The Perfect Birthday
Craig’s Hut & High Country Ride, Australia , Bordeaux Wine Trail, France , Andalusia, Spain , The Costa Azul Ride, Portugal , Twin Coast Adventure, New Zealand , The Kimberley Ride, Australia ...So I’ve noticed a Globetrotting trend that I think you should seriously consider: gifting yourself a horse riding holiday to mark a significant birthday! It so happens to be MY birthday today (May 8th) and I’m off to Bonnie Scotland to take part in our DEBUT Scottish Borders Ride. Happy Birthday to ME!
And why not wrap a red ribbon around a horse riding holiday and call it a birthday present? GENIUS!
The mental conversation goes a little like this:
‘Happy birthday to me!
I’m going to book myself on the {INSERT BUCKET LIST RIDE HERE} to celebrate ME.
I don’t need new shoes, jewellery or a new bridle, what I actually yearn for is a wild and free ride.’
Some of our globetrotters extend the invitation to their best riding friends and make a trip of it – quite literally a BIRTHDAY RIDE!
OR you may choose to go by yourself. Anonymous – not a mother, nor a daughter, nor a wife. Just you, your horse and some enchanting new scenery awaiting discovery.
Can you imagine blowing out the candles on your birthday cake after a remarkable day in the saddle? I sure can’t wait to do just that tonight, after a good gallop across the fields and glens of Scotland.
So just thinking out loud, some of our MOST popular birthday rides would be…
Bordeaux Wine Trail, France
Who doesn’t want to celebrate a birthday with champagne in the country where it’s made? This ride oozes celebration, taking place in Bordeaux, France, where one skips, hops, trots and canters between generational vineyards on a daily basis.
Andalusia, Spain
There is an unmistakable fiesta vibe to this very special ride in Andalusia – think live music, Spanish horse shows and brilliant riding. Oh, and you’re mounted on majestic Andalusian horses. Ummm, YES PLEASE!
Costa Azul, Portugal
When someone asks what you’re doing to celebrate your birthday, imagine saying ‘Oh, I’m just going on a horse riding holiday to Portugal, where I’ll be riding Lusitano horses, exploring groves of cork trees and enjoying salty beach canters while sipping on port.’ Enough said!
Twin Coast Adventure, New Zealand
This dreamy ride is possibly the perfect birthday present to yourself. Not only is the ride price under $3,100 NZD, you get to spend five days discovering all the best-kept secrets of the North Island mounted on a top-shelf, naturally trained trail horse.
Craig’s Hut & High Country Ride, Australia
This is a birthday bucket-list ride for SURE, seeing you follow in the footsteps of the Man from Snowy River on your plucky mountain horse. Enjoy your birthday dinner around the campfire while millions of stars serenade you from above. This is also a great ride for family or friends to join you on, as it caters for everyone from beginners through to advanced riders.
The Kimberley Ride, Australia
From the all-star team behind the Craig’s Hut & High Country Ride comes an unforgettable holiday in the remote, staggeringly beautiful Kimberley region. Marie Strong booked this ride for her birthday and said, ‘This region of Australia has stolen my heart and I would love to come back again. It has been the best birthday I have had so far and it might become a new tradition!’
If you’re seeking a true wilderness adventure where you’ll be mentally and physically challenged and totally escape the the outside world, then I would look at the following rides:
The Wilderness Expedition in Iceland – that’s a bucket-list birthday ride.
Any of our rides in Africa – think Maasai Mara, Kenya, Okavango Delta, Botswana, Namibia, Morocco. Who doesn’t want to ride with wild game while celebrating a birthday?
The Big Horn Cattle Drive in Wyoming, USA
The Patagonia Trail, Argentina
The River Valley Ride in New Zealand
All of these are rides where you’ll literally lose yourself to find yourself again – and have pivotal, life-changing experiences. Guaranteed.
If you’re getting tingles on the back of your neck as I talk about these true-grit adventure rides, then one of these rides is calling you. I firmly believe that.
These ride suggestions are only the tip of the iceberg – we have over 40 hand-tested and Globetrotting approved rides in our portfolio, so feel free to peruse them here until you find your PERFECT birthday destination.
Or take our VERY popular two-minute pop quiz, which will perfectly match you with a riding holiday based on your ability, budget and timeframe.
We have departure dates available for both this year and the next, so you can plan well in advance if you so choose AND have the flexibility to pay off your birthday ride with our 5 x 20% OR 10 x 10% payment plan.