Adventure Travel on Horseback

When you think of "adventure travel," what crosses your mind?

• Hiking?
• White water rafting?
• Scuba diving?
• Something as sedentary as a cruise ship or land rover safari?

Those ideas lose their "adventure" status when you compare them to galloping on a horse in Africa with a zebra and wildebeest racing along side you, or quietly observing the elephant and giraffe.

How can a traveler visit the remote parts of the world's most beautiful and interesting places while.....

• Practicing a fascinating sport
• Avoiding polluting
• Keeping in harmony with history and nature
• Being free to explore exotic locations
• Making friends in remote places, and Sharing the experience with a willing animal?

Have you ever considered the tremendous advantages of adventure travel on horseback? A horse can take you to beautiful and remote places which are difficult to reach in any other way. At the same time, you can practice a challenging sport which has been a favorite of mankind for millennia.

Destinations like Africa, Asia, Europe and South America offer a wonderful variety of adventure tours on horseback. Though comparatively little known to Americans, the British and particularly the French have highly developed the riding tour concept in many parts of the world. In many locations in the United States rights-of-way for horses have been lost, but many still exist in other countries.

Horses and horseback riding are deeply woven into the culture and history of most cultures from Argentina to Ireland. This is how our ancestors traveled and for those with a sense of history there is no more appropriate way to go. If you arrive in a foreign place on horseback, you will most likely be enthusiastically greeted by locals with waves and smiles which greatly facilitate meaningful contacts. Those who arrive by bus, on foot or on a bicycle are usually ignored. Horses are a great introduction and ice breaker almost anywhere.

If you seek a wilderness adventure, then horses are the way to go unless you want to walk and carry your equipment. Riding tours can take you from inn to inn, castle to castle, palace to palace or from one comfortable camp to another. Costs are very reasonably compared to biking or bus trips.

Horseback riding adventures vary widely in the skill and experience required to handle them safely. Most of these tours move out at all paces and include some good gallops so that one can cover 15 to 35 miles in a day. Beginners need several days of instruction before attempting even an easy trip, but those who are reasonably fit, not too overweight and have open minds can catch on very quickly. A week of intensive riding with good instruction can easily prepare most people for the less demanding adventures.

One of the enormous advantages of travel on horseback is that you are sharing the adventure with a willing animal who is also interested in the sights and sounds and who loves a brisk gallop on a beach or open plain as much as you do. A day in the saddle is also great exercise and riding is an excellent way to keep fit while having fun. It is far more interesting and satisfying than sitting confined in a bus or land rover all day which really isn't adventure travel at all. Another dividend is the keen appetite you develop after a day in the saddle for the delicious food you will be served.

On an African ride, a good horse can outdistance an irate Cape buffalo or elephant and keep you safe. Comfortable camps are set up for you each night, the food is excellent and the service superb. Or try a horseback tour visiting the castles of the Loire Valley and ride into the courtyards on your horse like a knight of old. You can gallop along forest tracks where the French aristocracy once chased the wild stag. There is a broad spectrum of possibilities available for horseback riding vacations.

If it appeals to you to travel in harmony with nature without using polluting, noisy machines or an unresponsive bicycle, then you should look into horseback riding tours.

Bayard Fox has been riding for 70 years on six continents and has ridden enough miles to circle the globe several times. He is owner and founder of Equitours Worldwide Horseback Riding Vacations. He and his wife also own the Bitterroot Dude Ranch where they raise and train Arabian horses. Bayard has been leading and organizing riding tours for 35 years.

Copyright 2005 Bayard Fox and Equitours, Ltd.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

---

One of the Oldest Traditions of the American West; The Dude Ranch

Dude Ranches first gained popularity in the 1920s, in large... Read More

Bird Watching Life Lists ? Keeping A Record

If you're a birder, you want to keep a list... Read More

Book a Golf Package in Myrtle Beach for Golfing Fun and Great Times in the Sun

Thousands of golfers flock to the Carolinas each spring and... Read More

Review: Russell Shortos The Island At The Center Of The World

Up to now the preponderant view held by many historians... Read More

Top Five Honeymoon Safari Destinations In Africa

An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate... Read More

Tamil Nadu ? A potpourri of culture and festivity

Tamil Nadu is a delightful anachronism. With a rich culture... Read More

How Are Minerals Formed?

HOW ARE MINERALS FORMED?MINERALS are naturally occuring, inorganic solids, with... Read More

Inflatable Pontoon Boats

Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and... Read More

Solo Backpacking

Have you ever gone solo backpacking? If you have, you'll... Read More

How to Repair an Inflatable Boat

The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing... Read More

Discover Knotts Berry Farm

Of course you know about Southern California's premier attraction, Disneyland... Read More

Dancing With Whales

We've all heard about whalewatching from boats or shore, and... Read More

Backpacking Trips - Ten Essential Items

I've had backpacking trips that included rain, snow, lightning, rockslides,... Read More

Too much to do in London!

No one can truly say... Read More

Journey to Haypress Creek

It was the end of my first year as a... Read More

The Price of Gas Really Doesnt Matter!

"The good news is that there is no reason to... Read More

Hiking Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is the most popular park in... Read More

River Rafting in Washington State

The great state of Washington offers some of the best... Read More

A Retired, Single RVer Travels

For some 30 years I practiced law in Mesa, Arizona.... Read More

Great Family Camping Trips Make Excellent Traditions

A wonderful way to invest in your families' treasure trove... Read More

A Holiday in Rajasthan

Romancing History ? A Holiday in RajasthanRajasthan, the name evokes... Read More

Traveling To and Around Hawaii, A First-Time Visitors Primer

Six different islands in Hawaii are open to tourism. Most... Read More

Stay Out of That Old Mine!

It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world.... Read More

Highpointing: It?s Not Just For Mountaineers

Mount Sunflower, Kansas. Ebright Azimuth, Delaware. Hawkeye Point, Iowa. Hoosier... Read More

Safety Tips While Walking in the Spanish Countryside

Spring:Essential items when preparing for a walk-Compass-First aid kit -... Read More

Arrowhead Hunting and Rock Collecting

We weren't planning to go rock and arrowhead hunting in... Read More

Shark Pictures Not The Real Thing

Pictures of a massive dead Great White shark on the... Read More

True North & Magnetic Declination - A Trick to Make it Stick

Magnetic declination is an essential principle to understand when navigating... Read More

Ireland Golf Vacations ? Top Tips To Help You Plan an Ireland Golf Vacation

Live your golfing dreams on an Ireland golf vacation.The K... Read More

River Rafting in Colorado

The sport of river rafting was practically invented in Colorado.... Read More

Wildebeest Migration - How To Get The Best Seats In The House

To get the most out of a wildebeest migration safari... Read More

Hiking in the Forest Knowing When to Slow Down

One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some... Read More

Is The Workamper Lifestyle For You?

If you've been dreaming of traveling the highways in your... Read More