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Last Update: 06 Aug 2010

Riding Holidays | Idaho

Idaho is a Rocky Mountain State located between Montana, Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming. It has a small northern border with Canada. Idaho has some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the USA, from high rugged mountains, vast aspen and pine forests, to sparkling lakes and fast flowing rivers. There are even high sand dunes at Bruneau National Park!

Idaho is one of the ideal places for a western ranch vacation. Dude ranching in Idaho is very popular and there are lots of guest ranches located in lovely picturesque locations throughout the State, offering scenic western trail riding on well schooled horses. Idaho is also a good location for working ranch holidays. Try your hand at western roping or join a cattle drive. Maybe have an overnight pack trip with guided trail rides through one of the national forests parks.

Travel down from the mountains to the lowland valleys and you will find many horse farms. Idaho is one of the western USA centres for horse breeding and training, especially for Thoroughbred horse racing and popular western riding horse breeds. Head to south west Idaho and visit Owyhee Canyonlands, a protected State wilderness area to see wild horses still roaming the lands.

Idaho’s official State horse is the Appaloosa, known for its leopard spotted coat colouration. Appaloosa horses were selectively bred in the Idaho area by Nez Perce people in the 18th Century, and have been used to influence many other modern US horse breeds. The unusual coast patterns have led Appaloosas to be extremely popular riding horses, particularly featuring in many cinema films and horse shows. Nez Perce people in Idaho are today developing a modern spotted horse breed called the Nez Perce Horse, by combining Appaloosa and Akhal-Teke horse stock.

We are always looking for new riding destinations and regularly update the information on this site. If you have information about horse riding or trail rides in Idaho please do contact us.

A horse riding vacation in Idaho is a fantastic way to explore the magnificent variety of landscapes this State has to offer. Idaho has ten National Forests with endless riding trails, only Alaska has more! Idaho also has more lakes than any other US State. Visit Hells Canyon, one of the deepest river gorges in North America, or try white water rafting on the Snake River and see the famous Shoshone Falls.