With 3.85 million tourists visiting Napa Valley each year, Napa has wine tasting down to a science. There are over 500 wineries in the Napa Valley, however, what you might NOT know is that horses helped build its wine legacy. Dating back to the 1840s, horses were the primary form of transport for Napa residents [...]
"In riding a horse we borrow freedom," that quote from Helen Thompson are words that I live by. In my Northern California city, I'm fortunate to live near wine country. Lucky for me, and you, I've discovered trail rides in Sonoma and Napa wine country with Sonoma Valley Trail Rides. There's nothing better than [...]
California dude ranch experience at Greenhorn Ranch Leaving the San Francisco Bay Area traffic behind, I can literally feel the stress disappear from my body as my husband drives our truck into California's Lost Sierra. The grand conifer trees and pine forests mingle with clear-running streams as we wind our way to Plumas County. The [...]
Our horse, Dawn, says, "This is not your typical horseback riding vacation." One of the highlights of our recent trip to Ireland was not in the form of a horseback riding vacation. Instead, we took a Pony Trap ride through the Gap of Dunloe, near Killarney, Co Kerry, Ireland. The Gap of [...]
Jimmy Harrison cowboy hats from Darby, Montana. Photo © Nancy D. Brown What Your Cowboy Hat Says About You It's been said that cowboys know how to tell where a fellow cowboy hails from by the shape of his hat and the rope on his saddle. I'm no expert on the [...]
Riding on Tullan Strand in Ireland. Photo © Nancy D. Brown A horseback riding vacation in County Donegal, along the Wild Atlantic Way, is an experience that will delight the heart of every equestrian. Beach riding in California is dying due to high insurance premiums forced on public riding stables and the closures [...]
Few horseback rides are as memorable as those along the shores of the ocean's crashing waves. Assateague Island National Seashore, home of the “wild” ponies, fits this experience exactly. Horseback riding on Maryland’s Atlantic coast, just south of the resort town of Ocean City, Assateague offers an almost endless, wide sandy beach that invites [...]
High Lonesome Ranch wranglers gather round the campfire after a horseback riding vacation in De Beque, Colorado With phrases such as "we're going to jingle" and "out to pasture," we're not talking about coins in your pockets or retirement days. Jingle means rounding up horses and "out to pasture" is where the [...]
Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown riding Essie in the Gallatin National Forest, Montana. I'm often asked for the best horseback riding vacations for single travelers. I had the opportunity to write about solo riding tips on Horse Rookie, an equestrian blog for rookie and experienced riders. Have you ever wanted to go on [...]