England Horse Riding Holidays

England has always been a nation of animal lovers, and so it is no surprise that horses are used in all kinds of activities in the country. There are many well-known annual horse races in the country and Queen Elizabeth II is also a very big fan of horses, and she herself helps promote some horse races and regularly attends the more elite horse races that occur in England.

There are two kinds of races in England, hurdle racing and ‘flat’ or sprint racing. One of the most famous courses in England is Ascot Racecourse, which is in Berkshire. It is very closely linked with the Royal family – who own the property, and the course hosts the Ascot Gold Cup, one of the biggest races in the sporting calendar. There are also a number of high stakes races at Ascot that take their names from members of the Royal family and commemorate special Royal anniversaries.

Races like these help encourage tourism to England and many people come to courses such as Ascot to enjoy a weekend in England and enjoy the equestrian activities. Betting on these races is very popular and wagers are made from all over the world.

But England is not just a place where people come to watch others ride horses. There is an abundance of picturesque countryside in which tourists can come and enjoy themselves whilst riding horses. In the north west of England the Lake District is a designated National Park and is an attractive destination all year-round for walkers, campers and anyone who enjoys the outdoors. There are a huge number of bed and breakfasts in the area and it is also a very popular destination for campers and caravan enthusiasts.

As well as the many lakes within the park it is also home to Scafell Pike, the highest point in England. It also accommodates over 80 bodies of water, yet only Bassenthwaite Lake is the only one that is officially named a lake. The Park is also known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, most of the land within it is either owned privately or held by the National Trust, an organisation that manages such areas of land. The Lake District is an ideal place to go horse riding in England because of the attractive landscape and the great views, it is also a nice place to get good country food and real ale!

The other horse riding activity that is well known in England is of course hunting. Although the traditional practice of hunting foxes with dogs was banned across the UK in 2004, many hunts continue in the form of drag hunting and bloodhound hunting, where a real fox is replaced so that the traditional hunt can continue. Hunting with dogs is seen as a very traditional English past time but in fact it has also taken place in Europe, in countries such as France and Italy, and in other English speaking nations like the United States of America and Canada.