Holidays with horses - travel tips & locations

Vacationing on horseback is the dream of many riders. But should you travel with your own horse, or would you rather look for a suitable stable that lends horses on site? If you have your own horse, it is understandable that you also want to go on vacation with it. We have put together a few tips on how to make a holiday with horses a success.

What it is: The preparation | Find the right stall | Fitness | Packing List | The drive | site | Our favorite places in Germany

Are you and your horse fit for the vacation?

No matter where you go on vacation, you should take into account your fitness level and that of your horse. If you have planned a long hike over hill and dale, possibly with a few meters of altitude, your horse should be really fit. Because if you overwhelm your horse, you won't make him happy for the next vacation.

You should also note that long rides can be very exhausting for you. If the most valuable thing hurts you in the evening, this is a bad prerequisite for a relaxing holiday.

For older horses, a holiday on the beach is well suited. You can take relaxed rides over the relatively solid ones Sand do, or even gallop straight stretches in one go. In addition, treading water is a really good workout for every musculature. There is a good mix for every fitness level on the beach.

If your chosen holiday destination deviates somewhat from the fitness level, try to prepare yourself and your horse in the weeks before. Endurance and muscle training are then mandatory.

You should also check the general condition of your horse. Is it okay? Does the farrier have to come back before? If your horse shows health problems such as fever, appetite for food or cough shortly before the trip, the long trip will not do him any good.

Packing list for horse & rider - that is a must on holiday with a horse

So that you don't have to worry about forgetting something, here is a practical packing list for you and your horse. Of course, this can be expanded individually.

Tips for a safe ride with the horse

You have found the vacation spot, the bag is packed and now it starts. A long trip with the horse trailer is not only a special situation for you, but also for your horse.

Before loading, check whether your trailer is roadworthy.

Make sure you have sufficient protection - be it in the trailer in the form of padding or directly on the leg Transport gaiters. If your horse is not used to transport gaiters, you should familiarize yourself with them beforehand. Otherwise your horse will be irritated and unsettled by the unusual leg protection.

If your horse is easy to load, the journey can begin. If your horse has a problem with this, you should definitely do loading and driving training for a few weeks beforehand. Such a long journey is very stressful for a horse that is otherwise rarely driven. It is best if the stable buddy goes along. This provides security and creates a familiar atmosphere.

Breaks during the journey - unload the horse or leave it on the trailer?

Make sure you take enough breaks while driving. If your travel destination is more than 8 hours away, make an overnight stop. Otherwise, you should take a break every three to four hours. In hot temperatures, take a break every two hours and take care of your horse. You should also drive in the morning or evening when you are out in the summer.

Many riders wonder if they should unload the horse during the break. Do this only if your horse can be reloaded without any problems and the location of your break is safe.

At a rest stop with other cars, you should rather leave your horse on the trailer and take care of it there.

Horses should not have to do without roughage for more than four hours. Therefore take one Hay net with so that your horse can keep himself busy while on the move and is provided with sufficient feed. During breaks, you should also offer your horse water.

Finally arrived - the on-site supply in the holiday stable

You finally arrived on horseback vacation. Unload your horse with a lot of rest and let it look at the surroundings first. Some horses quickly adjust to a new location, others take a little longer. So give your horse enough time to adjust to the change of location and do not start riding immediately.

On the first day, or on the day of arrival, your horse can relax. So put it in the box or in the pasture and just let it arrive in peace until the next day.

Observe the general and eating behavior of your horse in the next few days. If it eats something fussy, or calls for its buddies, this is quite normal. Horses do not like to change location if they are not used to it, such as competition horses. This should happen after a few days.

You should also follow a certain routine on vacation, because this gives your horse security. In the best case, the stable operator or you feed at the same time each day and place the horses on the meadow at the same time (if this is possible in your holiday stable).

Locations - our favorite places for holidays with the horse

Since we at lepona.de are or were all riders ourselves, we have already visited a number of places. Here you will find our favorite holiday spots for holidays with horses. There is also a small field report.

Cuxhaven - the favorite place of many riders

Cuxhaven is mentioned again and again when it comes to finding suitable places for holidays with horses. So it is not surprising that the riding stables there have also adapted and offer holiday apartments directly.

The direct access to the long beach and mudflats with beautiful bridle paths around it, makes Cuxhaven an ideal vacation spot. In good weather and low tide, many riders take the opportunity to ride around 12 km through the sea from Sahlenburg to the island of Neuwerk.

The route takes about 1,5 hours at low tide, if you add a few gallop sections in between. It also leads through tidal creeks (watercourses), which can sometimes be belly-deep. Join experienced mudflat riders if you are unsure if your horse will go through deep water. Do not go through at the same time as the mudflat carriages! Because they make the water rise. The current in the deep tidal creeks is too strong to swim through.

The coastal heaths of Cuxhaven are also worth a ride.

Be sure to follow the riding instructions on site so that Cuxhaven remains available for a long time for a holiday with horses.

Riding in the Lüneburg Heath - beautiful even outside the bloom

The Lüneburg Heath blooms from August to mid-September. But the Lüneburg Heath is also worth a vacation outside of bloom. There is a 1450 km long network of bridle paths on 18 or 20 designated riding routes in the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park and in the Celle region. There are also 5 signposted routes in the "Hohen Heide" area. The riding routes offer different lengths and degrees of difficulty. From half-day tours to day rides to trail rides over several days, all options are open to the rider.

The Lüneburg Heath is characterized by a unique natural landscape. There are pine and beech forests, heathland and bogs along rivers. The heathland in particular is worth a visit in autumn. The sight of the blooming heather should be seen at least once in a lifetime.

Of course, the region has prepared itself for the many visitors who want to spend their vacation on horseback there. There are numerous courtyards where you can place your horse. Sometimes also with holiday homes for human companions.

Information about the riding routes is also available on the website of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park. The page Celle Navigator region offers you the opportunity to find out in advance where you can ride and store your horse for the duration of the holiday.

#Teamlepona Rider Carina regularly goes on holiday with her horse. You can find out where to go and which places she can recommend to you in her field report: Riding holiday with your own horse

More locations and the field reports will follow as soon as we have received the reports from our employees!