(Newswire.net — October 23, 2020) — Most folk have someone in their life who is an avid fan of all things horse, be it a niece who spends her spare moment down at the local stables, or a brother who still harbors dreams of one day being a cowboy on his own ranch.
Most of the time life gets in the way of such dreams coming true, but a well-planned trip of a lifetime can go some way to making up for it.
The UK and Ireland are two places where horse racing is in the blood of those who live and work there, with many towns and cities coming to a standstill when the likes of the Aintree Grand National or the Cheltenham Festival are taking place.
This means that any trip to the UK or the Emerald Isle is sure to make the equestrian close to your heart a very happy bunny. Here are some of the best places to take them, whether you choose to go on an RV adventure or stay in luxurious hotels instead.
Catching a horse race or two when you visit the UK is a must
Newmarket Racecourse and National Horse Racing Museum
Newmarket is one of the biggest epicenters of horse racing in the UK and indeed the world, with the town’s racecourse playing host to many of the races you will have seen on your online race cards down through the years, as well as the National Horse Racing Museum.
The museum draws from all the history of the race course just up the road but brings so much more to the table besides, with everything from a jockey race simulator for you to have a go at and exhibits that will take you all the way back in time to when professional horse racing was only in its naissance.
This all means that Newmarket is the ideal place to start any UK horse racing homage, giving you all the background and historical knowledge you will need to make the most of the rest of your trip.
If horse racing is too frenetic for you then perhaps a dressage or jumping show would be more your cup of tea
Longines Royal International Horse Show
Once you know everything there is to know about the history of horse racing in the UK, it will be time to sample something altogether different, with a trip to see some top quality show jumping and dressage competitions.
For a truly immersive experience you and yours would be wise to visit the Longines Royal International Horse Show, which spans six days and has everything a horse fanatic could possibly desire.
When You are Done Watching and Have the Itch for a Ride
Of course, any trip so far afield should involve some element of riding as well as spectating and for that Ireland is hard to beat, with so many riding schools making themselves available for gallops on the beach or easy trots along moorland trails.
Once you are saddle-sore and can ride no more, you should stay by the Irish coast to catch a race or two at the famous Laytown Strand Racecourse, where horses charge along the beach as waves crash in from the Atlantic ocean.
A Spot of Polo
No trip to the UK would be complete without catching a game of polo, with Guards Polo Club at Windsor Park and Cowdray Park Polo Clubin West Sussex being the best places to do so.
Make sure you dress up smart and be prepared to do some divot repair work during the halftime break.