Riding schools throughout the UK have opened their stable doors to newcomers this summer. By offering discounts and holding special events, they hope to encourage people to take up the sport as part of the National Riding Festival.

If you are keen to take up the reins, but are undecided whether you should venture off on a riding holiday - in the UK or elsewhere - try beginner or refresher classes with Unicorn Trails, which has short courses 'aimed at getting you out on a riding holiday'.

An eight-hour programme for beginners will show you how to walk, trot, groom a horse, saddle up, mount and dismount. The trail rider course should ensure you are skilled enough to enjoy a week's trail, walking, trotting and cantering over various terrain. The safari adventure course hopes to ensure you are fit and confident, and ready for challenging rides.

Riding holiday options are innumerable. Consideration of where to go should include the season (and weather), scenery, terrain and what percentage of your holiday you want to spend in the saddle. Depending upon your level of experience and agility, you can take a mountain trail, gallop across beaches or work on an authentic ranch.

If you are still wondering where in the world to take a riding holiday, In the Saddle has listed its 'Top ten rides in 2005'.

Ride Worldwide, as the name suggests, has riding holidays in all corners of the globe, and many different types of holiday. In South Africa, for example, you can choose a horse safari on a private game reserve or stay on a vast cattle ranch.

Ranch America says you can experience the life of an American cowboy, or combine a riding holiday with other outdoor activities.

If you take your children to the beach for a week, ten years later they will have forgotten everything about the holiday, it says. Take them to a ranch and they will remember its name, and perhaps the names of the horses, for the rest of their lives.

American Round-up has a selection of ranches that are open in the winter, so you can also sample cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing and dog sledding.

Foxcroft Travel has riding holidays at small farms and ranches throughout Europe.

'You may want a ride with full days in the saddle', says European Riding Holidays, 'or for you a perfect holiday may combine riding and relaxing by the pool in more or less equal measures. We offer both.'

On the safety side, make sure you have adequate insurance. And take a hard hat with you because they won't always be available.

The Horse Directory is a useful resource for further information on horses and horse riding.