Monday, April 2, 2012

A Girl, A Beach & A Horse - EQUATHON Noosa



There is nothing quite like the feel of the wind in your hair as you bolt across an open field on horseback. Driving across the golden sands of Noosa North Shore next to the pounding surf of the Coral Sea is the ultimate mix of freedom and adventure.

Now I have found something even more tempting and thrilling. For a truly heavenly experience, you need just three things - a horse, the ocean and galloping across endless miles of gorgeous wild beach.  This is the story of a girl, a beach and a horse and it really is quite the fairytale.




My adventure began at the prestigious award winning Equathon Noosa, home of the best horse riding adventures in Noosa. This special place is owned and operated by champion horse rider, Australian triple Olympian Alex Watson and his partner Rebecca Harr.

Alex fell in love with Noosa and knew this was just the place to bring his dream of creating horse riding adventure tours to life. The landscape and natural beauty are perfect with a choice of trails through the beautiful Noosa Hinterland and access to ride on such a gorgeous stretch of beach.




Now every great adventure has to have a love story and drawn to this horse riding dream, an American traveller named Rebecca left the United States to join one of Alex's week long horse riding trails. Yes - you guessed it. Girl meets her very own cowboy and out on that Noosa Hinterland trail the pair fell in love and change both their lives forever. Don't you just love a good love story and imagine them still riding out there together?




The trail takes us along a bush track filled with wallum grasses, paperbark and scribbly gum trees. Their trunks patterned in erratic, zig zag graffiti tracks from their resident artist scribbly gum moth. It's such an Australian landscape, and so peaceful except for the gentle thud of my Stockhorse's hooves on the ground. When another sound filters through on the breeze my heart skips a beat. The mellow relaxation changes into anticipation as I make out the sound of surf pounding on the coastline and realise we have reached the beach.




Stepping out on to the endless sand and taking in the beauty of the Australian coastline, the feeling of freedom is exhilarating - pure joy. The wide open space is liberating. We have room to stretch out, lead our horses into the shallows and dance along the tide. The more adventurous riders take it in turns bolting along the sand, with the sound of the waves and hooves splashing through the water.

It's a dream held by many - to ride a horse on the beach. Teewah Beach with its dramatic panorama and unspoilt beauty doesn't disappoint. 'Luckiest girl in the world' did run through my mind as I galloped alongside the Coral Sea...

Some come out here on a romantic horseback ride with a marriage proposal in mind. It’s just that kind of lifetime memory. I am green with envy that some local horse owners and trail leaders at Equathon enjoy this landscape to ride on at any time for free. It's not just the beach though, there are many reasons to find your own long-term four legged soul mate here.



The Noosa Hinterland, Rainforest and countryside is gorgeous and the Trail Network here immense. The secret beauty that can only be seen by hiking or horseback is a pilgrimage that must be done.


For visitors to Noosa and locals without their own trusty steed, Equathon offers days of wandering through all this lush beauty and the chance to get to know the diverse landscape on horseback .

The 7 day Bush & Beach Horseback Ride includes the true bushman thrill of a cattle muster on a stock horse. Days spent out exploring on horseback till sunset with dreamy evenings in a luxury B&B's mid-trail is a special kind of escape people come from around the world for.




Equathon's real heart and soul are the beautiful, responsive and well cared for, Australian Stock Horses. The friendly trail leaders love their work, this place and what they do. You can tell this place was born out of love and a dream...

The 2hr  Bush & Beach Ride costs $125.00, the crowning glory is riding along the open coastline of Noosa North Shore. For an extra $40 you can enjoy a private tour and an even more exclusive adventure. All Skills and abilities are catered for.

Equathon organises Escape packages which include beach rides & Noosa accommodation as well as offering a complete horsemanship learn to ride program supervised by Alex. Private coaching from an  Olympic Equestrian - now that's style! You can also bring your own horse to stable at Equathon overnight and experience your own magical sunrise ride on the beach.




The drive to Equathon is an easy journey from the cosmopolitan world of Hastings Street. Just head to Tewantin and cross the Noosa River aboard the sleepy car ferry to find yourself at Noosa North Shore. 

Equathon can be found at Beach Road, Noosa North Shore
Tel -  (07) 5474 2665
For more details visit the Equathon website

It's true there are Wild Horses at Rainbow Beach - Noosa Life&Style's most popular post... it seems like everyone wants to adopt a wild brumby.

Explore Noosa with a 4WD Beach Safari and find a landscape straight out of Ayers Rock in the post The Red Canyon - Noosa North Shore





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