Horseback holidays

Horseback holidays include horeback hiking, cross-country horseback riding, assisted horseback riding, and horseback-riding training holidays and courses.

 Horseback hiking

Horseback hiking means riding outdoors on a trail, or off trail, for recreational and tourism purposes. A day-hike refers to a hike that can be completed in a single day.

Trail riding is riding outdoors on trails, bridle paths, and forest roads, but not on roads regularly used by motorised traffic. A trail ride can be of any length, including long distance, multi-day trips. In North America the equestrian form is usually called "trail riding," or, less often "hacking." In the UK and Europe the practice is usually called horse or pony trekking.

Some equestrian trail rides in the USA are directed by professional guides or outfitters, particularly at guest ranches. In some parts of the world, trail riding (of whatever kind) is limited by law to recognized, and sometimes function-specific, trails that are waymarked. In other places, trails may be less maintained and more natural. Trail riding can include other activities, such as camping, hunting, fishing, orienteering, and backpacking.

Hiking on horseback

https://www.berekhorgaszpark.hu/programok/erdei-tura.html

Trail riding in Dornbirn, Austria

(Wikipedia_Trail Riding, 2020)

Figure 5.6. Hiking and trail riding

Trekking is the preferred word used to describe multi-day hiking in the mountainous regions of India, Pakistan, Nepal, North America, South America, Iran, and the highlands of East Africa. Hiking a long-distance trail from end-to-end is also referred to as trekking and as thru-hiking in some places (Keller, 2007).

The term ’pleasure riding’ may encompass trail riding. This refers to a form of equestrianism that encompasses many forms of recreational riding for personal enjoyment, without any element of competition. Pleasure riding is called ’hacking’ in the United Kingdom, and in parts of the eastern United States and Canada. In other parts of the United States, particularly the American West, the term trail riding is used interchangeably with pleasure riding when on natural trails or public lands. Many horses are suitable for pleasure riding, including grade horses and other animals of

ordinary quality and good disposition. Such horses are sometimes called hacks, particularly in those areas where pleasure riding is known as hacking. In recreational trail riding, having fun and enjoying time spent in nature, rather than speed and form are the goals (Wikipedia_Hiking, 2020).

Moreover, while enjoying the beautiful landscapes and wilderness, trail riding takes into consideration the conservation of the natural landscape and cultural heritage, and supports the development of the rural areas. Trail riding can also be regarded as a high-quality outdoor experience that allows riders to enrich human relationships, to develop connections with other riders or with the local people. At the same time it may strenghten the relationship between man and horse, and improve specific skills. The closeness to the natural environment, the beautiful landscape and wilderness motivates riders to protect these resources (Wikipedia_Trail Riding, 2020).

There are different categories of trail riding activities offered all over the world, and they are classified depending on their difficulty, the length of stay, and the level of the different prior experience and skills required from the riders.

There are short trail rides for tourists and local residents with no previous riding experience, at low prices, requiring low skills, giving the possibility to ride briefly a calm horse at a gentle pace on level ground. Some learning experience may be included, so this kind of activity regularly consists of riding lessons and short leisure ridings (about half a day), mostly during the weekend. Riders are usually local regular clients from the main cities within a one-hour driving range,. Closeness to densely populated areas is a key factor for equestrian centres. Therefore the riding schools and the equestrian centres are the greatest real beneficiaries of this activity (Vinals et al, 2014).

Considering the requirements and the characteristics of the tourists, the inexperienced occasional tourist is partly similar to the above mentioned user. These customers attempt to spend their leisure time with a new, attractive activity during the holidays.

They rent a horse, and need specialised associated services for the planned activity (Vinals et al, 2014, p. 75).

On the contrary, the one-day trail rides require experienced riders, and two types of riders can be mentioned in this category. The first type consists of riders who are usually the owners of their horses, and keep them in equestrian centres under different sorts of horse board, or keep them at home if they live in rural areas. This type of rider regularly goes on one-day excursions almost every week, especially on weekends and on holidays. They use local catering services, and occasionally horse transportation services for moving horses to outstanding natural areas to enjoy different landscapes.

Most of the benefits from this type of riders goes to the equestrian centres, because they offer the boarding services.

The second type consists of riders who are occasional tourists aiming to gain experience in a destination with a complementary activity like a one-day horse riding trip. They are more or less similar to the previous half-day riders, but they are more experienced and skilled. The riding services offered to this group give a considerable source of income for the equestrian centres, because the customers usually rent a horse together with most of the services available (horses, craddle, catering etc.) to carry out the planned activity. Moreover, if the riders have not enough information about the area, or need special safety measures, they often require equestrian guiding services as well (Vinals et al, 2014).

 Cross-country horseback riding (panoramic and field riding)

Cross-country horseback riding is closely connected with the effort of sightseeing and getting aquainted with a region of a country, observing the panorama of the countryside, and enjoying the natural environment.

This form of the activities may include tours and trail rides in a part of a country, or crossing over the country – or even a longer trekking which passes through more than one country. It is mostly a well-organised and guided tour, but may be a form of pilgrimage as well. It is mostly a group activity.

Horses under saddle are often subject to the same regulations as pedestrians or hikers, where requirements differ from those for cyclists.

Many long-distance trails throughout the world have sections suitable for horse riding, or are suitable for horses throughout their full length, while some have been developed primarily for horse riding.

Horse treks involve five to seven hours riding every day for one or two weeks, or even longer, averaging 20 to 40 km per day. These treks include some type of accommodation as well: farms, equestrian centres, ranches, ’bed and bale’ houses, country houses, rural hotels or hostels, natural and rural shelters, inns. This is a high-price, low-volume, longer-duration and high-skill equestrian tourism product. It is a challenging activity for both the rider and the horse, so being fit is essential for the rider. According to Ollenburg (2005) clients engaging in these types of tours should be experienced in long-distance endurance riding, be able to control an unfamiliar horse in difficult terrain, and be able to adapt to local horse breeds, riding gear and other

customs. This kind of tourist must be a highly experienced rider, and must be familiar with different bridle and saddle designs, and has to know different techniques, commands and signals to communicate with the horse (Vinals et al, 2014).

 Assisted horseback riding

This form is mainly similar to the above mentioned horseback riding and hiking, but the service is provided with assistance. Many cross-country riding tours, treks, mainly the longer ones, are thoroughly organized, according to the individual needs and condition of the customers, assisted by an experienced leader. The success of the tour highly depends on the skills and attitude of the assistant.

Relying on the research by Ollenburg (2005), guided commercial trail rides and horse treks are the most marketed horse-based tourism products, but both can be considered as belonging to the field of adventure tourism, because they require considerable riding skills and due to this, they are offered only to clients who are already skilled recreational riders.

 Horseback-riding training holidays and courses

As mentioned above, horseback-riding training courses are organized mainly by equestrian centres, training schools and some farms or ranches, often during the holidays. The popularity of riding holidays is growing, especially for children.

Figure 5.7. Horseback education for children

(Source: Lovasudvar, 2020)