Globetrotting’s Holidays for All Riding Abilities
Craig’s Hut & High Country Ride, Australia , Cradle To Coast Ride, Australia , The Margaret River Ride, Australia , Howqua River Ride, Australia , Shell, Wyoming, USA , Helena, Montana, USA , Big Horn Cattle Drive, USA , Sierras Chicas, Argentina , Castle & Estate Ride, Ireland , The Thirlestane Castle Ride, Scotland , Dressage in Spain , Khovsgol & Arhangay Rides, Mongolia ...
It’s our belief that horse riding holidays should be accessible to riders of all abilities, from beginner right through to advanced. And while there are some Globetrotting rides that are only suitable for intermediate or advanced riders, there are PLENTY that cater for everyone. On these rides, beginners go at their own pace while more experienced globetrotters satiate their need for speed. {Not sure what your ability is? Find out here.}
How does this work, you ask?
Well, when the terrain and landscape is suitable for riding faster or perhaps jumping, your guides will split the group up. Intermediate and advanced riders will go ahead with one guide, while beginner or not-so-confident riders stick with another guide, keeping to a pace that everyone’s comfortable with. Once they catch up, the ride continues.
Don’t wait until you’re a better rider to have the ride of a lifetime!
If you lack confidence or ability in the saddle, a riding holiday is the ultimate training ground to fast-track your skills. Unlike ad-hoc one-hour riding lessons in an arena or the odd trail ride, a riding holiday is a complete immersion course where you’re with your horse for several hours a day, for the entire duration of the holiday.
We’ve seen firsthand how beginner riders’ ability and confidence skyrocket from the first day to the last. It’s absolutely mind-blowing and so rewarding to see.
You’ll have the very best teachers – human and equine.
The guides on our horse riding holidays are all passionate, knowledgeable horse people who have taken countless beginner riders under their wing. You will feel looked after from the moment you arrive, and help will always be on hand. Our beginner-friendly holidays also allow you to opt out of a day or a half day’s riding should you need some R&R.
For beginners, it’s especially important to be paired with a caring and experienced horse (or horses) for the entire trip. Once you bond with your mount, the sky is the limit. The riding holidays we’ve listed below all have safe, calm horses for beginner riders. Trust us, these wonderful equines care for novice riders without putting a hoof wrong!
There is no better time to dive into the world of globetrotting than at the start of your equestrian journey, so have a browse through these rides and start planning your first adventure!
AUSTRALASIA
Craig’s Hut & High Country Ride, Australia
This ride is the DREAM for anyone who grew up watching ‘The Man from Snowy River’ and has since harboured fantasies of of traversing the High Country on a plucky mountain horse. Even if you’re not familiar with the legends surrounding the spectacular Victorian High Country, you’ll find yourself utterly transported by the spirit of this wild place. But instead of eating rabbit stew like the mountain men of days gone by, you’ll be treated to gourmet regional cuisine every night – not a bad perk, hey?
For the beginner rider: you’ll love that you can hone your bush riding skills on safe trails that your horse knows like the back of his hoof.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love that you get to duck and weave along narrow bush tracks that snake through the hills and valleys, and canter past Craig’s Hut!
Cradle to Coast Ride, Australia
Bringing into focus the many wonders of Tasmania, this ride gives you the choice of a three, four or five-day itinerary. It’s the perfect introduction to all things Globetrotting with a variety of scenery, safe yet responsive horses, knowledgeable guides and fabulous local produce at every meal. Your guides, Ray and Laura, will take you through spectacular bushland, picture-perfect farmland and the incredible Narawntapu National Park, with its seven-kilometre beach and fascinating coastal ecosystems. Oh, and on the five-day ride, you get to ride up and down Cradle Mountain! No matter your level, you’ll be able to go at your own pace as you explore the Apple Isle.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love how safe you feel with a 3:1 guest-to-guide ratio and a safe, careful horse boosting your confidence higher with every passing hour.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love being partnered with a perky, willing trail horse, cantering along gorgeous forest tracks and letting loose on Bakers Beach.
The Margaret River Ride, Australia
This holiday is the ultimate way to familiarise yourself with the iconic Australian wine region that is Margaret River. It excels on every level: quality horses, fun-loving and knowledgeable guides, Indigenous culture, dramatic and changing scenery, beautiful ‘glamping’ accommodation and top notch food and wine. The three-day itinerary is the perfect length for beginners while still packing a big punch for more experienced riders. Your hosts, Paul and Fiona, are experts at creating unforgettable equestrian experiences and will ensure that each day’s adventures leave you grinning. Not to mention, you get to swim with your horse in the ocean!
For the beginner rider: you’ll love the variety of riding, the chance to build your confidence in a safe and fun environment, and having the option to ride in the morning, the afternoon, or both.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love the string of home bred and educated Australian Stock Horses, who are all finely attuned to your aids. You’ll also get to try your hand at polocrosse on horses that LOVE playing the game.
The Howqua River Ride, Australia
Another ride for lovers of ‘The Man from Snowy River’, this five day adventure sees you travel along the mighty Howqua River as she twists and turns through the hills and valleys of the High Country. Your guides, Michael and Karen, will keep you well informed about the local environment and the fascinating history of the settlers who tried to tame these wild mountains. You’ll also get to peer over the edge of the famous cliff that the Man from Snowy River rode down in pursuit of the brumbies! With over 60 river crossings on day two, this holiday will safely expand the confidence of beginners and offer plenty of thrills for more advanced globetrotters.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love getting a glimpse of life as a bushman as you hone your skills astride a trusty trail horse, yet still enjoying the luxuries of a cosy bed and gourmet catering.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love the varied trails, the river crossings, cantering through the bush and swimming bareback with your horse (in the summer months), not to mention picking Michael’s brain about all things horses.
EUROPE
Castle & Estate Ride, Ireland
Set on a 1,000-acre estate that oozes history and promises a wonderland of cross country jumps and trails, this ride is one of our most customisable. Whether you want to learn the basics of riding in an arena with patient and knowledgeable instructors or race your horse over a cross country course, you’ll be one happy globetrotter by the time you retire to the castle of an evening. And with just three hours in the saddle each day (and the option to book more hours at an additional cost), there’s plenty of time to enjoy the estate’s many non-equestrian offerings, as well.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love the reliable, schoolmaster horses and expert coaching. Oh, and a mechanical horse will help you improve your position and technique before transferring your skills to the real deal.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love taking advantage of the estate’s 300+ cross country jumps and endless riding trails, and improving your jumping technique with talented, well trained horses and professional instructors.
The Thirlestane Castle Ride, Scotland
Creating this itinerary was a dream come true for us. What could possibly be better than riding horses through the breathtaking Scottish countryside by day, and retiring to a CASTLE for delicious food and a cosy bed by night? Sister to The Scottish Borders Ride (strong intermediate to advanced riders only), The Thirlestane Castle Ride welcomes beginners through to advanced riders for a week of Globetrotting bliss. It combines history, drama, luxury, rugged wilderness and vibrant culture. On riding days you’ll spend anywhere from two to six hours in the saddle, and there’s an optional off-the-horse day in the middle should you need a break or wish to do some extra sightseeing.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love your guide, Susy, and her team at the equestrian centre – they’ll look after you every step of the way. Plus, it’s good to know you have the option to spend less time in the saddle.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love the wild and free canters, and the chance to pop over some cross country jumps while trail riding. Susy’s horses are drool-worthy, too: big, strong, bold and sensible.
Dressage Ride, Spain
Whether you’re a professional dressage rider or you’ve never tried dressage in your life, this ride will see you grow as a rider – that’s a promise. Set in the gorgeous countryside of Andalusia, it’s nice to know that it doesn’t all have to be about dressage: there are three different itineraries on offer, including one that combines dressage training with trail riding through the forests and fields. On the other hand, for the serious dressage connoiseurs, there’s the ‘Intensive Training’ program as well as the ‘Classical Dressage & High School Training’ program. Whichever itinerary you choose, you’ll be blown away by the quality of the Andalusian horses, the coaches and the guides, not to mention the scrumptious food and the incredible local culture.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love knowing that you’re getting the best possible coaching, adapted to your ability and interests, as well as immersing yourself in Andalusian village life.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love expanding your dressage and horsemanship skills astride schoolmaster Spanish horses with world class instructors – there’s even a week-long program with olympian Rafael Soto!
NORTH AMERICA
Shell, Wyoming, USA
Grab your Stetson and stampede string and get your YEE-HA on. This ride takes you to a high-end guest ranch in the heart of Big Sky Country: Wyoming. Rest assured, this is NOT a nose-to-tail dude ranch, no siree! No matter what level of riding you’re at, you’re going to benefit from this holiday where every day is tailored to your riding desires. You can choose to poke cows, take a riding lesson, summit a mountain and enjoy a saddle-bag packed lunch, or have a half-day ride and then enjoy some trap shooting or fly fishing in the afternoon.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love the flexibility of this working ranch with its huge range of riding activities, from structured lessons in the sand arena to rustling cattle on the prairie.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love the nifty cow horse that you’ll be teamed up with and the chance to live out your Wild West riding fantasies in the vast, varied scenery of the ranch.
Helena, Montana, USA
Another fantastic ranch option, this holiday is based at a family-run ranch in the wild, majestic mountains of Montana. Like our ranch ride in Wyoming, you can choose your own adventure each day, with a huge variety of options, whether you want to roam far away over the hills or learn cattle work in the morning and play horse soccer after lunch. But the real highlight is the natural horsemanship that infuses every moment. Beginners can benefit from a natural start to their equine education while more experienced riders enhance their existing knowledge and revel in the rideability of these wonderful steeds.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love learning Parelli-style methods of understanding and communicating with your equine partner before taking it to the next level in the saddle.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love connecting with your highly trained horse on a deep level through guided groundwork, extraordinarily beautiful trail rides, cattle work, mounted games and more.
Big Horn Cattle Drive, USA
If you’ve always yearned to don a cowboy hat and a pair of shotgun chaps and swing a rope after a runaway beast, then the Big Horn Cattle Drive is your perfect match. You couldn’t find a better point-to-point ride set up for all riding abilities. You’ll bond with your fellow riders and your horse as you push the Kerns family’s herd of over 600 cattle through Big Horn National Park. This cattle drive has no bells and whistles – it’s as legitimate as the teepee tents you’ll sleep in, the classic camp cooking dished up of an evening, and the western saddle that you’ll swing over your big-bottomed Quarter Horse every morning. You’ll ride alongside wranglers who make herding cattle while giving a diverse group of riding guests the time of their lives look easy!
For the beginner rider: you’ll love that after the horsemanship clinic at the start of the itinerary, the riding is straightforward and purposeful. The riding hours are long, but afterwards you’ll be able to call yourself a cowboy/cowgirl without hesitation.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love that you can put your cattle skills to the test and learn new tricks in real life situations, and the chance to experience an authentic slice of 1880s-style ranch life.
SOUTH AMERICA
Sierras Chicas, Argentina
Explore Argentina’s magnificent Sierras Chicas mountains in style and comfort on this estancia-based riding holiday. No two days are the same, with adventures including climbing to the ‘Top of the World’, mustering cattle with the gauchos, and horseback games including polo, barrel racing and the gaucho game of ‘sortija’. There is something for every rider here and your hosts are only to happy to accommodate requests. Oh and rest assured, the 6,500 acre estancia is 100% authentic, home to a prize-winning herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle and around 80 home-bred horses. After experiencing the amazing hospitality of beautiful family who call this place home, you may never want to leave.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love having the option to stick with one horse for the whole trip or expand your skills by riding a few different horses, knowing that each one is honest, kind and careful.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love learning horsemanship and cattle skills from Argentinean gauchos, and experiencing the legendary paso llano gait of the Peruvian Paso.
ASIA
Khovsgol & Arhangay Rides, Mongolia
If you’re looking for an overseas adventure, Mongolia is the perfect place to cut your teeth. It’s the steadiness of the horses and the open steppe that makes this riding destination a perfect environment for beginners. Be warned: regardless of ability, you will need to be riding fit, as some days require long hours in the (rather rustic) saddle that can leave even the most experienced rider feeling sore. But if you’re a modern-day explorer, clocking up some riding hours in Mongolia is a surefire way to leap from beginner status to intermediate.
For the beginner rider: you’ll love the consistent hours in the saddle, with long stretches of trotting where you can learn to sit or stand to the trot, and the occasional tricky terrain that will really boost your confidence as your Mongol horse confidently picks out a path.
For the experienced rider: you’ll love that this entire country lives and breathes horses, not to mention the incredible feeling of freedom when you’re cantering across the open steppe, and the chance to ‘eat, sleep, ride, repeat’.
So there you have it: a round-up of riding holidays that are perfectly suited to both beginner riders and their more advanced compadres.
Which one tickles your fancy? Let us know in the comments or contact us to get the ball rolling!