17 Best Horse Riding Tours In Melbourne & Victoria

There's nothing like heading out on a ride in some amazing scenery. These places offer horse riding in Melbourne and Victoria including pony parties, riding lessons, trail rides, trail riding trips and more.

There are minimum age requirements, weight restrictions, prior experience and gear you'll need for some of the rides, so it's best to read the fine print when booking and / or contact the provider with any questions.

Note that I have not included locations that allow you to bring your own horse. 

Best Horse Riding Melbourne & TRAIL RIDING MELBOURNE

1. Woodlands Trail Riding, Greenvale

Head to Greenvale and visit Woodlands Trail Riding for trail riding near Melbourne (around half an hour from the CBD). They offer a range of services including tail rides, trekking through the bushland inside the park, pony rides and horse riding lessons.

Pony rides start from $30 for a 15 minute ride (with longer rides representing better value), and you can even book a pony party for 1 hour or 1.5 hours to delight kids with a unique experience! 

They're also a Melbourne horse riding school. Their riding lessons cater for a range of experience levels and age groups to equip participants with skills in horse husbandry and riding.

Set inside Woodlands Historic Park, there’s wonderful views of the city and the surrounding area including the Great Dividing Range, with plenty of wildlife including birdlife and kangaroos.

Woodlands Trail Riding, Woodlands Historic Park, Somerton Road (Park Access Road), Greenvale, 1300 966 352

2. The Equine Club, Dromana

Head to the Mornington Peninsula for horseback riding lessons at The Equine Club. They’ve got experienced instructors as well as a range of ponies and horses. You can find the perfect match, and learn new skills right from beginners (minimum 4 years old) to dressage and show jumping. 

There’s also a Squad Program at The Equine Club, for riders who want to progress to the next level. It’s run as a group session, and squad riders are encouraged to take individual lessons also.

The Equine Club, 20 Old Moorooduc Rd, Dromana, 0419 945 359 (Sharon)

3. Alan Smallacombe Trail Rides, Dandenong Ranges

Do you fancy trail rides near Melbourne in the Dandenong Ranges?

Alan Smallacombe Trail Rides offers exactly that, with horse trail riding near Melbourne occurring twice daily. Trail rides travel along tracks in Doongalla Estate Forest Reserve each weekend.

Horses and riders are carefully matched to achieve a safe and happy pairing, and kids as young as 11 can participate.

The 1 hour Forest Valley ride costs $50 and allows riders 11 years and older. And the 2 hour Mountain tops and Doongala ride costs $100 and allows riders 13 years and older.

Mid week rides may be organised, but incur an additional charge of $10 per rider.

Alan Smallacombe Trail Rides, 205 Sheffield Rd, Montrose, 03 9728 3502

4. Valley Park Riding School, Templestowe

Valley Park Riding School is a Melbourne riding school that offers riding lessons just half an hour from Melbourne’s CBD, as well as school holiday programs and pony parties.

Lessons run all week as well as on weekends, and they cater for children and adults.

If you don't want a horse ride Melbourne locals and visitors can also make bookings for Groundwork Sessions to enjoy the benefits of spending time around horses.

Valley Park Riding School, 86 O’Briens Ln, Templestowe, 0475 00 00 88

5. Gunnamatta Trail Rides, Mornington Peninsula

Go horse riding near Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula!

There’s a large range to choose from at Gunnamatta Trail Rides, so you can find a horseriding experience to suit. And they have around 75 horses so you can find your perfect equine partner. The one thing that doesn’t change is the beautiful places to ride horses close to their location on the Mornington Peninsula!

You can book private rides, family rides, bush rides, romantic sunset rides and more. Beach rides are a bucket list experience, and you can even book a private twilight ride along the ocean beach!

So you can make the most of your trail riding experience, there are also package details available with other local businesses.

If you’d like some Melbourne horse riding lessons, they are available from $45pp. Horse riding clinics are run throughout the year, and are suitable for beginners.

Gunnamatta Trail Rides, Cnr Truemans Rd & Sandy Rd, Fingal, 03 5988 6755

6. The Ranch, Cape Shanck

Set on 200 acres with an Old West vibe, there is plenty to do at The Ranch, including horse riding.  You’ll also be treated to views of Bass Strait.

There are horse riding trail rides available for a variety of ages and experience levels, including a 30 minute Junior Trail Ride with a maximum age of 15 years, suitable for novices. Or there’s an Experienced Forest Ride where riders (minimum 10 years) will navigate the trails through Greens Bush for two hours.  It will involve ducking, weaving and a quick pace!

There is also accommodation on site, mountain boarding, school, summer and holiday programs and event facilities at The Ranch.

The Ranch, 810 Boneo Rd, Cape Shanck, 03 5988 6262

7. Hepburn Lagoon Trail Rides, Daylesford

Get matched with one of the horses at Quirindi Stables, the family owned property from witch Hepburn Lagoon Trail Rides depart to travel through the Wombat State Forest.

A two hour trail rides costs $90pp, or go all out with the 5 hour pub ride, that travels through the bush to the Swiss Mountain Hotel for lunch at a cost of $200pp including your meal.
Riders need to be at least 6yo, and robust enough to cope with the ride. Each ride starts with some skill practice in the yard.

Hepburn Lagoon Trail Rides, 60 Telegraph Rd, Newlyn North, 0408 059 125

8. Beltain Park, Yarra Valley

Beltain Park offers horseback riding near Melbourne, with Yarra Valley riding lessons. They offer small group lessons and school holiday programs.

If you, or someone you know, is feeling apprehensive about your first horse riding experience, the staff at Beltain Park will work to make you feel comfortable with their expertise instructing beginners.

Beltain Park, 741 Warburton Hwy, Seville, 03 5964 2445

9. Chum Creek Horse Riding, Yarra Valley

Escape on horseback riding trails near Melbourne at Chum Creek Horse Riding in the Yarra Valley – you can even make it an overnight or weekend getaway!

Trail rides are led by experienced guides with experiences such as the 2.5 hour Yarra Valley Mountain Hut Wine Tasting ride. You’ll ride through the scenic Yarra Valley, and may spot wildlife including deer, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, lizards and eagles.

Chum Creek Horse Riding also offer longer experiences, including rides on the Bicentennial National Trail (BNT), the longest dedicated horse riding trail in the world.

They have two (luxury) accommodation huts on the property to allow you a longer horse riding experience at Chum Creek if you’d prefer – Hut 1 sleeps up to 6 and boasts a sizeable fireplace, and the Loft Hut sleeps up to 4 and has a Japanese Soaking tub.

Chum Creek Horse Riding, 221 Heath Road, Chum Creek, 0407 326 276

10. Blazing Saddles, Aireys Inlet

Head down to one of the Great Ocean Road's horse riding places; Blazing Saddles for a variety of trail rides and other activities.

Beach Rides include the Beach and Bush Ride along Fairhaven Beach, Bush Rides in Otway National Park, and Pub Rides, like the 6 hour Beach and Pub Ride, that takes you onto Fairhaven Beach, up to Spout Creek and back to Aireys Pub for late lunch. Some rides require prior experience and have a minimum age, so you’ll need to read the details to find an option that suits your group.

If you’d like a pony ride or a pony party, Blazing Saddles can help with a variety of options to suit your needs.  An extended (20 minute) pony ride is $20. There are also holiday clinics, private lessons and beginner horse lessons.

Blazing Saddles, Lot 1 Bimbadeen Dr, Aireys Inlet, 0418 528 647

11. Rundell’s Mahogany Trail Rides, Warrnambool

Experience a ride through sand dunes and along the Warrnambool beach with Rundell’s Mahogany Trail Rides. They cater for novice riders, and offer even beginners an opportunity to walk, trot and even canter (depending on the trail) with their horse.

If you're looking for cheap horse riding Melbourne, pricing at Rundell's is very reasonable, starting at $20pp for a 30 minute led pony ride, and a 1.5 hour twilight beach trail ride at $105pp.

Other services are also available at Rundell’s, with horse care days, lessons for beginners and intermediate riders, and birthday parties with a few different options for a pony ride, lesson or trail ride.

Rundell’s Mahogany Trail Rides, Millers Ln, Warrnambool, 0408 589 546

12. Watson’s Mountain Country Trail Rides, High Country

Experience horse riding Victoria’s picturesque high country with Watson’s Mountain Country Trail Rides.

If you just want to dip your toes into horseback rides, there are short rides for an hour, a few hours or a day, and for the more adventurous and more experienced you can go on overnight rides with a full itinerary of things to see and plenty of delicious foods.

There’s a 7 day Man From Snowy River Celebration Ride, where you’ll trek through the high country and see the scenery where the movie was filmed four decades ago.

Watson’s Mountain Country Trail Rides, 296 Three Chain Road, Booroolite, 03 5777 3552

13. Snowy Range Horseback Tours, Heyfield

If you want to explore as much of the high country as possible, Snowy Range Horseback Tours offer two 10 day tours! They’re running high country tours from November – April, and in May, June and October tours are run through the Licola Valley.

If you’d like to experience the high country during a shorter tour, there are a variety of lengths available, including weekend tours. You'll get to go horseback riding places it would be very strenuous to reach on foot!

All tours include (mountain) horse hire, accommodation and meals with plenty of fresh quality food.

Snowy Range Horseback Tours, RMB 5790 Heyfield, 03 5148 2118 | 0428 321 905

14. McCormacks Mountain Valley Trail Rides, Merrijig

Riders as young as 8 (depending on the ride) can experience the high country with McCormacks Mountain Valley Trail Rides.  And they accommodate beginner – experienced riders, with rides as short as 2 hours, or multiple day experiences.  Riders can see film locations from The Many From Snowy River, and ask Bruce about the time he spent as one of the crack riders on the film.

Go horse back riding and you'll see splendid views from points such as Mt Stirling and Craig’s Hut, and tours run all year.

McCormacks Mountain Valley Trail Rides, 118 McCormacks Rd, Merrijig, 03 5777 5542 | 0428 573 708 

15. Bogong Horseback Adventures, Tawonga

Mountain horses are expertly bred and trained, then matched to each rider at Bogong Horseback Adventures.

You can join them for a day ride, accommodation at Spring Spur Stay and Packhorse Tours through the high country.

You’ll be treated to quality food including locally sourced produce, and comfortable swags for overnight rides. If you want a truly special experience, there’s even a 8 day tour that brings in the New Year on Mount Bogong. A truly unique experience horse riding Victoria!

Bogong Horseback Adventures, 52 Fredas Ln, Tawonga, 03 5754 4849

16. Billabong Ranch Adventure Park, Echuca

There’s so much going on at Billabong Ranch Adventure Park!  You can experience a trail ride along bush tracks, the local waterways or between farms. There are rides and horses suitable for beginners and experienced riders. Trail rides start at $85pp for a 1 hour session.

There are also lessons, a saddle club and school holiday programs to develop horse riding skills.
After your ride there’s plenty to do at the adventure park, with a cafe, pony rides, a fun park and mini golf.  There are also camel rides and horse and carriages.

Billabong Ranch Adventure Park, Cnr Glanville and Tehan Rd, Echuca, 03 5483 5122

17. Yarra Valley Trails Ponyland, Christmas Hills

A tranquil ride through the picturesque Christmas Hills with Yarra Valley Trails Ponyland will have you wanting to come back time and again!

They offer guided trail rides, as well as day programs and holiday camps – catering to all skill levels.

Set amongst 300 acres of pasture and bushland, abundant with wildlife, you won't believe it's only an hour from Melbourne CBD.

Minimum age is 10 years old, private and group bookings are welcome.

Yarra Valley Trails Ponyland, 35 Osborne Road, Christmas Hills VIC 3775, (03) 9730 1334, ponyland@bigpond.com

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