As fellow equestrians, our Horse Insurance team spend a lot of time planning their next riding holiday. To help you make the most of the summer with your horse, our SEIB Rewards partner, PolyJumps, has put together their top ten tips for planning and enjoying some precious time with your pony.
1. Go On A Beach Ride
Going for a gallop on the beach with your horse is a staple on everyone’s equestrian bucket list. If you haven’t had the chance to give it a go yet, what are you waiting for? There is no better feeling than letting loose and feeling the sea air on your face and sand under your horse’s hooves as you fly down the beach! It’s definitely something every equestrian has to experience once in their lives (at least!).
Before you hit the beach, make sure your beach allows horses and riders. Some beaches only allow horses on their shores in the off-season or between set hours, so double check before you head out.
2. Participate In A Charity Fun Ride
Enjoy the thrill of riding out across the country without the pressure of a competition! Fun rides are exactly what their name suggests… fun! Saddle up with a group of like minded individuals and head out for a nice canter around the countryside. Take it as fast or as slow as you want to and pop a few fences while you’re at it if you feel confident. You’ll have a blast and make some new horsey friends too!
Charity fun rides happen all over the country all the time, so check your local equestrian bulletin, pony club page, or ask a friend for any coming up near you this summer.
3. Go Camping With Your Horse
If you're a nature lover and camping is your idea of fun, why not go one step further and take your horse with you! Find some long trail rides around the countryside, pack your supplies, head off the grid for a couple of days! Do it solo or convince a friend to come along. You’ll have a wonderful time meandering, enjoying the Great British countryside and sleeping out under the stars.
4. Meet Up With A Friend For A Trail Ride (To The Pub)
When the temperatures start to soar, it calls for a cold drink. Pub gardens were made for a hot summer’s day, so when you’re in need of something refreshing why not grab a mate and meet up for a trail ride to the local pub? Country pubs are more than used to horses parking up at their doors, so have a mosey down and grab something refreshing to keep you cool. Plan your route to enjoy riding out in the warm weather and make the most of the day. Stop off for a light refreshment before heading back home again. A day full of hacking and chatting sounds like the perfect summer activity to us!
5. Attend Some Pole Work Clinics
This summer why not brush up on your pole work skills? It’s hard to find the motivation to try new things when the weather’s rubbish, but now that summer is here you have no excuse! Look up some local pole work experts or professional riders hosting clinics and sign yourself up. It’s a great way to challenge yourself and improve your riding, as well as pick up some new exercises to try out at home. Whether you’re busy competing this summer or just enjoying time in the saddle, pole work clinics are something that both you and your horse will enjoy.
Want to put what you learnt to the test at home? Head over to PolyJumps to check out their extensive range of 3 metre or 1.5 metre poles.
6. Give Your Horse A Spa Day
With the warmer weather it’s the perfect season to give your horse a pamper day. Make the most of the sunny days and give your horse a much-needed bath. You can wash their tail, give their legs a scrub, and even trim their manes so they look fresh and smart for the summer. Once they’re sparkling, you could even organise a summer photoshoot to capture some special memories to last a lifetime.
7. Try A Horsemanship Class
Did your horse’s discipline slip over the winter? It always happens, we let things slide just to get through the rainy days and dark evenings. But now that’s behind us, why not give a horsemanship lesson a go? Get your horse back on track and in tune with you so you can say bye-bye to bad behaviour. It will also help you manage the winter sharpness when summer ends!
If you’re not sure where to start, check out Intelligent Horsemanship. They’ve got loads of registered IH horsemanship coaches all over the country and have lots of online resources to help you practice in between.
8. Give A New Discipline A Go
Have you ever wanted to try out something new with horses? There are so many different disciplines and styles of riding out there! If you’re feeling a bit bored of trotting around in circles, or jumping isn’t quite cutting it for you right now, then why not head out and try something completely new? There are probably sports on horseback that you hadn’t even heard of before. Here’s some examples:
- Polo
- Western riding
- Horse archery
- Horse falconry
- Horse Ball
Have a think about what takes your fancy and look up local venues, grab a friend if you want to, and head out for a lesson. Who knows, it might be your new calling!
9. Volunteer At An Equestrian Event Or Centre Near You
Equestrian events and centres are always in need of an extra pair of hands. Whether it’s volunteering as a fence judge or dressage writer at your local BE event, or perhaps lending a hand for a few hours at a horse rescue centre, your summer will be well spent volunteering.
You won’t feel like you’re wasting the days away if your time is spent helping out where needed! Enjoy the sunshine at a local event and catch up with a like minded horsey crowd. Or if you want to make a difference, we know any equestrian charity, rescue centre, or sanctuary will be very grateful for your help.
Not sure where to volunteer? Check out PolyJumps blog all about their favourite equestrian charities.
10. Go On A Horsey Holiday
Looking to get away this summer but not ready to miss out on your horsey fix? An equestrian experience holiday sounds right up your street! Get foreign summer sun or try out something totally unique, from riding on white sandy beaches to trail riding through the Montana scenery, it will be a holiday you’ll never forget. Check out how other cultures look after and train their horses and you might bring a few new useful nuggets of information back with you.
About SEIB
SEIB Insurance Brokers have been providing insurance for horses for over 60 years. Whether you’re planning a horse holiday or heading to your next event, we offer a flexible range of Horsebox Insurance and Horse Trailer Insurance to suit your needs. Our experienced team of horse owners can help you find the right cover, giving you peace of mind while you travel.
Don’t forget, our Horse Insurance policies automatically include personal accident and public liability as standard.