In the saddle

Equestrianism and horse riding have a centuries-old tradition in Slovenia. Lovers of horse riding and horses should certainly not miss a visit to the Lipica Stud Farm. Here, the noble white horses, the Lipizzaners, have been bred for over 400 years. Lipizzaners delight fans of classical riding according to the principles of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, with sport dressage and horse-drawn rides.

You can also go horse riding on these horses in many other places around Slovenia. Tourist farms and ranches offer horse riding within fenced-off areas or in nature. You can go on longer riding tours across meadows and through forests accompanied by guides. You can also go riding in the landscape of nature parks and in Triglav National Park. Get in the saddle, then!

Where to go horse riding?

There are many opportunities, which you can find all over Slovenia. If you’re unsure which part of Slovenia you’d like to see from the horse’s saddle, choose Bohinj in the country’s northwest. It has excellent terrain for beginners and advanced riders alike. Riding tours vary from short ascents up to a full day of horse riding on the Pokljuka plateau. Trail riding can be enjoyed in summer and winter.

The horse breeding and riding tradition is also very developed in the plateau-like Pohorje Hills. Hop in the saddle and explore the lush forests of the Pohorje Hills or perfect your riding technique in a manège riding hall. Many ranches and tourist farms provide horse-drawn carriage rides. Children adore ponies.

If you visit the southern part of Slovenia, we recommend that you go riding in the Kočevsko and Bela Krajina regions and in the Gorjanci Hills.

In the Idrijsko region, you can easily find a ranch or a farm where they’ll teach you how to ride or go horse riding with you in the vicinity. In summer, horse-riding camps are popular.

In the Posavje region, riding trails are well-maintained on gentle hills and in valleys. There are six routes, along which there are huts with berths for horses, fully stocked with hay and water.

Harness racing

Ljutomer, in the Prlekija region in the far northeast of the country, is an important equestrian and riding town. It’s known for harness racing and the Ljutomer Trotter (Ljutomerski kasač). These are fast horses used for harness racing. The Standardbred, an American breed, is also suitable for harness racing. This breed is bred at the Brdo Breeding Centre, which is also the venue for annual harness races.