Active Riding Trips - News

Vacations & Travel: Six of the best American West ranch experiences

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 23:57:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article by Stacey Adams for Vacations & Travel:

Six of the best American West ranch experiences
by Stacey Adams

https://www.vacationstravel.com/ranch-experiences/

The post Vacations & Travel: Six of the best American West ranch experiences appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Monte Velho: Dressage Paradise

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:06:00 GMT

Monte Velho: Dressage Paradise
By Danielle Aymond

This article received an honorable mention in the 2025 GMO Newsletter Awards for first person experience articles for GMOs with 75-174 members. It appeared in the Southern Eventing and Dressage Association newsletter, Off Course Online “The Bleep,” July 2025.

The post Monte Velho: Dressage Paradise appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Arizona Foothills Magazine: A Different Dude Ranch Souvenir: Confidence

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:53:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article that includes Active Riding Trips in Arizona Foothills Magazine:

A Different Dude Ranch Souvenir: Confidence
by Mallory Gleich

https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/resorts/tourism/a-different-dude-ranch-souvenir-confidence

The post Arizona Foothills Magazine: A Different Dude Ranch Souvenir: Confidence appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Active Riding Trips Joins Adventure Travel Trade Association: Sustainability is the New Green Riding Aid

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:46:00 GMT

Stanfordville NY (March 2, 2026)
by Amy Sales

Sustainability isn’t just a catch phrase in today’s tourism industry. It’s a commitment built into every horseback riding experience offered by Active Riding Trips .

Which is why Active Riding Trips president, Stacey Adams, has joined the Adventure Travel Trade Association , a global network of professionals working to shape the future of sustainable, meaningful adventure travel.

Among more than 100 Active Riding Trips are eco-focused, small business-friendly international adventures on horseback like the Mexico Monarch Butterfly Migration ride supporting local conservation efforts, the Icelandic Nature’s Treasures ride amid wild horse herds and volcanic topography, or riding the same 120,000 Arizona acres of Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge as the U.S. presidents and movie stars who have stayed at Rancho de la Osa, one of USA Today Readers’ Choice 10 Best Dude Ranches of 2025.

“The values and goals of ATTA,” said Adams, “align intrinsically with what Active Riding Trips has stood for over the last 23 years. It’s a privilege to be a member of this energetic and thriving network of individuals and operators.

“The ability to see others working and focused on the same stewardship and care of natural resources, while making places accessible to travelers, and the exchange of ideas and knowledge among a larger community-based organization, is incredibly energizing.” The Equine Industry Vision Award finalist and travel veteran foresees “immeasurable” opportunities working shoulder-to-shoulder under one umbrella.

Established in 1990, the Adventure Travel Trade Association is the largest global network of adventure travel leaders and is composed of nearly 30,000 individual guides, tour operators, lodges, travel advisors, tourism boards, outdoor educators, gear companies, destination marketing and management organizations, and travel media who share a belief and commitment to sustainable tourism. Connection and creativity comes together to create and deliver solutions that propel travel businesses and communities toward responsible and profitable futures.

Discover the roles horses and mules play in tourism and follow Active Riding Trips on social (FB, IG) media, and join its newsletter at activeridingtrips.com .

The post Active Riding Trips Joins Adventure Travel Trade Association: Sustainability is the New Green Riding Aid appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Another Winner for Active Riding Trips: Season 54 Episode 42 Showcase on The Price Is Right

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 20:25:00 GMT

Another Winner for Active Riding Trips:
Season 54 Episode 42 Showcase on The Price Is Right

Another winner has come on down for Active Riding Trips and a six-day Yellowstone stay at Blackwater Creek Ranch and Resort, as part of an adventure showcase package valued at more than $42,000 (including a cruise in Fiji and stay at a Cape Town vineyard), on Season 54 Episode 42 of television’s longest running game show, The Price Is Right, hosted by Drew Carey.

Since 2003, Active Riding Trips has tailored experiences between the ears and around the world for riders of all levels and those who travel with them. This was the fourth appearance in 2025 for the award-winning all-female-driven travel agency on The Price Is Right, joining a luxurious trio of experiences in the final showcase challenge at 32 minutes into the episode, which can be watched on CBS.com here:

https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/Nc3eeNqvFtzZy74pNMpC8J2n0CsTozpM/

“This holiday we’re giving thanks for adventure,” said George Gray, TPR announcer since 2011, “with unforgettable journeys near and far, and it starts with an exploration of Yellowstone Park.” For Raymond Beekus, it started with the numbers “777” in his every guess leading to his Showcase. Coincidentally, there was even a seven in the total value of the three trips he finally won: $42,733.

The Active Riding Trips adventure with The Price Is Right is a six-night getaway to historic Blackwater Creek Ranch and Resort in Wyoming, including rental car, amid what U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt dubbed “the most scenic 50 miles in America” at the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Active Riding Trips hosted winning prizes in Season 53 Episode 169 on June 4, and the Season 54 opener on September 22.

Find The Price Is Right free on CBS, Amazon Prime Video, Pluto TV and Philo, or on Paramount with subscription. “Come on down, the Price Is Right” first aired on September 4, 1972, and challenges contestants to guess the price of everyday or not-so-everyday retail items towards a chance at the Showcase Showdown.

Every Active Riding Trip is personally scouted for quality hospitality, unforgettable scenery and amazing riding at your level. We promise that you will not find Active Riding Trip’s exact experiences at a lower price anywhere else. Learn more on Facebook and IG and sign up for the newsletter to get dates and deals first at activeridingtrips.com .

The post Another Winner for Active Riding Trips: Season 54 Episode 42 Showcase on The Price Is Right appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Arizona Foothills Magazine: Four Arizona Dude Ranch Vacations You Don’t Want to Miss

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:41:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article that includes Active Riding Trips in Arizona Foothills Magazine:

Four Arizona Dude Ranch Vacations You Don’t Want to Miss
by Mallory Gleich

https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/resorts/tourism/four-arizona-dude-ranch-vacations-you-dont-want-to-miss/

The post Arizona Foothills Magazine: Four Arizona Dude Ranch Vacations You Don’t Want to Miss appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

How a Riding Vacation Can Make You a Better Rider: Straight Talk From Active Riding Trips

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:33:00 GMT

How a Riding Vacation Can Make You a Better Rider: Straight Talk From Active Riding Trips

Stanfordville, NY – August 20, 2025

Active Riding Trips president Stacey Adams is the August Lunch & Learn Session guest with HorseClass.com hosted by Callie King.

Worried about a hitch in your giddy-up before a big riding vacation? What if your next vacation could also be the key to a big improvement in your confidence and skills in the saddle.

In this free webinar, Active Riding Trips and Horse Class discuss stepping out of your usual routine and into a new landscape on horseback, and how that can transform the way you ride.

Whether you’re considering a guided trek through the hills of Spain, a beach ride in Ireland, or a week immersed in a clinic-style retreat, a riding vacation offers more than just beautiful scenery.

Stacey and Callie cover:

Why riding different horses can refine your skills
How travel challenges and inspires your confidence in the saddle
What to do before your trip to feel strong, secure and ready to ride
Tips to make the most of every moment, both on and off the horse

Find this hour-long visit with Stacey, plus a smart Q&A, on YouTube and embedded below.

This Lunch & Learn Session with HorseClass.com has been brought to the online horse community by Active Riding Trips, experts in equestrian travel around the world. Whether you’re dreaming of your first trip or your tenth, join Active Riding Trips to learn how these experiences can shape you into a more effective rider.

Join the Active Riding Trips newsletter and visit its trips at ActiveRidingTrips.com.

# # #

The post How a Riding Vacation Can Make You a Better Rider: Straight Talk From Active Riding Trips appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

More 2025 Appearances Scheduled on The Price Is Right

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 16:36:00 GMT

Active Riding Trips will appear twice this autumn – September 29 and November 24 — on television’s longest running game show, The Price Is Right, hosted by Drew Carey. The travel agency, specializing since 2003 in more than 100 boutique horseback riding trip experiences to more than 20 countries, has already appeared twice this year on The Price Is Right, including as a winning prize on Episode 169 of Season 53 on June 4.

“Come on down, the Price Is Right,” first aired on September 4, 1972, and features a variety of games and contests with the same basic challenge: Guess the prices of everyday or not-quite-everyday retail items as they vie for a chance at the big wheel in the Showcase Showdown.

Watch The Price Is Right free on CBS, Amazon Prime Video, Pluto TV and Philo, or on Paramount with subscription.

Active Riding Trips showcase packages with The Price Is Right have included multi-night getaways to an historic Wyoming ranch along what U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt dubbed the “most scenic 50 miles in America” at the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

Each Active Riding Trip is hand-chosen and scouted ahead for quality, beautiful scenery and amazing riding. You will not find any of Active Riding Trip’s exact experiences at a lower price anywhere else – we’ll “put our money where our mouth is.”

Learn more and sign up for the newsletter at activeridingtrips.com , and on Facebook and IG.

The post More 2025 Appearances Scheduled on The Price Is Right appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Finalist: 2025 Equine Industry Vision Award

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:52:00 GMT

Finalist: 2025 Equine Industry Vision Award

Stanfordville, NY—August 13, 2025

Active Riding Trips joined Julie Broadway (American Horse Council); Carole Herder (Cavallo Hoof Boots); and Mariah Wilson (Platinum Performance Horses) among the four finalists for the 2025 American Horse Publications (AHP) Equine Industry Vision Award presented at the AHP Cowboy Up Lone Star Seminar Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Dallas, Texas earlier this summer.

The Equine Industry Vision Award sponsored by Zoetis is given annually in recognition of outstanding leadership, creativity, and meritorious contributions toward positive change in the equine industry. The distinguished award is a unique platform to recognize ingenuity, originality and effective innovation exemplifying commitment, dedication and service to the equine industry.

Active Riding Trips, with its focus on empowering global horseback travel, was the only organization among this year’s nominees to make the final four. American Horse Council president, Julie Broadway, was named 2025 EIVA recipient.

“Visionaries,” say AHP presenters, “make the horse world a better place.”

Active Riding Trips is proud to make that world easier to discover.

Learn more about Active Riding Trips at ActiveRidingTrips.com and about American Horse Publications at americanhorsepubs.org .

# # #

The post Finalist: 2025 Equine Industry Vision Award appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

The Plaid Horse Magazine: Active Riding Trips Stacey Adams Spreads Love of Horses Globally, Making Travel Dreams Come True

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:14:00 GMT

The Plaid Horse Equine Impact Small Business Champion Award recipient, Stacey Adams and Active Riding Trips, in the May 2025 Investment Issue of The Plaid Horse.

Check out this Featured article in The Plaid Horse Magazine below:

(follow this link if the embedded magazine doesn’t load: https://issuu.com/theplaidhorsemag/docs/the_plaid_horse_may_june_2025_-_the_investment_iss/142 )

The post The Plaid Horse Magazine: Active Riding Trips Stacey Adams Spreads Love of Horses Globally, Making Travel Dreams Come True appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Elite Equestrian Magazine Western Edition 2024: Three Awesome Ride Experiences In ARIZONA

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Check out this article in Elite Equestrian Magazine Western Edition 2024: Three Awesome Ride Experiences In ARIZONA by L.A. Berry below:

(follow this link if the embedded magazine doesn’t load: https://issuu.com/weedy123/docs/western_equestrian_2024_issue/19 )

The post Elite Equestrian Magazine Western Edition 2024: Three Awesome Ride Experiences In ARIZONA appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Horses in the Morning Podcast: Travel Week: France, Vermont and RBA for March 29, 2024 by Kentucky Performance Products

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Travel Week: Today we focus on France and Vermont. Stacey Adams from Active Riding Trips [talks] about the riding adventures available in France and Auditor Erin Aloan Grogan & Mickey Perry talk about vacationing and riding in Vermont. Plus, some Realli Bad Adz, listen in…

HORSES IN THE MORNING Episode 3397 – Show Notes and Links:

The HORSES IN THE MORNING Crew: Glenn the Geek: co-host, executive in charge of comic relief, Jamie Jennings: co-host, director of wacky equestrian adventures

Title Sponsor: Kentucky Performance Products
Guest: Stacey Adams, Active Riding Trips | FAQ | Facebook
Guest: Auditor Erin Aloan Grogan & Mickey Perry | Facebook | GMHA
Follow Horse Radio Network on Twitter

Time Stamps:
02:38 – Daily Whinnies
08:10 – Lisa’s Travel Story
15:20 – Stacey Adams
31:34 – Erin Aloan Grogan & Mickey Perry
42:40 – Realli BAd Adz

The post Horses in the Morning Podcast: Travel Week: France, Vermont and RBA for March 29, 2024 by Kentucky Performance Products appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Forbes: 6 Adventure Companies That Are Changing The Way We Travel by Wendy Altschuler

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article that includes Active Riding Trips on Forbes:

6 Adventure Companies That Are Changing The Way We Travel
by Wendy Altschuler

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wendyaltschuler/2024/03/18/6-adventure-companies-that-are-changing-the-way-we-travel/

The post Forbes: 6 Adventure Companies That Are Changing The Way We Travel by Wendy Altschuler appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Forbes: 6 Amazing Outdoor Adventures To Try While Traveling This Year by Wendy Altschuler

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article that includes Active Riding Trips on Forbes:

6 Amazing Outdoor Adventures To Try While Traveling This Year
by Wendy Altschuler

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wendyaltschuler/2024/01/04/6-amazing-outdoor-adventures-to-try-this-year-while-traveling/

The post Forbes: 6 Amazing Outdoor Adventures To Try While Traveling This Year by Wendy Altschuler appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Forbes: Where To Go In 2024: Exciting Destinations For Solo Travelers by Wendy Altschuler

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article that includes Active Riding Trips on Forbes:

Where To Go In 2024: Exciting Destinations For Solo Travelers
by Wendy Altschuler

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wendyaltschuler/2023/12/19/where-to-go-in-2024-exciting-destinations-for-solo-travelers/

The post Forbes: Where To Go In 2024: Exciting Destinations For Solo Travelers by Wendy Altschuler appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Elite Equestrian Magazine Western Edition Fall 2023: Two Sisters One Historic Western Ranch Adventure

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Check out this article in Elite Equestrian Magazine Western Edition Fall 2023: Two Sisters One Historic Western Ranch Adventure by L.A. Sokolowski below:

(follow this link if the embedded magazine doesn’t load: https://issuu.com/weedy123/docs/western_equestrian_issue_fall_23/28 )

The post Elite Equestrian Magazine Western Edition Fall 2023: Two Sisters One Historic Western Ranch Adventure appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

EQluxe VOYAGE CHEVAL: Active Riding Trips – Black Bulls, White Horses & Pink Flamingos: A French Mediterranean Inn-to-Inn Ride

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 03:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article about Active Riding Trips on EQluxe.com:

Black Bulls, White Horses & Pink Flamingos: A French Mediterranean Inn-to-Inn Ride
by L.A. Sokolowski

The post EQluxe VOYAGE CHEVAL: Active Riding Trips – Black Bulls, White Horses & Pink Flamingos: A French Mediterranean Inn-to-Inn Ride appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Ice, Ice, Iceland: Podcaster Kit Parks & Active Travel Adventures Talk Globe-Tölting with Active Riding Trips Adventurer, Ruth Hooten

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 15:44:00 GMT

Don’t let the name fool you. Iceland promises a warm welcome if you love a good horseback riding adventure. Just ask Ruth Hooten, who calls her globe-tölting adventures to Iceland, curated through Stacey Adams and Active Riding Trips of Standfordville, NY, an always “absolutely perfect trip for all riding abilities.”

Now you can ride along, when Kit Parks, host of the popular podcast, Active Travel Adventures, talks with Ruth about riding in the land of ice and fire on her April 20, 2023 podcast.

You might call Ruth a ‘frequent flyer.’ She’s been planning Iceland getaways through Stacey and Active Riding Trips (www.activeridingtrips.com) for the past decade, and one of her few regrets is that she can’t bring home the horses she has fallen in love with there! (No really, she can’t. To preserve the integrity of the breed, purebred Icelandic horses are discouraged from being sold off the island and cannot return if they are.)

One thing that makes riding an Icelandic horse so unique are its gaits. The Tölt is a natural four-beat gait where at least one hoof always touches the ground, producing a nearly bounceless ride at upwards of 20 mph (32 kmh). The Flying Pace (“the crown of Icelandic horsemanship”) is equal (at 30 mph/48 kmh) to a gallop, where both legs on the same side simultaneously touch the ground between intervals of midair suspension.

Speaking of flying… Ruth opted for twice as nice a getaway, flying into Reykjavik for two Icelandic adventures: The Best of Eldhestar Ride and Iceland’s Nature’s Treasures.

The Best of Eldhestar is exactly that – the cream of the crop among several shorter and longer tours in southern Iceland. Visit the Valley of the Horses, Maradalur, Kattatjarnir Ponds and Reykjadalur Valley. Enjoy a beach ride at Thingvellir National Park, one of only two sites in Iceland on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and, saving the best for last for horse lovers, participating in bringing a herd of horses in on one of the days of your visit – a unique and exhilarating hands-on experience.

Iceland’s Nature’s Treasures delivers an amazing 3-4 days of riding on scenic routes over varied terrain, and nights at the Hotel Eldhestar (so you only have to unpack once). Calling this ride a natural treasure is no understatement as it delivers incredible contrasts – from the fast flowing glacial waters of Ölfusá River, over meadows and mountains, to the geothermal streams of Reykjadalur. One of the highlights of this four-day adventure is a ride on a black volcanic beach.

“Riding the Tölt is a-mazing! Just sit back, lift the reins slightly and go,” she says.

Forget volcanoes. Iceland by horseback will blow you away.

We hope you’ll come along for the ride with Ruth and Kit this Thursday, April 20, on Horseback Iceland Riding Adventure , and afterwards, Active Riding Trips will offer a 5% discount – podcast promo code ATA5 — good on any trip booked.

The post Ice, Ice, Iceland: Podcaster Kit Parks & Active Travel Adventures Talk Globe-Tölting with Active Riding Trips Adventurer, Ruth Hooten appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Explore Ireland by Horseback! Active Travel Adventures Podcast with Kit Parks and Avery

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMT

Have you heard our latest podcast feature? We’re thrilled to be guests on a recent episode of the Active Travel Adventures Podcast! Our client, Avery, joined host Kit Parks to share her experience on our Galway and Clare Trail Ride in Ireland . Avery and Kit discussed everything from the riding, to the stay, the food and the friendships formed along the way.

Kit and Avery had a fantastic interview and walked listeners through the Active Riding Trips experience and what to expect when joining us for one of our rides.

We want to extend a special thank you to Avery for sharing her story, and to Kit for featuring Active Riding Trips on her podcast.

The episode can be accessed on any streaming platform, or, by clicking the link below. To learn more about Active Travel Adventures, host Kit Parks, and the episode, please click here .

The post Explore Ireland by Horseback! Active Travel Adventures Podcast with Kit Parks and Avery appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Dressage Paraíso

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:10:00 GMT

World-class dressage awaits at Portugal’s Monte Velho Equo-Resort and Lusitano Stud Farm
Reprinted from the July/August 2022 issue of USDF Connection magazine
By L.A. Sokolowski

Dressage Paraiso

Download

The post Dressage Paraíso appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Equine America: Out of Africa Horseback Experience | ART

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below to read this amazing article about Active Riding Trips on EQuine AMerica Magazine:

Don’t Cheetah Yourself Out of This “Out Of Africa” Experience
by L.A. Sokolowski

The post EQuine AMerica Magazine – Don’t Cheetah Yourself Out of This “Out Of Africa” Experience appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Your Trip is Too Important to Do it Alone

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Your Trip is Too Important to Do it Alone
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/your-trip-is-too-important-to-do-it-alone

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Your Trip is Too Important to Do it Alone appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Beyond the Saddle – Active Riding Trips President, Stacey Adams

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Please click the PLAY button below to listen to our conversation with Katie Clinebell on Beyond the Saddle Podcast:

The post Beyond the Saddle – Active Riding Trips President, Stacey Adams appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Elite Equestrian Magazine – His & Hers: John Rosica Rides Away From It All

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Getting off the grid with guide John Rosica in the Sierra Nevada mountains of northern CA. See how this entrepreneur, who globetrots the world by day servicing his defense based communication contracts, cuts the cord and recharges his soul.

Check out this article in Elite Equestrian Magazine below:

(follow this link if the embedded magazine doesn’t load: https://issuu.com/weedy123/docs/elite_equestrian_july_aug_2021_issue_84_pages/32 )

The post Elite Equestrian Magazine – His & Hers: John Rosica Rides Away From It All appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Portugal: Vamos Montar (Let’s Ride)!

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Portugal: Vamos Montar (Let’s Ride)!
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/portugal-vamos-montar-let%E2%80%99s-ride

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Portugal: Vamos Montar (Let’s Ride)! appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

The Plaid Horse Magazine – History, Heroines, & Saving Species: Horseback Vacations That Take the High Road

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Bucket list (and drool worthy) trips of a lifetime – these are the ones you’ll want to add to your list. And more than a few are not just decreasing their carbon footprint (for all the good feels) but you and they are giving back to their own local communities in the best of ways – helping the local economy and the environment.

Check out this Featured article in The Plaid Horse Magazine below:

(follow this link if the embedded magazine doesn’t load: https://issuu.com/theplaidhorsemag/docs/tph0721/82 )

The post The Plaid Horse Magazine – History, Heroines, & Saving Species: Horseback Vacations That Take the High Road appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Eat, Drink & Be Merry Again On An Oregon Coast & Vineyard Ride

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Eat, Drink & Be Merry Again On An Oregon Coast & Vineyard Ride appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Two Stories of Making Mother/Daughter Riding Trip Memories

Thu, 13 May 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Two Stories of Making Mother/Daughter Riding Trip Memories
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/two-stories-of-making-motherdaughter-riding-trip-memories

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Two Stories of Making Mother/Daughter Riding Trip Memories appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Cinco de Mayo Dreaming: Mexico’s Luxury Ranch Range Ride

Thu, 06 May 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Cinco de Mayo Dreaming: Mexico’s Luxury Ranch Range Ride
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/cinco-de-mayo-dreaming-mexico%E2%80%99s-luxury-ranch-range-ride

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Cinco de Mayo Dreaming: Mexico’s Luxury Ranch Range Ride appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Safe Travel, Active Riding: Bespoke Safe Summer Vacations

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Safe Travel, Active Riding: Bespoke Safe Summer Vacations
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/safe-travel-active-riding-bespoke-safe-summer-vacations

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Safe Travel, Active Riding: Bespoke Safe Summer Vacations appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Dressage Today – Dreamy Equestrian Vacations with Stacey Adams

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 06:00:00 GMT

Please click the PLAY button below to join us for a fun chat with our friends at Dressage Today and to learn more about our dressage programs that help you pursue the “perfect movement”:

(follow this link if the podcast player doesn’t load above: https://shows.acast.com/dressage-today-podcast/episodes/season-2-episode-5-dreamy-equestrian-vacations-with-stacey-a )

The post Dressage Today – Dreamy Equestrian Vacations with Stacey Adams appeared first on Active Riding Trips.

StreamHorseTV Blog – It’s Women’s History Month: Ride Your Way to Your Inner Cowgirl

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

It’s Women’s History Month: Ride Your Way to Your Inner Cowgirl
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/it%E2%80%99s-women%E2%80%99s-history-month-ride-your-way-to-your-inner-cowgirl

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – It’s Women’s History Month: Ride Your Way to Your Inner Cowgir l appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – Slow Travel, Active Riding: The South of France

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Slow Travel, Active Riding: The South of France
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/slow-travel-active-riding-the-south-of-france

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – Slow Travel, Active Riding: The South of France appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

StreamHorseTV Blog – A Montana Ranch Trip is the Spiritual Reset You Need

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/a-montana-ranch-trip-is-the-spiritual-reset-you-need

The post StreamHorseTV Blog – A Montana Ranch Trip is the Spiritual Reset You Need appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

‘TIS THE SEASON

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 14:32:00 GMT

NO MATTER WHAT HOLIDAY YOU CELEBRATE, I’D LIKE TO WISH YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

As I look back on the past year, it’s been one of great blessings in the midst of utter chaos. And I feel truly and utterly grateful for so many things:

Each of you – your continued calls, emails, Facebook posts and Instagram comments.
The strength, resilience and continued collaboration of our partners.
The health of my family near and far.
These two silly, lovable beasts that make up my own fur baby family.
The incredible ability to still be in business despite the circumstances of this year.
The chance to look forward to 2021.
How fortunate I am to share my life with you – and to share in yours.
The ability to dream with you of incredible places that will fill up your memory banks.
The smell of my horse.
The feel of the wind on my face as we canter through the field.
A solid roof over my head (even though it’s a small one).
All the great new recipes I discovered when dining “in” was the only option.
How good it felt at times, to truly laugh – from my belly – even when COVID continued to batter us and try to beat us down.
The chance to grieve with you on the agonizing loss of loved ones, family members and beloved pets (and 2020 took some of the really good ones……).
How we all grew closer and championed each others causes and achievements.
That we can keep putting one foot in front of the other.
The chance to (still) celebrate the holidays, even though it will be with FaceTime this year.

2019 was an epic year, one of Active Riding Trips best ever. So when 2020 started, I was geared up for another banner year with all of you. And having lived in this biz through 9/11, through hoof and mouth, through SARS and MERS as well as any manner of other travel snafus, I truly thought “this will pass”.

But it didn’t. And then the days came when I just sat in stunned disbelief as every single wonderful place I’d known and loved to ride from Portugal to Peru, Australia to Avignon, began shutting down. And people were suffering. And the days were dark. And I wondered for a brief moment if we should just close.

But I was healthy, I still had tons of energy left to work – but what could I do? No one could travel – anywhere.

So, head into the wind, I stood back up and we kept moving – we kept on doing what we do best:

Getting our facilities out in front of magazine editors for features (thanks Elite Equestrian, Untacked and Chrome)
We kept on churning out social media content
We forged new partnerships (Have you seen what Kerrits has done for us? Or our new alliance with StreamhorseTV? Or some of the podcasts we’ve been on?)
We updated the website.
We helped you plan fun birthday, anniversary and friend trips for 2021.
We began finalizing a few new trips for the site (hello Transylvania…..)
We kept on keeping on – and you rallied around us!

So this holiday season, wherever it finds you in your own personal and/or professional journey, let me say to you that I’m grateful to overflowing to be able to have a few minutes of time with you here, virtually connected as you read this.

And as my healthy 89 year old father always says when talking to God, I’m grateful that things are as well with us as they are. If you think about it, that’s pretty amazing in itself.

Until we saddle up together in 2021, stay well! And stay in touch, please!

Stacey

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StreamHorseTV Blog – Horseback Vacation Tips & Deals with Active Riding Trips

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 17:00:00 GMT

Please click the link below for my latest featured blogger article on StreamHorseTV:

Horseback Vacation Tips & Deals with Active Riding Trips
by: Stacey Adams

https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/horseback-vacation-tips-deals-with-active-riding-trips

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Active Riding Trips Promises StreamHorseTV Viewers Smart Advice & Globetrotting Fun Around the World

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Active Riding Trips founder and travel expert Stacey Adams is sharing travel advice, tips and stories from horseback riding experiences around the world as a featured blogger for StreamHorseTV , the premier centralized live stream, replay, entertainment and education directory for all international disciplines, sports, and events.

Horseback Vacation Tips & Deals with Active Riding Trips went live December 5

“There isn’t a vacation on my 17-nations tour list that I can’t speak to firsthand. I know each region. Each host is a personal friend. I get to know each ride, so we can help match your skill as a rider to the right horse and the best ride for you,” she said in her inaugural invitation to StreamHorseTV viewers. “What we’re facing now won’t last forever. I’m really looking forward to regularly sharing stories from behind the adventures.”

A travel expert, avid equestrian, and hiker with two decades experience in the adventure travel business, Stacey has made Active Riding Trips the leading provider of curated horseback adventures, and she is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm and helping others find their own perfect active riding trip.

StreamHorseTV was launched in 2014 to make equestrian live streams more accessible. Unlike other sports, equestrian governing bodies have not regulated or consolidated the streaming of events, resulting in a confusing array of platforms. StreamHorseTV is a free access, no subscription-needed platform featuring a table of events, links to live streams, educational video archive, and blogs by experts.

Follow StreamHorseTV on…

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Active Riding Trips COVID-19 Policy

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 18:00:00 GMT

Active Riding Trips COVID-19 Policy

Concerned about booking a trip in light of the pandemic? Here’s your true peace of mind and
the nitty gritty on how you can book with confidence and keep the dream alive and well while we
await the vaccine.

If you just “want” to change dates/trips (non pandemic related)
Check out our existing terms and conditions , but here’s the summary for you – we’ve always
allowed folks the ability to change either their ride or their departure date (for the same ride) up
to 60 days prior to the booked ride. In the past, we’ve had a $200.00 amendment fee, however,
in light of the pandemic, we’ve waived that fee until June 30, 2021.

***Note: if you opt to move your dates to the next calendar year, any ride price increases may
apply.

What happens if ART moves my ride?
It’s super unlikely that we would need to move/cancel a ride on which you are booked. BUT,
these are new and strange times, so we thought best to have a “plan”. In the event we have to
ask you to move your dates or cancel your ride, your deposit and any additional monies paid are
still 100% safe. No additional fees will be assessed (no change fee and no liability for any price
increase if moved to the next calendar year). Essentially, you’ll have all the flexibility you need
to pick dates that work best for you.

Why won’t you receive an actual refund?
Monies we receive from you are sent onward to your riding host so that your space is confirmed
and taken off the open market. Many times, you’ve paid us in USD and we are paying your
guide in their local currency. Because there is a conversion rate, often when factored in twice
(sending the money out and then receiving it back in house) does not make it an even transfer
as the currencies fluctuate daily.

Additionally, your deposits and payments directly support a valuable small business outfit – if
you’ve ridden with us before, you know many are family owned and run. Your deposits and
payments literally feed the horses you’ll ride and pay the staff onsite before and during your
ride.

Finally, we have always only asked for a $500.00 deposit from you (there are three trips that
require a higher deposit). And because you may not be traveling for a year in the future, this
deposit is nonrefundable. It allows us to pay your deposit to the guide, and cover a small
portion of our own expenses onsite. For all of that, we thank you! And because of that, we’ve
tried to be fair in assuming any overhead expense on our end in the event you/we need to make
a change during this time while still protecting the investment you’ve made with us and honoring
your trust.

What about flight and government restrictions that affect my trip?
Here’s hoping that situation continues to improve – BUT – if you find that you are not allowed to
travel due to the pandemic, your deposits/payments are completely safe, and you may select
new dates with no change fees. Like your guides onsite, we too are a small business. And your
excitement and satisfaction are the lynchpin of our success so we always try to go over and
above to be sure we’ve earned it.

Anything else you should consider?
If you follow us on social media, you’ve heard us say many times – please (PLEASE) take out a
travel insurance policy. The cost of the policy compared to the value you receive if you need to
use it – truly a Win-Win. One note on this, you’ve likely followed along on this topic and now
see that these policies don’t cover pandemics. And while we hope nothing like this ever
happens again, we still say that a travel insurance policy is just “good planning”. It brings so
many other great benefits to your advantage. And if you had a trip booked with us in 2020,
you’ve seen firsthand how both our partners and we worked very hard to be sure you didn’t lose
a single dollar of your precious investment.

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COVID-19 and Should You Travel?

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 20:18:00 GMT

In case you don’t follow us on Facebook , last week Stacey issued a ten minute video on travel advisories, warmings and COVID-19 (she thought it was pretty slick that once she did this, others very quickly followed suit so we just want to recap it here. (You may view the video HERE .)

FIRST – What is a Travel Advisory?
Travel Advisories are issued by the U.S. State Department – you can see all this info HERE . They come in four levels:

Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.

Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

Level 3 – Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

Level 4 – Do Not Travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

THIRD – What do the actual numbers look like?
This is ever evolving as new cases are reported. BUT – here’s a good site showing “the numbers” by country – AND also showing recovery rates. Just because a person has been diagnosed is not a death sentence – and better – they pose no threat after they’ve recovered.

Make no mistake, we aren’t taking this lightly and are monitoring the information daily, often throughout the day.

We feel exceptionally lucky to be in the demographic that does not put us at high risk – but if you do not feel that way, or are concerned about your trip, please CALL US or reach out.

This isn’t our first rodeo – We’ve been working with you through 9/11, SARS, MERS. H1N1 (that one in particular had 12,000 deaths in the USA), homegrown terrorism, floods, droughts, you name it – and our sole focus is to help you make the best decision possible with regard to your sacred vacation time.

In so doing, we are also monitoring other professional recommendations, and in particular, Condé Nast Traveler also has some very valuable resources, in particular Coronavirus Travel: Ten Steps to Follow Before Rethinking Your Plans .

As good horse folks, let’s do what we do best – assess the current situation, monitor it, and keep riding as best we can!

If you’d like to speak to Stacey directly, please feel free to reach out via this websites Contact Form or 800.973.3221.

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EQluxe Magazine Summer 2019 – Gleneagles – a luxury trip back in time…. but with all of the amenities.

Mon, 08 Jul 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Gleneagles – a luxury trip back in time….but with all of the amenities.
written by Stacey Adams of Active Riding Trips

Check out this article in EQ luxe Magazine below, pages 64 through 67:

follow this link if the embedded magazine doesn’t load:
https://issuu.com/bisousmagazine/docs/eq_summer_2019_web/64

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Happy Summer and Ride for Pink(TM)

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 14:00:00 GMT

Debra is a physician’s assistant, horse lover and survivor of a double mastectomy and she came up with the BRILLIANT idea to offer getaways that would be especially restorative and unifying for individuals and their loved ones who are living with a cancer diagnosis.

One is along the Tennessee Smoky Mountains and the other takes you to the beaches of Connemara, Ireland.

Plus… 10% of each trip will go to the American Cancer Society. So you’re not only exercising good self-care as a warrior or a caretaker, and connecting with others who have shared the same experiences, you’re ensuring that the organization on the front lines of this disease remains empowered to do the work and research it needs. Pretty great idea, huh? (Thanks, Debra!)

So… I chose two places – Curra Farm in County Galway, Ireland, and the Gannon family’s French Broad Outpost Ranch in Tennessee – because both offer such exceptional and restorative environments. Each offers a safe place and comfortable setting, where there will be spaces that afford guests the chance to sit and chat or share stories, ride or work around horses, and share in communal activities or tours.

They just felt “right” to me. So I really hope they feel right to you, too.

So here’s the deal…

Curra Farm is winner of ‘Best Travel Experience’ in Equestrian Living Magazine’s Gold List, and a 2015 runner-up for best Irish Independent & Zurich Equestrian Farmer of the Year. It promises a therapeutic and revitalizing experience including equine therapy with Horse Connect facilitators, lakeside yoga with Tuam Cancer Care, sip and paint with equine artist Leonie Sutton, and an afternoon of 16 ^th century storytelling at Aughnanure Castle and Kylemore Abbey. And you’ll fall in love with the horses (of course).

Laughter is the best medicine, and everyone who is brave enough to wake up each day and keep fighting deserves a place where they can be not only in the company of others sharing the same experience, but in the non-judgmental company of horses, too.

Why is this important to us here? How could it not be? Breast cancer is the second-most common cancer in American women (behind skin cancer) and second only to lung cancer in killing more women annually. The American Cancer Society estimates this year there will be over 268,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women and 2,600 in men; almost 63,000 carcinomas in situ (CIS) the earliest form of breast cancer; and more than 42,000 deaths (women and men) from breast cancer.

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How to Pick a Trip – 5 Simple Steps

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 15:00:00 GMT

Holy Wow – welcome to 2019 – and it’s 2/3 of the way through January!!!! SO amazing!

This time of year is always the best for us, we are frantic trying to keep up with all the inquiries, calls, FB messages, Insta DMs, etc. It’s true – once the holidays are over, the floodgates open and it’s time to plan summer travel – and we love it! (even if we are drowning a bit at times……)

For those that have taken trips in the past, you have a pretty good idea already of ones that piqued your interest for this year, and of course, we’ve added new trips.

For those that are new to the idea of a horseback riding vacation, the biggest hurdle always seems to be, “how can I pick a trip”? So let’s make this uber easy for you in 5 simple steps.

Step 1: What sort of ride interests you?

This is the perfect place to start – it narrows the options fairly quickly – check it out:

Are you interested in a trail ride or a training (lesson) vacation?
1. Trail riding vacations give you the chance to see places you’ve not seen yet, experience new cultures/areas and all with knowledgeable guides to escort you every step of the way.
2. Lesson vacations allow you to a) hone your skills, b) work through a developmental process and c) take your riding to the next level – all on a safe horse – one that allows you to practice so you can go home and then put it into work with your own horse.
If you opt for a trail riding vacation – do you want a stationary or progressive (point to point) ride? Some thoughts to consider –
1. Stationary rides allow you to unpack for the week and “settle in”.
2. Progressive rides allow you to cover a very good amount of ground in a week.

Step 2: What type of rider are you?

Spend a few minutes deciding (and be honest) if you are a conservative rider and want a trip on a “steady eddie” type of horse that you just relax and enjoy the scenery, or if you are a more aggressive rider and want a bit more action in your week. This applies to both trail and lesson programs – they can both be as engaging and challenging (or not) as you prefer. ***and of course there is always the “in between those two spectrums” type of rider.

Step 3: Determine how far you are willing to travel

Not willing to leave the USA – no problem! Within the USA are you willing to fly or must a trip be in driveable distance?

But if you are willing to leave the USA, how long do you mind to travel before it becomes “too much time on a plane/train/etc.”. Vacations are meant to be fun and for you to come home energized – not wiped out from just “getting there”.

Step 4: How homogenous does your destination have to be with you?

(My first boss would have chastised me here for using a word with more than three syllables – thank goodness we’ve come a long way!)

This is an important question – it gets to how comfy you are being around or in places that are different than your own comfort zone. And you don’t have to go out of the country to experience it – as a northeastern gal, I used to find it difficult to visit my family in the south as everything seemed to move a bit slower (and I had to keep repeating myself as they felt I spoke too fast).

And on that point, I’ve experienced folks with such heavy local accents (here in the USA) that I struggled to understand what was being said (that had to be the karma from my aforementioned family visits coming back my way, LOL).

So does it bother you if the pace is different?
Do you mind to be in a place where English is not (or rarely) spoken?
Is being in a rural environment relaxing or stressful for you?
Do you have to have WiFi all the time?

Be honest here and add your own “have to have” items – it’s essential to feeling comfortable in your destination of choice which allows you to have the best ride possible.

Step 5: What does your ideal vacation look/feel like?

Take a few minutes and jot it down – it can be single words, phrases or entire sentences – but if you can identify what warms your heart, what it is that starts to make you smile just by thinking about it – those are the keys to look for on any trip, and especially a riding trip.

Is it making new friends?
Going to a warm weather destination? (or vice versa for our FL peeps)
Seeing new places?
Learning about new cultures?
Riding different breeds?
Fulfilling that dream of riding on a beach?
Staying in luxury accommodations?
Feeling the wind in your hair and on your face?

Only you know what “makes it” for you – that magical combination of elements that make you say “that was the BEST trip ever”. If you can identify them, you can recreate them.

I promise.

The beauty of an equestrian vacation is that it allows you to be in charge of creating your own perfect trip – one worthy of your hard work to save and plan for it. And it’s our job to help you find the right one. Answering these questions gives us the framework we need to offer you some amazing options to consider.

C’mon – let us help!

**Call 800.973.3221 or to speak to us today or email us at info@activetravelinc.com

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Holiday Well Wishes to All of You

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 15:00:00 GMT

From our email newsletter published Dec. 24, 2018

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season.

It’s a privilege each year to have one chance to write to you directly – with no “special offer” or no new trip with which to try and tempt your wanderlust. One of my favorite times of the year is now – when I have the chance to work a little bit less, relax with family and look to social media to celebrate you doing the same. That you open your lives, homes and experiences to share them with me is a gift better than any.

That we, near each other or far, can celebrate, cry, laugh, rant and encourage each other is what really makes me happy in my soul. You know, that deep down part, the part that sustains me when life is rocky in my world. And your words, emails, texts and willingness to call, chime in or chat are what make this job and this company the BEST “job” I’ve ever had.

The holidays are fickle, no? Some of us are celebrating with new family members this year. Others are celebrating without some, so it can be a bit bittersweet.

I hope that no matter which is your lot, you are able to hold those amazing, sweet and wonderful memories close. And keep speaking the names and telling the stories of those not here – it keeps them ever present in your midst.

We had the (very) lucky chance to take a 2 week trip with my parents and my brother and sister-in-law to Italy. It was beyond fun – we laughed, we ate, we drank, we cried, we celebrated the chance to be together. And while we lost my parents beloved dog Dalia during our trip (unexpected), we did what families do and hugged, posted photos and raised more than a few glasses in her honor.

I love that some of you have new equine partners this year. And my heart breaks for those of you that lost dear ones. How truly blessed we are that they offer themselves to us and show us such amazing adventures. May it be many more for Cinemax and I as well as for you!

For those that I’m friends with on Facebook and also on Instagram – you know how much Mickey entertains us – he’s a goof, runs like the wind, has two speeds (on and off) and is sweet beyond. We feel lucky to have found him, though as is often the case with a rescue – we can’t quite determine if we rescued him or if he rescued us. He’s a blessing.

And if we aren’t connected on Social Media – please let’s get that fixed ASAP (see the links below)!

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Meet the Guide – Didier Simonot – Provence, France

Wed, 02 May 2018 14:00:00 GMT

The next issue of our ongoing series to introduce you to our guides – those incredible folk that work hard to make your vacation the best week of your year.

How long have you been running horse riding holidays?
30 years !

And what was the background, history, reason for starting?
I started to ride when I wad 7 years old. I rode in an arena in a riding school until the age of 12. At that time, my parents offered me a week trail ride in the South of France (and I did love to travel with horses) and I loved it. I stopped riding in riding schools just turning circles in an arena. When I was 18, I sat for and passed my exam to be a guide. To start, I used to guide trail rides for friends only as I was working in the computer industry. And in 1987, I decided to make my passion my job and created Cap Rando (my company) to organize horseback trips in Provence to share my passion with guests.

How many guest horses do you have?
About 20

Describe your herd of horses.
Our horses are mostly crossed between Arabian and Spanish. They live all the year in a herd which we feel allows riders a group of well balanced horses.

What do you love most about your job guiding?
To share my passion for horses, traveling, and discovering great landscapes rich in history.

What is the most challenging part?
To explain that trail riding needs, of course, a good riding level and a good shape (level of fitness), but that it doesn’t need a lot of years of riding school in order to participate on some easier trail rides. And to convince men that not only women love to travel on horseback! ( Editor’s Note: We heartily agree to that last sentiment! )

Why should people sign up for this ride?
They will discover an exceptional way to visit a country. Horse riding is certainly the best way to approach nature and people. It’s a great opportunity to forget a busy life and to discover the simple life in nature.

Trail rides should be reimbursed by social security avoiding many depressions in people! ( Editor’s Note: We do too!!!! What an amazing idea! )

A tip that every rider must know before signing up for this ride is……
A horseback trip is a combination of many things: horse, tack, guide, accommodations, itinerary, other guests, weather, terrain … One of these, at a moment, may not be what you expected, but all others will overtake your momentary disappointment.

Finish this sentence – Don’t leave home without…
Your willing to explore new countries, new people, and your sense of humor …

What has been the most memorable or significant moment of your guiding career?
Riders crying when leaving them at the airport.

To see the specific rides that Didier hosts, check out more details by clicking on the links here:

Provence Inn to Inn Ride
Mediterranean Inn to Inn Ride
Provence Perched Villages Ride
Lavender Ride
Taste of Provence Ride
New Year’s Eve in France

The post Meet the Guide – Didier Simonot – Provence, France appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Meet the Guide – John Rosica – CA Sierra Nevada Ride

Sat, 17 Mar 2018 14:00:00 GMT

This the second of an ongoing series to introduce you to our guides – those incredible folk that work hard to make your vacation the best week of your year.

How long have you been running horse riding holidays?
Over 10 years now

And what was the background, history, reason for starting?
My love of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Wilderness Areas in the Sierras. My love of Horses and Mules and the ability to take them onto remote backcountry trips and be able to carry enough gear and food to stay and enjoy the location in style.

How many guest horses do you have?
Our outfit has about 180-190 total Horses/Mules that are well trained to ride on the Granite and Trails of Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as transport the gear and personal equipment of the guests safely to and from some very remote locations only accessible by foot or horse/mule.

Describe your herd of horses in 5 words or less.
Tons of personality and good natured/trained.

What is the philosophy or ethos behind your horse riding experiences?
Safe, fun and gentle to the animals and they get to enjoy the destination as much as the guests because they get to run free in high open meadows with lush grass and plenty of running cool water.

What do you love most about your job guiding?
The time I get to spend showing the guests some absolutely AWESOME wilderness locations they might NEVER have the opportunity to see any other way and the opportunity to share it with my Horses and Mules and Dogs too.

What is the most challenging part?
One needs to be in shape to ride a horse on wilderness type trails both mentally and physically but also know that they can TRUST the animal to get them there safely and back.

Why should people sign up for this ride?
It is in many cases a once in a lifetime chance to ride a horse to places you never imagined you would go and stay over night and eat wonderful food in absolutely wonderful scenery.

A tip that every rider must know before signing up for this ride is……
Trust the horse and the mules, they do this all day long in the summer and they will lead you just fine don’t be scared of the terrain these animals are used to it, relax and enjoy the ride.

Finish this sentence – Don’t leave home without …
Your camera

What has been the most memorable or significant moment of your guiding career?
Every time we leave on a trip riding horses sometimes all day to get there

We have an incredible time in true wilderness area. Our food is exceptional, we have a hot shower and tons of fun – come ride with us! See dates and prices here .

The post Meet the Guide – John Rosica – CA Sierra Nevada Ride appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Where Your Treasure Is, There Will Your Heart Be Also

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 14:00:00 GMT

The Ides of March – I always find it a bit bittersweet. March in the northeast is funny, often offering late winter storms with heavy snow that wreaks havoc on trees (and any cars parked under them) followed by 55 degree Spring days showing what lies a few scant days down the calendar road. I’m never sure whether to mourn the loss of any last ski days, begin the mental battle of drudging through 6” Spring mud or eagerly await the balmy halcyon days of summer in NY.

But I find that the undercurrent for all of those thoughts is how I feel in relation to the days of riding. And while I don’t always ride as much in a week as I want, the desire, the soul yearning pull of being at the barn with Cinemax, and then working or riding out with him is the siren song that lifts me up to forget the throes of Mother Nature.

So this all got me to thinking about both my riding and my work.

Confession time – I admit it – I’m in love with my horse and my job (and my husband but that’s for another post).

I think about both of them. All the time.

When I’m at the barn, I’m in a total conversation with Cinemax:

And then he goes on to tell me during the grooming process if he’s stiff or slept funny or stir crazy, etc. He almost never shuts up, in fact.

And on the days that we go out on the trail, and he’s on deer patrol along with Mickey the lab cross that scouts them ahead, I’m often talking to my inner boss about work:

When was the last time I wrote a blog post? What content is interesting for the next one?
How can we keep up the fun sharing and good info on Social Media?
Should we continue to attend trade shows?
Did you see the totally awesome photos that people shared on Facebook from the rides in WY and France and Peru?
When should I follow up on the info sent last week with the group that wants to go to Portugal in 2019?
Are we doing enough for folks as they prepare for their trips?
Don’t forget to check in with the folks going to Ireland to make sure they have the phone numbers they need to take with them.
Remind the two friends gong to Spain to bring sunscreen and bathing suits.
Call the husband and wife that just returned from France to check in on the trip.
Finalize the details on transfers for the new trip getting listed on the site.
Do I really need to contact the person that is using my photos for their own purposes and financial gain? That really sounds so ugly….why can’t we all just get along?
What more can I be doing to help people?
How can we stay in touch with fans but not bombard them with info?
Will we be able to customize the Italy program for that client who wants only 2 days and is traveling with a non rider?

And then we come to a woodland stream and my solid steed interrupts my boss and me:

All the while this other conversation is going on:

And just like that Cinemax steps into the stream, walks the 3 feet across and continues to walk (not jog,not jig) for the remainder of our ride. Like there was never any drama at all. And I can’t remember what I need to do next at work.

And so it goes – the unending things that make me laugh, challenge me, vie for my time and energy, kick my butt, bring me to tears, elicit squeals of delight and generally make me laugh out loud. All the things that that I love the most and that God has so incredibly allowed to be “my life”.

And I love them all.

Even when I can’t see a way “through” all of the questions.

Even when I have to find the peace of “waiting” (That word irritates me).

Even when I toss and turn all night, worried over some client problem or some facility change or that I’ve not been to the barn in 3 days (or more), or when I feel totally like I’m falling behind and not in control of any of it.

I’m lucky enough to have clients that share their lives freely, send me photos of their horses, ask for photos of mine, trust me to recommend trips that will create memories, stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram and by email – just to say “hi”.

And I’m beyond lucky that Cinemax came into my life. And that this former GP show jumper deigns to let me take him out in the countryside; let’s me have his mane to grow out a bit; has figured out how to ride “with” Mickey, not trample him or run from him.

At the end of the day when I’m listing the things I’m grateful for from the day, this business and you – the part that makes it all worth it, this horse and my family – all make it worth every moment, every ounce of energy, every piece of sweat, every tear, every time I snarfed my water or panicked about a deadline, all of it show up on that list.

Every day.

And I’m blessed. Blessed beyond. With a full heart.

The post Where Your Treasure Is, There Will Your Heart Be Also appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Meet the Guides – Bobbi and Mike Wade – WY Wide Open Spaces Ride

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:00:00 GMT

This the first of an ongoing series to introduce you to our guides – those incredible folk that work hard to make your vacation the best week of your year.

Welcome to the land of vast views, iridescent sunsets, wild mustangs, the chance to disconnect, unplug and get back to the things that move your soul. This is the magical place the Wades call home and that they love sharing with folks.

How long have you been running horse riding holidays?
Blue Sky Sage has been in operation for 18 seasons, though our careers in the horseback riding vacation industry in Wyoming have spanned the last 39 years. We worked for other backcountry wilderness outfitters for several years, then created our first company, High Wild & Lonesome LLC in 1988, offering backcountry hunting and pack trip excursions. When we sold that portion of the company in 2000, Blue Sky Sage was born.

And what was the background, history, reason for starting?
Well, we wanted to change course professionally, and identified a new market niche: women only riding weeks. Our company was one of the very first horse riding holiday companies to recognize the women’s market. And, after 23+ years of guiding hunters and riding horses with inexperienced riders, we wanted to get back to the kind of riding we did on the ranch when we were kids, with more action and freedom to move out and not be confined to a single-file trail.

How many guest horses do you have?
We maintain a seasonal cavvy of 20-22 head of horses. We lease most of our herd, and the really good horses return to us every season. Each spring we spend a week with our horse lease vendor right at his ranch, where he has a corral of about 100 head of new horses for us to go through and evaluate to see if they can make it onto the Blue Sky Sage team. The interview process and qualifications to become a Blue Sky Sage horse are pretty stringent!

Describe your herd of horses in 5 words or less.
Well-mannered, well cared for, FORGIVING.

What is the philosophy or ethos behind your horse riding experiences?
There are a lot of things you can’t get out here (Egyptian cotton sheets, spa treatments, wine-tasting tours, posh luxury accommodations) – there are a few things here you can get nowhere else (the opportunity to ride free in Wyoming’s wide-open spaces, being personally guided every day by one or both of us, small groups of only SIX RIDERS PER WEEK, hands-on horsemanship, “off the grid” simple luxury in a full-service camp that has everything you need to be comfortable, without the distractions of smart devices, cell phones, television, tennis courts, I could go on . . . ) If you are willing to open yourself up to the possibilities, and a little bit of challenge, these good horses, the wild country, and yes, us and our staff will set things up for you to do have fun, learn, and grow.

What do you love most about your job (guiding/instructing)?
When we are riding back to camp late in the afternoon, or when we’re on a good lope, and I hear people behind me laughing out loud in pure joy, that just makes me smile. It’s also rewarding when the light goes on with someone regarding a little aspect of horsemanship that we’ve been able to help them learn.

What is the most challenging part?
The occasional person who shows up with an agenda that doesn’t mesh with what we are trying to offer here. Someone who was not honest about their true motives for wanting to participate makes it difficult for the staff and the other guests. Fortunately we have not had too many people like that. And I will say too, if people are not physically fit and skilled enough, yet they want to trot or lope, we have to tell them the hard truth and protect our horses.

Why should people sign up for this ride?
First of all, it’s the “real deal”. We have spent our entire lives riding in Wyoming, and our entire career has been dedicated to sharing an authentic, safe, and fun experience to our guests. Secondly, this adventure offers every guest the chance to be challenged a little bit, to ride good, solid, well-mannered horses that offer themselves up to the rider to learn from them. And you can retreat from your day-to-day life and reconnect with your spirit out here, away from the distractions.

A tip that every rider must know before signing up for this ride is……
If you cannot CORRECTLY post a trot for a few hundred yards (meaning you are in rhythm with the horse and not bouncing on the back at all) you will not be trotting or loping (cantering).

Finish this sentence – Don’t leave home without …
A good pair of riding boots that are broken in, and have a genuine riding heel at least 1” tall. Those combination riding/walking shoes are not very safe in the stirrup

What has been the most memorable or significant moment of your guiding/teaching career?
There have been so many – one woman told us that after she returned home from her week, she was able to summon up the courage to leave a verbally abusive relationship that was headed to physical violence for her and her young son. Other women have shared later that the chance to move out at a lope across the country was the most exciting and fulfilling thing they had ever accomplished. And there have been so many tears of joy and awe shed when people have experienced the wild horses coming up with just a hundred yards of our saddle horses out in the high desert, well it is both satisfying and humbling for us.

Anything else you would like to add?
The fences are few and far between, civilization is a long way off, and the freedom to ride is limited only by your desire. We ride good horses, we have a lot of fun, and no one ever leaves thinking they have not had enough time in the saddle – at least until they come back!

The post Meet the Guides – Bobbi and Mike Wade – WY Wide Open Spaces Ride appeared first on Active Riding Trips .

Buying Airfare – the Art of Comparing Apples and Oranges

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 15:00:00 GMT

I’ve decided that buying airfare in 2018 is a bit like trying to prepare your own taxes. It requires time, patience, the need for good glasses to read the fine print and a large dose of hope that when you click “purchase” you’ve actually bought what you need.

In the old days, buying airfare was easy – I just called my travel agent and she handled everything. (boy do I miss those days!)

In the days since then, with the internet it became very easy to shop around all on your own and buy at what you felt was a good price.

But today, buyer beware is the true order of the day. What you may think is a fair price is only a small portion of what you need to pay in the long run. And it seems like you get emails every day with “Great Low Fare” notices.

So let’s take a look at this in more detail. We’ll use these two examples:

Example 1: International Travel

BUT – what about baggage fees? And what are the seats like, will you need extra room? Can you select your seat? All of the above fares are in basic economy . And this is the kicker – the fine print is all important.

Here’s what it means for the fares above:

But wait – you say! “I’ve heard of great deals to Europe on the new WOW Airline”.

Yes. You have.

How do they stack up? See for yourself:

FIRST – you have to add a night as they do not fly on the 24 ^th . So now, you need to add a hotel room.

So hmmm, where are those low low fares???? The ones advertised at $350.00 round trip…..

I couldn’t find them. And the catch is, they only have to have just a very few seats available at those fares, so if you don’t buy immediately, you’ll likely never see them again.

AND – the above fares are only for your seat and 1 carry on item that must fit under your seat. You are not allowed any overhead bin space.

What happens if you want to check a bag or reserve a seat?

Oh – and I failed to mention that both flights have a stop over in Reykjavik – with a layover of 12 hours average.

So much for a bargain flight! But it did get me to spend about 30+ minutes on their site looking at different dates and routes…….arghhhhh!

Ok, let’s move on to the next scenario.

Example 2: Domestic Travel

So that’s not so bad, right? All non stop. All from more local airports.

But that’s not the final price. No surprise, right?

Here’s the real deal:

So how can you save a HUGE amount of time when checking all this out for yourself and planning your next trip? Here’s my best recommendation:

First, use sites like www.momondo.com , www.kayak.com or www.expedia.com to scope out airfares and see base pricing. (I was recently shown this site for airfare deals: https://scottscheapflights.com/ but I’m not very enthused. To get the really great alerts it’s a pay for service.)

Second, check out the baggage and seat pricing fees here

Third, be sure to watch the fares and track them over a period of time – see how they change to give yourself peace of mind when you finally do “book ‘em”.

And then, you can get on with the fun part planning what to bring and deciding if you’ll extend your trip, etc.

Happy Travels! I’ll try to keep more info like this coming.

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Happy Holidays and Well Wishes for 2018

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:00:00 GMT

[Cinemax – As featured in The Chronicle of the Horse annual Holiday Pets Gallery
Photo Credit: Capturing Moments by Carol Pedersen]

Wishing you and your families (all of them) a peaceful season and magical New Year.

I have quite a few friends that subscribe to the idea of choosing a word to be the theme for their upcoming year – a different take on a New Year’s resolution . And while I think this is a totally cool idea, my typical day thwarts that almost from the outset.

They often start out so well – I get up early, work out, check email and connect with my partners in Europe, maybe do a partial load of laundry, shower, grab a quick bite and some coffee and head out the door by 7:30AM.

And then I find that the car is low on gas (because I was too behind yesterday to fill it up), and I don’t have the time to stop (but I have to) because I have a conference call at 8AM and it takes me 25 minutes to get to the office.

My days are I’m sure like yours. They are strategically structured to get all I have to do, “done”, and done in time for me to get to the barn no later than 6PM so that I can get home by 7:30 or 8PM so Will and I can at least have a small meal together before collapsing into bed.

So picking a “word” and trying to focus on it – well – I’m lucky to remember to grab some extra salad at the store on the way home if we are having grilled chicken over salad for dinner. I’d lose my word in a matter of minutes, much less days.

But I like this idea. So I’ve chosen to do it in reverse (go figure). In thinking about 2017, I’m overwhelmed at some of the experiences that made my year. And in relaxing and reflecting, my word for 2017 is THANKFULNESS. Specifically, I’m thankful for:

Healthy parents and in laws – ranging in age from 78-86 between the four of them, every day is a gift. That they are all healthy and active – that’s just more than I can adequately put into words.

An amazing partner in crime in Will – any man that doesn’t ask too many questions and encourages me to travel (without him on these fantastic trips), ride more, chase my dreams and the best of all – thinks that my

Adding Mickey to our family – our crazy, funny, cute, can’t seem to run enough ever – lab cross, to the mix. There isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t make me laugh out loud.

And if you and I are friends on Facebook, you’ve seen the videos of him which I post regularly – he’s a hoot! (If we aren’t friends on Facebook, friend me (or tell me how to friend you) – Stacey Adams, Stanfordville, NY).

Having the regular opportunity to ride Cinemax on some of the most gorgeous terrain in the USA – and it’s not that I’m partial because I live here – this is what keeps me living here in NY, the trails and views are breathtaking.

In that same thread – so thankful for those of you that already have me signed up for Scotland in 2019 – if anyone else wants to join in, email me! (and here’s a sneak peek – I’m also planning a trip to South Africa in the early part of 2019 – any takers?)

I’ve also lost a couple of friends this year, they’ve graduated to all the great rides that come after this life. But the deepness of the sorrow is equal to the incredible impact and the volume of love I had for them. I’m ever thankful they were a part of my life (and will always be so).

And not at all the least of this list, thank you to each of you. Thank you for trusting us to provide a wonderful experience, for traveling this year or in other years, but most of all, for staying connected. You are what make me smile every single day as I think about our connections.

Whatever you are doing this holiday season – whether you are at home, have traveled home or are far away from home – I wish you a peaceful and lovely season. Hug the ones you are with, step back and take a mental photo of the moments so you can recall them in the future. Smile more, at everyone you see, sometimes that’s all a person needs in this chaotic time. Sit and look at some holiday lights with a nice beverage of choice, you’ve earned it. Sing at least one carol – even if it’s only to the radio in your car.
And know how much you matter to me and an entire host of others, some of whom you may not even realize.

All of my very best now and always. And my eternal thanks for sharing your lives and being a part of mine.

Stacey

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Our Top Tips to Ease Travel Planning

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 14:00:00 GMT

People often ask us what sources we recommend for purchasing flights, how we handle long haul flights, should they rent a car for spending extra days and a myriad of other questions. So with that in mind, I want to share some of the things we recommend (and also personally use) when planning our own travel.

We save for vacation like everyone else – so what we spend matters – it affects if we’ll be able to spend any extra days and if so, what we can see and where we can stay (do we need a rented room in an Airbnb or can we afford a hotel, for example). Our goal is always to get the most from our vacation fund while maximizing our experiences in as safe a way as possible. Here’s our basic “go to” list:

WE PLAN AHEAD
When purchasing our airline tickets we never (if we can help it) purchase them under the two month window. Industry trends are still indicating that the best windows for airfares are 54 days out or longer. And we use sites like these to check and track (be sure to sign up for fare alerts) airfares prior to purchasing them:

(and a nice perk – planning ahead gives you more time to look forward to the trip!)

WE CHECK INTERNATIONAL SITES
If you are traveling out of the country, after we checked the above sites, we then go to the international sites. It’s a good investment of a few minutes of your time as sometimes they have better rates.

COMFORT IS KING
When flying anywhere over three hours, we don’t skimp on comfort, especially when it comes to our legroom. But get the facts first. We use SeatGuru to check the seat sizes on the plane fare we’ve booked. And Yes We Do go back and buy a premium seat if it means another 3” of space. If we can’t comfortably extend our legs under the seat in front of us because our knees are hitting the back of the seat (thank you not at all seat pitch of 30”!) we will feel it all the way up to our cramped neck muscles. That’s not how we want to start (or end) our vacation.

WE DON’T WASTE TIME WAITING IN LINE
If you follow us on Facebook (Active Riding Trips – Equestrian Vacations) you’ve likely seen us mention this frequently. Do yourself a favor and buy (yes buy) Global Entry for $100.00 (for a 5 year subscription). It’s worth EVERY penny if you fly.But if you really can’t stomach the $100.00 fee go ahead and spring for TSA pre check at $85.00 for the same 5 year subscription. Why on earth, in today’s airport crowd craziness, would you want to stand for over an hour in a security line when you can just breeze on through and get to your gate (or the lounge)?

WE DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
Travel is by its own nature, stressful. You can hit unexpected traffic en route to the airport, flights can be delayed (and if you have connecting flights, let your Secret deodorant go to work post haste) and staying connected with folks back home can be EXPENSIVE. Our favorite “go to”: WhatsApp It’s FREE and you can send text, photo of video messages to folks back home without incurring all the data charges.

So the next time you are planning a trip, even if it’s not a riding trip (gasp! Say it isn’t so!) check out some of the resources listed above – they have saved us Money, Time and allowed us to go on our merry vacation way feeling confident in our plans.

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Thoughts on the (travel) world today (2017)

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 14:00:00 GMT

When I was a kid (and even a young adult) you could go meet your out of town relatives and friends at the airport upon arrival – at the gate (gasp!). Some of you (of a certain age) will recall how easy this was – you just walked into the airport and moseyed on down to the arrival gate and as soon as they emerged from the jetway, it was all hugs and kisses and heading to baggage claim together.

Some of you reading this will simply not be able to picture this – you have no idea what I’m talking about here. But then again, you would also be the ones that never took a flight that had a smoking section (yes, that’s true – you used to be able to smoke on planes and each seat had an ashtray in the armrest).

But we are decades ahead of that now. And I want to spend a few minutes chatting about the state of the world, travel and more than that – safety.

The world has evolved and in most ways with marvelous improvements – computers, cell phones, the internet (and for the men out there – TV remote contols, LOL). And the more we have great advances like these, the ones that make our lives better, the more we look forward to “more” or “faster”.

But one thing some of these advances have impeded, is our ability to be aware of our surroundings. How often do you see people walking with their nose buried in their phones? Or walking/jogging with headphones on?

And add to that that the world had changed. Now, there are truly nefarious people out there that are intent on destruction and causing mass mayhem, damage and instilling fear.

But some things have not changed – we’ve just gotten lulled into a sense of security. Like working around a horse you’ve owned all it’s life and that you know intimately – sometimes we can get “casual” in the way we operate, which can open the door for an injury – even by no fault of your reliable horse – things can just “happen”.

So what’s my point about this and how does it relate to the state of the world?

I spend a lot of time speaking to folks about the safety on our rides. How are we are extremely picky about the horses – that they are healthy, that they have pleasant demeanors, that they are well taken care of, that they are fun to ride (not duds) – but also about the safety of the guides – that they are qualified, that they don’t put you in bad situations, etc.

And even with that – sometimes things happen. Sometimes even the best, most laid back horses spook, or trip, sometimes the trail has a fallen tree since the last week and riders have to go off trail to get around (or, like the ride I took in Seville a few years back when they had R-A-I-N. I mean they had 100% of the annual rainfall in one week – so we had to ride through water up to the horses’ chests at times!) Things happen. They just do.

And just yesterday, the world saw again how things “happen” – but this time intentionally – and our hearts go out to the people in London. With the seeming uptick in nefarious activity around the world (has it really increased or does our instant access to news only raise our awareness to these events? I wonder.), the world looks more and more like a dangerous place.

And we get this question a lot also. Is it safe to travel to (fill in the blank “city”)?

And my answer is unequivocally YES and I’ll elaborate.

You are absolutely no less safe traveling to any city in our cache than you are in any major city in your home state. And in fact, on the riding vacations, you are actually a good amount more safe as they are all conducted in the countryside – away from the major tourist attractions. BUT – and let’s be honest – the main source of travel fear is not so much that you’ll travel to Madrid or London or Paris (all places that have been victimized by terror attacks) and find yourself in the midst of chaos – it’s more that you’ll be far away from home, in a foreign land. And afraid.

And being afraid does not make for a good vacation or travel experience.

And I know you can’t “reason” your way out of fear (if you want to see this in action just be sure to put the smallest of spiders anywhere in my proximity and just wait for me to notice it.) (this includes Daddy Long Legs)

And facts don’t conquer fear – for example, here are the Top 10 Most Likely Ways to Die (according to Marketwatch):

10. Suicide
9. Kidney Disease
8. Influenza
7. Diabetes
6. Alzheimer’s
5. Stroke
4. Accident (falls, auto/transport related)
3. Lower Respiratory Disease
2, Cancer
1. Heart Disease

No where on this list are the things that strike terror in us like airplane turbulence or a runaway horse. In fact, many of the items on the list can be positively impacted (but not completely alleviated given genetics) by lifestyle changes.

So what do you do?

If your horse bolts and runs away with you, do you get back on and try again? Most folks do, even with trepidation. But what about travel, that’s how I started this missive, after all. What do you do when it comes to travel and the crazy people in the world, bent on harming any and all they can?

In the end, you do what ever it is that helps you feel most comfortable and least afraid – that’s just smart.

But it’s a choice. Just like mounting back up after a fall.

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Wishing you the Best of All things this Holiday Season and in 2017

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 15:00:00 GMT

My grandmother used to always bemoan how fast time flies and the passing of the years and I could never understand – until the last few years. I have to laugh now – as both she and my mother are often right (but please don’t tell my mom I actually admitted it out loud). This has been a fleeting year, to be sure.

And like most years, it’s filled with both highs and lows.

We kicked off the year by celebrating Will’s 50th birthday in Ireland and Scotland (and it was news to me that you could actually go to Ireland and not ride a horse – SO bizarre).

In February I had the amazing blessing to find Cinemax, my new equine partner in crime. It’s been a riot getting to know him. A former show jumper, he’s been a fun project when it comes to introducing him to trail riding with all of its variety – and his funny reactions – deer in the woods (holy cow, what’s that???), wild turkeys in the woods (Holy S&%T – what’s the deal with them flying up into the trees above my head?????), cows in the next pasture across the street (No EFFing Way – WE ARE NOT going over there!).

We sent our beloved Dakota over the Rainbow Bridge in March, on a lovely day that wasn’t too cold and afforded us a nice long walk to visit all the spots she loved to smell and leave messages for the next dog. Fifteen was an amazing run for her and for these last 6 years, she’s been a wonderful family member – gentle with size of person large or small and ferocious when strangers are walking down the street (or turkey vultures circling, LOL).

June saw myself and few clients head out to Colorado to
scope out our two new destinations – if you want an amazing experience be sure to check out our private family ranch ride – we loved it beyond description and many great rides and loads of fun laughs.

October took us back to Montauk for our annual fishing trip and funny, for the second year in a row, I had a double header!

The months in between were filled with seeing many of you at trade shows – thanks for coming by our booth – that’s such a highlight for me!

November and December are family months, by design and by tradition. Thanksgiving is spent with the Moriarty clan – 23 fun, festive and sometimes overly loud Irish folks. And December brings us to Coral Gables to see my folks and my brother and his family.

And I feel blessed indeed – that our families on both sides are all healthy and well. That we both still have our parents, all with no major health issues. That we have each other – finding Will has been God making lemonade out of lemons in my life, he is truly my dearest and best friend – the one I can’t wait to celebrate with and the one that has to listen to my wrath when things get under my skin (he offers to dig a hole in the backyard to bury what ever it is that is vexing me and then instead, brings me a glass of wine – he’s just “gets” me).

But through all of these highs and lows of 2016, it’s really all of you that have made it an amazing year. Your calls, your emails, sharing your lives on Facebook so openly and inviting me to share mine – those moments, some of which were small (the first snow of the season) and big (your child’s first ride) – those are the moments and events that I’ve come to love, the ones that allow our lives to intertwine.

Thank you for sharing yourselves and for connecting. Please don’t stop! (and if we aren’t connected on Facebook – please friend me! Stacey Adams, Stanfordville, NY – Dakota is my current profile shot)

Wishing all sorts of peace to you this season, no matter where you are in life or what is going on, please know that I’m truly thankful for you and wishing you the best of what is possible.

Here’s looking at you 2016 – and to a fabulous 2017!

Stacey

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When Life Gets in the Way of Riding

Sun, 11 Dec 2016 15:00:00 GMT

What do you do when life gets in the way of your riding? Sometimes it’s work, sometimes it’s illness, sometimes it’s family, sometimes it’s weather, sometimes it’s _______________ (fill in the blank). And no matter what it is, it’s frustrating.

I go through periods where I feel my riding is in “fits and spurts”. I’ll have a couple of weeks or even a month when I’m getting to the barn 5 times a week regularly and totally in the groove. But then we hit trade show season and I’m on the road a lot. Or I have a day like today where the head and chest cold that I’ve been avoiding for the better part of the week finally catches me and I’m a runny-nose-sneezing-can’t-catch-my-breath-mess.

And looking ahead, I’m leaving in a week for the holidays and prior to that I need to wrap gifts, see my hairdresser (my gray is a bit out of control – BIG understatement), try to have my eye surgeon fit me in (to see about cataract surgery in January) , pack…….and starting Monday (of course), the solar panels are being installed on the house – and yes, someone has to be there the entire time for that.

So does it even make sense for me to attempt to get to the barn, stand on the cold concrete and do anything? I know for a fact that I could push myself to ride. But I also know that I’ll regret it for days as it will tax my system further. But it’s been a week – a solid week of not being there due to work and not being able to get out on time to get there, ride and still get home at a reasonable time.

What do you do when you have these problems? Or do you even have them? Is it just me?

I know many folks just soldier on and ride. I don’t know if it makes them any sicker, as it does me, but either way my hat is off to them. In the end, I’m sure it’s better for your horse and for you. And that brings me to the next item – that I’m not being fair to my horse in all of this. To have him in work and then have a week off and then go back to work, have two weeks off – even if we aren’t doing anything major, we also aren’t making any progress.

It drives me crazy. And I feel like a failure at times. It’s not like I’m going out with friends instead of going to ride………in fact I’m usually walking through the door of my house checking the clock (again) to see if I just might make it to the barn, realizing I can’t, and then being grumpy the rest of the night.

So what to do?

For me, I’ve had to make peace with two things about this situation:

I can only do what I can do – nothing more, and certainly nothing less. To this end, that means that I do go to the barn on which ever day/night I can get there and not be an inconvenience to the owner (who lives next to the barn and is subject to car lights in her windows any time someone arrives or leaves) By the way, the owner is super and very encouraging. But I just don’t want to be that boarder- the one that is ALWAYS keeping everyone up, etc. And Cinemax and I will work on what ever – it doesn’t matter – that we are doing something together is the main thing.
Being at the barn, no matter if it’s every day or three times in a month is good for me – the inside of me and the outside. And my soul needs it . It doesn’t matter if I come and stay for 10 minutes or go through a full ride and tack cleaning session. Being there does me good, if only to re train those mental tracks that say “you don’t have enough time to go to the barn”. I’m amazingly blessed at this time with a horse that can go for days of no work, be tacked up and will be ready to work – no antics. He’s a God send.

So, we may not make it to a show next summer, and my goal of working without stirrups all winter may have days of great work and days of no work at all – but no matter what, I’m not going to let my guilty conscience keep me from going there, even if it turns out to be the only day this week.

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Fear is a (not so) Funny Thing

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 14:00:00 GMT

Many of our clients are folks that are coming back to riding after a few years (or decades) off to raise families, establish their careers or due to injury and taking the time to heal properly. As such, they often have some trepidation about signing up – the spirit is willing, but the small voice in their head chides them with visions of white knuckled riding and broken bones.

And this got me to thinking. Why is it that fear often prevents us from doing what we love? To date I’ve never had any debilitating injury or harrowing scare on a horse. That’s not to say I’ve not had more than my share of unintentional dismounts (in fact one barn where I boarded offered to charge me rent on a section of the arena that I got to know intimately, LOL) and in reality, my worst injury was a severely bruised hip that sustained a hairline fracture when I had one of those above mentioned dismounts.

But here’s the thing – I’ve always gotten back on and kept riding. And when I first got into this business, I was the one with butterflies in my stomach on the first day of a trip – more than a little anxious about what my mount would be like and would I be ok on this strange horse? What I can tell you about that one point is – that’s the least of your worries. The horses we use on our programs are veterans – they know their jobs and enjoy them. That’s not to say they might not shy or flinch when a bird flies out of the brush, but they won’t lose their heads and often, they’ll be abashed to have even given any notice to the bird. They are tried and true and solid citizens.

You’ll figure that out in the fist 30 to 60 seconds of riding on any of our programs. So let your mind rest easy on that count.

But – what about jumping?

When I was growing up riding and taking lessons, I jumped every week, no problem. And when I got back into riding in my late 20s, I had no issue signing up for the adult classes – 3’6” – no problem!

But that was 20-25 years ago.

And for the last 20 years, I’ve dabbled in dressage and in enjoying hunter pacing – but with the go around options on the pacing. Yet, when I come to one of the small fences on the trail, my brain and my heart both say “go on – pop over it – it’s no big deal”.

And so I do.

And my horse loves it.

And I stay on, albeit not so form perfect.

And the not so form perfect part of that has that cheeky small voice telling me “aren’t you the lucky one today – you could just as easily have come off over that. And did you feel how big your horse jumped in his enthusiasm? Next time, you’ll be out of the tack for sure! Better count your blessings for today and stay away from that again.”

Ugh. It was just a small two food vertical. And my horse was perfect. What’s the matter with me?

That’s when I realize that I need a week in one of our training programs. Not on my horse – on a trusty, foolproof, take you around horse that will let me figure it all out again. And again. And again. Figure it out so many times that my brain is reprogrammed to the channel that plays the “this is how it always is” playlist and doesn’t play the “this is what might happen” playlist. I mean, for crying out loud – driving on most streets is FAR more dangerous than riding my horse – where is that blasted small voice when I back out of my driveway each day?????? Little bugger.

So that’s my plan for 2017. I’m going to sign up for one of our “Build Your Nerve and Learn to Jump” programs. I know how to jump – here’s the last time I took a formal lesson with no prior jumping:

I realize it’s a dark photo, apologies, but – that was the third jump in a small grid. And for not having jumped in several years, my leg isn’t SO awfully far back. But I needed more days of this – those are not relaxed shoulders you are seeing. Nor is that hip angle doing much to help my horse, hence the flatness of the jump.

But we are all our own worst critics. Sometimes – you just have to get on with it all. And that’s my plan. I’m not afraid to ride and don’t mind my spooky horse at home – his quirky shying and running don’t faze me. And so what we need is mileage and jumping. And there is nothing better than a week of riding school horses – up to 3 hours a day, to start to drown out that pesky voice.

And I need some (many) days of riding in modified two point at home, and strengthening my core, honing my balance, grabbing mane and just giving it a go.

Do you struggle with any fear issues when you ride? Is that whiney little voice holding you back from anything in your riding? What will you do to change the tapes that play in your head and reprogram?

All suggestions and comments are welcome – we are all in this together.

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Stacey’s Musings – Seeing is Believing – or is it?

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 14:00:00 GMT

I know, it’s not new to you all and I admit, when I first saw it, it was a lovely young woman looking off over her right shoulder, with a marvelous feathered hat – and I needed help to see the old woman with the kerchief wrapped around her head.

But it got me thinking.

I have (and have always had) terrible eyesight. I was born 7 weeks premature, and as a result, my eyes never fully finished themselves off – they had to hang on for dear life as the rest of me insisted it was time to get out into the world.

And thankfully, I was born in the 20 ^th century, when corrective options abound. So for my entire life I’ve worn glasses and/or lenses. And more recently both (if you are not over 45 you probably won’t understand this – but wait – you’ll see (or more to the point you won’t, LOL)) I am extremely myopic with astigmatism. So what that means to those of you fortunate ones with 20/20 or better all of your lives is this:

What you can see clearly at 20 feet, I can only see clearly (as in totally focused) at 3-4 feet.
And all the rays of light that come into my eye do not hit the back of my eye (my retina) at one point, as they should. The rays of light come in and intersect each other either in front or behind my retina – so no matter what the distance, near or far, I was doomed to have blurred vision as the light is scattered inside my eye.

And it occurred to me that vision and perception are interesting things (and yield interesting things) – not just in life but in the dealing with horses.

For example, I read all of the “Which Horse is the Best (Dressage) (Three Day Eventing) (Hunter) Horse” columns. And as I’m no trainer (far from it), I find myself picking the horse that most closely looks like horses I’ve seen (in person or in magazines) who excel at the particular discipline. And invariably, I generally pick a bay. (It’s my weakness. As much as my friend Maxine only likes chestnut colored horses, I find I’m most attracted to bays. (Must be the old adage of tall, dark and handsome.)

And sometimes I’m right!

And other times, the best horse is the last of what I chose.

And it reminds me – to use the Eventing folks as an example – that what you see is not always what you get. I mean, who would have expected that a plucky little chestnut named Theodore O’Connor (Teddy), not even 14.2 hands, could compete and excel at the highest levels of eventing?

But he did. And beat out many other larger and more experienced horses in the process.

Further, what you see (or don’t see) can also impact your feelings and expectations. Let me talk about my current horse Cinemax (aka Clive) for a moment. When I went to try him out, I had not been riding for 4 months after the sudden loss of my prior horse Wieland. In addition, I was 5 days into a winter cold that left me winded going up and down a flight of stairs. But I figured I’d give it a go anyway, he was available and attracting a lot of attention so time was not on my side.

So I rode him for 20 minutes in the indoor (you know how it is – walk, trot, canter, circle one direction, change direction, repeat). And I got off coughing like crazy and acting like I’d just sprinted 800 meters. But I liked him. Enough to take a chance on him.

His owner asked if I wanted to hack him out, but I declined. I trail ride. A LOT. And I’ve had two slightly wacky TBs so I’m used to pretty much anything or any type of shenanigan that can happen on the trail. Besides, she said he was good on the trail. That was enough for me. (I should mention that his owner is a trainer, was local to me and we had about 75% of our friends in common – so I wasn’t concerned about misrepresentation).

So I called my vet (who works in the same practice as his vet at the time) to come for a pre purchase exam.

And she declined.

What????

“But I’m asking you to come see a prospective new horse. And I’m paying for your time to do it because I think he might be a good fit for me.”

To which she explained “Listen, his owner granted me approval to review his records and a year ago he was treated for lameness due to a suspensory issue as a result of his professional jumping career (which his owner had told me already). The records indicate he’s very lame.”

“But I’ve ridden him now 4-5 times and I’m telling you, he isn’t lame. He goes just fine.”

And with a little more cajoling, she agreed to come. (For the record, I adore my vet. She is always looking out for the best interests of my horses and my budget. And she knew that I still had outstanding vet bills from when Wieland was put down.)

But she came.

And she watched him go.

Both directions.

And she could not believe what she saw. This was NOT the crippled, lame, not going to be rideable horse from the records. In fact, “He is pretty amazing. This is not the horse I saw on the records. And he’s probably the nicest horse I’ve ever seen for that price”, she told me. (In full disclosure, he was free – but only to the right person. Three others had been turned away before me.)

Hmmm, so sometimes, what you see can change. So off we went, to begin the new chapter in my own personal life’s book of horses.

And after the ground got better in the Spring, I began to hack Clive out, for the exercise and to get out of the arena (which we see a lot of in the winter).

And MAN – was that (and still is) an adventure!

Clive: “WHAT? What’s that? That thing right there – there – poking out of the tall grass. Yikes! It’s going to jump up on me!”.

Me: “it’s a rock. Ok, a big rock. But it’s not moving. You are fine.”

Clive: “I don’t know. It looks like it might open up and I’ll just fall into it.”

Me: “You won’t. I promise. No, don’t back away. Just stand here for a second. See?”

Clive: “Well, I guess so. But I’m still not sure. ACK!!!! Holy Smokes! Yieeeee – what’s THAT bounding out of the brush????? We’re definitely getting attacked, we have to GO! NOW!”

Me: “What? What’s the matter with you? It’s a deer. For crying out loud, you see them when you are in your turnout paddock. And besides, you are WAY bigger than that doe.”

Clive: “I don’t know. She just came from nowhere. And she went the way we are going. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. She’s pretty scary.”

Me: Sigh. “Its’ ok. We are together. You will be fine. I won’t let anything hurt you. Hey! HEY! What are you doing??? Stop that! Just because she turned left at the fork in the trail doesn’t mean we are going that way. Come…….ON………You are making my right arm tired. We are going right , back toward home.”

And so it goes. Clive doesn’t bat an eyelash at the 20-25 foot tall statues on our trail ride (yes, there really are tall, concrete garden statues in the woods near us), but the deer and the wild turkeys (as well as the peacocks and cows) all seemingly have a love of horsemeat. At least that’s what he tells me.

So, I don’t know. I guess life is a bit like that too.

Sometimes we see things plainly. Sometimes we don’t.

And for Clive sometimes it’s when he doesn’t see things at all – like when the woodpile is moved and no longer stacked on the side of the trail, now it’s just an empty spot. A horse eating empty spot that will open up and grab him from the middle of the trail and devour him whole.

But I like to think that even though my eyesight isn’t good and won’t ever be, my faith ( and expectation) In the fact that he won’t willingly ditch me, allow us to see a more beautiful picture.

One that has things we both see as well as things we see individually.

And it reminds me of the artwork by Bev Doolittle. IF you look, you’ll see the horses – but HOW MANY will you see?

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Stacey’s Amazing Over the Top Fun Riding Vacation in Colorado

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 14:00:00 GMT

The Bar N I Ranch is remarkable even before you step onto the property. Unique in that it is privately owned by a family, it is not open to the general public – so your stay there is not filled with 150 strangers and dusty, boring nose to tail riding. From the moment they drove onto the property, they were treated like family members – not one thing was any trouble at all.

Impressed by the well appointed and comfy rooms to begin, the first night in the dining room for the first of many delicious meals proved equally outstanding. One of the group was lactose intolerant, But all were surprised and thrilled when the chefs had prepared a special batch of the coconut lime ice cream that was lactose free! The first of many demonstrations of the “can do” attitude of the staff.

The days were filled with riding up steep inclines to explore ridge lines with majestic views for miles in all directions, as well as long canters through fields and high meadows of gently blowing grasslands. Riders chose from two half day rides or a packed lunch full day ride – all of which were varied and still on the property of the ranch – with 36,000 acres it’s virtually impossible to ride only 5 days and “see it all” – but they really tried!

They rode. They laughed (a lot). They jingled horses in on several mornings (helped bring them in from the far pasture). We exchanged stories by the bonfire. We hiked to see the petroglyphs. They ate (and ate and ate). They slept like babies. And all were very sorry to leave. Ben, Lance, Steve and the entire team had all become like family – they heard our group stories, shared their own, played with Ben’s two girls, roasted marshmallows around the bonfire, discovered elk sheds (an antler that’s been shed), marveled at bighorn sheep and elk, took in the sun and even some hail.

They arrived as guests. They made new friends. They left as family.

It was a perfect week.

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2015 – known as the year that disappeared when I wasn’t looking!

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 15:00:00 GMT

December 19? Really? I cannot figure out where this year has gone, it has completely slipped away with many great trips, a lot of laughs and a few tears. How did that happen??

First, I want to thank all of you – each one. To those that traveled this year, thank you for placing your trust in us to provide a wonderful trip – the entire staff as well as myself truly had more fun this year than any year prior helping you plan and enjoy your vacations. And you came out in droves, reminding us that our economy is recovering, and telling us we need more help, LOL! To those that didn’t travel this year but that spent time with us chatting about trips and looking to the future (or just dreaming on the bleak winter days with us) thank you!

You keep all of energized and excited, and we love staying connected to you and your families, both two and four footed :).

2015 was a bit of an epic year for me personally. It has some amazing highs and at least one bitter low. My travel schedule this year was limited to local and shorter trips, most of this in non riding capacities.We skied a fair amount this last winter – from Lake Placid to Attitash in NH. During the summer, my golf game made large improvements with the main benefit that I had a chance to play more than a few times with my golf loving (and horse tolerant, but not horse loving) parents. My folks are both in their mid 80s, so I really cherish the chance to spend time with them.

The fall always brings our annual trip to Montauk to fish (I’m the comic relief as fishing is well…fishing, not riding. But Will puts up with all of my horse activities so this is the least I can do). However this year ended poorly for me. On our departure day, Thursday, I had one
of those dreaded calls from the barn at 8:30AM – my dear, sweet, gorgeous and smart Wieland (aka Big, my 17h Hanoverian gelding) was colicking and the vet recommended he be immediately transported to the clinic. Big was not a candidate for surgery so while we tried a variety of non surgical options with no success, I opted to let him go by 7:30AM the next day, Friday. And then I crawled under a virtual rock for two weeks.

But life doesn’t let you stay in one place or disposition for too long. It pulls you out and makes you get on with the living part of it. And so, with that said, on Dec. 7th, “a day that will go down in infamy”, I found out how you catch an un-catchable fish. With a ring of course! Yes, it’s true – the man that said he’d never get remarried – DID. Will and I went quietly down to town hall, met with the judge – and came home married. And now, when we leave for Ireland on the 26th of this month to celebrate his 50th birthday, we’ll also be raising a pint to ourselves.

So, as we leave 2015 and get ready for 2016, I want to wish you all the best of everything. That you will have peace in your life, no matter what’s happening, and that we’ll stay in touch in 2016. And I thank God for you and also that all things are as well with all of us, as they are.

My very best to you,
Stacey

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The Joys of Travel (and going where you least expect)

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 14:00:00 GMT

On a recent trip to sunny CA for an equestrian event, I had my bags packed, ate dinner early enough to get to bed at 9:30PM so that I could rise at 3:30AM leaving myself enough time to arrive at Laguardia Airport by 5:00AM for my flight. Sound a little crazy? Well, like you, I travel on a budget and the best (translation cheapest) flight I could find was at 6:00AM. As it was due to snow the night before I left, I wanted to make sure that I had plenty of time to get to the airport.

And that planning paid off splendidly as while the roads were a total mess, I arrived, safe, calm and on time.

But then things changed.

The TSA agent studied my passport at great length (as I keep all my travel documents and airline info all together in my travel portfolio; I often opt for using the passport rather than digging out my wallet with my driver’s license). After looking at me, looking at it, looking back at me, looking back at it, looking at my boarding pass and then looking back at me, he observed – “You cut your hair.”

Now as you know, passports are issued every ten years and mine was last issued in September 2001. And as it was early, I was too befuddled to smile and nod so instead, I replied – “You mean I GREW my hair” for in fact, since that photo was taken, not only is my hair about 5” longer, it also much more blonde and much less brunette. And that really seemed to confuse him. I then asked him if he thought it looked better in the picture to which he was a sharp enough man to say “Oh no, it looks great now” (he is clearly well trained in dealing with folks, as he was quite convincing)

Nevertheless, he ascertained that it really was me and that I was safe to travel that day.

But then, my flight to LAX, which required a connection in Cincinnati had a few start up issues. As it was one of the first flights of the morning in chilly NY, we had to wait to board so they could “heat up” the plane. While we were waiting in the terminal, I heard the Captain over the walkie talkie to the gate agent saying that he wasn’t going to wait any longer to board as folks would miss their connections (he was speaking my language!)

Once boarded, we then had to move from our parking spot to a place to de-ice. This is typically not a problem, except that in our case, there was equipment behind our plane that had to be moved first – and there was no one to move it.

So we waited.

Then, we were bathed in the lovely pink coating of de-icer and were finally out on the runway – just in the nick of time – to get in line behind 7 other planes.

Ugh.

Needless to say, when we got to Cincinnati, the gate agent told me to RUN to my next gate as the flight was going to leave in 10 minutes. So, big winter coat, one computer bag, large travel purse and one small carry on duffel all on two feet went careening down the terminal – and saw my plane still at the gate. Phew!

One glitch – the jetway door was closed.

Rut-Row. That’s never a good thing in the world of boarding a plane.

One smiling and only slightly sympathetic gate agent AND a new ticket later, I was reliving high school track with a second sprint of the morning! I didn’t stick around to see my original flight leave as I needed to race off to the next terminal to catch my new flight to Atlanta – ok, no problem – it was more good exercise and would only have me arriving about two hours late – it could have been worse!

Right?

How little I knew!

As I raced through the airport, I saw one of the flight attendants from the NY flight and she too was in a hurry. She was not continuing on with her flight schedule as her very dear grandmother was in the final throes of Alzheimer’s and she was departing to go be with her. We talked (as we quickly walked) about what a gift it was to have had our grandparents as integral parts of our lives and how they always championed our causes and made us feel like we were simply magnificent – the best kids on the planet to be sure. (If you have had a close relationship with a grandparent, you can understand intimately how my heart went out to her.) And that made me reconsider my slight annoyance at a mere travel delay.

Saying goodbye to grandparents and parents is so heartbreaking and always sooner than you want it to be.

Parting company, I found myself at my gate – one of the last people to board the plane to Atlanta. Whew! I only took a brief moment to wonder where my checked luggage was in all of this. . . . .

Ok, things were looking up – the flight was all boarded, it was on time, we only had to de-ice again – we were home free!

Or so I thought.

Upon arrival in Atlanta, I once again grabbed all of my accoutrements and raced down the terminal to my next gate. Breathing a sigh of relief, I saw my plane, which should be in the boarding process.

But then I saw the closed door to the jetway.

And NO gate personnel anywhere. Not one. It was the Sahara of airline gates in terms of personnel.

Ignoring the sign that said “Penalty for opening door. Alarm will sound.” I tried in vain to get onto that jetway. (it wasn’t until later that I was able to thank the airline – if only in my heart – for saving me a large monetary fine)

And so, for the second time that day, I found myself at the counter of a gate agent, who once again was trying to find a way to get me to LAX. Fortunately, Atlanta has many options and the next best one for me was in two hours – and even though I’d be arriving in LA five hours later than planned, I was still ok!

Sitting at my new gate, I had the great fortune to meet Carol Anne. While she is from Homestead, FL, she was traveling to LA to be a birth coach to her daughter who was in labor having not only her first child, but the first grandchild. And Carole Anne was a bit tense as she had been trying to reach her son-in-law all morning but to no avail since his last call was the prior day to say that labor had begun – early!

And so, we chatted about all things FL and how my family lives in Coral Gables and what a cold winter it had been there and how her son owns a fishing boat business in Key West and her youngest daughter is doing a semester abroad in Israel and for crying out loud why hadn’t she heard back from her son-in-law Josh????????

And then, as if a miracle, as the plane began to board, the phone rang. And Carole Ann was already a grandmother – to a healthy and lovely 8.12 lb baby girl. And while she was disappointed to not be there for the birth, mother, daughter and father were all doing fine and anxiously awaiting her arrival.

And I marveled at how amazing travel can be if you open your mind to it. In the span of a scant few hours I had been in four states, witnessed someone preparing for death and shared the joy of new life with another.

And all this before I even got anywhere near a horse – go figure.

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So You Want to Take a Riding Vacation?

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 14:00:00 GMT

Well, you are in good company! In North America alone there are over 23 million folks that own or ride horses on a regular basis. And of those folks, about 80% travel either with their horses or to places that have horseback riding.

Additionally, there are many folks that rode when they were younger and are just now getting back to it after years of focusing on family or career. And it is a super way to reacquaint with an area of the country or the world or to explore new places you otherwise could never see on foot or by vehicle.

We’ll spend the next few blog sessions talking about the elements of taking a riding vacation. Things like:

What types of trips are available
How to choose the right trip for you
What to look for in a booking agent
What to expect if you book on your own
Important Questions and points to consider prior to booking
What opportunities await you on a riding vacation

If you are considering a riding vacation, chances are you have taken vacations before and done some riding but you may not have taken an exclusive riding vacation – where riding is the main focus. Let’s begin by exploring the types of vacation options available:

We group our rides into two classifications: Trail Rides and Training Vacations.

Trail Rides consist of rides out in the countryside each day. They can vary in length of time in the saddle, pace and terrain. Additionally, they can be further classified as either “Stationary” meaning you stay at the same hotel each evening, or “Inn to Inn” (sometimes called “Progressive”) where you ride to multiple accommodations during the course of the ride.

Training Vacations allow you the opportunity to spend a week with a discipline specific trainer and work on areas of personal development to break through barriers you may currently be facing. Typically, you can find training vacations for the following disciplines:

Dressage
Show Jumping
Three Day Eventing/Cross Country Riding
Driving
Reining
Polo

While there are certainly other types of training vacations on the market, these tend to be the most requested at this time. Do bear in mind that the sport is always growing and changing so keep a lookout for other offerings – and let me know if you see any that look credible!

Let’s spend the next few minutes talking about Trail Rides and Training Vacations.

Trail Rides

As previously mentioned, trail rides fall into two categories – Stationary and Progressive. Before you decide which one is the best for you, you would do well to ask yourself the following:

How long am I comfortable riding for up to 5 consecutive days?
At what pace am I most comfortable?

While folks often begin with the question “Where do I want to go?”, they often find themselves analyzing these first two questions to determine if the trip is appropriate for them.

The stationary rides tend to run anywhere from 4-6 hours of riding each day and they will most typically be “daisy” rides of about 12-18 miles. That is, the rides will start and end at the same point but they will leave out and make a loop, ending up at the starting point. The next day, the loop will move out in a different direction, still returning to the point of origin, and this will continue in each different direction so that by the end of the week, you have, in effect, ridden in a daisy shape. These are VERY different from “Wheel” itineraries and do beware – a wheel has spokes that radiate out from the center – but to date, I’ve never seen a spoke that doesn’t run straight out and straight back, and thus repeat itself in reverse.

Depending on the terrain, some stationary rides are quite active. For example, if you normally ride on flat terrain at home, with small hills and mostly walking, taking a ride in Tuscany where the hills are up to a half mile long and require more trotting and cantering can be challenging.

One advantage of a stationary ride is that you have the wonderful opportunity to unpack and truly “settle in” to your accommodations. This can be much more relaxing than having to pack and unpack multiple times during the week.

The progressive rides range from 4-7 hours in the saddle each day and will cover upwards of 20 miles or more daily. As a result, they sometimes can be faster paced than the stationary rides and require a particular level of fitness from riders. On the progressive rides we require that folks be able to ride at all gaits (walk, trot, canter (and occasionally gallop) on a trail (outside of an arena) and maintain control of their horse at all times.

Progressive rides generally cover about 15-18 miles daily but some can have days up to 20 miles. They are designed so that you experience long canters and trots – so be sure that you are fit enough to trot for 10-15 minutes or canter for 5-10 minutes. The days are fun and while they cover a lot of ground, the riders are interspersed with breaks and long lunches, so you will have time to stretch and get out of the saddle for a bit.

Within the progressive rides, some travel further and faster during the week and others cover less ground so the pace is more relaxed. One of our consultants will chat about that with you, so no fear that you’ll end up on a ride that’s too fast – or too slow for your tastes.

So this rather long primer is a good start to help you visualize a week of riding. In one of our next posts, we’ll dig a bit deeper into the trail rides and discuss the types of horses, accommodations, meals and other elements that go into making an exceptional equestrian vacation.

Stay tuned!

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