Equestrian Tourism

What is Equestrian Tourism?

For Equestrian Tourism there are different academic definitions, but in Ampascachi we prefer to define it “as a combination of horse riding passion, the desire to go horseback riding in nature and the interest to visit places from other provinces, other countries or other continents, in order to reach special and unique places, to which we can only get on horseback”. All this with a touch of adventure since you sleep in camps, cross rivers and travel along gorges.

Depending on how those three ingredients mentioned before are combined, we will obtain different types of equestrian tourism products or horseback riding holidays.

Equestrian tourism and horseback riding

What we normally see in the market as horseback rides, two or three-hour tours in one day, is an activity that is not considered equestrian tourism by horse lovers.

For an equestrian tourism product to be considered as such, it must provide for at least two days with an overnight stay.

Humans and horses, united by equestrian tourism

Humans have bound with horses for more than 5,000 years and this union has been connected to the productive development of humans.

Horses were not only the driving force that pushed the plough in the fields, but they also contributed, primarily, to transport and war.

The ancient great empires were able to expand thanks to the horse. Thus, for all these circumstances, humans developed a close relationship with horses, and it has had different characteristics according to the different moments. But in all of them, there has always been something in common and that is the recognition, from humans, of the services that this beautiful animal provided. It was never considered as a pet, bred and domesticated by men to enjoy its company.

Horses were very influential in humans’ lives.

Over time, humans through their intelligence, developed from the first engines to a whole universe of machines that generate the current driving force, fast means of transport, and also, unfortunately, modern machines for war. They also exploited and altered what nature was in the past.

Hence, the horse considerably lost the vital importance it had had until the arrival of current progress, which pushed it to the background for a few tasks in rural areas with livestock, especially cattle.

Fortunately, humans have rescued horses to do things, which they also did before, but not as their main purpose, and those things are equestrian sports, such as dressage, jumping, Polo and many more.

In our opinion, the most important way in which horses were rescued by today humans, is the activity of riding in the countryside and in open spaces, because it is a massive practice and it doesn’t pollute nature. Therefore, humans and horses go together, but no longer with the need to arrive somewhere, but in a relaxed and contemplative way, which can only be appreciated from a horse’s back.

This way, horses provide an essential service to humans again. Besides, they no longer need to compete with the development of modernity, and this practice, which rescues the horse one more time and puts it back in a central position, is Horseback Riding Tours or Equestrian Tourism, an activity that allows the most experts to exercise their skills as riders. But also newbies can, with a little instruction, learn to ride and enjoy nature and landscapes, something that takes us away from city stress.

Different Equestrian Tourism products

Although we have already given a definition of the equestrian tourism concept, we are going here to give a more academic and technical precision of that meaning:

“An equestrian tourism product is a tourist product in which the equestrian activity is the main motivation”..

In this concept there are three factors – roads and logistics, equestrian activity and accommodation. It should be also noted that this product must have, as we mentioned before, at least one overnight stay.

We give these details because some authors have made a distinction between Horse Riding Tourism and Horse-Based Tourism. The latter refers to tourist products that, although they are linked to horses, involve different activities such as horse shows or equestrian sports like polo, jumping championships, etc.

In Ampascachi when we talk about Equestrian Tourism, we will always refer to Horse Riding Tourism, and mainly to the modality of horseback tours or expeditions with a duration of several days.

That said, we can say that there are different types of products in the Equestrian Tourism market.

Horseback riding with beaches as the main scene

These products usually have horseback riding tours, and a part or the whole of it takes place on beaches for at least a week.

It may not be by the sea shore. It depends on circumstances such as tides or sand, but it takes place as close to water as possible, so the rider can practice exciting gallops even in shallow water.

Equestrian tours with camping

These are mainly horseback trips that can take more than four days stay in camps consisting of different kinds of tents.

In these cases, you need more equipment, such as sleeping bags, personal hygiene items, clothing and you should be also physically fit to resist several days on the road.

The amenities these camps offer depend on each service provider.

While some discomfort may be experienced in a camp, you will forget about it when you live the adventure and the experience of awakening in direct contact with nature, which makes the trip something magic.

Equestrian Tourism in guest ranches or estancia

In these products, the guest stays in an equestrian centre or ranch, similar to those in the US or an Argentine estancia, with a private room, and horseback rides have the shape of a star (some call this star product) because they start from the equestrian centre and go back there, and every day you go in a different direction.

It is a more relaxed product, because you can have half days free to do other activities on the ranch or estancia, such as cattle-related activities, read in a peaceful place, play tennis or go for a walk around the ranch or estancia.

Besides, several of these products make perfect horse riding holidays for families with children.

Horseback riding training and further education

These products also have an equestrian centre where guests can receive the minimum riding instructions to be able to go riding with a guide in the fields. This way, they become skilled enough to do horseback riding tours, which require a greater expertise as a rider and it is the true practice of equestrian tourism.

It is an ideal product for people who want to get started with horses to enjoy riding them and also ride in the countryside.

There are also some products with the same format, they also have an equestrian centre, but there guests take lessons to improve their dressage or jumping techniques. They are meant for riders who practice equestrian sports and who want to improve their riding skills.

These products offer training lessons either for beginners or for experienced riders, but they can also share moments of relaxation in a rural environment.

Horseback riding safari

This Equestrian Tourism is designed to go horse riding in Africa, which is truly spectacular. It is called safari, because according to the meaning of the word corresponds to an expedition to hunt large, wild animals especially in Africa.

Although in these products there is no hunting, you will go riding through the African territory and live the extraordinary experience of coming across giraffes, elephants, or big cats.

Most of these products have a centre, a permanent camp, with very comfortable and pleasant facilities. In some other cases, you follow an itinerary and have to go from one campsite to another or have to sleep outdoors.

Sometimes you go to places that are not dangerous, so green riders can participate, too. And some other itineraries are for more experienced riders because they may come across lions, buffalos, leopards or rhinos.

Although we can highlight other Horseback riding Holidays where, for example, Polo practice, taming activities and riding lessons for children are offered, we would say that those mentioned above make the 95% of the product offer, which are commercialised through specialized Tour Operators that act as retailers of direct providers and guarantee the service.

Equestrian Tourism around the World

Equestrian tourism is taking off all over the world. This form of tourism, which focuses on horses, comprises a considerable volume of adherents in Europe and the United States. This type of holidays is aimed at both beginners, who have never ridden a horse, and great experts. The activity is highly related to sustainable and responsible tourism, the search of authentic experiences and direct contact with nature.

In order to meet a growing demand for information about horse riding holidays, we have developed new content based on the five continents. There, you can find information about the places you can visit and local suppliers.

Select one of the continents to see their Horseback Riding Holidays options.

Our Equestrian Tourism offer

Ampascachi is a company dedicated to Equestrian Tourism in Argentina with a proposal that includes an adequate mixture of all the elements involved in a horseback riding tour experience: tourism, local traditions, gastronomy and the culture of our people. All these activities are developed in Argentina, a country extraordinarily endowed by nature, due to the variety of its climate, its geography and its diverse landscapes.

All the experiences of our tours can be enjoyed by riding a Peruvian Paso Horse, which represents an equestrian jewel of 500 years of selection and that was a contribution from the Spanish conquest of America. Ampascachi promotes these horses by breeding, taming and training them so they can be used in the different tours we offer, since this breed is considered the best equine line for horseback riding in nature, traveling for days, in order to get to know it in a different way.

In our website, we will transmit our experiences as breeders of Peruvian Paso Horses, our Equestrian Tourism tours, experiences in nature, Argentina, horses in general, our Horse Taming School, horse taming and training techniques. But above all, we are going to talk about the activity that we call Equestrian Tourism, which involves many interesting practices and customs.

Thinking about a horse riding holiday but don't know where to start?

For that, we recommend that you download our free eBook "How to plan your next horseback trip". You will be able to plan your next equestrian vacation thanks to the helpful guidelines that we give you.