Horseback Riding
From ranch holidays and cattle drives to horseback riding and cowboy poetry, Alberta has a vast range of western adventures to choose from – after all, we boast the largest horse population in Canada. Whether it’s an hour’s easy amble on horseback or six days in the saddle, there’s a wide variety of trail riding, pack trips and ranch vacations to suit your style.
Getting Started
Not sure which side of the horse to get up on? Numerous guest ranches, stables, outfitters and equestrian centres offer lessons and family horseback trips for children and adults—from basic western style horsemanship to english style show jumping and dressage. Many places offer day camps for young riders.
Whether you’ve never ridden or haven’t ridden lately, experienced instructors can make sure you’re ready to roam.
Alberta Outfitters Association has everything you need to know about horseback adventures in Alberta. Use our website search engine to find operators throughout the province. Here are a few ways to go.
Guided Riding
Almost every riding outfit in the province offers half-day or full-day trail riding. Places such as Waterton Lake, Jasper and Banff national parks and Kananaskis Country offer guided trail rides where the scenery will simply take your breath away. Professional guides are well-versed in the geography and history of your chosen route.
Guided Horsepacking
For the experienced rider, sign up for multi-day horsepacking into the backcountry with Alberta's legendary outfitters, who can put together a hands-on tent trip, where you ride all day and then pitch your own camp, or rough it the easy way on a guided lodge ride, where you can bed down at night with a roof over your head.
For a list of Alberta operators that offer guided riding and horsepacking opportunities, use the Search feature on the top right corner of this page. Click on Advanced and select the Category tab. Choose Activities & Adventures / Horse – Trail Rides.
Independent Horsepacking (multi-day)
If you or your hosts have your own horses and want to plan a multi-day excursion in one of our provincial parks or recreation areas, Alberta Community Development has a comprehensive list of recreation areas that either offer staging facilities for horses or have riding facilities nearby. You will also find area maps for horse-friendly campsites, fact sheets and useful information on regulations and public safety.
Guest Ranch and Dude Ranch Vacations in Alberta
Make plans to stay awhile at one of more than 30 Alberta guest ranches for family horseback trips. Many of them are working ranches and you can experience traditions that go back for generations. Perhaps you’ll have a chance to ride the herd with real working cowboys, or learn how to get to know and care for your own horse. And after a good ride, take a dip in a lake or go for a paddle and then sit down to a hearty western barbeque around an evening campfire. In the autumn, go for a hay ride; in the winter, there’s nothing like a sleigh ride. Accommodations can be in the main ranch house or in individual cabins, but try sleeping under the stars on a warm summer evening—you won’t believe your eyes.
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