Discover the Normandy countryside from on high, perched in the saddle of your trusty steed. Hire a horse for the day to trot along bridleways, meander through parks and forests or simply take a lesson.

 

There are stud farms and equestrian centres throughout Normandy and many of them cater to families and English speaking visitors, for you to organise horse-riding to suit whatever plans you have...whether it's for just a few hours gentle hacking in the forest in Eure, or crossing the Mont St Michel bay on horseback for a once in a lifetime experience, a few days touring along coastal paths and beaches of Cotentin or through the verdant slopes of the Suisse-Normande.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• National Stud Farms in Normandy

Normandy is home to two French National Studs, Le Haras du Pin built by Louis XIV in 1714, thus known as the “Versailles for horses” with 2,500 acre estate.

 

Le Haras du Pin, Orne

The Orne department is known as horse country thanks to its many equestrian centres, stables and stud farms, not least the national stud farm Le Haras du Pin. Considered the equestrian Versailles, this magnificent 18th-century stud farm and stables was approved by Louis XIV as a royal stud farm in order to strengthen bloodlines through controlled breeding. This is still the Haras du Pin’s main practice today. A true temple to the horse, visitors can learn about everything from breeding, to care and training at the Le Pin visitors’ centre. Take a guided tour to view the grounds, see where the saddles and fancy bridles are kept and meet the regal stallions themselves.

Haras du Pin

61310 Le Pin au Haras

Tel: 02 33 36 68 68

www.haras-national-du-pin.com

 

 

Haras de Saint-Lo

Le Haras de Saint Lo, built in 1806, is dedicated to the breeding of Selle Francais (the French warmblood), the Norman Cob and Percheron. They provide services such as
the identification of horse family members, siring, semen dissemination, training, research and knowledge dissemination.

Haras National de Saint Lo

Avenue du Marechal Juin

50009 Saint Lo

Tel. : 02 33 77 88 66

 

Website (in French)

 

 

• Horse Riding Trails, Clubs and itineraries

 

- Download brochure of Horse riding trails in Normandy (French) here

 

- Find the full list of all horse riding clubs in Normandy here  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Facts and figures about Normandy

Facts and figures about Normandy, one of Europe’s leading equestrian regions:

 

• 4,400 companies
• France’s leading horse-breeding region: 8,300 horse breeders with 10,000 births a year
• 40% of the French racehorses bred
• 20% of the sports horses and 60% of the winning horses bred
• Nearly 1,000 stallions siring half the thoroughbred, French trotter and French saddle horses in France
• 238,000 hectares of pastures devoted to the equine industry
• 300 horse-riding centres
• 31 hippodromes
• €620 million in sales
• Two national stud farms and around 24 private stud farms
• The Institute of Horse Pathology, the only one of its kind in the world
• The Franck Duncombe Laboratory devoted to equine biology, number two in Europe
• Deauville Airport, which specialises in transporting horses.

 

 

 

 

•  World Equestrian Games 2014 - August 2014

Save the date!

 

August 17 - 31

 

The centre of Caen, the Basse-Normandie region’s capital, will turn into a huge “equestrian stadium” where seven of the eight disciplines on the program will take place.

 

The endurance ride will take place between theHaras du Pin and the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Two demonstration events, horseball in Saint-Lô and polo in Deauville, will round out the variety of the spectacle offered. The exceptional 100 mile ride from the Haras du Pin, to the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, will enable competitors and visitors from around the world to discover Normandy’s countryside, forests, hedgerows and old Roman roads.

 

The World Games aim to combine sporting excellence with popularising the event in the town centre, celebrating the horse and equestrian sports, promoting the know-how of France’s and Normandy’s equine industry and making the event part of an economic and tourist development strategy.

www.normandie2014.com/english

 

 

• Equestrian Events 2011 

- A Cheval sur la musique, Saint-Lô, Calvados
12th – 13th March
An equestrian symphony show brings together music, dancing and horses. Performed to the music of great composers such as Strauss, Bizet and Brahms and also contemporary music from Brel, Morricone or Nougaro, a dazzling display.
www.calvados-tourisme.com

 

- Les jeudis du Pin – Le-Pin-au-Haras, Orne 

9^th June – 29^th September

Every Thursday, the internationally known stud farm, known

as the “Versailles of Horses” treats visitors to an amazing display of dressage and show-jumping.

www.haras-national-du-pin.fr

 

-Deauville Racecourse, Calvados
10th - 12th June 2011
Grand National Jumping

http://www.deauville.org/en/agenda.php 

 

- De la terre à la scène, Juvigny-sous-Andaine, Orne
July and August 2011
See the workhorses as never before at la Ferme de la Michaudière. This hour long spectacle, featuring tricks, carriage parades, and a chariot race sees these robust and
muscular horses transform into graceful and agile animals.
www.lamichaudiere.fr

 

- La Touques Racecourse, Deauville –Calvados
30th – 31st July & 1st to 28th August 2011
Lucien Barrière Deauville Polo Cup Deauville

 

- Normandie Horse Show, Saint-Lô, Calvados
August 2011
Equestrian experts, breeders, horse lovers, riders and visitors come together in this event combining sport and farming. Taking place in one of France’s National Stud Farms, celebrating the Norman and French thoroughbreds.
www.normandiehorseshow.com 

 

- Equi’Days Horse Festival, Calvados
7th – 23rd October 2011
The equestrian festival of Calvados brings together riders from around the world. With competitions, exhibitions, horse shows, and even equestrian art displays as well as fine wine and dining, grab an opportunity to rub shoulders with the elite of equestrianism.
http://equidays-calvados.com

 

 

 

 

• Discover horse riding in Normandy with Our Far from Ordinary Experiences !