Italy Horse Riding Holidays

Italy is in the south of Europe and its ‘boot shape’ kicks into the Mediterranean Sea. As well as the Italian mainland the islands of Sardinia and Sicily are also part of Italy. Tourism is big business in the country and although many people’s first thoughts of holidays in Italy are in cities like Rome or Milan, there is an abundance of countryside, mountains and beaches to enjoy in Italy.

There are dozens of airports across in the country; a number of the larger ones are based in or around Metropolitan centres like Rome, Milan, Genova and Naples. The country also has land borders with France, Germany, Austria and Croatia so there are many different road routes into the country. To access the Italian islands you can take one of many ferry routes or fly from the Italian mainland, or you can take ferries from other ports around the Mediterranean.

In addition to the cities, another popular holiday destination is Tuscany, a region full of historic cities like Pisa and Florence, but also some of the most picturesque countryside in all of Italy. The region is famous for the Renaissance artists it produced, its wines (Chianti, for example) and its attractive architecture and landscape. The landscape makes it ideal for horse riding holidays.

The luxurious Tuscan has a number of great horse riding centres that welcome all kinds of riders. You can go to Tuscany at any age, child or adult, and learn to ride horses. More experienced riders can go on the Tuscan trails and enjoy views of the vineyards, hills and valleys. Many of the horse riding centres are also have or are close to great accommodation. Visitors can rent luxury villas so that they can enjoy the Tuscan sun as well as the horses. Some villas come with pools and in their own land, however for those on a budget more modest accommodation is available. It is possible to find deals that combine the equestrian activities with a stay in Tuscany. There are a number of ‘activity’ holidays you can take in the region, including wine tasting and cooking holidays.

Italy is famous for a number of horse breeds. From the mainland there is the Italian Heavy Draft, or Rapid Heavy Draft, which is a horse that is bred around Venice. The numbers of this breed has declined in recent years. The colour of the horse tends to be chestnut, bay, or a mix of these. It is a large horse that is highly domesticated, in the past it was used to transport artillery in the army, it was also used in farming. Today the horse is used for the meat industry, and this has changed the character of the animal to become larger and more rounded. Another noted Italian horse breed is the Sardinian, sometimes known as the Sardinian Anglo-Arab. There is also a Sardinian pony, which is somewhat smaller than the horse and is often black, bay or brown. Although these horses are ‘Italian’ they are used beyond the borders of Italy.