As promised, here is a recap of the essentials to bring when you go on a horseback break. Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive, and it can be changed depending on the length and location of the trip, but this is what Peter and I both used for the horseback safari and it was perfect. Here’s the details of what I took for about 15 days. Peter’s list is similar with a few details changed.
>> I added the links of every items we had. Sometimes we have it in different colors and in this case, I just add it once. Regarding Men riding outfits, and as usual, there are not so much cool, affordable & trendy brands as for women.. There is either the “affordable” décathlon ‘s brand, Fouganza or the super expensive luxury & fancy riding brands.. but nothing in between.. Most of the brands I quote are both for men & women tho but still we had a hard time finding some cool riding pants for Peter ..
In the suitcase …
- 5 pairs of riding pants + 1 belt
For women, I have a bunch of super cool breeches from Aztec diamonds , Miasuki , Ariat , I love them and there are really stylish.. and for Men well, Peter got his from Fouganza, they are quite nice .. Don’t forget the belt, it is chic, elegant & convenient. My fav are the Guibert‘s ones , the ones we are wearing on the pictures are the Barénia model, Gold color.
- 6 T-shirts (some super light and others thicker
For both men & women, Rails or Majestic Filatures light shirts are perfect & Aztec Diamonds or Ariat polos and warmer shirts are also cool . ( If you have extra room in your luggages, you can take 1 shirt for each day, but if not, just take half and you ‘ll wash it by hand every other day or whenever you need..
- 3 pairs of long socks for the horse riding boots
Miasuki socks are mix, super nice and gorgeons !! I washed them every 3 days but honestly they don’t get dirty or smelly like they do with sneakers, so you just need to air them at night … I would have liked to bring twice as many but our suitcases were totally full..
- 3 sports bras + 10 seamless panties like dim or aztec diamonds ..
I got all my riding undies from Aztec Diamonds .. same deal.. I washed them by hand… Aztec Diamonds riding bra is perfect . You can also use any sport bra as long as it has a strong support.
- 1 big sweatsuit hoody + 1 lycra riding jacket + 1 Kway waterproof jacket
My hoody Aztec Diamond was super warm and just saved my life, as well as the riding jacket A.D , in thin lycra with a high neck – super practical as it dries really quickly – which I wore under the hoody . I did not bring any waterproof jacket but I got lucky the staff gave me one : we had this terrible rainy day (yes in Botswana, thanks to the early raining season ) and we ended up soaking wet after a looooong ride, sitting around the fire, trying to get our riding boots & booties to dry .. so yes take a raining coat please 😉
- 1 pair of riding boots ( or riding low boots + chaps)
We got everything from Ariat : I took those gorgeons ones an Peter took the combo low boots + chaps, with is more convinient for the luggage but mine are so cool , I love them and I did manage to pack them in my suitcase anyway 😉 .. If you get brand new boots before departure, just try to wear them a bit before, during your training for exemple.. Im just saying..
Accessories ..
- 1 little scarf to protect my face from the dust when riding.
- 1 pair of riding gloves (I forgot mine but they’re a good idea)
- 1 pair of sturdy and practical glasses like rayban aviators
- 1 water bottle (even though in general you are given one, as well as bags attached to the saddle to hold it)
- 1 helmet/ riding hat : ours comes from Miasuki, one of my fav riding brands .. super expensive but so gorgeous & couture .. (riding hat is advised or even mandatory when it comes to insurances especially for a horseback safari) ..
- 1 seat saver : The saddles are usually fitted for long distance rides but you never know. We each brought a “seat saver” in sheepskin but we didn’t need them as the saddles were great. It’s best to have one just in case tho..
- 1 go pro or a special sports camera
Good to know ..
>> It’s important to bring thin clothes that you can layer up to protect yourself against the rain and the wind. We realized that even Africa can get cold, with pouring rain, so it’s better to be prepared and bring a few sweaters for wearing underneath, a rain-proof piece like a Kway Mac, a warmer piece like a light North puffer jacket and a sweater for the evening.
>> For the other activities and the times that you don’t ride, you can add 1 pair of jeans, 1 tracksuit, a few extra T-shirts, 1 ou 2 shorts or skirts, 1 swimsuit, 1 pair of sneakers.. To adapt according to where you are going, of course. For warm locations, don’t hesitate to bring a hat / cap and flip-flops. As for colder destinations, don’t forget your hat, gloves and moon boots 😉
>> Choice of colors : neutral and hearthy colors like kaki green, beige, brown, black, white are always better for this kind of adventure so forget the colorblock outfits , especially if there are wild animals to spot..
>> Beware, the suitcase gets heavy really easily, especially with riding boots and hat.. For example mine was 27 kg .. that’s why you need to limit the number of clothes and products, even if it means washing things by hand if necessary .
In the toiletrie bag ..
I also traveled light when it came to toiletries, especially as I normally bring the whole bathroom with me.
Beauty bag :
- 1 travel kit by Oh my cream (super practical & complete with a serum, makeup remover, cleanser, a cream and an exfoliator)
- 1 toothbrush
- Eco-friendly deodorant ( via Oh my cream )
- 1 razor (there’s no time for epilation and – more importantly – no electricity. ^^)
- 1 shampoo / 1 conditioner / 1 shower gel
- 1 hairdryer .. which I barely used as there wasn’t electricity in the majority of the camps lol
- No makeup except 1 blusher, 1 eyebrow brush and an eyelash curler 😉
The special horse riding travel kit :
- Sun cream and sun block stick (spf 50 ) .. This is super important as you burn quickly on horseback
- Arnica oil + Puressentiel mini cream + tubes of homeopathic arnica (5ch), perfect combo if you have post riding aches, pains or bruises
- A selection of plasters, including blister plasters
- Green clay (a big tube Cattier to make a cataplasm or something if necessary)
- Nok cream : a must have anti friction cream to apply between the legs and under the buttocks.. all my horse riding friends recommended it to me and it helps to combat irritation, marks and sores after hours in the saddle…
Horseriding prep ..
Let’s talk about the muscle prep, which is quite important before going on a riding trip, especially if you don’t ride regularly. On a horseback safari or riding holiday, you normally ride 4 to 7 hours a day, for a period of 10/15 days… It is quite sporty so you need to be in good shape and above all, know how to ride properly, manage the horse and all the different paces outside, like rising trot, galop or controlled canter, seated or standing up…
As Peter and I don’t ride regularly, we trained quite a lot during the month before leaving – 2 days of horse riding per week + muscle training in the gym and it was perfect – our muscles didn’t ache too much.
>> For the horse riding training, the best option is to train outside in a wide open space, like the beach for example. So we did several rides with quick galops by the ocean, as well as the forest. We went to Ecuries Alf, a super horse riding center near Chantilly (1 hour drive from Paris) which only offers outdoor rides and endurance horses, which was exactly what we needed to prepare for long rides in the Savannah. The team was great and had awesome advice. You can ride for a few hours, half a day or a full day.. I really love the place and the horses are amazing. (Rates : 1H30 = 55 euros / half day = 70 euros / full day + picnic = 135 euros or 150 with a more fancy lunch in a restaurant.) Contact : ecuries.alf@gmail.com // 06 47 86 83 06
>> >> For the muscle training, lunges, glutes, squats, and machines to work the front and backs of the thighs, the adductor muscles and the quadriceps .. And don’t forget to work the abs, arms and the back, which you use a lot when riding horses… Basically you need to work on the full body..
Et voilà, let’s pack !
xxx
