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Backcountry Saddle Expeditions

Backcountry Saddle Expeditions

Backcountry Saddle Expeditions
5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Backcountry Saddle Expeditions has celebrated a few milestones this year... They are 36 years old... with an outstanding 30 years under the current management of Debs Thompson. Debs is a "hands on" outdoor girl and wishes to share her family of "fur babies" with everyone. Henry the cat, Dixie the dog and her stunning herd of 20 Appaloosa horses. Appaloosa's are an American Indian horse who are best known for their stunning spotted coloration. They are a mountain breed and are suited to the beautiful mountain steeps of the Hidden Valley, Earnscleugh. To keep the western theme the horses are outfitted in Western Saddles which ensure the rider a safe, secure and more comfortable ride. Come and enjoy the family and meet Debs and her team.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • Jet31518410955
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Outstanding Experience - Thoroughly Recommend
    Due to my daughter's love of horses, we have done a few family horse treks on holidays. This was by far the best experience we have had. The trek was led by Debbie who is such a wonderfully relational person and exceptional guide. The Appaloosa horses are the most adorable horses, full of personality and energy. They are fit, healthy and strong. This trek caters to all levels of ability/experience - including those with lots of riding experience. The views were outstanding too! It was so much fun for the whole family. We don't usually leave reviews, but really want to promote this to others because it was excellent!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 October 2023
  • Izzy
    United Kingdom3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing scenery and beautiful horses
    Debs was an amazing tour guide and made us both feel so comfortable considering we hadn’t ridden in over 10 years! The horses were beautifully behaved and the scenery was stunning. Would highly recommend if you’re in the area.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 November 2023
  • Lynn M
    Sechelt, Canada368 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A fantastic morning
    What a great day. Debs was an amazing guide. The horses were well trained and are suitable for absolutely any level. The views of Central Otago were absolutely stunning. A wonderful experience and I would highly recommend.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 6 February 2024
  • Ozetravellers
    Gold Coast, Australia1,100 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best horses we have ridden
    We have been riding in many countries around the world and this was one of the most pleasurable experiences we have had. Deb’s horses are so well trained - an absolute pleasure to ride. At first I was a bit worried as there were 2 beginners with us and I thought they may slow our ride but often throughout the ride Debbie would take the beginners ahead and the three of us would canter /gallop to catch up. Most horses would be jumpy hanging back but not these horses! Perfectly chilled. Deb gave us such a great tour of the back country , teaching us about the history, flora and fauna constantly. She also took photos and videos and sent them to us afterwards. It was a pleasant 1 hour 20 from Queenstown but well worth it. We also had lunch at Dunstan house in Clyde on the way back - recommended by Deb and well worth it.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 7 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles724 reviews
Excellent
703
Very good
17
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
0

Pete C
18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Couples
What a great experience, totally recommend. Debs is great and the scenery is amazing. My wife and I are complete riding novices and we loved it. The horses are very sure footed and predictable and we quickly gained in confidence while covering some quite challenging terrain. Worth the drive from Wanaka and Queenstown to enjoy the different landscape. Enjoyed a nice lunch at the Post Office in Clyde afterwards .
Written 31 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lindaloe
Rawmarsh, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Amazing ride on beautiful Appaloosa horses.

I was lucky to be in a party of 3 who were all novices. Debs, the owner, took us through the basics of riding before we started off. Rachel, our guide was very supportive, talking us through the different moves, making us feel relaxed, and at he same time giving us a running commentary of the surrounding area. We did trotting and even managed a small canter. I was a bit apprehensive to start with, but soon got the hang of it, and throughly enjoyed the whole experience and would certainly go back again.
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marine S
Paris, France49 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
We had the best time with Philippe and the amazing horses of the backcountry saddle. We were both experienced riders and had the possibility to canter quiet a few times ! Debs is very lovely and knows perfectly her horses, and we were followed by the cutest dog Dixie. Thank you to Cheyenne and Cochise who were both great and Nice horses. Would recommend for sure !!!
The French guys, Marine and Quentin
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sarah K
Hamilton, New Zealand65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022 • Friends
A beautiful way to experience Alexandra. Amazing views from high up in the hills. We were three beginner riders who were able to canter by the end of this trek. Deb and her husband are welcoming, kind and informative. Learnt about the horses, landscape, fauna and the local wild life. Able to get a spot the day before and Deb has eftpos. Everything was a breeze. Loved the oil skin coats available. Couldn’t recommend this tour enough!
Written 26 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark A
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
Backcountry Saddles are THE best! My family loved the whole experience. It was the first time that my son and daughter had been on an extended ride and they were not disappointed. The chosen horses (Jade, Smoke, Dawn and Pochahontas) were well selected for our varying levels of skill.

Frenchy was a great guide and very knowledgeable about lots of different things and we couldn't have asked for anyone better.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anna H
Sydney, Australia19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
As young girls both me and my sister were regular horse-riders, and as we grew up and started travelling it became tradition to find a place to ride in every country we travelled to. From Australia to Vanuatu, Hawaii to Canada, never have we found a place as amazing at Backcountry Saddle Expeditions. We've had the pleasure of riding with these guys 3 times now, and the care that is put into the horses and the business is obvious. As experienced riders me and my sister struggle to ride freely at other trail-riding establishments (i.e. be allowed to canter with beginner riders around) - but the team at Backcountry Saddle cater for riders of all types. Beginners are taken good care of with gorgeous friendly horses, and more experienced riders are given plenty of chances to canter around some of the most gorgeous landscapes the south island has to offer. These guys absolutely deserve your business and you will leave with the biggest smile on your face, guaranteed. Horse fanatic or not, it's an experience to remember x
Written 11 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angela C
Niseko-cho, Japan9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
At first, I was a bit nervous because I had never rode a horse and my sons rode their own horse. The horses were SO well trained and behaved and Olivia the guide had fantastic communication with us that we all felt incredible comfortable. We had a blast and views were surreal. This was my favorite activity in New Zealand. It was so peaceful on top of the mountains! Highly recommend!
Written 10 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ozetravellers
Gold Coast, Australia1,100 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Family
We have been riding in many countries around the world and this was one of the most pleasurable experiences we have had. Deb’s horses are so well trained - an absolute pleasure to ride. At first I was a bit worried as there were 2 beginners with us and I thought they may slow our ride but often throughout the ride Debbie would take the beginners ahead and the three of us would canter /gallop to catch up. Most horses would be jumpy hanging back but not these horses! Perfectly chilled. Deb gave us such a great tour of the back country , teaching us about the history, flora and fauna constantly. She also took photos and videos and sent them to us afterwards. It was a pleasant 1 hour 20 from Queenstown but well worth it. We also had lunch at Dunstan house in Clyde on the way back - recommended by Deb and well worth it.
Written 7 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ashleigh
8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
Absolutely love this experience, was much better than antipcated. The back country mountains and scenery was spectacular. Just perfect!!! And Deb was amazing, had a good sense of humour and was very informative about the history of the area. Highly recommend!!!
Written 4 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jet31518410955
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
Due to my daughter's love of horses, we have done a few family horse treks on holidays. This was by far the best experience we have had. The trek was led by Debbie who is such a wonderfully relational person and exceptional guide. The Appaloosa horses are the most adorable horses, full of personality and energy. They are fit, healthy and strong. This trek caters to all levels of ability/experience - including those with lots of riding experience. The views were outstanding too! It was so much fun for the whole family. We don't usually leave reviews, but really want to promote this to others because it was excellent!
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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