5 years to use
Instant voucher delivery
Simple exchanges
14-day satisfaction guarantee
To exchange your experience, select a product, add it to cart and proceed to checkout.
Once there, enter your voucher number to exchange for a different experience.
A horse doesn't care what kind of day you're having. It just wants a steady hand and a bit of confidence, whether that's your first 10 minutes in a saddle or your five hundredth. Some rides climb into hills, some end at a cellar door, and some just amble along a beach at sunset.
A first-timer and an experienced rider can book the same horse riding category and come away with entirely different days. Lessons run in a yard with an instructor at your elbow, while trail rides head straight out through bushland, farmland or along a beach, sometimes with wine tasting or a picnic built in. Most operators set a weight limit and rule out pregnant riders, and both figures change from listing to listing.
The Sydney Horse Riding and Gourmet Picnic Experience puts two riders on a guided trail for two hours before a gourmet picnic hamper, with horses, helmets and an instructor included. West of the city in the Hunter Valley, the Brokenback Range Horse Trail Ride covers a beginner-friendly hour through bushland and farmland below the vineyards. For something slower, the Horse-Drawn Carriage Vineyard Ride swaps the saddle for a carriage seat, a 45-minute wander along back roads and through vineyards with no riding experience needed at all.
The Gold Coast Hinterland Horse Riding Lesson teaches riding basics on gentle Peruvian Paso horses at Historic Rivermill, with a stop to visit the resident alpacas, goats and turtles. A short drive away at Mount Nathan, the Private Horse Riding Experience runs one-on-one along riverside and jacaranda-lined trails, opening with a 15-minute safety briefing for anyone who has never sat on a horse. Further north near Cairns, Guided Horse Riding and ATV Tour with Petting Zoo Entry pairs a 30-minute ride through Kuranda rainforest with an ATV tour of a working cattle station, home to around 150 grazing cattle.
45 minutes from Perth, the Jarrahdale Horse Trail Ride climbs into the hills to lookout points over the city and coast, no previous riding experience needed. The same operator's Horse Trail Ride with Grazing Platter and Glass of Wine turns the ride into a longer stop with food and a drink to finish. South in wine country, Horse Riding by Twilight heads out through Margaret River bushland at dusk, riding attire supplied, with kangaroos and emus along the way and a drink waiting back at the cottage.
The Horse Ride & Wine Tasting Experience rides the Jacob's Creek property in the Barossa Valley for about an hour, then finishes at the cellar door for a tasting of limited-release wines; riders must be 18 or over since alcohol is involved. In the Adelaide Hills, the Horse Trail Ride & Tasting Experience at Petaluma rides the vineyards before its own tasting, and is a popular choice for anyone who wants the ride and the wine in one visit.
On the Mornington Peninsula, Horseback Trail Ride & Wine Tasting follows the coastline for 50 minutes before a wine tasting and cheese platter to finish. Further north in Byron Bay, The Forest to Beach Horse Trail Ride winds through subtropical woodland before reaching Belongil Beach. In Tasmania, Horseback Ride Along 7 Mile Beach keeps groups small, two to five riders, along a stretch of coastline looking out to the Tasman Peninsula.
A horse riding gift solves the problem of giving something that gets used rather than stored. It suits a first-timer who has never touched a saddle and a confident rider looking for an excuse to get back in one, and works just as well as a solo booking, a couple's outing or a small group day.
A RedBalloon gift voucher lets the person choose the region, the format and the date themselves, whether that means a short lesson close to home or a longer trail ride paired with wine tasting somewhere they've been meaning to visit.
It depends on experience level and how much time you want to spend in the saddle. This Byron Bay trail ride is a strong option, riding through subtropical woodland before reaching Belongil Beach. For a shorter, hillier ride, the Jarrahdale trail ride climbs into the hills above Perth for lookout views over the city and coast, no experience required.
Horse riding lessons run in several states for anyone who has never sat on a horse before. The Gold Coast hinterland lesson teaches the basics on gentle Peruvian Paso horses at Historic Rivermill, while the Adult Private Horse Riding Lesson runs one-on-one in the hills outside Perth, both suited to a total beginner.
It depends on the ride, but most operators set a minimum somewhere between 6 and 10 years old. The Cairns horse and ATV tour near Cairns sets the lowest minimum at six, while Byron Bay's beach trail rides set theirs at 10, with a minimum height of 125cm on top of that. Wine-tasting rides that involve alcohol are restricted to 18 and over regardless of riding ability.
Yes, most operators set a maximum rider weight, though the figure varies by horse and by venue. The Sydney's guided picnic ride caps riders at 100kg, while some Barossa Valley wine and saddle experiences allow up to 120kg. Check the specific listing before booking if this applies to you.
No, most Australian horse riding operators exclude pregnant riders as standard safety policy, along with anyone with a recent back or spinal injury. The Mount Nathan ride states the restriction directly, and it holds whether the booking is a short lesson or a longer trail ride.
A lesson focuses on riding technique in a yard or arena with an instructor close by, which suits someone who has never been on a horse. A trail ride assumes at least a basic walk and trot and heads straight out into bushland, farmland or along a beach for the scenery instead. The Jarrahdale grazing-platter ride is built for the second type of rider, pairing the ride with food afterwards.
Both are guided animal treks over similar bush or farmland terrain, but a horse moves faster and takes more direct cues from the rider, while a camel's slower, rolling gait suits anyone nervous about balance or new to riding an animal at all. Anyone after a gentler introduction can start with camel riding instead, which runs on a similar format to the trail rides above.
A farm experience covers similar ground with more animals in the mix, from feeding to shearing demonstrations. For a wider spread of species, animal encounters range from koalas to camels in one booking. If the wine stops were the highlight, wine tasting and winery tours go deeper into the cellar door without the saddle. Anyone after a scenic walk instead of a ride can try bushwalking and hiking tours through similar bushland and coastal terrain.