Get out and Ride!

Not everyone can ride to the furthest horizon - but even the longest ride begins with a short one.

If both you and your horse are fit and well, you will be astonished at how far four hooves can take you.

A word of warning, though - long distance riding is addictive!

Step 1 - decide where to go

Options

• Follow a not-too-long marked route, which has an accompanying guide book,  over gentle countryside eg in the UK, the Jack Mytton Way in Shropshire
• Go to visit a friend who lives 20 - 40 kms away, and who can accommodate both you and your horse for one night.
• Go to stay in and tour around ( on your horse) an attractive part of your country.
• Ride to a horsey event
• Plan a circular route from your home base, or ride from your stabling for a certain distance or number of days, and arrange transport back.

Step 2 - Decide how long to go for.

Options

• How many days or weeks?
• How far do you want to go each day?

Step 3 - Planning the route you will ride

Options

• Have a route planned for you by a commercial ride organiser.
• Follow a promoted, marked route for which you can buy a guide book.
• Plan your own route by means of the appropriate maps and information obtained from horse and bridleway organisations, agricultural organisations and similar bodies.

Step 4 - Find accommodation for yourself and your horse(s)

Options

• Have this pre-arranged by a commercial organiser
• stay with a friend or relative
• Book this yourself by the use of publications of horse organisations ( eg BHS Bed and Breakfast for Horses), Tourist Information Offices, internet searches, lots of phone calls and e-mails, personal contacts in the area you plan on visiting.
• Have a few contact details of possible accommodation and ride out "on spec". This is NOT recommended for beginners!

Step 5 - Obtain the appropriate equipment

Options

• If you are taking an organised "bridle ride" or similar, the company will send you a list of required equipment, and may even be able to loan or hire some of it to you, or ensure that such things as grooming kits are available for your use at your accommodation.

Otherwise, you will need to decide on the following:

• What do I need?
• What do I already have?
• Will those things that I have, last for the duration of the ride?
• Where/how can I make/borrow/buy the items which I lack?

Step 6 - Tourist information

You should read a book about the area you will be holidaying in, so you have a little background knowledge about the area you are riding through and about your destination.

Of course the above steps aren’t given in any sort of order; you should take them as an overview of all the tasks that need to be completed before setting off on your first trekking holiday.

Alongside these tasks, of course, the physical training of both horse and rider must be steadily progressing.