Learn To Ride Trail

3 Days | From £969pp

Wales ( Best airport: Bristol/Birmingham)

This trail is for adult beginners and novices. On this introduction to riding in the hills, our purpose is that you should feel at home with your horse and enjoy being in the saddle as you travel along the tracks and trails. Even those with little or no previous experience will soon be able to prepare their horse for the trail – catch, feed, groom, and tack up.

The Riding

The course is absolutely practical and learning takes place out in the hills. As such it is also ideal for those wishing to come along and introduce a non-riding friend to the pleasures of horseback travel and horse holidays.

During the trail, riders will be offered instruction in:

Looking after your horse:
Catching, grooming, feeding, checking hooves and tacking up (putting on headcollar, bridle, saddle, numnah and saddlebags).

In the saddle:
Controlling your horse at the walk, leading, up and down steep slopes, dismounting and remounting. Progress from walk to trot and, for many, a canter or two by day three.

Route finding:
Those intending to do future Self Guided trails will be introduced to, and have practice using, the Freerein maps and route descriptions.

Level of Riding and Fitness

Our Learn to Ride holidays are aimed at adult beginners and novices. They are friendly and sociable holidays staying overnight at inns. Young adults are most welcome if accompanied, the minimum age for a bespoke learn to ride riding holiday is 14 years old.

Guides and Group Size

The instruction and guidance we offer is relaxed, friendly and informal. The horses are patient and understanding. By the end of a Learn to Ride trail many riders will have significantly increased in confidence and be happy with all the basics.

Your guide is a professional adult who has undergone a large amount of training in routes, horses and customer service. Guiding at Freerein is a paid, full time profession. Our guides have lots of experience introducing people to hills and horses. They love what they do.

Any questions?

The Horses

You will be matched to one of the incredible herd of fit, friendly, forward going trail riding horses and ponies. They are all a mixture of hardy breeds native to the UK. They live out all year round, working for 7 months of the year and enjoying a 5 month break over the winter months. They love their job and relish their happy, healthy lifestyle.

Tack and Riding Equipment

Each horse has its own individually fitted English tack, customised and fitted professionally for Freerein. All horses are ridden in simple snaffle bits. Your luggage is transported by us, by road. Each rider will be supplied with one of our specially designed saddle bags to carry lunch, drinks, cameras etc whilst out on trail.

Accommodation and Dining

All individuals are automatically booked a room for single occupancy. Accommodation is at basic, quirky, characterful, family run establishments that offer a warm welcome to trail riders.

Expect to be fed well on this trip; food is all homemade using locally sourced ingredients where possible. All accommodation places can cater for any dietary requirements.

Get a free Learn To Ride Trail mini-brochure in PDF format.

Get Trail Brochure

Gallery

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive at Freerein HQ for 9am. Label trail luggage for delivery. Basic trail preparation and instruction, then out into the hills en route to your B&B or inn for the evening. Arrive, feed, groom and turn out horses.

Day 2 Prepare your horse for trail. Full day in the saddle across the Welsh Hills returning to your B&B or inn for the evening.

Days 3 By now you will have had time to bond with your horse and the ride back to Freerein HQ should consolidate the experiences of the first 2 days. Many may now be enjoying a canter as they return to base. Return to HQ for approx 4-5pm for tea/coffee and homemade cake.