# Horse Trail riding in New Zealand



## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Beautiful pictures.


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

*Trail riding in New Zealand*

Thank you for your kind reply, yes we have a lot of stunning scenery in our mountain areas.

Within reason, we are able to plan and ride almost anywhere in the mountains that we like with no restrictions, there are very few rules or regulations,trekking is more about keeping an eye on weather conditions and keeps ourselves safe..

In our back country we have a huge number of back country huts that often are free of charge and free to use. although some of the huts on popular walking trails have a small charge ( $5 per night) 
Huts are worked on a first come first served basis .

Most week long treks we can travel for around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from hut to hut exploring the country and not see another person...

Like you folks, we do like to keep a low impact on the mountain enviroment... but dont have any rules governing camping with horses at all...!


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## Paradise (Jun 28, 2012)

canterburyhorsetrailrider said:


> Thank you for your kind reply, yes we have a lot of stunning scenery in our mountain areas.
> 
> Within reason, we are able to plan and ride almost anywhere in the mountains that we like with no restrictions, there are very few rules or regulations,trekking is more about keeping an eye on weather conditions and keeps ourselves safe..
> 
> ...


I think I'm going to pack up and move to NZ this week! Seriously looks like heaven on earth.

What are your seasons and weather like there, canterbury?


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

Thank you for your reply...
We do have four quite distinctly different seasons here in Canterbury, Winter (currently) can experience 3 metres of snow on the mountain passes and down country where we live we will only have a couple snow falls often no more than a couple inches each time over winter, often frosts around 0 deg so not to bad.
Rainfall bout 25 to 30 inches per annum.

High country can have frost up to 300 days a yr, spring and autumn are lovely with spring flowers and green growth, and autumn beautiful change of colours, 

Autumn is the best time to come visit NZ as weather warm and stable, Summer often warm and windy..Personally I enjoy the four seasons and just dress accordingly...

I love the trail rides, love planning a different ride each time and out there for a week away from the modern rush of life in the fast lane so to speak. BLISS...!

If any of you folks are seriously planning to travel here and would like an adventure horse trek thru some of our mountain country email me and I can put you in touch with a commercial trekking company that truely take you thru the mountain passes and valleys, crossing rivers a metre deep, staying in back country huts with campfire cooked meals, you saddle and ride your own horse with pack horses taking all the supplies for the 400k / 11 day ride thru our Southern Alps with real men and women..Highly recommend it..!


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

I am over this long winter this year.. have ordered a brand new pack saddle and harness, so keen to try it out..

Any weather gods over your side active to clear this wet weather currently....??? smilies..


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

It sounds so very appealing. I come from a place of man mountains and lakes, too. Just curious, about what does it cost to do a week long trek?


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

Hi, to do the commercial trekking companys eleven day trip is around nz$4000 us$3000....
It is a lot of money, but the trek is "out of this world" in where they go with the horses. the camp life and scenery.. its not a holiday as such as ..more of an adventure..you are required to do your part in looking after your horse, you saddle him. ride and look after his needs a the end of the day.. 

You are trained before you go in also helping saddle and load the pack horses.. 

Most of these trips there are around 15 to 18 riders and they take around 35 horses along with them..The horses work hard on some of the passes and mountain trail so are rotated daily as they dont have many days off during the trail..Its a trip of a life time from what I have heard...

Pictures on my website are a snapshot of where they also take you thru..Stunning..!
(A WEEK LONG SHORTER TREK is around $nz2500 us $1800)


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> It sounds so very appealing. I come from a place of man mountains and lakes, too. Just curious, about what does it cost to do a week long trek?


I am looking forward to spring arriving next month then in approx 6 weeks time I hope enough snow has gone to go on our first trek...

The area has some stunning scenery and will post pics and a commentary on my website on return.. Looking forward to cooking a big juicy steak on the open fire..yum..


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## Canteringleap (Aug 5, 2012)

If anyone has any great trail ride ideas in the Wellington region let me know! I'd love to try new places  

I absolutely love trails down in the south island, such unbeatable beauty.


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Like you *Canterbury*, I'm long over this winter! All the downpour in the past two days has flooded my paddocks so bad  I'm not the only one - seen some pretty horrific rivers where paddocks ought to be around Christchurch today!

Your photos are stunning... thank you so much for sharing them with us!


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

ohmyitschelle said:


> Like you *Canterbury*, I'm long over this winter! All the downpour in the past two days has flooded my paddocks so bad  I'm not the only one - seen some pretty horrific rivers where paddocks ought to be around Christchurch today!
> 
> Your photos are stunning... thank you so much for sharing them with us!


Yes the rain has certainly arrived in bucket loads over the past couple weeks..My pleasure to post photos of what we get upto in summer.

Nice to see a fellow Cantab on here..(smilies).. cheers Tony


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

*Just been held up by that darn highway robber again..!*

Help.................................!

That DARN carrot robber has struck again... he and his horse *TONTO* both wore a mask each I see.....

Where is the town Sheriff when we need him...?

Me down to a miserable one carrot now..!


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## glam1 (Mar 25, 2010)

OMG looks amazing. Could you send me the link. Id love to do the 1 week trail. What a way to see NZ.

Your so lucky. I love seeing the great country side everyone trail rides.


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

glam1 said:


> OMG looks amazing. Could you send me the link. Id love to do the 1 week trail. What a way to see NZ.
> 
> Your so lucky. I love seeing the great country side everyone trail rides.


Hello there..

The commercial horse trekking outfit I can totally recommend is Alpine Horse Safaris 

You can look this site.... www.alpinehorse.co.nz 

As I may have said earlier it is not run as a holiday, as you are expected to tend your own horses needs including saddling and loading, along with help at camp, with meals etc..

I have heard of several folks now who have been on one of their treks and its amazing the experience, and also where a horse will go... you will be amazed... from deep river crossings to crossing the highest pass that horses travel over in this country... a trip of a life time..


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

You are going to have to get more aggressive about finding carrots. Never turn down the opportunity to get one. Work harder and you shall succeed.


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

Wow! Gorgeous photos, what an ideal place for a ride.


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

Thank you...

I have lived all my life here in Canterbury, and have lived, worked and played extensively in our high country, and yet I am still amazed at the beauty of our back yard so to speak..

On a fine day its paradise, but I always have a weather eye out as things can change rapidly... it can be fine and calm and inside a couple of hours can change to snowing and blizzard conditions, so we need to prepared for it all..

We can cross a river one day on the way out that may be knee deep and with overnight rain this same river can swell to over a metre deep and swift, so we always need to respect mountain conditions and ride accordingly..


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

What kind of animals do you see when out riding in the mountains or hills? 

I saw a beautiful mother bobcat (she had 3 kittens hidden, that I did not see, but others who have seen her said she had the three), the other day in my riding park. It is amazing becuase this park is surrounded by heavy development, and is such an island of green that even the deer don't come here. There is not "pathway" for them to come and go to this little oasis of green.

Here is a pic of me on Zulu on one of the forested paths .


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

We dont have any wild animals that can cause harm to human or horse in our mountian areas..

On the trail there are wild pigs in abundance, they are cool looking doods and have little regard for anything man made..

Fiona and I were riding around the side of a hill and on the opposite face was a family of pigs.. they saw us and charged straight down hill and straight thru a seven wire tight stock fence as if it wasnt there..amazing..lol

Depending where we are, further south we have wild Thar, wild goats, and a fair scattering of red Deer and chamios..

Thats about it...


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

Its finally spring here in NZ, and the end of next month we are planning our first trek once the snow had gone..

This first trek has some amazing scenery and will take quite a few photos and post them on my website on our return...


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## Canteringleap (Aug 5, 2012)

I wish I join one of these trekks! My horse would love it, so would I! One day! I'll start saving  

It doesn't seem like spring, 140km winds here.


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

Canteringleap said:


> I wish I join one of these trekks! My horse would love it, so would I! One day! I'll start saving
> 
> It doesn't seem like spring, 140km winds here.


If you have trekked before email me on my website detail, you might be able to tag along on one of our upcoming treks.

Cheers Tony


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

This morning I have added a few more scenery photos to my website..call back in from time to time now that spring has arrived as I update photos and treks from time to time..

cheers Tony


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## canterburyhorsetrailrider (Aug 7, 2012)

Celeste said:


> You are going to have to get more aggressive about finding carrots. Never turn down the opportunity to get one. Work harder and you shall succeed.


The main way to gain carrots is to steal others when they are off line according to the carrot bandit..

I am not going to be tempted to steal from others... not fair on them, no matter how many they have..

The sherrif needs to deal with this situation I recon.?


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