RANCH RIDER’S CUT: RIDE OUT WITH THE EXPERTS
equestrian escapes - horseback adventures in South Africa, Canada and the US making the cut.
F IT’S TIME TO SADDLE UP IN SOUTH AFRICA
This year, sunny South Africa is one of the best value countries for British travellers to visit, and with its generous exchange rate, accommodating night flights, world-class wines, and of course, its wealth of wildlife, it's a tempting destination. The main location for our riding holidays, the temperate climes of the Waterberg region (just three hours shy of Johannesburg) are perfect for riders at any time of year, the chance to saddle up getting you even closer to the game than a traditional 4X4 safari. Its jet-lag free one or two hour time difference (over summer and
winter), also makes the Rainbow Nation a delightful getaway for those with kids in tow, the magical wow you hear in the throwes of game viewing readily translated across the generations. Whether you choose to kick back under canvas or prefer a lodge setting, much of the best value accommodation is comparable to a luxury ranch stay in North America's West - a six-night horseback safari at Horizon priced from only £985pp (two sharing). Departing year-round.
UNPACK THE ADVENTURE
A working cattle, game and crop ranch, at Horizon you can meld yourself into the authentic way of life as the opportunity to muster cattle is available on request, but it’s the range of horses on offer (around 100), many of them broken and reared on the ranch itself, which makes this a truly enthralling experience for equestrians.
rom the best value riding holidays to compelling trails that are ripe for discovery, Tony Daly, Managing Director at Ranch Rider shares his personal pick of this year's most exciting
The level of diversity, with thoroughbreds, Arabs and native South African Boerperds amongst the herd, opens up a whole array of rewarding experiences from horseback safaris to polocrosse, through to cross country jumping and horsemanship. Including smooth jumpers and fun-spirited rides, each mount you
encounter is memorable, as are the guides who are adept at trekking the wildlife from giraffe to impala, while also doubling as naturalists and photographers. Built around your expectations, expect a few challenging canters followed by a refreshing swim with the horses at the end of the trail - and for the younger set, gentler rides across the Triple B Farm's 20,000 acres. Out of the saddle, there is the option to book “Big 5” safaris at Entabeni Game Reserve, an astronomy tour (the Milky Way clearly visible by the naked eye) and even a hike and cultural village excursion - the spectacular views sure to give you "Lion King" feels.
CANADA TIMESCAPE
One official website of Destination Canada says, "America has states, Canada has provinces and territories. Same idea, only bigger." A country that certainly offers you more adventure for your money, these vast expanses are home to plentiful wildlife and very few people (Canada one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world), the expectation of an incredible encounter with everything from bison to bears understandably heightened when you consider the odds. While the flora and fauna of Vancouver Island (recently popularised
by Harry & Meghan) and the Rockies are the big movers and shakers for tourism, the rolling prairies of Saskatchewan are less well-discovered but ripe for under-tourists (especially riders) who sense that there's more to the province than wheat fields.
BRING YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE
Offering "cowboy comfort with history and hospitality," Saskatchewan's fiſth-generation (founded in 1904) Historic Reesor Working Ranch is the first in the province to be designated as a Provincial Heritage Property, the owners preserving many of its oldest structures and giving its guests an insight into a lifestyle that has seen few changes over the course of more than a century. Cattle drives, riding fence lines, cattle health checks, scenic horse- back adventures and typical ranch chores are on the must-do list, the rides (and guided ATV tours) taking you across the Cypress Hills and leaving you with spectacular views of the seemingly endless Canadian Prairies. You will also be visiting the home of a genuine cowboy poet, ranch owner Scott Reesor keenly weaving this distinctly western artform into the informal evening entertainment. Natural beauty that is bound to leave you in complete awe, at the
Reesor Ranch, mixed pine and spruce forests, unique alpine flowers and abundant wildlife dot the landscape, the historic trails taking you across wallows formed by thousands of buffalo that freely roamed these hills in times gone by. A treasured bonding experience, there is the opportunity to brush
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