This popular and flexible riding holiday is based at Blaenau Bach farm, at the foothills of the Black Mountains, where you’ll enjoy daily hacks {that’s what the Welsh call trail riding} into the surrounding mountains each day. With everything taken care of, you’ll simply turn up, swing a leg over and relax in the knowledge that your hosts, Paul & Emily Turner will look after you.

Staying at their farm in a beautiful traditional 400-year-old Welsh Longhouse, you’ll adventure out each day on an exciting trail ride, stopping at a local pub or cafe en-route for lunch. With home-cooked breakfasts and sociable dinners, all created with locally-sourced produce, you’ll have ample energy for the day’s riding shenanigans.

As part of this itinerary, you’re invited to catch, groom and tack up your horse. If you’ve never had your own horse before or it’s been awhile, you’ll love that you can call your horse yours for the week. Learning to handle your horse on the ground helps to encourage a deep bond to develop a relationship with their horse throughout the week. By the time you mount up on the first day, you’ll feel relaxed and comfortable with your horse and no doubt by the time it comes to saying goodbye to your Welsh mount at the end of the week, you’ll want to take them home with you (be warned, some guests have done just that!). There is also lots of flexibility to change horses throughout the week should you enjoy the challenge of riding different horses.

You’ll cover anywhere from 8 to 15 miles of local trails each day which will put you and your horse through your paces over the most varied of terrains – from mountain and moorland tracks, valleys and pasture land, you’ll cover some of the most beautiful parts of the Welsh countryside. You will ride up and down steep slopes, cross lofty summits, wade through rocky rivers, pass through dense woods and see the best of wilderness Wales. The home-bred nimble Welsh cobs are ideally suited to the rough and hilly ground, with fast acceleration, perfect handling and an automatic survival instinct. Running on grass and water, they’re more environmentally friendly than any machine!

Some guests also choose to take a day or half-day off from riding and visit one of the local towns (Hay-on-Wye is always popular for bookshop browsing!) – a riding holiday centred around your relaxation and enjoyment! #winning.

*Please note that on one night mid-week (usually Tuesday evening), Paul and Emily take a night off cooking and ask that you eat out at the local pub. There is an excellent one just at the end of the road, or you may wish to explore further afield. Wherever you choose, Paul and Emily will help with booking and transport where necessary.

This ride is popular for non-riding partners who can enjoy the fantastic walking or biking right from the door of Blaenau Bach, and can even meet the riding group at the pub for lunch for a more sociable experience! Throughout the day, non- riders will be free to explore at their leisure, but please don’t hesitate to ask Paul or Emily for their advice and recommendations on things to do and see in the area.