Exploring the World on Horseback: Unique Equestrian Adventures

If you love horses, you know that there are many different ways to experience and enjoy your hobby. Passively watching them on television is a great primary source of experience. People who love equines are particularly excited for the upcoming Breeders' Cup. This year, it will take place in California.

If you're interested in learning more about the odds and results of famous races like Breeders Cup, you can do so on TwinSpires.com. On the other hand, sometimes you'll want to take a more active approach to your horse interactions.

In those scenarios, you'll find that all over the planet, there are exciting and often accessible horse experiences available to anyone who is willing to seize upon them. In this article, we take a look at experiences that range from the very accessible French Lick, Indiana, to the far more remote Mongolian landscape. Read on to learn more.

Trail Rides at French Lick Resort

French Lick, Indiana, is a small town with a nationally famous resort. The French Lick Resort has been around for a long time and features elegant old-fashioned suites, an on-site casino, lots of entertainment options, several high-end golf courses, and is located within close proximity to the Hoosier National Forest.

It's here that families looking for an equestrian adventure will hit their stride. You can sign up for an affordable sixty-dollar, forty-five-minute guided trail experience. Here, you'll have a family-friendly ride in which experts will match you with a specific course based on your skill level. In that way, it can work as a great option for anyone over the age of about eight.

The forest is peaceful and noted for its wildlife sightings. The best part is that once you're done on your horseback adventure, you'll find that there are lots of great things to do in the area. There are many people who, when they think of Indiana, don't necessarily immediately imagine a great family vacation.

This is a somewhat faulty assumption. In fact, French Lick is a great way to experience horses, enjoy the Hoosier State, and expand your horizons.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon has an otherworldly vibe that you really need to experience to believe. Famous hiking trails include the Amphitheater, the Peekaboo Loop, and more. You'll find guided horse experiences within the park that start at about seventy-five dollars per person.

They tend to be beginner-friendly, and to that end, you'll find different options for different people. Many of these experiences are about two hours, though that'll depend on what you're looking for. It's a great way to not only experience horseback riding, but also to see the park.

Pro tip: if you're a national park kind of family, you can look for similar opportunities at many locations all over the country. The Smokies also have a pretty vibrant equestrian program to take advantage of.

The Mongol Derby, Mongolia

Here we go into crazy, wild, insane horseback adventure territory. The Mongol Derby is possibly the most grueling equestrian adventure in the world. It's also one of the most historic, designed to replicate the postal route established by Genghis Khan. Now, you might not be a postal route aficionado, but you can appreciate the scope of this truly incredible horse racing experience.

 And yes, we did say racing, though many people participate with the hope of finishing, as this is an extremely difficult adventure and absolutely not for beginners.

We're talking about hundreds of miles on horseback completed in twenty-five-mile rotations. The cost is also prohibitive—in the five-figure range, not even including the price of getting to Mongolia.

All said, if you're looking for a genuinely intense horseback riding experience, you're not going to find a better option than this one. This is certainly not a horseback adventure for the whole family. It's a bucket list entry comparable maybe to completing the Appalachian Trail or even climbing Mount Everest.

Just the Tip of the Iceberg

As you might imagine, this is only the tip of the iceberg. You don’t have to travel to Mongolia to have an incredible experience on horseback.

There are riding opportunities all over the world, even in places you might not expect to find them. Even in Manhattan, one of the most densely populated city environments to ever exist, you can find opportunities to ride a horse.

Almost certainly, there are just such options available within an hour of wherever you are reading this. Riding through a National Park, or Mongolian postal route, is exciting, aspirational even, but not the only way to have a pleasant experience on the back of a horse.

Find options that reflect your skill level and budget. There really are opportunities out there that almost anyone can take advantage of. Figure out how you want to experience horses, and go for it!