Introduction, and riding abroad

[muddyjods]

Hi everyone. I've been lurking around reading all the goings on at this forum (which is, as you already all know, totally brilliant!!) and thought now was a good time to say hi!

i'm 32 and started riding a bit a couple of years back, then stopped because i felt i was getting pushed too hard at the riding school (being sent out on the gallops at the end of a lesson, six months in!) and getting scared. Moved to Suffolk (any other East Anglians out there?!) last year and i've been having private lessons with my other half and loving it. I'd happily spend the rest of saturday scratching my lesson horses' ears, but usually get turfed out of her box by one of the bossy 13 year olds :rolleyes:

Anyway, my question is: who has gone riding while on holiday abroad, and what were your experiences? I ask because (being obsessed) every holiday lately has had to include riding, and without fail it's been a borderline dodgy experience. The latest one had me coming off a gorgeous Arab mare in the middle of the Egyptian desert. (this merits a ":eek: " i think!!) I would *never* exaggerate my level of experience to the stable owners, so that wasn't a factor We're going to california this year and i'm thinking of booking a trail ride or two, but a bit of me wonders if i'm on a one-way trip to large foreign healthcare bills and should grow some caution!

So, have i been dumb and naive so far, or just a bit unlucky?!

[Mehitabel]

i must admit i've always shied away from riding abroad. i am not nervous at all, but even other british yards seem to have such different ideas of sensible and well schooled that now i don't ride anywhere except my place or friends' horses! i just can't be bothered with the stress of it.

welcome to the board!

[fitz]

Hi and welcome...

I'm the same as Mehitabel. I've been to so many crap establishments that I'm nearly afraid to try new ones in case my money is wasted.

Looking for recommendations on this board would be a good idea, as there are so many board members.

[Skib]

I have ridden happily away from home, in Scotland and in the USA - havent been to CA since I learned to ride so I cant help you there.

But my uncle was injured in a fall riding on a USA ranch and accidents on holiday are not uncommin, so it is right to take care and make sure you are happy. Here are some of the things I do.

Ask for personal recommendations for places to ride in the locations we are hoping to visit, especially via New Rider, I have had good advice.
Look at any websites the ranches etc may have. In the UK I looked at the BHS list of recognised schools too.

Unless I have a personal recommendation to a particular place - which I usually did - I always visit the yard first.
I have had good rides at USA trail riding places that I found for myself. I may pick up a leaflet or ask at the motel where a riding centre is and then go off early in the morning to have a look at the horses etc. If it seems OK I can then book to ride later in the day. Or have an early morning ride next day before we move on.

Learn a bit about the riding and vocabulary and sort out any potential problems in advance.I had a Western lesson before leaving to make sure I could mount and dismount, watched a Western traiing day and read a bit about the diffrences.

Make sure you have the right clothes, boots, helmet etc to ride in. Take a mac if in the Mountains. Mark Rashid desribes tourists who had the flimsiest summer clothes on a day it snowed in the Rocky Mountains.
I take my Ariat terrain boots dual purpose, body protector and hat on holiday so I have the same level, of protection away as I have at home.

Dont be afraid to dismount and refuse to go if any safety issue crops up or if you are over horsed. In India we were promised there would be hats when I handed over the money for the ride. But it turned out that the hotel did not provide hats. I eventually dismounted and walked instead.
I also got off in Texas when I was mounted on a horse I felt I couldnt control fully, even while still in the stable yard. Another rider kindly swapped horses with me.

No one can be 100% sure you wont have a fall when riding a horse. But I have not yet fallen when away from home. And I have ridden some lovely horses and through very beautiful landscapes some of which are hard to see on foot.

Have a great time in California.

[Denbenj]

I was going to go riding in tenerife..however when i got to tha place.. the horses were tiny and really quite pitiful. When they showed me the horse I was meant to ride ( I would of squashed it!!) and it had a ' look in its eye' !

I decided to head back to the beach!

[tattercoats]

Hello, I'm new myself - but I turn 40 this year and I've just booked a holiday with Unicorn Trails, and I'll be riding in Greece. So far I very much like the look and feel of this company, their website is appealing and informative, and having rung them several times, their cutsomer service is excellent. They are a British company, who work with hosts in the countries where the rides happen. I'm fairly confident of the trip of a lifetime - but then I've only just taken up riding regularly although I've wanted to all my life!

I'll report back after I've been... wish me luck, hey?

Tattercoats

[laura jeanne]

If you are going to northern california, this might be a good place. OH and I rode here in 2005 and it was great. We spent 3 days and did the forest and beach and the combination rides. It was very safe, we mostly walked with a few trots and finally, a nice canter on the beach on the last day. It is north of San Francisco on the coast.

http://www.horse-vacation.com/

[em23]

WE have been to a lot of places in France, all of which have been very satisfactory, though the majority were run by english families abroad. I have a friend who has been to a good place in Spain too, even bought a horse from there, but I haven't been to California. Once tried in North Cyprus but was quite scared. The do keep their horses very differently, though and the thin appearance doesn't necessarily mean they are badly treated - just different
Em

[muddyjods]

thanks all for your thoughts!

Skib, there's a stables near us where they do offer Western lessons and i had thought about having a learner session before we go - think i will do that.

Tattercoats - please do report back, i have the Unicorn Trails brochure too and also one from a company called In The Saddle, both of which look fantastic. I was more thinking about just turning up at stables abroad rather than "organised" riding holidays, i would really hope that the latter would be safe!

[CurlyWurlyRach]

i have been riding in ireland, usa (not CA in afraid) and a few other places i cant remember (my dads a travel agent - we go away alot).
i always go to the yard before i ride there and meet the horse i would be riding. one memorable occasion in ireland i got galloped off with with a 5yr old 'experienced riders only' trekking horse cob :D instructor gave me a right telling off :rolleyes: