The Atlas Mountains offer some of the most dramatic riding terrain on earth, and a small number of specialist outfitters are now offering multi-day expeditions that trace ancient Berber routes on barb horses bred for these very hills. Each evening ends at a private riad camp, where the cooking is extraordinary and the silence is absolute. This is adventure travel at its most civilised.

The journey typically begins in Marrakech, where riders are matched with their mounts — compact, sure-footed barbs whose ancestors have navigated these very passes for centuries. There is an immediate sense of rightness to the pairing: these horses know the land in a way no imported warmblood ever could. Their calm assurance on loose scree and narrow mountain trails quickly earns the deepest respect.

As the city gives way to the foothills of the High Atlas, the landscape transforms dramatically. Red earth paths wind between terraced villages of pink and ochre, where children wave from rooftops and the smell of woodsmoke drifts across the trail. At altitude, the air sharpens and the views open into something vast and almost theatrical — range upon range of bare peaks stretching south towards the Sahara.

The Berber guides who lead these expeditions carry generations of mountain knowledge. They know where the water runs clean, which passes close first with snow, and where to make camp so that the morning light falls just so across the valley. In the evenings, over tagine and mint tea, they share stories of their ancestors’ relationship with the horse — a bond forged not in arenas but in the practical demands of mountain life.

Accommodation is provided in private tented camps or restored kasbahs, each chosen for its position in the landscape as much as its comfort. Handwoven rugs, brass lanterns, and locally sourced ingredients make for an experience that is genuinely luxurious without ever feeling out of place. The contrast between the austere beauty of the mountains and the warmth of the camps is precisely what makes this journey so memorable.

For those willing to leave the well-worn tourist circuit behind, Morocco on horseback offers something increasingly rare: genuine remoteness, genuine connection, and the particular freedom that only comes from moving through a landscape at the pace of a horse.

Once considered an outdated relic of Victorian convention, the sidesaddle is experiencing a quiet but spirited revival among a new generation of equestrians drawn to its grace and discipline. Master saddlers in England and Spain are reporting a surge in commissions, as riders discover that there is nothing quite like the perfect symmetry of horse and rider in sidesaddle form.

The sidesaddle’s origins stretch back to the fourteenth century, when Anne of Bohemia is said to have introduced the sideways seat to the English court. For centuries it was simply the only respectable way for a woman of standing to ride, yet the skill required to do it well was always formidable. Controlling a horse from an asymmetric position demands core strength, exceptional balance, and a subtlety of communication with the animal that many argue surpasses what is required in the conventional astride seat.

Today’s revival is driven less by convention and more by curiosity. Competitive sidesaddle classes have returned to some of Britain’s most prestigious shows, including the Royal Windsor Horse Show and the Horse of the Year Show, drawing entries from riders who have trained specifically for the discipline. Their habits — the long flowing skirts known as aprons, the silk top hats, the immaculate white gloves — are crafted to the same exacting standards as they were a century ago, yet the women wearing them are entirely modern in their outlook.

For those wishing to learn, a small but dedicated network of instructors exists across the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and the United States. Lessons typically begin on a quiet, experienced horse, with the instructor guiding the rider into the correct position: both legs to the left, the right knee hooked over the upper pommel, the left foot in a single stirrup. It feels strange at first, almost precarious, and then — unexpectedly — entirely secure. The well-fitted sidesaddle holds the rider in place with a reassuring firmness that surprises most beginners.

The bespoke saddlery required is itself a world worth exploring. Houses such as Owen of London, which has been making sidesaddles since the nineteenth century, still produce hand-stitched pieces that take months to complete and are designed to last a lifetime. A properly fitted sidesaddle, balanced precisely to both horse and rider, is as individual as a piece of haute couture — and regarded by its owners with much the same reverence.

Whether approached as a competitive discipline, a living piece of equestrian history, or simply an exquisite aesthetic experience, the sidesaddle rewards those willing to commit to its demands. There is a reason it endured for five centuries before its brief eclipse, and every reason to believe that its present renaissance is only just beginning.

The connection between horse and rider represents one of the oldest and most elegant partnerships in sport. This relationship requires trust, skill, and countless hours of dedication. Explore the training methods, the competitions, and the lifestyle that surrounds this magnificent sport.

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