Franschhoek by Saddle

About Franschhoek by Saddle

Novice rider? A little stiff on a horse? The perfect solution... wine.

Combine a little delicious wine tasting as you ride on horse back through the paradise of Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands and you'll look like got your first pony on your 3rd birthday. The wine knowledge consumed on the outride along with the 'grape juice' of the Heavens might also have you coming across as a seasoned wine connoisseur who incubated a home cellar before your legal drinking age so that on the very day you celebrated this legal drinking birthday, the vintages were ripe for the occasion. Pony and cellar aside you can enjoy a splendid horse ride through the Franschhoek region with or without wine tasting.

The stables are aptly named Paradise Stables and the horse-riding tours will lead you on a scenic exploration through vineyards, forests and mountains. Guides will take you on a beautiful tour of Franschhoek (no wineries are visited). Experienced children over the age of 12 are welcome. Riding time is about two and a half hours with a half hour wine tasting stop at two local wineries, Rickety Bridge and Mont Rochelle.

You will ride on purebred Arabian horses under the care of local 'horse whisperer' and SA National Team Endurance Rider (Springbok), Pieter Hugo, who with his natural gift for horses has never had a lesson in his life. Outrides for beginners are 'out walks' technically with a gentle walk on horseback giving you a breathtaking view over the wine region from an elevated vantage point of the saddle and the off course mountain routes of the trails. Experienced riders are grouped together so that they can giddy-up off into the sunset for their pleasure at their leisure. Saddle up and enjoy!