Another vote for White Stallion Ranch outside Tucson for a February vacation. Great place – family run for 4 generations – located adjacent to the Suguaro National Park – great herd of trail horses – lots of fun. There are horses and rides for different abilities and they match you up with a horse for your time there. Worth a look for sure!!
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A friend of mine just sent me an e-mail about horsey vacations. These were written about in Equitrekking. One is in Wyoming, one is in British Columbia, and one is in Mexico. Not just nose-to-tail trail riding.
https://rancholascascadas.com/
https://equitrekking.com/?mc_cid=b5c066cdff&mc_eid=a6d98da56e
If it were me I would rather do a riding/trekking vacation in Britain.
I heard that riding in Iceland is really great too. And very different.
Iceland! Research Ishestar for tours. And WOW airlines for reasonable flights.
https://www.silverspurranchidaho.com/horsedrive
This is what I want to do when I have the funds. Looks amazing!
The Ganaraska Forest near Peterborough, Ontario.
I’m currently saving my pennies for this trip:
http://www.equescapes.com/south-africa/
Several others on their site also!
When I lived in Ohio, I used to go to the Double J all the time. I loved that place. Lots of trail riding and many many other activities to keep you busy or not. All inclusive. I used to do the “old” part of the ranch and meals were served three times daily when the bell rang in a big dining hall. I always had a great time.
A friend and I did the Equitours trip to Epona in Spain and absolutely loved it! We did the dressage week though, no trail riding. All inclusive except for dinners. Fabulous food and great horses/instructor. We loved it so much in 2019 we are going to Portugal to the Valenca’s and do something very similar.
I second redrockride.com. I did this ride with a friend in 2001 and would love to go back. It was awesome!
The OP should be fine. For non-owners like me, the $3500 question: if you ride once or twice a week for an hour at a time, how long per day should you plan to be in the saddle on one of these vacations?
Most of the websites tell you how long their rides are. If you are based in one spot, usually it is optional if and when you ride, and for how fast and long. If it is a backcountry camping ride, you either ride, or you walk. They have ground to cover, so plan on at least 5 hrs per day in the saddle.
I remember doing 2 1/2 hour rides to Verrettes and back in Haiti. Had to walk a while to give my butt a break on those!
When I was deployed (out of the saddle for 4 mths) my husband and I went on a 5 day trip in Italy. He had ridden once before. We spent 8 hrs a day on horse back. I hurt more then he did !
I did a week long trip in Northern Italy and it was amazing. We were on QH in western saddles and we were based out of two locations. The first one we were in a hotel, and we would head over to the stables (the guides stayed there) for fresh breakfast cooked with local ingredients. We would tack up and go exploring through the mountains, roads and villages. We got to eat the most amazing food in places you would never find (and sometimes never reach except for by horseback).
We trailed to a glacier park and went galloping alongside a carriage and ate at an incredible winery.
Then we moved down to the foothills, to their home where we stayed in the most beautiful room I have ever seen, ate gourmet breakfast in a courtyard, rode through wineries, and went galloping through streams and fields.
In short - it was the most magic time of my life!
I have been drooling over the trips listed on this page:http://www.globetrotting.com.au/?fbclid=IwAR2JcTC2KvBTyC-KnDDJ0p5lqbDoz06HV47BrFVRpz7H8KVS6nva-0Ordgk
They say that 90% of their travelers are on their own. Would love to do the one going from winery to winery in France.
Also in Ohio, I’ve been on a cattle drive with Smokerise Ranch near the Hocking Hills area. They had a few cute cabins and nice folks. Rode a cute little haflinger all day and didn’t have any crazy aches or pains. Pretty rustic, but good people. http://www.smokeriseranch.com/
I just saw this in the Events section. I think it sounds awesome for the price and it would be in budget even with airfare. http://www.sporthorsecruise.com/2019-alaska-cruise.html
Yea we just got back from a 200km ride across the Thar desert in India and my husband might have ridden once in the last 6 months? I have been out of the saddle 2 months too. No problems for either of us, and it was 30+KM per day of riding.
I have done horse tours in Greece, Argentina, India and France, and also ridden in Thailand, UK (grew up there), Costa Rica, Mexico, New Zealand and a few other places I am sure. OP hit me up if you have Qs.
any of the progressive type rides will be most of the day with 1 or 2 breaks during the day; training or residential rides might be 2-3 hours, long break and then another couple hours. Most of the places will have their itinerary on their website which would give you a better idea.
My husband and I honeymooned here! 
We loved it. They didn’t have the water park at that time, though. It was over 20 years ago.
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