A riding holiday comes in two main forms: you stay in one place and ride day trips from there, or you travel with your horse and group from one overnight stop to the next. Which one fits depends mostly on your riding level and on how many hours a day you can comfortably spend in the saddle. The rest of the preparation is largely a matter of asking the organizer the right questions and checking your insurance, especially if the trip goes abroad. For a very first introduction to horses, with no riding experience, a riding camp or beginner holiday is the more logical start.
Base camp or trek
The difference between the two forms shapes almost everything: how demanding it is, the level you need, and what happens to your luggage.
| Base-camp holiday | Trek | |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays | Every night in the same place | Every night (or every few days) somewhere else |
| Riding | Day rides, often with lessons or free days in between | A daily route from A to B |
| Hours in the saddle | Usually your choice per day | Fixed program, often a large part of the day |
| Sitting a day out | Usually possible | Hard mid-route, the group moves on |
| Suited to | Riders who ride out independently, families too | Riders with experience and fitness |
A base-camp holiday leaves more room to skip a day or take a lesson, which makes it a logical step after your first trail rides. A trek is a journey in itself: you see more, but the group does not wait if you have a bad day.
The riding level it takes
Organizers each describe the required level in their own way, and a label like "intermediate" does not mean the same thing everywhere. So measure yourself against what you actually need to be able to do:
- All three gaits outdoors, in a group. Walk, trot, and canter in open country, with other horses in front of and beside you, without your horse running off with you. Being able to post the trot and stay balanced in a gentle canter is a foundation, not the finish line.
- Riding for hours at a stretch. A few hours a day, several days in a row, asks more of your fitness than a one-hour lesson does.
- Caring for your own horse. On some treks you groom and tack up yourself and help feed or look after the horses along the way; ask beforehand what is expected of you.
- Handling the unexpected. A horse that spooks, a steep descent, crossing a road: you do not need to be an expert, but you do need to stay calm and follow the guide's instructions.
If in doubt, choose the lower level or a base-camp holiday. A ride that is too hard is tiring for you, and for the horse carrying you as well.
What to ask the organizer
Much of what makes a riding holiday good is not in the brochure. These questions give you a quick picture:
- Horses. How many horses are there, how are they matched to riders, and how many hours do they work per day and per week? What happens if a horse goes lame on the way?
- Guiding. How many riders are there per guide, is there a second guide riding at the back, and do the guides have first-aid training?
- Weight and height. Is there a maximum rider weight? That is not a formality: it protects the horse over several days. Background is in the guide on rider weight.
- Safety gear. Is a helmet required, can you borrow one, and may you bring your own body protector or airbag vest?
- Weather and season. How does the organizer handle heat, thunderstorms, or heavy rain? Is the ride shortened, moved to another route, or replaced with a rest day?
- Level check. Is there a trial ride on the first day, and what happens if someone turns out not to meet the level?
- Terms. What is the cancellation policy, what is included (meals, luggage transport, transfers), and what insurance does the organizer carry?
An organizer who answers these questions concretely and without hesitation has usually thought them through.
With children
Minimum ages and level requirements for children vary by organizer; ask rather than assume. Beyond age, what counts is whether a child can manage the riding hours several days in a row, follow instructions independently in a group outdoors, and has well-fitting safety gear. Also ask how the groups are made up: do children ride along with adults, or is there a separate program? For children with little experience, a riding camp is a better fit than a trek.
Insurance
Three things to check beforehand, written for riders insured in the Netherlands:
- Medical costs abroad. With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you receive medically necessary care in Europe; you request it from your health insurer. Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) reimburses what the treatment would cost in the Netherlands and never more than the Dutch rate, and the care counts toward your deductible (eigen risico). Repatriation costs (transport back to the Netherlands) are not covered by basic insurance; they are only reimbursed through travel insurance or supplementary insurance.
- Your travel insurance. Check the policy terms to see whether horse riding is covered and whether certain activities are excluded. If in doubt, ask the insurer before you book.
- Damage caused by you or the horse. If you ride a horse belonging to the organizer, the question of who is liable for injury to yourself or others comes into play. How that works in the Netherlands is covered in the guides on liability in horse accidents and being insured on someone else's horse. Outside the Netherlands, different rules may apply; ask the organizer what insurance they carry.
Travel, luggage, and season
- Getting there and back. Ask where the ride starts and ends, whether there is a transfer from the station or airport, and whether the start and end points are the same.
- Luggage. On a trek, your luggage is either transported separately or you carry a limited amount in saddlebags. Ask which it is and how much you may bring.
- Your own gear. A helmet that fits you well, riding gloves, and boots or shoes you can ride and walk in for hours are worth bringing.
- Season. Heat asks a lot of horses that are on the move for much of the day; read the guide on heat stress if you go in summer. In spring and autumn the ground can be wetter and the days shorter, which affects the program.
In short
- Choose a base-camp holiday if you want to stay flexible, a trek if you have the experience and fitness for several consecutive days of riding.
- Measure your level against what you can do outdoors, in a group, and in all three gaits, not against the organizer's label.
- Ask about the horses, the guiding, a weight limit, the safety gear, the weather policy, and the terms.
- Take your EHIC, check your travel insurance for horse riding, and know that repatriation is not covered by Dutch basic insurance.
Sources (verified September 23, 2026): Dutch government (Rijksoverheid): how am I insured for care when on holiday abroad?
See also: Riding Camps and Riding Holidays for Beginners · Your First Trail Ride · Riding Safety: Helmets, Body Protectors, and Airbag Vests · Level: Considering your own horse