Horseback Riding in the Baie de Somme

Horseback riding is one of the best way to discover the Baie de Somme, a magnificent bay in the North of France, covering over 28 square miles (72 km2). 

Nesrine and I went on a sponsored trip to the Somme Region and the Baie de Somme back in May 2018, with Somme Tourisme.
During the trip, we explored the bay from the air, but also from the ground. Because the Baie de Somme is so huge, a good way to discover it is via horseback riding; and that’s exactly what we did!

Horseback Riding Adventure

To beat the crowd, we decided to go to the horse riding facility as early as we could in the morning. The Henson Marquenterre equestrian center opens at 9am, so we got up early, enjoyed a nice breakfast to gather enough energy for the day, then headed to the location.

The Location: Domaine du Marquenterre

For this horseback riding adventure, we chose one of the best equestrian center in the area: the Henson Marquenterre equestrian center. Located 40 minutes walk away from the Baie de Somme and the sea, the center is the perfect place to start your exploration of the area.

The Domaine du Marquenterre (Marquenterre domain), on which the center is situated, is a private domain of 2,475 acres. The domain is made of open fields, dense forests, and sand dunes. It also leads straight to the Baie de Somme, which is pretty awesome if you ask me!

Gearing up for horse riding

Before going out on the horses, the first step was to gear up. We went into the gear room, and started to grab the gear for ourselves. We picked a pair of boots and put them on. Then we chose a helmet, and also put it on. Security first!

Then we gathered the equipment for the horses. I took a saddle blanket, a saddle and reins, and was ready to go get my horse.

Getting our horses

In the center, the horses are not always in stalls. Most of the time, they are out in the open, going about their lives in their large pen. We went out of the stable where we gathered the gear, and walked to the pen to get our horses.

We got in the pen, and then the game begun: we had to find our horses among all of the horses that were around us.

When I found my horse, my guide and I put the tack around his neck, and then I led him by the reins back to the stable to prep him before going horseback riding in the Baie de Somme

Prepping the horses

After getting back in the stable with our horses, we had to prep them. I tied my horse to a pole, and began brushing his back. When I was done brushing, I grabbed the saddle blanket and placed it on the horse’s back, making sure to leave a bit of space in the front. I then put the saddle on top of it, and tied the saddle under the belly of the horse.

The horses were ready. Before going, our guide taught us the basics, how to mount, how to dismount, and how to lead the horses. After the quick yet thorough explanation, we mounted and were soon on our way, horse riding towards the Domaine du Marquenterre.

Horseback riding in the Domaine du Marquenterre

The first part of the ride was inland, in the domain. We were in thick vegetation, on sand. It was my first time riding a horse, and it felt amazing.

After a quick ride, the surroundings began to change, and we soon found ourselves in a dense pine trees forest. We even passed by an old World War II bunker, one of the hundreds of bunker installed by the Germans during the war.

In the forest, we were going up and down, following the hilly terrain, until we finally saw the land change again; the pine trees were disappearing, getting replaced by sand dunes and low grass.

Leading our horses through the sand dunes, we managed to cross them, and ended on the beach, in the Baie de Somme. I could feel my horse’s excitement as we got to the beach, and I could sense his urge to run wild.

There, on the beach, we pushed our horses to a trot, and rode, free as the wind. I remember that amazing feeling I had in my entire body as my horse broke into trot and started to speed up: pure joy. To be honest though, the trot is not very comfortable and my bum was aching ?

After the horseback riding on the beach, it was time to head back to the horse center. We lead the horses inland.

Horseback riding in the Baie de Somme was an incredible experience, and I am definitely looking forward to my next ride.

Have you ever rode a horse? How was it? Let me know in the comments below!

If you want to read more adventures, check out these stories below:

Discovering the Baie de Somme from the sky
Escaping on Paris rooftops
Hiking in Dorset, England