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EQUESTRIAN DREAMS IN SWITZERLAND
A Slower Way Through the Landscape
There are easier ways to move through Switzerland.
Faster ones, too.
But very few allow you to feel the landscape quite like a horse beneath you — the rhythm of hoofbeats, the hush between trees, the gradual opening of a valley that does not reveal itself all at once.
Horse riding in Switzerland is not only about scenery. It is about tempo. A different relationship to distance. A more grounded way of traveling through a place that is too often reduced to viewpoints and postcards.
For those drawn to a quieter, more tactile kind of journey, this is one of the most beautiful ways to experience the country: slower, lower to the ground, and closer to its textures.
Why Ride in Switzerland
Switzerland is often experienced through trains, mountain lifts, and scenic overlooks. Horseback travel offers something else entirely.
It lets you enter the landscape rather than simply admire it.
You begin to notice the trail beneath you, the subtle shift in weather, the scent of pine or dry grass, the changing light across open pasture. Even silence feels different on horseback — less empty, more alive.
There is something quietly restorative in the pace itself. Riding asks you to move with attention. To adjust. To slow down enough for a place to register fully.
At that speed, the country begins to feel less like a view and more like a living place.
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Where to Go
1.Val Müstair, Graubünden
For remoteness, pine forests, and longer riding days
Val Müstair is one of the quieter edges of Switzerland — open, wooded, and slightly remote in the best way. The area has offers ranging from lessons and rides to multi-day treks, and specific highlights are Paclerahof Riding Farm , San Jon Scuol , as well as Riding School Iris Hauschild.
This is the region to choose if you want:
- a stronger sense of distance
- mountain pasture and forest atmosphere
- a riding experience that feels more nature-led than polished
- Paclerahof Riding Farm & Horse Breeding Agrotourism offers guided rides for both experienced riders and beginners, with horse accommodation also available for guests bringing their own horses.
- Riding School Iris Hauschild has a range from riding lessons to bodywork with horses and the Academic Art of Riding.
- San Jon Scuol is for those drawn to riding in the Engadin and Val Müstair, San Jon near Scuol makes a compelling starting point. The setting is quieter and more expansive, with riding offers that range from shorter outings to full-day and multi-day treks — the kind of experience that lets this part of eastern Switzerland reveal itself at a more natural pace.
Tour noir tip:
If you want the most cinematic version of this region, shape the trip around a longer ride or trek rather than a short beginner loop. Official Engadin listings for a two-day ride into Val Müstair describe 6–7 hours of riding per day with an overnight in Tschierv, which suggests this region is especially well suited to riders who want immersion rather than a quick novelty outing.
2. Jura Vaudois
For softer countryside, wooded trails, and a gentler pace
In the Jura Vaudois, riding feels less dramatic and more restorative. Ranch Zangalisa in St-George is shaped by the calm of the Jura foothills, with rides, hikes, and small-group activities, while Manège de Begnins brings a more structured equestrian world — riding school, pony club, and long-standing tradition — in a green setting overlooking Lake Geneva.
This is the part of Switzerland to choose when you want pasture, forest, and breathing room to take the foreground.
Recommended Riding Contacts in the Jura
For readers drawn to a quieter, more immersive riding experience in the Jura, the region offers more than 1,000 km of marked and equipped horse-riding trails. A few names stand out. Ecurie Double C in La Chaux-des-Breuleux is one of the stronger options for guided rides and longer outings in the Franches-Montagnes, while Mas du Sapin in Fornet-Dessous is better suited to experienced riders looking for a more serious trekking rhythm. In the Haute-Sorne–Terbi area, Wanderreiten Jura offers a trail-focused approach that feels especially aligned with the wider equestrian landscape of the region, and in Ajoie, La Louvière in Chevenez is a good place to begin for riders who want a direct, local contact for guided experiences.
These are the kinds of places worth approaching directly if you want the Jura to feel less like a short activity and more like a real riding journey.
Tour noir tip:
This is the place to go when you want horse riding to feel pastoral rather than dramatic. Less spectacle. More breathing room and nature takes center stage.
Jura Vaudois Regional Park (Vaud)
This rolling, wooded plateau near the French border is perfect for slow travel. Think hidden glades, mossy pine trails, and wide pasturelands.
- Who to Ride With: La Ferme du Berbois – Known for ethical treatment of horses and scenic ridge rides.
- Overnight Option: Rustic farmhouse stays with stabling for horses and dorms for families.
3.Entlebuch Biosphere, Lucerne Region
For biosphere landscapes and a slightly wilder edge
Entlebuch feels more rugged and rooted. The UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch and Switzerland Tourism both feature riding experiences here, especially around Sörenberg, where horse trekking is tied directly to the biosphere landscape.
This is the region to choose if you want:
- horse riding that feels connected to a broader natural environment
- a landscape with more texture and ruggedness
- a family-friendly experience that still feels real rather than over-curated
Where to look for riding here
Stucki-Trekking — Sörenberg
- Host / Guide: Hans & Marie-Thérèse Stucki
- Address: Haglerenweg 4, 6174 Sörenberg
- Phone: +41 (0)41 488 00 18
- Mobile: +41 (0)79 351 54 62
- Email: info@stuckitrekking.ch
- Website: stuckitrekking.ch
Important notes:
- reservation required
- online reservation possible
- group size 1–5
- prices from CHF 140 for half-day and CHF 230 for full-day offers.
Lucerne West / Marbach area
UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch lists:
- Family Michaela und Alexander Schnyder Bernstein
- Schufelbühl 2, 6196 Marbach
- +41 (0)76 514 29 30 / +41 (0)79 959 03 46
tour noir tip:
Entlebuch is good for those who want the ride to feel part of a larger ecological landscape rather than a stand-alone activity.
4. Goms, Valais
For long valley light and a more cinematic alpine frame
Goms gives you a different register entirely: broad valley space, traditional villages, and a stronger alpine presence.
If you want a riding trip framed by long views and older mountain architecture, this is the most cinematic of the four regions.
Where to inquire about horse riding in Goms:
Because operator availability can change, the most reliable current contact is the regional tourism office:
Obergoms Tourismus AG
Nufenenstrasse 11
CH-3988 Ulrichen
+41 27 974 68 68
tourismus@goms.ch
Goms makes an ideal summer-and-fall outdoor region with the traditional mountain villages and a peaceful high-valley setting.
This is the region to choose if you want:
- visible mountain atmosphere
- longer valley views
- a riding trip that feels slightly more elemental
How to Choose the Right Riding Region
Not every equestrian trip in Switzerland needs to be a high-alpine trek.
Choose Val Müstair if you want remoteness and longer immersion.
Choose Jura Vaudois if you want softer countryside and a gentler pace.
Choose Entlebuch if you want biosphere landscapes and a stronger nature feel.
Choose Goms if you want mountain atmosphere and wide-valley drama.
The best ride is rarely the flashiest one. What’s more important is to find the best match between the rider and the place.
Ready to shape a Swiss riding escape?
- Explore the riding regions
- Find a place to stay nearby
- Get the free Switzerland planning checklist
What to Book Early
If horseback riding is the anchor of the trip, book that first.
That matters especially for:
- guided half-day and full-day rides
- family bookings
- school holidays
- weekends from late spring to early autumn
- small operators with limited horse capacity
This is explicitly true for operators like Stucki-Trekking, where reservations are required, and it is consistent with the small-scale, guided nature of many Swiss riding experiences.
What to Pack
Pack for variable weather, lots of movement, and a little humility.
Bring:
- comfortable layered clothing
- a light waterproof shell
- sturdy shoes or riding footwear
- sun protection
- a reusable water bottle
- a small snack
- a notebook, if you like to write after moving through a place rather than just looking at it
If you are staying overnight, add:
- one warmer evening layer
- a simple day bag
- one clean change of clothes for dinner or the train back
These trips tend to feel better when you carry less because it gives you the chance to notice more.
In a country so often admired from a distance, horseback travel brings you closer to its texture, rhythm, and stillness. It is a quieter kind of luxury, and one that tends to stay with you.
More hidden Switzerland, less tourist noise.
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