Mongolia houses some of the most majestic plains and varied landscapes which make the country ideal places to wander with horses. We encourage our clients to embrace a rare opportunity to trot with enduring Mongolian horses through the vast steppes, rolling hills, and mountains.
In Mongolia, the native Mongolian horse breed remains unchanged for centuries, and considered one of the oldest horse breed in the world.
Also, you wouldn’t imagine Mongolian history without sturdy Mongolian horses that played a key role in building the Great Mongolian Empire, the largest contiguous empire in world history.
To keep your Mongolian horseback riding experience authentic, we do organize tours with horse-herding nomads across the country. On the other hand, it’s a way to contribute to the local communities through a more sustainable approach.
Mongolia is proudly called home to the last surviving pasture nomads. Thus, you can easily spot the horses in every corner of the country. Horses have a huge part in the nomadic way of living as they serve as the primary means of transportation for daily chores.
Nomads rarely shelter their horses or feed them by hand. Horses stay outdoors all year round, dealing with harsh weather from 30°C (86°F) in summer down to -50°C (-58°F) in winter. On account of all this uniqueness, Mongolian horses are known as semi-wild. It might sound not trustworthy to get yourself on, but there are good tamed ones that can easily be a company. Mongolians use a wooden saddle with short stirrups which perfectly suits their traditional deel, long robe-like clothes worn among Mongols. Our horse treks are equipped with western-style saddles, chaps, and helmets.
Basic tips before your horse trekking trip
The below tips apply to all horse riding trips whether it’s one day ride or a two-week trek.
- Be honest about your riding skill and consult with your tour guide or horseman before choosing the right one for you.
- Learning Mongolian riding techniques will help you improve your horse riding skills.
- Be mindful of which side of the horse you are approaching. You are only allowed to mount and dismount from the left side of the horse.
- Hold the reins in one hand and pull them together towards the side of the direction you want to go.
- Do not try to wear or take off your clothes while you are on horseback. Ask your companions to stop when you need to adjust your riding gear, including clothes.
- Do not shout loud when you gallop. It makes your horse more excited, and you might have a hard time stopping him.
- Also, as mentioned above, Mongolian horses rely on themselves most of the time. This means their defensive instinct is high, and their reaction to any unusual object or movement is quick and abrupt. Thus, be careful around the horse.
- When it comes to choosing your outfit, we advise dark colors. Because horses can be easily distracted by bright colors as well as harsh sounds.
There are so many not mentioned above, and that is to be discovered during your horse treks.
