Horse riding holidays in North America

Why seeing North America on horseback?

Going horseback riding in this land will give you the chance to take a close-up look at the life of its people, the cowboys and the first indigenous inhabitants that lived there.

Bathed by three oceans and the Caribbean Sea, North America has extensive sandy beaches, ideal for horseback riding.

You will find infinite extensions and a great variety of natural spaces, landscapes and climatic zones in its different geographical regions.

North America is a subcontinent that belongs to the northern part of the American continent. Located in the Western Hemisphere, it covers an area of about 24,315,410 km².

It comprises Canada, the United States and Mexico.

In the northern part of the subcontinent, there is the world’s largest island – Greenland – where the point on the surface closest to the Geographic North Pole is. It is geographically bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, by the Pacific Ocean to the west, by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, by the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and it is only connected by land with Central America.

Like the rest of the American continent, it was named after Americo Vespucio, the first navigator who realized that this continent were not the Oriental Islands.

And how is North America different from the other Americas?

In North America there are roads that go from end to end and not all of them are tarmacked.

Many of them are perfect for horseback riding. Equestrian tourism here can find all that is needed to enjoy each day of your stay around these parts.

Since everything here is huge, your sight and all your senses will stay alert at every step in this fascinating continent.

Some interesting facts about North America

History

North America was colonized by Spain and England respectively. The mixture of so different cultures gave rise to a phenomenon that is not easy to see in other parts of the world.

With a few hundred kilometres of distance, many different kinds of architecture, towns or people can be found, added to the great number of black people that live there today, lets the tourist get glimpse of globalization, something that is very common nowadays, in one single region of the world. A minimum indigenous percentage, the original inhabitants, can still be found in the most remote parts of the continent.

Culture

To travel around North America on horseback, with local guides and the service provided by highly qualified professionals, which abound here, means an opportunity to live, breathe and feel these very different ways of seeing reality around us, depending on how each cultural standard and rule are transmitted to us, and how we interpret and translate them.

With regard to its culture, there are two sectors that can be differentiated according to their geographical location. The southern part of the continent still keeps some of the characteristics of the extinct indigenous peoples (Mayans and Aztecs) and their customs are linked to what the natives believed.

In the northern part, not only is another language spoken, English, but also their customs try to imitate those from Western Europe. If we go further north, there are people who have adapted to the prevailing icy climates, with unique landscapes free of all the pollution from our so questionable present modernity.

Economy

Regarding its economy, this sub-continent is the one that has the largest economic rate of the three American sub continents. This way, it is among the 15 largest economies of the world.

Each country has its own currency.

Canada has the Canadian dollar, the US has the US dollar. In Mexico they use the Mexican pesos but they take the dollar as a reference.

It is important to mention that Mexico is a developing country, while the other two are considered developed countries and the United States is a world power.

Population

The low population density offers us an enormous amount of uninhabited land and landscapes to enjoy trail riding, which will make us feel free and alone, in one of the beautiful parts of our planet.

Silence will allow us to listen to the wind and the gallop of our travelling companion, our horse. Diversity is the adjective that best describes this so incredible territory.

North America is inhabited by the 7% of the world’s population.

The population density has been defined by the descendants of immigrants coming mainly from England, Spain and a smaller portion from France.

Religion

As regards religious beliefs, they inherited some of those from the countries that had colonized them. Canada and the US have a predominance of Protestant religions, and in Mexico, Catholicism is predominant.

Languages

Although the predominant languages were mentioned before when we talked about the colonization, it should be also noted that in Canada, French and English are spoken.

Apart from English, the predominant language, in some states of the US, French and Spanish are also spoken. The latter is the result of immigration coming from Mexico and the rest of Latin America.

Climate

Since this continent is so vast, its climate is quite diverse, too.

In the north, the climate is arctic. Nevertheless, as you go south, the climate is temperate with forests, jungles and grasslands.

Since the southern end of North America is near the tropic, the climate there is tropical.

Flora

One third of the whole region is covered with forests. Although the vegetation has been modified because of the growing population, in some places there are wide natural areas.

Thus, one of the most outstanding forests is in the present territory of southern, central Canada and it reaches into Alaska. In this northern forest there are pine, fir, larch, spruce and tsuga trees.

In the east of the US, there is a forest with deciduous trees and yellow pines. In the west of the continent there are some species like the sequoia trees.

In Mexico there are tropical forests where the so-called mixed forests abound.

Fauna

You will be amazed by the wide variety of wildlife that can be found here.

As in the case of the flora, wildlife has been considerably reduced because of the growing population.

Nevertheless, in the north we can highlight some animals that are typical of arctic climates like bears, Canadian bighorn sheep, American bison, deer, etc. In the central region, which is not inhabited, there are cougars, jaguars and wolves.

In the south (deserts) there is a wide variety of reptiles such as rattle snakes, coral snakes, Gila monsters and venomous lizards.

Choosing a destination and an operator can be tricky…

In North America, there are experiences for every taste and budget, with hundreds of equestrian tourism operators spread throughout the territory.

You will find many different offers, so you should check the backgrounds of each company carefully before hiring them.

Horse riding holiday proposals in North America

United States

In the United States, there is much more to discover besides cowboys and movie scenes.

In the United States, it's not all about cowboys or movie scenes. In this great country, you can go horse riding in vast plains, go up mountain trails with several technical difficulties, or along dry riverbeds and gallop through endless sands; or you can just relax and go for a short horseback ride once a day.

Another fascinating fact about this country is the possibility to stay in one of those guest ranches where life revolves around horses.

You can plan a ranch vacation, where people’s lives revolve around horses. If you spend a few days on a ranch, you'll discover how to run an American cattle farm. You will learn that the horse is not only a means of transport or a work tool, but also your partner and your workmate.

Would you like to live an experience like this?

Discover everything you need to enjoy a Horseback riding vacation in the United States.

Canada

The territory of Canada is characterized by the most diverse natural beauties, breathtaking landscapes, lands of contrasts and spectacular waterfalls.

Riding across Canada, we’ll feel as trappers and gold diggers once felt, while they were trying to get lucky here, in the world’s Far North. At the same time, you will be able to ride along placid trails that are brimming with pristine nature and wild beauty.

Visit Canada and enjoy a one-of-a-kind adventure in vast open spaces in the middle of stunning mountains, on the comfortable back of a Tennessee Walking Horse.

For further information, go to our article Horseback Riding Holidays in Canada.

Mexico

Mexico is a paradise for horseback riding enthusiasts.

A country with a great diversity that you will be able to discover during your holidays on horseback:

• Desert landscapes and snow-covered volcano.s
• Ancient ruins and industrialized cities.
• Colonial towns frozen in time and dazzling tourist resorts.
• Lonely beaches and a world-famous collection of flora and fauna.

Mexico is rich in traditions, history, art and religion. Its equestrian tradition dates back to the 16th century, the times of the Spanish conquistadors who brought horses back to North America. This tradition is still alive and in good health, and this can be seen in Mexican rodeos or “charreadas”.

If you want to learn more about the best Equestrian routes in this historic country, don’t miss our article on Mexico Horseback Riding Vacations in Mexico.

North America will reveal its emblematic landscapes to you and will offer you unforgettable horseback riding vacations. North America offers so much to see, discover and enjoy that only one visit won’t be enough for you to get to contemplate and enjoy it entirely.

Do you also love the idea of exploring North America on horseback?

Download our free eBook on equestrian tourism in North America and enjoy your cowboy vacations.