UK riding holidays on hired horses

At Bridle Rides, we are specifically geared up for people taking their own horses on holiday.

It is becoming almost impossible to insure hired horses for unescorted riding these days, particularly where they are kept away from the owner's premises overnight as they would be on a bridle ride. It is also now a specific exclusion on the insurance policies held by British Horse Society approved trekking centres and livery yards - so horse hire is a service we can no longer offer.

However, we do know of a few reputable companies who offer Bridle Rides type holidays, but on their horses. You'll find links to their websites below - but please note that if you click on any of them, you'll leave our site.

Free Rein, based near Hay-on-Wye in the Welsh Borders, is the only company we know that offers unescorted trail rides on hired horses - but you have to try an escorted ride first and/or have your riding ability assessed by their staff before they let you out by yourself.

The other companies listed below offer escorted trail rides led by an in-house guide:-

Cumbrian Heavy Horses are based near Millom in the South West Lakes, having re-located from the Isle of Skye in October 2006. They are a BHS and TRSS approved riding centre offering short hacks and/or full and half day petal rides on their Clydesdale and Shire horses for both novice and experienced riders, including a beach ride.
Rural Rides is a BHS approved riding centre in West Sussex. The proprietor, Joyce Whatley, is an experienced endurance rider and regular Bridle Rides host who also offers escorted place-to-place and one-centre rides on her own horses. E-mail Joyce for a brochure on qejoy@hotmail.com or phone on 01730 826 878.
Heather Brereton at Cunetio Stables is also a Bridle Rides host, but she and her partner, Mick, can also provide escorted rides for experienced riders on their horses around the Wiltshire Downs near Marlborough. These include 1-2 hour hacks as well as day-long picnic rides and riding weekends.
Parc-le-Breos is another BHS and Wales Trekking and Riding approved riding centre that offers escorted trail rides, including a beach ride on the Gower peninsula in South Wales.
Have Horse Will Travel do escorted rides for people with their own horses from their base in Kent, and they also arrange guided place-to-place trail rides on hired horses near Loch Ness in Scotland and in the Lake District.
Northfield Farm is a BHS approved riding centre in the Peak District that offers escorted day-rides and a an escorted 2-day trail ride for experienced adult riders.
If you fancy having a go at Western riding, Rocky's Western Riding Adventures is based near Holmfirth in Yorkshire. The proprietor, Rocky, offers escorted one-day pub and picnic rides as well as 3-4 day trail rides from one farm to another over the moors in the Pennines and Peak District National Park.
Cae Iago is a BHS and Wales Trekking and Riding approved riding centre that offers escorted trail rides for experienced adult riders in the Cambrian Mountains.

In addition, you'll find classified adverts for many other riding and trekking centres in the UK equestrian press. The best ones are in nationally distributed magazines such as Your Horse, Horse, Horse and Hound and Horse & Rider.

Some agencies specialise in horse holidays overseas. One which includes some English and Irish holidays is in the saddle.

				Holidays on hired horses
At Bridle Rides, we are specifically geared up for people taking their own horses on holiday. It is becoming almost impossible to insure hired horses for unescorted riding these days, particularly where they are kept away from the owner's premises overnight as they would be on a bridle ride. It is also now a specific exclusion on the insurance policies held by British Horse Society approved trekking centres and livery yards - so horse hire is a service we can no longer offer. However, we do know of a few reputable companies who offer Bridle Rides type holidays, but on their horses. You'll find links to their websites below - but please note that if you click on any of them, you'll leave our site. Free Rein, based near Hay-on-Wye in the Welsh Borders, is the only company we know that offers *unescorted trail rides on hired horses* - but you have to try an escorted ride first and/or have your riding ability assessed by their staff before they let you out by yourself. The other companies listed below offer *escorted trail rides led by an in-house guide:- Cumbrian Heavy Horses* are based near Millom in the South West Lakes, having re-located from the Isle of Skye in October 2006. They are a BHS and TRSS approved riding centre offering short hacks and/or full and half day petal rides on their Clydesdale and Shire horses for both novice and experienced riders, including a beach ride. *Rural Rides* is a BHS approved riding centre in West Sussex. The proprietor, Joyce Whatley, is an experienced endurance rider and regular Bridle Rides host who also offers escorted place-to-place and one-centre rides on her own horses. E-mail Joyce for a brochure on qejoy@hotmail.com or phone on 01730 826 878. Heather Brereton at *Cunetio Stables* is also a Bridle Rides host, but she and her partner, Mick, can also provide escorted rides for experienced riders on their horses around the Wiltshire Downs near Marlborough. These include 1-2 hour hacks as well as day-long picnic rides and riding weekends. *Parc-le-Breos* is another BHS and Wales Trekking and Riding approved riding centre that offers escorted trail rides, including a beach ride on the Gower peninsula in South Wales. *Have Horse Will Travel* do escorted rides for people with their own horses from their base in Kent, and they also arrange guided place-to-place trail rides on hired horses near Loch Ness in Scotland and in the Lake District. *Northfield Farm* is a BHS approved riding centre in the Peak District that offers escorted day-rides and a an escorted 2-day trail ride for experienced adult riders. If you fancy having a go at Western riding, *Rocky's Western Riding Adventures* is based near Holmfirth in Yorkshire. The proprietor, Rocky, offers escorted one-day pub and picnic rides as well as 3-4 day trail rides from one farm to another over the moors in the Pennines and Peak District National Park. *Cae Iago* is a BHS and Wales Trekking and Riding approved riding centre that offers escorted trail rides for experienced adult riders in the Cambrian Mountains. In addition, you'll find classified adverts for many other riding and trekking centres in the UK equestrian press. The best ones are in nationally distributed magazines such as Your Horse, Horse, Horse and Hound and Horse & Rider. Some agencies specialise in horse holidays overseas. One which includes some English and Irish holidays is in the saddle.