Travels on horseback

Weekend cowboy
Learn to ride in a weekend!

We invite you to Weekend Cowboy: learn the basics of horseriding in a fun-filled environment. On a beautiful farm qualified instructors will give you personal tuition. We’ll be in a secure, modern arena and by the end of the weekend you’ll be riding out through the woods. Spend the evenings kicking back by the bonfire, relaxing in luxury accommodation, and eating fantastic local food.

‘There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.’ Winston Churchill

What you need
You don’t need to have any experience with horses at all, we only ask that you have enthusiasm and an energetic spirit. Along with this, it will be best if you bring:
• Comfortable boots with a small heel, and preferably without laces; you can pick up a pair of short ‘jockey’ boots in online stores like Robinsons for less than £40
• Jodhpurs, or trousers with lycra (and preferably without an inside seam)
• Comfortable, supportive under-garments
• A riding hat, or let us know your head size beforehand

Rates
The price for the weekend is £500 per person, which includes:
• Transfers to and from local train stations or Bristol airport
• All tuition, equipment hire and horses
• Hotel accommodation including breakfast
• Lunch on the farm

Not included: drinks, evening meals and holiday insurance

Terms
As with all Travels on Horseback holidays, by booking, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions, available here. This includes the requirement for you to either arrange your own holiday insurance, or take out insurance through us, which can be done online here.

Call us today
If you have any questions or would like to chat things through, please call 01278 438 794 or email . Or, you can book online here, letting us know in the comments box that you’re coming on Weekend Cowboy. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Click here to reserve your holiday now

Privacy Policy

Information Collection and Use
Travels on Horseback Ltd is the owner of the information collected on this site. We will not sell or rent this information to others.

Personal Information
We request personal information from you on our forms on this website and possibly via email. This information is used to fulfil your enquiries, make reservations and for billing purposes only.

Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s hard drive containing information about the user. Usage of a cookie in no way links you to any personally identifiable information while on our site.

Links
This web site may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy policies of other sites. Should you leave our site through an external link, we encourage you to be aware, and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies only to information collected by this web site.

Emailing and promotional emails
If you make an enquiry or a booking via the ‘Reserve’ section of our website, you will automatically be opted in to the database. By opting in to the database you are agreeing to receive information such as news and special offer alerts.
Alternatively you can opt in to our database via the ‘Travel With Us’ function on the ‘Make Contact’ section of our web site, where we ask for contact information such as your name and email address so that we can contact you with news and special offer alerts.

Opt out
If you do not wish to continue to receive newsletters keeping you updated on special events and offers, you can either:
• use the “Unsubscribe” facility on any promotional email
• email us to let us know you would like to unsubscribe or opt out

Notification of Changes
If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on our web site so you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. If at any point we decide to use personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will notify you by email. You will have a choice as to whether or not we can use your information in this manner.

Complaints
In you think that Travels on Horseback Ltd has not complied with the terms of this privacy policy, or are otherwise concerned with our treatment of personal information, please contact us at Travels on Horseback, 47 Farringdon, North Petherton, Bridgwater, TA6 6PF, Somerset. Complaints or requests for information shall be the object of an investigation or response within 30 business days. If the complaint is justified, Travels on Horseback Ltd will take the appropriate measures to address the complaint, including access to the requested information, by proceeding with rectification or, as the case may be, by amending our policy and practices.

Terms and Conditions

Anyone booking a holiday with Travels on Horseback agrees to the following terms and conditions. Together with all information contained in our website, these Terms and Conditions form the basis of your contract with Travels on Horseback Ltd. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations.

1. Your party
1.1.The person making the booking must be over 18 years old.
1.2. Unless you are joining the Full Moon Ride for single riders, your party must number at least two people.
1.3.All children must be accompanied by a person over the age of 18.
1.4. It is your responsibility to ensure that all riders are adequately fit and experienced (i.e. safe and competent on horseback at all paces), and riding horses they can comfortably control.
1.5. All members of your party must be suitably equipped (e,g. wearing appropriate boots and riding hats), and be aware of the risks involved in a riding holiday.
1.6. Although Travels on Horseback will endeavour to make your holiday as safe as possible you must accept that the sole responsibility for your personal safety remains with you. In the interests of safety you must undertake to follow the advice in the route notes provided, as well as that provided by anybody on our behalf and heed any warnings or notices encountered on your ride.
1.7.All riders must acquaint themselves with the Countryside Code and The British Horse Society Code for Riding & Driving Responsibly and undertake to follow them throughout their time in Somerset. Click here to read the BHS Code.
1.8.A damage deposit is required for the equipment supplied by Travels on Horseback to you, including saddle bags and maps. The deposit is £100 per person and will take the form of cheque or cash. The deposit will be restored to you upon return of the equipment in a satisfactory condition. We reserve the right to make a deduction from the deposit to cover the cost of replacing or repairing any damaged or lost items or equipment.
1.9.You will be responsible for controlling any dogs in your party, and you will be responsible for any damage your dog(s) might cause to persons or property.
1.10.You must take out a suitable travel insurance policy that will protect yourself, your equipment and luggage. Travel Insurance can cover unexpected costs due to illness, accident, trip interruption or cancellation. Overseas residents must obtain insurance cover in their home country.
1.11.In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems with your holiday, you must contact us immediately and we will do our best to resolve the problem straight away. Should it not be possible to resolve your complaint immediately, you should write to us, giving full details, within 14 days of the holiday’s conclusion. Complaints received after this date can be difficult to investigate.

2. Your horse(s)
2.1. All horses and riders must have public liability insurance (click here to see sample providers).
2.2. It is your responsibility to make sure all horses in your party must be wormed and vaccinated against equine 'flu and tetanus for the duration of the holiday.
2.3. It is your responsibility to make sure all horses must be known to be free from major vices and happy and controllable when encountering new horses and new situations.

3. Our horse(s)
3.1. Our horses have public liability insurance.
3.2. Our horses are wormed and vaccinated against ‘flu and tetanus.
3.3. Our horses are known to be free from major vices and happy and controllable when encountering new horses and new situations.
3.4. If you choose to ride one of our horses on your holiday, although we will endeavour to make a suitable mount selection for you, you must accept that horse riding is a risk sport and that the sole responsibility for your personal safety remains with you.

4. Your booking
4.1. When you book a holiday we will confirm your reservation using your preferred method of communication and send you an invoice.
4.2. When you have received this confirmation, you undertake to pay the deposit (20% of the total) within one week, and the balance of the holiday price (80% of the total) no later than six weeks before the start of the holiday.
4.3 All prices are quoted in Pounds Sterling and are payable in that currency.
4.4. Whilst we make every endeavour to ensure that the information in this website is carefully checked and accurate, the published prices shown may alter. Enquries should be made at the time of booking to confirm prices.
4.5.The balance must reach us at least six weeks before the start of your holiday. The date on which the final balance of your holiday is due is shown on the invoice. No further reminder is sent. If the balance is not paid in time we reserve the right to cancel your booking, retain your deposit and apply cancellation charges as set out below.

5. Changes and cancellations by you
5.1. If one of your party is unable to come on your holiday due to serious illness, jury service or other emergency reason, their booking can be transferred to another person, providing the replacement person pays a £50 transfer fee and duly accepts the Terms and Conditions.
5.2. If you would like to make any other changes to your booking prior to the due date for payment of the balance of your holiday (six weeks before the start of the holiday), we will make all reasonable efforts to help, subject to an administrative charge of £50 per person. Alterations after this date will be treated as a cancellation of the original holiday and a new booking for a different holiday, and the charges set out below will apply.
5.3. Should you, any member of your party or the entire party be forced to cancel your booking, you must do so in writing (an email will be accepted). The cancellation will take effect from the date that such written cancellation is received by us. For a cancellation received more than six weeks before the start date of the holiday the deposit will be forfeit, but any other payment towards the cost of the holiday will be refunded. For later cancellations the deposit will be forfeit but any payment towards the holiday will be refunded less the following charges:
41 – 29 days before the start: 50% of the total cost of the holiday
28 – 15 days before the start: 75% of the total cost of the holiday
5.4. No refund can be given for a cancellation 14 or less days before the start of a holiday or whilst the holiday is in progress.

6. Changes and cancellations by Travels on Horseback
6.1. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations we reserve the right to do so.
6.2. If we have to make a change to the particulars of your holiday before your booking is complete, we will communicate this to you at the earliest opportunity before your booking is concluded.
6.3. If we have to cancel your holiday or make a significant change before your departure (such as a significant change of route, a change to the date of departure or cancelling a Full Moon Expedition) we will tell you as soon as possible and you will have the choice of:
(a) accepting the changed arrangements or
(b) booking an alternative holiday or
(c) cancelling or accepting the cancellation and receiving a full refund of all monies paid.
Acceptance of one of these options constitutes full settlement.
6.4. Please note that the above options are not available where any change is a minor one (i.e. any change not mentioned above).
6.5. We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred by you as a result of any change or cancellation. No refund will be payable if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these terms and conditions entitling us to cancel, such as paying on time.
6.6. We do not accept any liability where the performance of Travels on Horseback’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected by, or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss as a result of, force majeure. Force majeure means any event which we, or the supplier of the service(s) in question, could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activities, industrial disputes, fire, plague or widespread infectious diseases, natural or nuclear disasters, adverse weather conditions and all similar events outside our control.
6.7. Where we have to cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances or force majeure you will have the choice of:
(a) booking an alternative holiday or
(b) cancelling or accepting the cancellation and receiving a full refund of all monies paid less monies expended on your behalf which are not recoverable.

7. Exclusions
7.1. We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever if you should deviate from the route which we provide for you or any instructions which we give to you, or which results from any fault on your part.
7.2. We cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier such as a farrier agrees to provide to you.
7.3. If you engage the services of a third party (such as a vet or farrier) you will be responsible for payment of any such services.
7.4. Except in respect of death or personal injury caused by our negligence or as expressly provided in these Terms and Conditions, we will not be liable to you by reason of any representation (unless fraudulent), or any implied warranty condition or other term, or any duty at common law, or under the express terms of any contract with you, for any loss of profit or other indirect special or consequential loss, damage, costs, expenses or other claims (whether caused by our negligence or otherwise) which arise out of, or in connection with, the provision of our service to you or any equipment supplied by us, and our liability to you in any such case shall not exceed the price agreed to be paid for the holiday.
7.5. Any claim or claims which you may have against us other than claims in respect of death or personal injury shall be limited to any actual economic loss.

8. Jurisdiction
8.1. All matters arising from your contract with us are governed by English Law and are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Equipment for you and your horse

We want you to go off and have as much fun as possible, so to make it simple we provide:

• A horse and its tack (if you are riding a Travels on Horseback horse)
• An equine and human first aid kit
• Colour map in a waterproof case, with overlaid trail and notes
• A round-the-neck GPS system
• Easy-fit saddle bags for each rider
• Horse feed, equipment and grooming kit at each hotel

As well as all our support and back-up!

You will need to bring...

• Your horse and its tack, halter and lead rein (if you are riding your own horse)
• Riding wear including riding hat, boots and gloves
• An ability to rationalise your luggage into 7.5kg for our saddle bags
• Spending money for watering stops and dinners
• A sense of adventure!

And you may want to think about...

• T-shirts, shirts and light jumpers
• Jockey boots and chaps (very comfortable for long rides)
• Wet weather gear
• Belt into which you can tuck the map-case (if the weather is hot and you’re only wearing a t-shirt)
• Clothes and footwear for the evening when you are not riding
• Fly repellent for horses
• Sun-tan lotion
• Water bottle
• Camera
• Mobile phone
• Penknife and baler-twine for horse tie-ups
• Hunting crop or crooked stick for closing gates
• Pocket guides to fauna and flora

Click here to reserve your holiday now

“Each day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.”
Matsuo Basho

When we’re planning your holiday we’ll talk to you to discuss exactly what you like to do, and see if we can fit it into your holiday. Maybe you’re interested in historical sites, a round of golf or a visit to a local brewery? Below we’ve chosen some of the best; do let us know what interests you. Click here to jump to the Natural History section.

Abbeys, Cathedrals, Churches and Castles
Animal Safaris
Art and Craft Centres
Breweries and Vineyards
Carnivals
Caving, Climbing and Abseiling
Food
Gardens, Country Houses and Parks
Golf
Historic Cities
Horse Racing
Massage for you and your horse
Museums
Steam Railways

Genius about Geology?

If ecology and geology interest you, we will help you explore natural Somerset, a rural county of hills such as the Mendips, Quantocks and Exmoor National Park, agricultural landscapes and large flat lowlands including the central wetlands of the Somerset Levels.

Heady about History?

If history fascinates you, Somerset has evidence of occupation from Neolithic times, with subsequent Roman and Saxon occupation. Later the county played a significant part in the English Civil War and Monmouth Rebellion.

Click here to reserve your holiday now

We arrange it so that at the end of each day you arrive at a lovely welcoming hotel, where you and your horse can relax. We guarantee top-class accommodation, with a bath for that much-needed soak after the day’s riding. The hotel provides a secure area to store tack, a paddock, feed and everything you need to make your horse comfortable. Some of our selected hotels are:

Staying in the Quantocks

After a day’s exhilarating riding on the Quantock Hills come down to a secluded gem of a country hotel set into beautiful grounds. The ancient buildings and modern comforts will help you soak away the rigours of the saddle, and the next day you can set off right from the hotel door to head for a beach ride.

Staying near Brent Knoll

Relax in a country house hotel near the famous Brent Knoll with a celebrated in-house restaurant, swimming pool and wonderful views of the Knoll. The next day set off for a gallop along the famous seven-mile beach from Burnham to Brean.

Staying near Wells

Trot up a tree-lined drive to a stunning country house with beautiful gardens and pool, and even an on-site jewellery designer. Your horses will be happily turned out in the adjoining field while you wander the half mile to the historic city of Wells and enjoy some of its finest restaurants.

Somerset is a wonderful county for riding. You can explore wide areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, picturesque waterways, and beaches with great sweeps of sand for galloping.

We’ll prepare an expedition through all this countryside just to suit you. Your holiday can be as long as you like, from a two-day ride through the Quantock Hills to a week-long trip, or even longer! You can choose how many days you’d like in the saddle, and how many you’d like for a rest. Send us an email or call to chat things over.

For your expedition we provide...

Saddlebags, riding maps, GPS units and horse and human first aid kits.
A secure paddock or stable, area to store tack, and feed for your horse each night.
Full back-up support for you including:
• on-call farrier
• 24-hour emergency advice
• personal call-out
• collection by horsebox if necessary
• if your route is not circular, delivery of your horsebox to the end of your journey
• if you would like a guide for your journey, we’ll also be happy to accompany you

Click here to reserve your holiday now

Special Summer Offer: book a weekend holiday and get one extra night free!

We want you to have an inspiring holiday; a holiday of top-class comfort and independence, way off the beaten-track. Our mission is to give you the best holiday you’ve ever had.

Riding out

Our horses are available for hacks by the hour or day, and we’re open seven days a week. We’ll show you the beautiful riding at the foot of the Quantocks; call us today for a booking.

Holidays

• We prepare a riding holiday just for you through stunning Somerset scenery
• We book lovely country hotels all included in the price, point out watering holes you can stop at on the way and recommend restaurants for your evening meal
• We provide tea on arrival in your hotel each afternoon and full English breakfast the next morning
• You can ride out in groups of two or more, or if you’re a solo rider, you can join in with a Full Moon Expedition, which run each month.
• And if you’d like a guide, we’ll be happy to accompany you.
 ~ If you’d like to ride one of our fit, happy horses you should be comfortable at walk, trot and canter.
 ~ If you’d like to holiday on your own horse, all you have to do is arrive in Somerset with your horsebox and we’ll do the rest.

To learn more, explore

Weekend Cowboy

Do you yearn to learn how to ride, but never found the time? Or would you love your partner to learn so you can ride together? How about a fast-track, fun-filled weekend, deep in the Somerset countryside to teach you the basics of horsemanship? We bet you like that idea! Click here for more information.

Click here to reserve your holiday now