Travel Articles

Combine Cruising & Horses on Your Alaska Vacation

Heading to Alaska this summer on a cruise? Consider adding horseback riding into the mix on one of EquitrekkingTravel.com's Alaska Horse Riding Vacations of the Kenai Peninsula. Alaska native Bree Bardarson leads small groups of travelers into the wilds of the Chugach Mountains into country that's so pristine and off the beaten path that many native Alaskans haven't had the chance to see it. Beginning riders can enjoy this trip on Bree's fit horses. Since the horses are...

Alaska - Seward Beach Ride

by: Equitrekking host Darley Newman Who would have thought about beach riding in Alaska! I rode with Bree Bardarson, who was born and raised in Alaska. She took me horse riding through the beautiful natural areas surrounding the town of Seward on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, as well as through areas of devastation caused by the 1964 earthquake. We had a short canter along the shore, before reaching a beach inhabited by hundreds of Arctic Tern. This migratory bird flies...

Iceland Horse Drive

“Go fast,” is the advice that Asa, an Icelandic farmer, gave me as we took off with fifty horses, running parallel to a giant glacier in the distance alongside the Ring Road, the main highway in Iceland. During the summer when it is light for most of each day, these horse drives can happen twice a week, something that I had trouble fathoming as we stopped traffic several times and took off into the lava fields. Good thing that this horse friendly country has a riding...

Alberta’s Canadian Rockies Equestrian Vacation

It might seem crazy, riding horses twenty miles into the mountains of Southwestern Alberta with a film crew and all their high definition equipment. Perhaps it’s a little nuts, but we were told that the loop around Sheep River Gorge in Alberta’s Canadian Rockies is spectacular, so we really wanted to capture it on film. Barring the hailstorm at the top, when those long Western duster rain jackets came in handy, the ride was amazing. We were out with husband and wife...

Maui Haleakala Crater Ride Video

by: Darley Newman Riding into the crater of a volcano on Maui has to top my list as one of the most amazing places in the world to explore on horseback. (you can do this ride as part of EquitrekkingTravel.com's Maui Equestrian Vacation Self Drive) At Haleakala National Park, I was challenged with descending twenty-five hundred feet from the summit to the crater floor on horseback. The horses that undertake this journey from around ten thousand feet to approximately...

Equitrekking’s Nominated for a Daytime Emmy

Equitrekking with Host and Producer Darley Newman and Executive Producer Chip Ward has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Series in the 37th Annual Daytime Emmys. This is the Equitrekking team's third Daytime Emmy nomination! In 2009, Equitrekking was nominated for Outstanding Special Class Series and was honored with a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Single Camera Photography. Equitrekking has been nominated alongside Travel Channel's "The...

Maui- Upcountry Horse Culture Video

Upcountry Maui is horse country. If you visit, make sure to check out the Western town of Makawao and consider riding. Maui has lots of options, which you can incorporate into your vacation, a great idea for those who aren't used to riding everyday. Here's a short Equitrekking video on Maui Horse Culture featuring Makawao and Piiholo Ranch, places you may travel with Equitrekking Travel's Equestrian Vacation on Maui. Darley Newman is the host of the Emmy Award-winning...

Maui- Pi’iholo Ranch in Upcountry

We’re in Upcountry Maui, riding at Piiholo Ranch with Tamalyn Baldwin and other riders, a destination which is part of the Equitrekking Travel Maui Equestrian Vacation. The Upcountry is the lush ranch area and Piiholo Ranch is a working cattle ranch that also serves as a sanctuary for the Hawaiian State Bird, the endangered Nene. Seeing the Nene up close would be one of the highlights of my ride at Piiholo. I rode a 4-year-old Quarter Horse named Stick. Though young,...

Maui- Makawao Cowboy Town

Makawao is a very cool little Western town in Upcountry Maui, right by the Maui Ranch Ride for the Equitrekking Travel Maui Equestrian Vacation Self Drive. So far, this is my favorite town in Maui. It’s right down the street from Piiholo Ranch, so if you are riding there, you may want to check it out. After using Makawao as a base for travel and getting restaurant suggestions from the locals and then trying them, here are a couple of recommendations. This town consists of all...

Maui- Lahaina Town

Lahaina is a busy shop and restaurant filled port town, which though touristy, has enough history to make it worth a stop on your trip, or at least a drive through. I wanted to see the big old Banyon Tree down by the water, so we headed to Lahaina to check it out.  Front Street is the main street in Lahaina. During the 1800’s, when whaling was a major industry, Lahaina was a place that sailors would visit, after being isolated at sea for months at a time. Lahaina was, for...

Maui- Old Hawaii Kipahulu Ride

Today we drove three hours of the beautiful, treacherous winding Road to Hana out to Kipahulu to ride with Maui Stables. This is one of the most remote parts of the island. It is actually past Hana. The road itself runs along the coast with 600 and some curves. We woke up at 5AM to make the three hour drive to Kipahulu. Along Hana Highway, we stopped to watch the waves crash on the cliffs and to take in the waterfalls and pools that dot this area of rainforest. Keoni...

Mount Juliet Estate- Jumps and Gallops

by Darley Newman As I galloped up through the lush, green fifty-acre field on Chad, a strong Irish Sport horse, I felt a little wild and completely free. Eleanor, our guide, had told me to let Chad go a bit, as he had the biggest stride of our horses and would like to be in front. He certainly ran fast! I do get to ride fast on a lot of different horses and each time is different and exciting, especially when I’m riding through a wide open dream space in Ireland! When...

Ireland- Mount Juliet Cross Country

I was back at Mount Juliet Estate today, a beautiful old Irish estate in Thomastown, Ireland. Up until the 1980’s, not too long ago, Mount Juliet was a private residence, complete with a staff of around 100. Last time I rode here was when we filmed Equitrekking Irish Countryside, in Equitrekking’s second season. I rode a horse named Harold with trainer Elenaor Dwan. I was privileged to ride again with Eleanor. Julie and I arrived just in time for some nice hot tea and a...

Ireland- The Burren and Cliffs of Moher

  Bertie and Nicola, our hosts in County Clare for the Galway & Clare Riding Adventures, took us to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular natural wonder on Ireland’s coast. If you ride on the progressive or post to post Galway Clare Riding Adventure, you can take on a six day ride to the coast, ending at a spot with a view of the Cliffs of Moher. With post to post or progressive rides, you travel somewhere new every day and trail ride to a destinations. On our visit to...

Equitrekking in “USA Today”

  I'm in Ireland, but had to interrupt my Ireland postings to show you an article that just came out in the Travel section of USA Today, 10 great places to go horseback riding. I was interviewed about my top picks for 10 great, accessible day rides in the United States. They are accessible because local outfitters at each destination have fit, experienced horses that are available to the public for guided rides starting from one hour, so you won’t get too...

Ireland- Galway & Clare Riding with Darley and Julie

Julie and I arrived for the Galway County Clare Riding Adventure at An Sibin in time to get in a brisk walk. This is my second visit to An Sibin and I was excited to see that the neighbors still have their collection of gnomes and other decorative artifacts just down the road. Nicola told me that the neighbor is an older farmer, who has them out as a sort of conversation starter for the travelers who visit An Sibin. When we filmed at An Sibin before, we thought the gnome...

Ireland- First Day Driving from Shannon

Julie Snyder, Equitrekking Travel's Preferred Provider of Travel Services, and I are exploring Ireland, riding horses all over the country. It's a good way for Julie to get to know each equestrian vacation that we feature on Equitreking Travel better, so she can match riders more accurately and both of us to discover some new destinations. I've visited Ireland twice now and filmed two episodes here and there's still more to see and more places to ride. We've...

Short Equestrian Vacations Can Actually Increase Your Happiness

by: Equitrekking host Darley Newman Can't get away for a whole week to take a riding vacation? There are lots of new flexible horse riding trips that allow you a shorter time in the saddle in Vermont, Ireland, Virginia, North Carolina, Alaska, Colorado and beyond. Shorter vacations are ideal for busy people with tight schedules, as well as beginning riders and equestrians who want to combine a short riding vacation with other activities. As a hardworking entrepreneur...

Vermont Icelandic Inn to Inn Ride

  By Ed Machak Photos by Ed Machak and Chip Ward A novice dressage rider with no real trail riding experience, mounted on a strange horse, in the pouring rain, with water already trickling into my boots before we've left the paddock I began to question the wisdom of this endeavor. Not to worry, who'd have thought riding in a straight line could be so much fun! For five days, we rode Icelandic horses over country roads, through fields and forests. Many trails...

Vermont Icelandic Inn Ride, Day One

We were troopers today, riding on our first day of the Icelandic inn-to-inn ride in buckets of rain. I rode Kristall, a well trained and super fun Icelandic. We had a lot of fun, even in the rain. The Icelandic Horse Farm is located in Fayston, Vermont, in the Mad River Valley. It is near the small town of Waitsfield. With around 34 horses, the owner, Karen has her hands full. The farrier was there this morning and comes quite frequently. We watched her work at impressive speeds...

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