Riding whilst on holiday

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Looking for the light
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We're going away shortly to North Devon. I've contacted a stables near where we are staying but have reservations about going riding elsewhere as I am so spoilt here. Riding "school" horses doesn't have the same appeal either. What are your thoughts on this?
 
sometimes its nice to relax (i go for a trek now and then and i like to just sit there, apart from the one time they said on you can ride, here have our new 5yo new recruit..hah......fun)

It really depends what you want to be doing. Are you going for a lesson? Trek? Hack? round the XC? Go with an open mind either way...my friend always tells me about this place she went that plonked you on a horse and said "go" and off it went into a forest and 30mins later you arrived back, hopefully, still alive.
 
I love a nice relaxing trek where I can just sit there and the horse knows it's job and can be trusted to just do what it's supposed to. It makes a change from my boy who is always on edge looking for the next monster. I wouldn't bother to have a lesson or anything else when on holiday though.
 
I pre-booked a RS hack 3 or 4 yrs ago when we were away, friends said I was bonkers.
However, I knew I wasn't likely to be able to ship my Fuzzy there in the forseeable future.
They made me ride round an arena in w t c on a dear cobby chap & then told me in no uncertain terms to get off!
Then got pointed at something rather different & went out on group hack. Had an excellent 2 hours out over downs & along beach, on a very sane, light to ride tb type.
Obviously they take on trust your riding level, I just said I had ridden, could w t c & pop a jump, but didn't volunteer any more than that, hence made to ride the 'steady eddie' round arena 1st.
Turns out the tb type was a working livery, but it only got ridden by staff as could be sharp - I really enjoyed it :)

Would def recco in some situations, to try, but speak to the RS 1st before booking :)
 
Having worked at a trekking centre (many years ago), I can assure you, that even the hardest mouthed, dead to the leg horse, will respond to an experienced sympathetic rider.
Ok, you won't be doing advanced dressage moves, but you can have a pleasant ride in nice scenery.
Or if you're anywhere near Dartmoor, go & ride one of the Clydesdales at adventure Clydesdale, they are all fab.
 
New horse is much more straightforward, but my last one was a sensitive and complicated chap. I used to love going on holiday and booking a hack. I would tell them I could ride 'a little bit' so they would give me something calm and sensible that I could just enjoy the view and not have to worry about antics. I have another friend who makes out she can barely ride to guarantee she gets something sweet and safe.
 
I usually try to go for a ride when I'm on holiday and have never really been disappointed. I've had some fab small group rides, guided in places I've never been nor likely to in any other way. 3 that really stand out are Exmoor, Scottish Highlands, and one in Germany where it was just me and the riding school employee for 2 hours through forests. I'd just talk to them about the sort of thing you want, and be honest about your ability.
 
I always go for a ride on holiday - had some super rides on Exmoor, blasting up the beach in Northumberland and galloping through the orange groves in Portugal on a fabulous lusitano. On that occasion my guide just set off at a strong canter (didn't actually ask if I could ride!) and didn't look back once to see if I was OK. It was a great ride though.
 
I've had some lovely rides whilst on holiday. Went to one years ago in Barnstable, really enjoyed it.
I'm going to Ireland next month and plan to do a beach ride.
 
Isn't it funny - there would be very few instances whereby I would want to pay to ride on holiday, I'd rather spend the money on a decent bottle of wine/meal.
If I fancied riding in the UK then I'd look at places where I could take my own horse.
I'm very cautious of riding abroad and would check welfare out beforehand.
I have ridden safari in Tanzania and done some Ranch riding in Aus
 
Friend put me on to someone who used their hunter hirelings in summer, they took my mum and sister for a great ride in exmoor but I think they said they were shopping. They were same as you re. Trekking types. We used to frequent a couple of Devin stables with kids and grandparents would take us down for a long weekend. It was noticeable how much better and more fun the same horses were out of season!
 
Depends what you want from it - given the right weather I would think riding on Exmoor would be amazing.
We rode in France..the horses were plods but we got to ride on a gorgeous beach.
We rode on a couple of ranches in Texas... we have our own quarter horses in the UK and the horses were nothing special compared to them, plus the saddles were pretty uncomfortable!
But the scenery, both above the Brazos River in the Panhandle and then in the Hill Country State National Park was unforgettable. I wouldn't have missed the chance to ride through a prairie full of Yuccas for anything.
 
I enjoy going for a hack on holiday, I've had a couple of great rides through Scottish countryside, trekked through the New Forest, almost burnt to a crisp cantering through the Lanzarote desert and took my mum on a Western trail ride in Ocala, Florida where we even seen a panther den complete with sunbleached bones of prey. Will be taking OH on a trek through Monument Valley in August too!
 
Ah I think it was exmoorhunterhirelings that sister and mum went with, definitely new location, new website! It was ex hhoer ravenwood if you remember her who suggested them- I just looked up the old facebook message from 2015 :D
Both mum and sister seemed a little nervous of riding 'hunters' but my sisters conclusion
't was amazing my horse was soo lovely first canter I'd has since last year on open ground and I didn't panic once, he has the same bit as Cally but never got strong I want him for my own! Mum had fun too her horse was lovely'

(she'd had a bad accident cantering in a field previously hence that comment)
 
I went out on a couple of treks on the Isle of Mull and it was super fun!! I nearly wanted a Highland afterwards!! The little chap I rode went like ***** off the proverbial and I had to hang onto his mane when we went up some mega steep paths so that I didn't slip off over his tail. In fact, thinking about it, I probably should have got a Highland!
 
If you opt for a 2 hour hack or longer you will find yourself with more experienced riders. Once you have ridden with them once they are more likely to find you a nice horse. My worse holiday rides have been in Wales. At one place I was promised a fast hack that turned out to be all roadwork except for a small patch of grass suitable for about 6 canter strides! At another place they shouted at you if you moved your horses head away from the bottom of the horse in front! I rarely bother with riding on holiday now. I'd rather save the money and have a lesson at home.
 
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