If you’re looking to treat yourself and your horse to a holiday with some wonderful outriding this summer, then Exmoor ‘The Riding Playground of England’ is the place to go. With its stunning and varied terrain, deep wooded coombes, sparkling river valleys, meandering streams, open moorland and long, stretching canters – you and your horse will have the time of your life.

Exmoor National Park Authority and the British Horse Society promote 11 newly revamped, circular riding routes across Exmoor and the Quantock Hills. Riders can purchase an information folder containing handy laminated maps – perfect for sorting out your RUPPS from your BOATS and your coombes from your moors, without resorting to the ‘fine mess’ usually associated with trying to read a large map from horseback in a place you don’t know very well.

Awaiting you on Exmoor is a vast array of horse holiday accommodation providers who welcome horses and riders with open arms - and open stables and paddocks – and really know how to look after guests. You’ll find breathtaking scenery, comfortable cottages and farmhouses, home cooking that hits the right spot, reassuringly large and well-kitted-out boot rooms for ‘gear’ and plenty of hot water after a day’s riding. More often than not, the owners, or someone knowledgeable nearby, will be happy to accompany you on rides. Some will even take you further afield for a blast on the beach, a trip to a local competition centre, or a day’s racing. If you don’t want to bring your own horse, but fancy a gallop over open moorland, or a leisurely forest ride with glimpses of spectacular coastland, followed by a pub lunch – there are plenty of riding establishments and hireling yards offering good quality, well-mannered horses and escorted rides.

While your horse has a well-deserved day off relaxing in his tranquil paddock, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to things to do. Exmoor is packed with equestrian events and country shows and activities - there really is something for everyone. You can take part or just sit back and watch. Local pubs and restaurants like to use fresh, local produce wherever possible and the area is full of mouthwatering food and drink to take home, as well as gifts, crafts and art. Check out towns and villages like Dulverton, Porlock, Lynton, Dunster and Wiveliscombe.

While you’re there, don’t miss out on an opportunity to see one of our national treasures – the unique Exmoor ponies, who live ‘as part of nature’ on the moorland areas. These truly prehistoric ponies – often referred to as ‘little horses’ - have managed to survive, virtually unchanged, some of the harshest weather and conditions the UK can throw at them, for the past hundred thousand years. Highly intelligent and enormously resilient, they are also capable of forging close and long-lasting friendships with man and becoming wonderful riding partners.

Exmoor National Park offers 265 square miles of some of the best riding in the UK – known as ‘the riding playground of England’. There are literally hundreds of miles of bridleways and forest tracks to discover and explore.

The Terrain
Exmoor offers varied and challenging terrain and is perfect riding country to invigorate and refresh your horse. Not only is there great scope to build fitness for both horse and rider, but Exmoor riding is the perfect tonic for myriad ‘behavioural’ problems – many a nappy, fed-up horse has rediscovered its zest for life after a spell on Exmoor.

You’ll find miles of open moorland, interconnected with large areas of idyllic forest tracks and woodland, picturesque river valleys and, just when you thought it couldn’t get better, the vista will open onto a stunning seascape.

The Wildlife
There is an abundance of wildlife on Exmoor – the herds of beautiful red deer can often be spotted when out riding, as can herds of wild Exmoor ponies. In October, it is the rutting period and a wonderful time to watch the magnificent stags with their gravity defying antlers. There are also some 240 species of birds, including buzzards and skylarks.

A Rider's Paradise
With a choice of peaceful forest tracks offering excellent going, wide open space for exhilarating gallops, meandering trails alongside flowing rivers and steams, wooded valleys for strengthening hill work and rolling pastureland for relaxing hacking – Exmoor is quite simply, a rider’s paradise.

CLICK HERE FOR THE RIDING ROUTES FOLDER INFORMATION

Plan Your Perfect Horse Holiday on Exmoor
While you’re deciding which enticing trail to ride first, you can check out www.equinetourism.co.uk’s Exmoor Accommodation Providers and Horse Holiday sections, which offer a wide range of places to stay en-route.

Facilities range from comfortable stabling and turout for your horse to full livery establishments offering a week of tuition, partnership-building, adventurous escorted out-riding and training - who will even start your youngster or work through problems you are having with your horse. See Horse Holidays.

The Equine Directory (CLICK HERE ) will give you details of suppliers, services and businesses, so you can get everything you need while you’re here. And, why not take a trip to one of the many equestrian centres, cross country courses, try a JumpCross day – or book some instruction with one of the area’s many excellent instructors. Every area of equestrian discipline is catered for – from racing trainers, show jumping, dressage and eventing professionals – to natural horsemanship instructors and centres.

The Events and Shows section is full of the many activities, workshops, demos and talks taking place this year in Exmoor and the rest of the South West.

In short, when you bring your horse on holiday to Exmoor – you can have the holiday of your dreams, whether it’s an action-packed week full of adventure, tuition, discovery and training, or simply a well-earned relaxing break for you and your horse, enjoying some of the best scenery and outriding in the world.