Four-legged fitness: saddle up for an equestrian fitness vacation - includes related article on preparing for an equestrian vacation - Off-Road Fitness Section

Entering the stone stable yard was like finding ourselves in an Emily Bronte novel. Cobblestones cover the ground, and all around the square enclosure, horses peer out from behind half-frame stall doors. A young girl with the alabaster and rose complexion of the English countryside greets guests wearing jodhpurs and black leather boots. "My name is Jillian," she says in her proper British accent. "I'll be your instructor today."

We came to Devon, in southwest England, to see the legendary moors and quaint villages. We also decided to brush up on our riding skills with a lesson at a local stable.

"Horseback riding is one of the best exercises you can do," says Jillian, as her students saddle up. "You work muscles you don't use in any other activity." Each fitted with a black velvet riding hat and a crop, or small whip, we set out for the trail.

"Hold your hands parallel, thumbs up," she advises, as we walk the horses beside a field of tall grass. It's a slightly different form than what is taught in the states. As in most things, horseback riding styles vary with the region.

"You don't have to rise so high when you post," Jillian says while trotting down a wooded path. In English riding, you sometimes "post," or stand up in the saddle a little when the horse trots. "A slight movement is all you need," she says. "And be sure to keep your heels down." We returned from the ride with some valuable pointers--and a good workout.

Horseback riding has leisure values as well. Instead of whizzing by in a car or train, you trot along country lanes or down forest paths. You have time to really the scenery. You can smell pine woods or freshly cut hay. You can stop by a mountain stream to give your horse a drink while you laze on the bank. And there's nothing quite like the feel of leather reins in your hands, the sound of hoofs on hard-packed dirt and the earthy smell of the horse. To a real aficionado, any place in the world looks better from the back of a horse.

So it's no wonder horseback riding vacations have soared in popularity. Options range from treks through the Irish countryside to cattle drives in the American west. Best of all, riding vacations are surprisingly affordable.

Horsing Around The World

Imagine riding through France'sd Loire Valley and staying overnight in chateaus that date from the 15th to 17th centuries. Or galloping across the Egyptian desert on swift and sturdy Arabian horses. You can even go camping by horseback in the Snowy Mountains of Australia. These are just some of the horseback riding vacations offered by FITS Equestrian in Solvang, California.

Peggy Hallauer, a former ski instructor and life-long horse lover, founded FITS 10 years ago after she spent a year touring Europe by horseback. "I returned convinced the best way to really experience a country is by horseback," she says. "On our trips, you get to eat the local food, see beyond the normal tourist attractions and meet the people who live in the country."

On most FITS vacations, the first requirement is knowing how to ride. Trips are available for people of any proficiency, rated "basic," "intermediate" or "advanced." Some trips are even suggested for beginners. The staff tries to match the rider to the trip based on ability. You ride from hotel to hotel, or inn to inn, and your luggage is brought to each destination by car. Most tours include accommodations and all meals.

Prices vary, depending on the country and type of accommodations. On a week-long riding vacation in the Loire Valley, for instance, travelers stay in historic chateaus and eat sumptuous meals for about $2,100 per person. On another riding holiday in France, guests stay in the Relais de Garennes in Souzet the whole week and go on local day rides for only $760 per person.

Other riding holidays include a 10-night trip in Egypt for about $1,935 per person and a week-long ride through Spain's Andalusian country-side for about $1,700 per person. Prices are based on double occupancy, but single rooms can be arranged. For more information, contacts FITS Equestrian, 685 Lateen Road, Solvang, CA 93463; (805) 688-9494 or fax (805) 688-2943.

Driven To Distraction

With the popularity of the film City Slickers and the TV miniseries "Lonesome Dove," posses of would-be buckaroos want to try their hands at a real cattle drive. Herd the cows by day, and at night sit around a campfire eating hearty western food from the chuckwagon. You can actually do it.

American Wilderness Experience offers a variety of cattle drive vacations which include meals, accommodations under the stars and, of course, a horse. In Utah, week-long spring and fall cattle drives are available with Capitol Reef Roundups. The cost is about $760. Or you can herd cattle in Montana with the Missouri Breaks Cattle Company. Riders cover eight to 12 miles a day, and the camps have hot showers. Drives depart from Billings in July and August and cost about $1,800. For more information, contact American Wilderness Experience, P.O. Box 1486, Boulder, CO 80306; (303) 444-2622 or fax (303) 444-3999.

If you're not quite ready for a week of roughing it on the range, Rocky Mountain Cattle Moovers created a tenderfoot version of a cattle drive. Three-, four- and seven-night trips let novices get in the saddle, drive the herd and round up strays. Each night is spent in a private "mobile bunk room," complete with lights. There's also a hot shower wagon and a modern "comfort station." Children and non-riders can follow along in a hay wagon. Three-day cattle drives cost $595 for adults and $297 for children. Week-long drives cost $1,280 for adults and $640 for children. For more information, contact Rocky Mountain Cattle Moo-vers, P.O. B ox 457, Carbondale, CO 81623; (303) 963-9666, (800) 826-9666 or fax (303) 963-9545.

Pack Up Your Troubles

Horse-packing trips are in an intimate way to see the outdoors. Horses can travel to areas inaccessible by car or even four-wheel-drive vehicles. You can see the Sonoran desert in the bloom in Arizona, scale wildflower-strewn ridges in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park or explore the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. On a horse-packing trip, the pace is slow so there's plenty of time to absorb the beuty of the wilderness. Even beginning riders can relax and enjoy the view.

American Wilderness Experience offers a variety of horse-packing vacations in Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana, North Carolina and the Canadian Rockies. Prices vary, but six-day trips cost about $725 per person including horse and tack, saddle bags, a tent, guides and meals. You supply your own sleeping bag.

There's no more beautiful place in the world to go horse-packing than in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Lee and Jennifer Roeser operate the McGee Creek Pack Station in Mammoth Lakes, one of the most respected outfitters in the business. Six-day trail rides cost $800 per person and take you into the John Muir Wilderness where you can fish and hike, as well as see some of the most spectacular scenery in the Sierras.

McGre Creek also offers the Sierra Packing School. Three-, six- and 11-day courses cover backcountry cooking, first-aid, shoeing, camping etiquette and veterinary procedures. Costs range from $525 for the three-day seminar to $1,650 for the 11-day session. For more information, contact the Roesers at McGee Creek Pack Station, Rt. 1, P.O. Box 162, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546; (619) 878-2207 (winter), (619) 935-4324 (summer) or fax (619) 878-2207.

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