Equestrian Editorial

Horseback Riding History Has Multiple Aspects There are countless facets to the complex relationship between men and horses which has been so crucial to both species. We summarize some of the most important below with links to more detailed... Read more

How Horseback Riding shaped Wyoming’s History Though horses originated in America, there was a 10,000 year hiatus in the history of horses on this continent because it seems that about that long ago Native Americans hunted them to extinction,... Read more

As the superb cave paintings at Lascaux and elsewhere attest, horses have existed in Western Europe for over 30 millennia and must have provided an important source of food for local hunters.  We do not know just when people... Read more

History of Horseback Riding in Spain; From Alta Mira to the American Plains The arrival date for the first wild horses to reach Spain after their ancestors crossed the Bering Straits from America is lost to us in the... Read more

Making New Equestrian Friends If you love to ride, but the rest of your family and friends don’t share your enthusiasm, join one of our horseback riding vacations where you have a good chance of making new friends with... Read more

Travel on Horseback Travel on horseback and by horse-drawn vehicle has an illustrious history which has had an enormous impact on the course of world events. Today in the developed parts of the globe it has become mainly an... Read more

Experience another way of life Genuine working ranches can offer some wonderful opportunities for horseback riding vacations. Horses are still an integral part of operations on cattle ranches so they take riding seriously and guests can often help significantly... Read more

No horses, no cowboys The history of horseback riding in Arizona traces back to about a century after the Spanish conquistadors first arrived on American soil in the 16th century. After 1680, when the Pueblo Rebellion took place in... Read more

Of History, Horses and Dressage The Ancient Greeks were the first to leave records about anything like the art of dressage. Almost 2,500 years ago Xenophon wrote a treatise about how to teach horses and riders to do movements... Read more

Sightseeing from a Different Perspective For those of you who like to travel in depth and see the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of the countries you visit; adventure travel on horseback has huge advantages.  Equestrian vacations offer a... Read more

The Horse and Native American Culture – Spectacular Flowering and Ignominious Collapse The acquisition of horses by the plains Indians in the early 18th century transformed the lives of most tribes between the Rockies and the Mississippi. Almost overnight... Read more

Of “Living Museums” Dude ranch vacations in the Rocky Mountains are an old tradition dating back almost to the first days of settlement. President Theodore Roosevelt himself was an early dude and stayed at Cyrus Eaton’s ranch, which was... Read more

Of 3 Dot and Friends… The story of wild horses in North America is full of pathos and they have captured the imagination and sympathy of many Americans, most of whom know little about the realities of the situation.... Read more

Far from Civilization The vast wilderness areas surrounding the Wind River Valley are ideal for pack trips. These undeveloped lands stretch all the way to Yellowstone Park and are probably the wildest and least crowded left in the lower... Read more

Of Cowboy Mystique and Cattle Cattle drives have captured the popular imagination around the world. In great part this interest was originally inspired by the biggest cattle drives in the history of the world which took place in the... Read more

Horseback Riding at Dude Ranches – Tips for Riders: Bayard Fox has owned and operated the Bitterroot Ranch in Wyoming for well over 40 years and during that time he has gained a huge amount of experience about how... Read more

Native Americans in Utah began to acquire horses in the late 17th century as wild horses, escaped from the Spaniards, began to multiply and spread throughout the West. The Indians also traded horses among each other as they were... Read more

You can find some of the best horseback riding in the equestrian sense at dude ranches in the West. Yes, I know, you have heard about nose to tail riding, no speed faster than a trot and tired old... Read more

In Support of Hard Hats I think that wearing riding helmets should be as basic a precaution as putting on a safety belt while driving a car. I don’t mean to imply that normal horseback riding is as dangerous... Read more

Dogs may be man’s best friend and certainly they provide us with enormous affection and companionship. Often they have given and still give tremendous help in hunting, guarding, guiding the blind, finding landmines, herding and even finding truffles. Still... Read more

A Very Special Partnership Horseback riding is a sport at which women excel. One can try to explain their success because they are lighter than men and have obvious anatomical advantages for the saddle. This is certainly not everything.... Read more

While horseback riding can be strenuous for the rider, the sport is without a doubt more trying for the horse. Sports Physical Therapist and Anatomist Gillian Higgins has a unique approach to develop a deeper understanding between horse and rider called “Horses Inside... Read more