Kokova Magazine

Settle into The Year of the Horse and celebrate by spending your holiday in the saddle or even take your own horse with you when you plan this year's break.

VisitEngland is grabbing 2014 by the reins and getting ready to ride into The Year of The Horse. From 'Bring Your Horse' breaks to the finest riding schools, check out some of the top equine holidays on offer across England.

Bring-Your-Horse Breaks

Wake up every morning to the sight of your horse grazing outside against the rural backdrop of the Peak District with Hoe Grange Holidays. As part of the British Horse Society's Horses Welcome Scheme these quality-assured breaks take pet-friendly holidays up a notch, providing stone built stables on-site and ensuring that all needs - of both rider and steed - are met, including emergency access to local vets, grazing paddocks, hayracks and feed upon request.

If your premium pony deserves only the very best, The Old Tack Room in Dorset offers a private retreat, where mare and rider can share the same bolthole. This refurbished property adjoins the owner''s house to the horse's room. The cottage has stunning views of Bulbarrow Hill, Dorset's highest point.

Riding Hotels

For those looking for a little more luxury in their livery, Lucknam Park's Equestrian Centre matches the standards of comfort that are synonymous to the hotel. What's more, for those who don't have their horse to bring along, Lucknam Park is one of the many excellent riding hotels in England. With trained horses and staff on hand to help beginners and assist experienced riders, Lucknam Park's Equestrian Centre offers classes to cater for every level. For your time out of the saddle, the property also has a highly prestigious cookery school and a first class spa.

Coworth Park is a riding hotel that's a must for Anglophiles and sports-fans alike. Situated in Ascot, this is a hotel that fully embraces its polo and horse racing heritage. Not only can guests take up lessons from professionals but from April to September, the social season here comes into full swing, with polo practitioners galloping about, performing on field.

Wild Ponies

Experience England's last remaining wilderness by tracking free-roaming ponies in Dartmoor. Watch on as new born foals find their feet on blue-bell clad moors- though be careful to keep your distance as these horses remain untamed. Used as the backdrop for the award-winning film War Horse, Dartmoor is the perfect spot for an equine break. Here, fans can find their own Joey, either by catching the stage adaptation as it tours around the country or by booking in a Dartmoor Experience at Gidleigh Park. The house is offering guests an opportunity to visit the film's locations and of course try a riding experience on the Dartmoor ponies.

Further north, you'll find many chestnut-coloured beauties in the New Forest. Although not technically wild, these are magnificent creatures that allow a closer viewing than the kind in Dartmoor. Saddle up one of their tamer cousins and take to the bridleways on a pony trek for an entirely appropriate way to explore this incredible setting.

Perhaps England's most famous horse is the steed of St George in Uffington, known simply as the White Horse. Hike across rolling chalk downs and travel back in time to an age of myth and legend as you approach this iconic landmark, thought to be 3,000 years old.

Horse-Friendly Beaches

England's beaches have also evolved to accommodate the more adventurous. Northumberland's Holy Island allows riders to take out horses and journey across the sand - watching the ancient waves crashing in this beautiful spot from horseback is guaranteed to be a memorable experience. Both Kimmerston Riding Centre and Swinhoe Riding Centre can facilitate such experiences.

Horses will also find a warm welcome on Dorset's stunning Studland Beach. With permits available from The National Trust, you can gallop, trot or canter to your heart's content across this four-mile stretch of golden sand. Studland Stables can even bring the bubbly, so you can pop the cork over views of Old Harry Rocks and make this trip even more special. Other horse-friendly beaches include Sandhaven beach and Weston-super-Mare beach.

A Day at the Races

If you're more into racing than riding, England's age-old horse racing can offer a heritage twist to your horse holiday. The Aintree Grand National can offer you 'Ladies Day' spectacles like no other. Often thought of as the most valuable jump race in Europe, this event offers high quality 'dressage' from its spectators, and competitive racing to get the adrenaline pumping. Book a Grand National Experience to relive the excitement of the race through a tour of the racecourse, including the stables and weighing room, and a visit to the Aintree Museum.

A quirky alternative is the Kiplingcotes Derby. Though the event technically took place 20 years before the Chester Roodee, officially the oldest Horse Race in England, it only became an endowed race much later. One oddity of the race is that the rider coming in second place usually wins more money than the winner. While first prize wins £50, the second horse home gains the sum of all the entrance fees - costing £4.25 each. Another difference is that no-one knows how participants will be involved until the morning of the race. Set in the Yorkshire Wolds, the picturesque village of Market Weighton has featured in the famous landscape paintings of David Hockney. See Visit Hull & East Yorkshire for more details.

While you are away take the time to explore the towns and markets and support the community by eating and buying local produce.

For more pet-friendly holiday inspiration, visit www.visitengland.com