What child, upon catching a glimpse of a horse in a grassy pasture, has not pleaded for some little tidbit to, wonder upon wonders, reach a small, grubby hand through some dilapidated fence just to stroke a muzzle and make a new friend. There is little difference between then and now; as books are replaced by Hollywood with its special effects, computer graphics, and plots where the horse is as much a star as the human actor. On the horse riding holiday, forgotten friends magically come to life and whether visions of cowboys, soldiers fighting for ones country, pirates searching for treasure, or knights in shining armor galloping through edge-of-the-seat suspense to rescue damsels in distress, and, of co use, a lovely Cinderella stepping daintily into her coach led by prancing mice, errrrr, gallant steeds dashing to meet the midnight curfew; the dreams, fantasies, and make-believe adventures have not disappeared forever but merely put on grown-up clothes.

Alas! If the trappings of responsibility could be shed so freely. Limited only by imagination, one can pretend he is racing in the most famous chariot race of all time as he finds himself depending upon a horse for his very life and vice versa in, “Ben Hur,” or galloping victoriously on the famous Mustang, “Hidalgo” after a 3,000 mile race across the Sahara Desert, or even slipping out on a moonless night, cloak blowing in the wind racing to Sir Lancelot as the ill-fated Queen Guinevere. The doldrums are left far behind when fantasy takes over!

Imagine opening one’s eyes in the morning only to find the dreams sweet lingering taste and the anticipation of the day ahead. Only on the horse riding holiday can you and your mount leave the world behind and write your own destiny!