Ribera del Duero – Spanish Wine Trail
Ride through the vineyards and historic landscapes of Spain’s Ribera del Duero, combining exhilarating riding with exceptional wine and local culture.
Dressage, Jumping and Cross Country Escapes
For riders who would rather spend their holiday in the saddle than beside the pool, these equestrian escapes put sporty riding at the heart of the experience.
Designed for intermediate, intermediate plus and advanced riders, they combine daily instruction, talented horses and plenty of time in the saddle with the chance to ride in some truly memorable locations.
These are active riding holidays with a genuine focus on developing your skills. You might work on your position and flatwork in a dressage lesson, refine your technique over fences, tackle a challenging cross-country course or try exercises designed to push your riding further. With experienced instructors on hand, the emphasis is on practical coaching that gives you useful skills and greater confidence to take home.
The locations are just as exciting as the riding. In Spain, you could work on your dressage with elegant Andalusians, while Ireland offers the chance to jump Irish Sport Horses across varied countryside. In the UK, you might combine training with traditional equestrian experiences such as riding to hounds. Some holidays are more intensively focused on training, while others balance lessons and jumping with hacking and exploring the surrounding landscape.
The quality of the horses and instruction matters just as much as the facilities. These riding holidays are selected for their well-trained horses, experienced instructors and genuine focus on developing riders. Whether you want to polish your dressage movements, become more confident over fences or challenge yourself on a cross-country course, you can expect thoughtful coaching rather than simply ticking off a lesson.
And there is something particularly enjoyable about travelling somewhere because horses are the main event. Expect to work hard, learn plenty and occasionally step outside your comfort zone. In return, you can head home having ridden exceptional horses, experienced new challenges and become a more confident, capable rider along the way.
Explore Dressage Jumping Cross Country Holidays
Segovia Escapes – Spain on horseback
Ride and canter through the historic landscapes of Castilla y León, from royal gardens and pine forests to Segovia’s ancient walls.
History At A Canter – Riding in Spain
Ride through historic villages, medieval castles and beautiful Castilian countryside on an exhilarating horseback journey through Segovia.
FAQs for Intermediate Horse Riders Dressage Jumping Cross Country Holidays
These riding escapes are generally designed for intermediate and advanced riders who are comfortable riding independently in open spaces and have experience in their chosen discipline. Some destinations are more demanding than others, so each holiday has its own minimum riding requirements.
Many of these holidays include daily lessons or structured training sessions, although the exact programme varies by destination. Depending on the experience, you may have dressage, jumping, cross-country or flatwork sessions, alongside trail riding and other equestrian activitie
The horses are matched to the riding experience and may include specialist sport horses and breeds suited to particular disciplines. You could ride purebred Andalusians for dressage in Spain, Irish Sport Horses in Ireland, or experienced horses trained for jumping and cross-country.
Yes. Developing your riding is a central part of these experiences. With experienced instructors, quality horses and regular training, you can work on your position, technique, confidence and understanding while receiving individual feedback throughout your stay.
Definitely. These are sporty riding holidays rather than purely leisurely trail rides. Depending on the destination, you may tackle challenging jumping courses, ride cross-country over natural obstacles, train intensively in dressage or experience the fast-paced tradition of hunting in the UK.
LEARN MORE ABOUT WORLDWIDE HORSE SAFARIS
DRESSAGE, JUMPING AND CROSS COUNTRY RIDING HOLIDAYS