Is it a rodeo? An exhibition? A festival? Or all three? More than just midway rides, bucking broncos and fireworks, the Calgary Stampede is a ten day celebration of Western heritage. It’s a gathering place for horse enthusiasts from all over the world – hosting, educating and entertaining over a million visitors each year. Known […]

Name of breed: Irish Cob (also called the Gypsy Cob, Gypsy Vanner, Romany Tinker and Traditional Cob) Origin: Great Britain and Ireland Breed origin: The Irish Cob was originally bred by Irish Travellers and Great Britain’s Romani Travellers to pull the wagons in which they lived and travelled. These wagons, often known as vardoes, developed […]

Name of breed: Exmoor Pony (also known as the Celtic pony) Country of origin: United Kingdom Breed origin: Horses have been present in Britain since 700,000 BC and fossil remains have been found in the area of Exmoor dating back to about 50,000 BC. Some people claim the Exmoor pony has been purebred since the […]

Name of breed: Kabarda, or Kabardin Country of origin: Former USSR (Russia and Georgia) Breed origin: The Kabarda horse has been known for at least 500 years, but its origins are quite possibly as old as the Hittite civilisation, which existed from – wait for it – 1680 to 1178 BC! The mountain tribesmen in […]

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 […]

Name of breed: Lusitano, also called the Pure Blood Lusitano or Puro Sangue Lusitano (PSL). Country of origin: Portugal Breed origin: The Iberian Peninsula, which now sits within Spain and Portugal, has been populated with horses since 20-30,000 BC. Known as Iberian horses, they were influenced by horses from many other parts of the world as civilisations […]

Jenny Bright is one of a handful of globetrotters who have been lucky enough to visit the island of Sumba, Indonesia for the Pasola Festival and enjoy the many delights of this slice of paradise. Afterwards, she shared such brilliant feedback with us that we HAD to share it with you! Check it out below. […]

Name of breed: Estonian Native horse, also called the Estonian horse or the Estonian Klepper Country of origin: Estonia Breed origin: There are no prizes for guessing that the Estonian Native horse is a breed native to Estonia! In fact, its ancestors are believed to have lived in this part of Europe for at least […]

Name of breed: Bavarian Warmblood, or Bayerisches Warmblut Country of origin: Germany Breed origin: The Bavarian Warmblood developed from an ancient Bavarian breed called the Rottaler. The best Rottalers were calm, substantial, all-purpose horses used for everything from carriage driving to plowing to riding. A registry for Rottalers was founded in 1907, but when the […]

Name of breed: Falabella Miniature Horse, or simply Falabella Country of origin: Argentina Breed origin: The ancestors of the Falabella are believed to have been brought to Latin America by the Spaniards, eventually forming large wild herds that roamed the vast pampas and in turn gave rise to various breeds including the Criollo. Shaped by natural […]

2020 is shaping up to be the unofficial Year of the Armchair Traveller, so with that in mind, we asked our globetrotters for their recommendations on horse travel books to help tide us over until we can get back in the saddle on another horse riding holiday. The following true stories all come highly recommended, […]

Name of breed: Knabstrupper, or Knabstrup Country of origin: Denmark Breed origin: The Knabstrupper is believed to trace back to the prehistoric spotted horses that were native to what is now Spain. Cave paintings of horses with spots akin to the leopard patterning seen in many Knabstruppers have been discovered in these regions. However, the […]

Name of breed: Spanish Mustang, officially known as the Colonial Spanish Horse. Country of origin: United States Breed origin: Contrary to what its name implies, the Spanish Mustang (or Colonial Spanish Horse) is not a wild horse breed, nor is it especially closely related to the Mustang. The Spanish Mustang is descended from various horse […]

Processions on horseback are traditional in many rural regions of Bavaria, Germany. Perhaps one of the most well known processions is the ‘Georgiritt’ – the Saint George Ride – in the city of Traunstein every Easter Monday. The earliest known record of this festival dates back to 1762, although it probably evolved from a medieval […]

Name of breed: Mérens, also known as the Ariégeois pony. Country of origin: Southern France (the Pyrenees and Ariégeois mountains) and Northern Spain (near Andorra) Breed origin: The Mérens horse is thought to have emerged in prehistoric times, although the early history of the breed remains a mystery. It could have come from the Iberian […]

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: 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: Warlander Country of origin: Many! Breed origin: The Warlander was developed by crossing Friesians with purebred Iberian horses – typically Andalusians, but Lusitano and Menorquín bloodlines are also allowed. Although the Warlander wasn’t recognised as a breed until the late 20th century, the crossing of Friesian and Iberian horses has a history […]

In 2015, Michelle Payne became the first female jockey ever to win the coveted Melbourne Cup. Ride Like a Girl is her story.  Far more than a feel-good horsey flick, far more than a rags-to-riches Aussie battler tale, Ride Like a Girl is a story about family, equality, and sheer grit. I saw it with […]

Name of breed: Haflinger, also known as the Avelignese Country of origin: Austria and northern Italy Breed origin: The Haflinger is a breed of horse that developed in Austria and northern Italy (namely the South Tyrolean mountains) during the late nineteenth century. The breed’s ancestry traces back to the Middle Ages. Writings from the era describe […]

Name of breed: Lipizzan, or Lipizzaner Country of origin: Developed by the Habsburg Monarchy in what is now Slovenia. Breed origin: The Lipizzan breed has its roots in ancient Iberian stock, but the breed itself dates back to the 16th century, when it was developed by the Habsburg family to fill their need for a powerful […]