Name of breed: Kazakh Horse Country of origin: Kazakhstan Breed origin: The Kazakh horse dates back at least as far as the 5th century, when it already had a large population. Its ancestors were wild horses of the steppe, but the breed was later refined and selectively bred by the Kazakh people, who primarily live […]

In December 2019, we (Kate and Laura) were honoured to guide The Patagonia Trail along with our Argentinean guide, Jakob, and his amazing team of gauchos. With us came a select group of beautiful globetrotters, among them Kate Gordon. This incredible Aussie woman is a mother, wife and horse breeder, to name just a few […]

Name of breed: Aegidienberger Country of origin: Germany Breed origin: The Aegidienberger was developed in Germany by crossing the elegant Peruvian Paso with the the hardy Icelandic Horse. The first Aegidienberger was bred in the 1980s by a man named Walter Feldmann and his son, Walter Junior. The aim was to breed ‘a natural tölting […]

Name of breed: Florida Cracker Country of origin: United States of America. Breed origin: The Florida Cracker’s ancestors were the horses brought to Florida by the Spanish in the 16th century. These Iberian horses were the foundation of many North and South American breeds, so the Florida Cracker is closely related to the Paso Fino, […]

As I write this, Australia is burning. The fires have already seared seven times the land that burnt during last year’s Amazon rainforest fires, and over a billion animals are estimated to have been killed. On our property in the hills above the Sunshine Coast, we have horses, ponies, dogs, guinea pigs and children. It’s […]

Name of breed: Nez Perce Country of origin: United States of America Breed origin: The story of this breed is almost as old as the Nez Perce people, or the Nimiipu, as they are sometimes called. This tribe lived on the rich grasslands of the Palouse in North America and were known as the best […]

It’s a very sombre start to the New Year here in Australia. It’s hard to have that twinkle of hope and fizz of excitement that a new decade brings when parts of our country are burning. Tears are constantly slipping down my face. The more I read, the more photos I see. I sit here […]

Name of breed: Marismeño Country of origin: Spain Breed origin: The Marismeño is an endangered breed, and one of the oldest in Europe. It is native to the marshlands of the Guadalquivir River in Andalusia, Spain. Current populations exist mostly within the Doñana National Park, a 543 km2 nature reserve of marshes, sand dunes and shallow […]

Yep, it’s as weird as it sounds – no, weirder, actually. The Welsh Christmas-time tradition of Mari Lwyd involves a hobby horse made by mounting a horse’s skull on a stick, with a white sheet decorated with ribbons and bells concealing the man beneath, who animates the horse. The Mari Lwyd, the white mare, is […]

Name of breed: Selle Français, also known as the Cheval de Selle Français Country of origin: France Breed origin: Like most warmblood horse breeds, the Selle Français was developed with a mixture of different and diverse breeds. In the 19th century, Norman breeders imported Thoroughbreds and Norfolk Trotters, crossing them with their native stock. These […]

If you are visiting Spain in May – maybe even to experience our rides in Andalusia or Catalonia, or the Dressage Ride – then you MUST visit the Jerez Horse Fair! This festival is an annual event in Andalusia, the southwest region of Spain, homeland of the gorgeous Andalusian horse. Thousands of visitors flock to […]

Name of breed: Dole, but it’s also known as the Dølehest, Dole Trotter, Dole Gudbrandsdal, Ostlandhester and Norwegian Trotter. Country of origin: Norway Breed origin: The Dole is the largest of Norway’s four native horse breeds. It originated in the Gudbrandsdal valley in the east of Norway and while organised breeding only began in the […]

If you’ve been keeping an eye on our website, you’ll know that we’ve added a lot of bucket list horse riding holidays to our portfolio lately. Some are brand new arrivals, and some have been public knowledge for a while – which is why many are already sold out! So here’s a bit of a […]

Name of breed: Criollo, sometimes called the Argentine Criollo Country of origin: South America – Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay Breed origin: The Criollo is synonymous with the gaucho (the horseman and cowboy of the pampas) – the saying goes that a gaucho without a horse is the same as a man without legs. The Criollo’s […]

Name of breed: Dales Pony, or simply Dales Country of origin: United Kingdom Breed origin: A native mountain and moorland pony from the Yorkshire Dales of England, this breed was originally developed as a pack pony for the lead industry, which flourished in the region from Roman times until the mid-19th century. Teams of nine […]

‘Truly the best five days of my life!’ – that’s how Kate Stanbury summed up her debut Globetrotting holiday, The Margaret River Ride in Western Australia! And THAT is why we love our job. Nothing brings us more joy than receiving feedback like this, knowing that we’ve helped someone create memories that they will treasure […]

Name of breed: Cleveland Bay Country of origin: England Breed origin: The Cleveland Bay is England’s oldest breed of horse, although the Cleveland Bay Horse Society and studbook was not formed until 1884. It is also the last remaining pure breed of warmblood! The origins of the Cleveland Bay predate any written records of its […]

This may just be the cutest horse event you’ve never heard of, globetrotters! Nestled among the mountains of central Germany is Meura Stud Farm, the biggest Haflinger stud farm in Europe. Winters in Germany are harsh, and the stud keeps its herd safe and comfortable in barns throughout the coldest months. Then, when spring finally […]

Name of breed: Belgian Draught Horse, also called the Belgian Heavy Horse or simply the Belgian. Country of origin: Belgium Breed origin: The Belgian Draught Horse is a breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium. Many believe it is descended from the destrier – the best-known Medieval war horse. Regardless, it is certainly true […]

Name of breed: Dutch Warmblood, also known as the Dutch Sport Horse or KWPN Country of origin: Netherlands Breed origin: As the name suggests, the Dutch Warmblood comes from the Netherlands, where its development began just over a hundred years ago in the provinces of Gelderland and Groningen. Gelderland is an area with soft, sandy […]

Some globetrotters want a horse riding holiday that will get them back to the fundamentals of life – they dream of starting the day with a campfire breakfast before saddling their own horse and heading out for an intrepid day’s riding, then curling up in a tent beneath the stars. BUT, there are also globetrotters […]