh? Margaret also did a Q&A for us a few years back, so if you’d like to learn more about her Globetrotting journey you can check it out here.

Then there’s our cover girl, Irene Wynne, pictured above on the horse she affectionately named ‘Gentle Ben’ on her 19-day Khovsgol Ride in Mongolia. She has since also completed a ride in Australia and her Globetrotting bucket list is only getting longer! And if this doesn’t inspire you to follow in her footsteps, I don’t know what will:
‘Riding across the awesomeness of the steppe, through a gorge with running water below, through larch forests, through a narrow pass through a dell of shrubs, trees, grasses and rocks. Galloping easily without reins and flinging my arms wide – flying like an eagle. Playing cards Mongolian style with members of the crew. Crossing the 2,700m pass to get to the Tsaatan people. Giving their reindeer salt and having them gather round – they were so gentle. Helping wipe up the dishes with the chef and her offsider. Camping beside crystal clear streams and sipping the pure water. Laughing with the Mongolian crew and our team of riders. This was truly a remarkable journey and one I will be forever grateful to have had the opportunity to experience. In tough times I will simply put my mind back to the open steppe and up there where the Mongolian mountains touch the clouds.’
Read her post-Mongolia Q&A here.

Not to be outdone is Kaye Bracken, who discovered Globetrotting late in life and has been absolutely unstoppable! At the time of writing she has five Globetrotting rides under her belt, is booked on The Margaret River Ride and the Twin Coast Adventure in New Zealand, and after that her sights are set on the Touch of the Highlands Ride in Iceland! When asked why she loves horse riding holidays so very much, she said the following:
‘Horses can give you such an insightful aspect of the country in which you are riding. Nothing beats being surrounded by nature on the back of a horse. Everything is crystal clear – the country, the smells, the colours, the season, whether it be summer, spring, autumn or winter, really feeling the sun, the wind, even the rain. Each ride has its own individual taste, which keeps me coming back and wanting more.’
Learn more about Kaye in her Meet a Globetrotter article.

And finally, meet Judy Calder, who undertook her first Globetrotting holiday, the Glenorchy Back Country Ride in New Zealand, at age 66. Here’s an excerpt from her Q&A article (read it in full here):
‘I booked this trek on a whim. I saw it advertised in a Sunday travel supplement. I had always wanted to experience outback New Zealand on a horse and decided to take the plunge with much encouragement from my husband. I am 66 and felt if I didn’t ‘do it now’, I would never do it. I was a little nervous about the ride, thinking I had bitten off more than I could chew, but as soon as I was aboard Doobie I felt relaxed and in my happy place! The whole experience, including riding with a small group, camping, tending to your own horse, and being off the grid for a few days – sheer bliss.
I can definitely say that age is no barrier and I will continue riding as and when I can, and for as long as I can.’

So there you have it, globetrotters, straight from the horse’s mouth – age is absolutely no barrier to a riding holiday! And at the risk of sounding melodramatic, let me tell you, this is the golden time to put yourself first; babysitting your grandchildren can wait!