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Last Update: 06 Aug 2010

  Riding Holidays | Estonia

Estonia is up and coming as a European tourist destination. Although quite a small country in size it has much to offer with a rich multicultural heritage, vibrant bustling cities and varied interesting countryside to explore. The north is the industrial region, home to the capital Tallinn, which has a medieval city centre and cobbled streets filled with 14th Century buildings, boutique shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants. South Estonia is known for its ski resorts, while the west is the place to visit for active holidays.

While Estonia is not yet well known internationally for its horse riding holidays, it is a little gem worth discovering with some great opportunities for adventurous trail rides and family riding. Experienced riders can have challenging rides in and around Lahemaa National Park, just east of Tallinn. Here there are endless trails along sandy tracks through pristine forests, past sleepy fishing villages and onto the peninsulas, beaches and quiet bays of the Baltic coast. There are also some lovely horse riding and outdoor activity centres for families, combining riding lessons and carriage rides, nature hikes and fun activities for children.

Pärnu in the west of Estonia is another great place for horse riding, with several professional riding establishments in the area offering riding instruction for people of all riding abilities plus good paced trail rides for more advanced riders. The countryside here is perfect for riding, with routes through extensive pine forest and scenic farmland. Some riding holiday packages also include visits to the National Tori Stud Farm just outside Pärnu. Established in 1856 the stud is focused on breeding and training of the native Tori horse or Klepper, an energetic and good natured horse with two lines; a heavier draught horse type and a lighter more athletic sports horse.

The best time to visit Estonia is from June to September. Summers are quite short and the weather is fairly cool and changeable so bring layers and plan for sun and rain.