Roz Beinke’s horse riding holiday in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, in June 2018 was like stepping into a different world – one filled with wildlife, brave horses, caring guides and endless adventure. But don’t take our word for it – read her trip notes below! Friday – Africa – on a bucket list ride I’ve […]

Name of breed: Standardbred, or American Standardbred. Country of origin: United States of America. Breed origin: The world’s fastest harness racing horse, the Standardbred was developed in America in the late 18th and early 19th centuries after a Thoroughbred stallion called Messenger was imported from England. Messenger was a ‘flat racer’, not a trotter, but […]

Name of breed: Orlov Trotter, or Orloff Trotter. Country of origin: Russia Breed origin: The Orlov Trotter is Russia’s oldest and most famous ‘stud’ breed, renowned for its speed, stamina and fast-paced trot. The breed was developed in the late 18th century by Count Alexei Orlov, hence the name. Count Orlov set out to develop a light […]

In this series we will opening up the pages of our Globetrotters’ travel journals to learn about their experiences straight from the horse’s mouth. First up is a glimpse of the Glenorchy Back Country Ride, courtesy of globetrotter Sheryl Germany. Enjoy! The night before my epic adventure! I’m so excited! I’m getting ready to meet […]

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. […]

We’ve all been there: several hours in the saddle and a few too many gulps of coffee and you find yourself silently praying that someone will shout the words ‘toilet break!’ before things get squirmy. It’s a tad awkward to discuss, but in this blog we’re going to cut the crap – so to speak […]

Name of breed: Quarter Horse, or American Quarter Horse. Country of origin: United States of America. Breed origins: The foundations for the Quarter Horse’s bloodlines were laid when North American settlers’ Thoroughbreds met the horses brought to Central America by the Spanish, which had spread north and been developed into distinct ‘types’ by Native Americans […]

Name of breed: Przewalski’s Horse. Also known as the Mongolian Wild Horse, Dzungarian Horse or takhi. Place of origin: Central Asia. Breed origin: Przewalski’s horses, or Equus ferus przewalskii, are the last surviving subspecies of wild horse. First described scientifically in the late 19th century by Russian explorer N. M. Przewalski, for whom they are named, they exist […]

Golegã Horse Fair happens every November in the town of Golegã, known as the horse capital of Portugal. Overnight, the normally sleepy town is transformed into a buzzing hub of Portuguese horse enthusiasts converging to celebrate their much-loved native breed, the Lusitano. If you’re booked on one of our rides in Portugal in October or […]

Name of breed: Icelandic horse Country of origin: Iceland Breed origin: The ancestors of the Icelandic horse were probably brought to Iceland by Norse settlers between 860 and 935 AD. Only the best horses were chosen to undertake the voyage and those that survived became indispensable to the settlers as they eked out a living […]

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 […]

Name of breed: Mongol, or Mongolian horse Country of origin: Mongolia Breed origin: The origins of the Mongol horse are hard to determine. Of all horse breeds, Mongol horses have the largest genetic variety, indicating that the breed is very archaic with little human-induced selection. Some believe that Mongol horses were the first true breed […]

If you’re a horse person living in Australia and haven’t yet seen Jump Off, I have two words for you: WATCH IT!! Jump Off is a reality series that’s free to watch on 7Plus. As the series progresses, we watch as five teams of trainers, riders and off-the-track Thoroughbreds compete to win $100,000. It was […]

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 […]

Fiona Hughes has been riding horses her whole life, and enriching the Aussie eventing scene for much of that time. Her latest project, Sit Tight Radio, brings listeners top quality equestrian info-tainment in the form of commentaries from Australia’s major 3 day events. We caught up with Fi to learn more about Sit Tight Radio […]

I was recently fortunate enough to attend an incredible festival in the French city of Tarbes, which is nestled into the foothills of the stunning Pyrenees mountains. Equestria Festival is a celebration of all things equus. It’s like a breed show, but with added llamas. It’s like a gymkhama, but with world class performances every […]

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, […]

Tanya McDermott is spearheading a new project by Harness Racing Victoria that aims to help Standardbreds transition to new lives and careers after retiring from the racetrack. Tanya very kindly took the time to answer some questions for us about her life by the track, the HERO project and some favourite memories. What is your […]

Whether working with gauchos in Argentina, cowboys in America or stockmen in Australia, there’s something about working cattle from the back of a well-trained horse that truly feeds the soul. And getting a taste of life on a working cattle farm is at the top of many globetrotters’ bucket lists! So to help you find […]

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 […]

Jeans make great travel companions, even better if they’ll hold up to a day of horse riding and still look good enough to wear out to dinner or sightseeing! The trick to horseback holidays is to make our luggage work hard for us, and when there’s riding gear taking up precious space and weight, we […]