B.C. Horse Vacations

Customer Comments

"...when I looked at life from the saddle and was as near to heaven as it was possible to be."

 

Just a quick note to thank you again for the unforgettable experience of our recent riding holiday. My daughter Amanda and I have done other “excursions” together and the enjoyment of each other’s company is a prime consideration when selecting a trip. Amanda was here this morning and while viewing the pictures, we agreed that we have never had an experience to equal our BC Horse Vacation with you. Also, that sharing this ride together enhanced our already close relationship.

       

We have both done a fair bit of riding and have horses in our family heritage but we have never truly experienced mountain riding until you took us out there, back there, up there, down there, in and outta there, under there and over there, thro’ there and across there on the Trans Canada Trail, rim trails, meadow trails, forest trails, creek trails, climbing trails, abandoned roads, trails that you and Damon had clearly punch yourselves plus trailering when needed.

Somewhere in your literature I read, “We Take Riders Riding”.

Do you ever!!!!!

The thought, experience, expertise, attention and caring that goes into your trail selection and mount assignments to match client’s skill, personalities and interests is impressive. The work and attention evident in your B&B and catering choices (Please thank that lady… Wow!!) is amazing. AND… you made it look so effortless which I know it is not.

The high quality of your herd is far from effortless. I know what it takes to develop individual animals and to build a stable such as yours. Each of your horses is unique in personality, beautifully trained, exceptionally well-groomed and delightfully mannered. Each is high in energy, endurance and willingness…what a combination!

Wylli

Peachland, British Columbia

 

Thank you for another great holiday – it’s been a wonderful three days. I only wish it could have been nine again this year. Once again we have enjoyed the trails, the horses, and the company enormously. We wish you every success in the continuing development of BCHV and hope to be back again in the next couple of years. Until next time,

Gwynneth & George

Glenavy, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland

 

Fabulous people, fabulous horses, fabulous place, fabulous ride, in short a fabulous time. Thank you for making it a wonderful holiday. Can I hear a woo-hoo?

Vicki

Baltimore, Maryland

 

Wonderful rides, scenery and experience. The B&B’s make it oh so pleasant. Highly recommended to horsey people. Thank you for a very lovely time.

Sandra & Robert

Mt. Tamborine, Queensland, Australia

 

Wow! I’m impressed. Food was surprisingly delicious, hosts warm & welcoming & the horses incredibly cared for. Thank you so much for all your efforts, especially in matching horse to rider.

Amanda

Langley, British Columbia

 

How can I thank you enough for giving me such a wonderful experience? I feel I have finally hit the jackpot – riding with the nicest couple I could hope to meet, on the best horses I have yet encountered!

You really are “doing it all right” – you have such a knack for hospitality, and the personal touch is unbeatable. Your thoughtfulness and generosity is amazing, and I appreciated all the extra little touches and attention to detail.

Your horses are wonderful – so well-mannered, with the perfect balance of energy and control, and an enthusiasm for their jobs which is hard to find. I will really miss Jessie & Winston. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone.

Thank you so much again for everything. May you enjoy the great success you so rightly deserve.

Carlie

Richmond, British Columbia

 

Thank you for a wonderful time. Your patience with someone “green” was exemplary – great scenery & wonderful hospitality.

Mary

Surrey, British Columbia

 

A wonderful time! Great riding, food, fun. Lots of hospitality. Thank you for the variety of horses! Nice, clean, healthy, very impressive!

Caroline

Bow, Washington

 

This will be the most memorable vacation of my life! Thank you so much for the wonderful adventure. We look forward to our next holiday with you.

Matt & Tammy

Vancouver, British Columbia

 

What an amazing weekend. Thank you so much for creating such an opportunity to experience the peace and beauty here on horseback. A truly enriching, uplifting and empowering experience. I am excited to continue riding and return someday in the near future.

Natasha

Vancouver, British Columbia

 

Wow! What a great vacation. I don’t know how you could do it any better. Surpassed my expectations! Your horses are wonderful. I can not thank the two of you enough for one of the best holidays I have ever had. What makes it so great is the attitude that you both have. You really know how to take care of your guests. You could teach hospitality to a lot of others I know. The horses where great –what a treat! They are very well looked after and it shows. Anyways, thanks so much for the great holiday. It was even more than I imagined it could be.

Sandy

Black Creek, British Columbia

 

Right here in BC, the best horse vacation I could have dreamed of. A huge big thank you!

Deb

Black Creek, British Columbia

 

       

Thank you for a wonderful honeymoon, one we will never forget. Hope you have many more wonderful years with your horses and riders. Your service is unmatched to anyone else. Lots of love,

Chad & Melissa

Red Deer, Alberta

 

What an absolutely wonderful holiday. Great horses with such fun personalities, fantastic food & interesting & endless conversations. We learned a lot & had a great time and look forward to returning in May. Your operation is so well run. We have been on lots of these kinds of rides and yours is without a doubt one of the best we have been on.

Teresa & Nick

Oliver, British Columbia

 

We couldn’t have asked for a better horseback vacation! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Al is my new sweetheart! Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and generosity. Oh, yes, Jim thinks that you should be “BC Horse Adventure Vacations.”

(Later, from a note sent with some photos…)

Well, as you can see from the pictures, Shelley and I have been getting into horse trouble. We came back from our super vacation and started back riding again. Magic is his name; he is 11 years old and a Tennessee Walker. We are having a great time with him. You know it’s because we had such a great time at BC Horse Vacations that we have gotten into this thing…

Jim & Shelley

Waukegan, Illinois

 

Thank you so much for the five days of riding - they were so great. We sure had some great laughs. I would love to see you again in another year.

Karen

Surrey, British Columbia

 

Thank you so much for your kindness and patience and for your good advice. You made the ride so enjoyable for me and have restored so much of my confidence.

As a not very confident rider having such a gentleman as Travis to ride and an equal gentleman in Damon as an escort has done wonders! I can’t thank you enough – you guys are the best!

Elizabeth

Stouffville, Ontario

 

Thank you both so much for your kindness and expertise in making our vacation a memorable one. The horses were fun, the scenery spectacular and the lunches tasty. And thanks so much for accommodating our large group and our varied riding abilities. You have a wonderful place to ride, and a first rate outfit.

Susan

Markham, Ontario

 

I had a great time! I loved both Tank & Winston! Thanks so much,

Pam

Toronto, Ontario

 

A lovely week’s riding, thanks very much.

Diana

London, England

 

A great week, thank you!

Maureen

London, England

 

Great ride, great food, great company, thanks tons!

Deb

Stouffville, Ontario

 

Excellent in every way!

Heather

Edmonds, Washington

 

Just got back from a lively ride on our “old guys” and feel wonderful. Thank you again for your unique brand of service. I quite fell in love with your life! Of course, I fell for the amazing Rocky, too and he was a gentleman of class.

Good luck for another year. I’m sure we will be back one day.

Bev

Mission, BC

 

What can I say! I knew I would have a great time – but it was even better than I expected! Thank you so much for everything. We hope to return one day. Please pass along kisses to our dear equine friends. They were so great & of course, we fell in love with them, like little school girls with crushes!

Hugs to both of you. I’ll work on Jessie’s Rap Tune & email you. Yo Yo Get Down!! All the very best & hope to see you again.

Love,

Lynn

Maple Ridge, BC

 

Damon & Ainsley

It’s taken a while to send this with the usual excuse of being busy. Thank you so much for looking after us so well on our honeymoon. We thoroughly enjoyed it & Ben now proclaims to be an expert horseman. The horses, food, views, accommodations & hospitality were second to none. We will get some photos & video to you. Love to Bo,

Emma & Ben

London, England

 

I wanted to email and say thank you for sharing Slick with me. I really enjoyed his company. He is such a happy go lucky guy.  We would enjoy riding with you again sometime -- maybe next year. It is great to find a good place so close to home.

Judy

Saltspring Island, BC

 

Hi Ainsley & Damon!

I have been a horse owner for a year and my riding experience up until the BC Horse Vacations ride was limited to short, easy trail rides and western lessons in the arena.  Mountain trail riding exposed me to tougher terrain than I have ever ridden and made me work more as "one" with the horse on the trails.  I had to trust my horse more than I've had to before. I returned from my trip with a renewed confidence and was very eager to apply those skills to my own horse, however didn't really understand the magnitude of what I had learned until my trainer gave me feedback.  She was impressed that I had "found" my stirrups which I had to lengthen a hole (newer riders tend to point their toes down) and I kept my heels down the entire lesson! More importantly, she said my seat was more solid, secure and my posture was more relaxed.  My confidence has increased and I feel that I have more direction and focus for what kind of riding I want to do with my horse. I would highly recommend Damon, Ainsley, their horses and BC Horse Vacations. 

Holly

Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Dear Damon and Ainsley,

I saw that Holly put a very nice comment about your ride on your WEB site. I too wanted to thank you for making it such a great ride. You really worked hard to make the ride fun and enjoyable for all. I know the hours were long and you were such a great, warm and accommodating hosts.

Ruth

Washington DC

 

"The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears".  And that's what we felt. Your horses were so wonderful, so beautiful and, as Edie says, very "forward moving". Your horses are a reflection of your love and respect for them. My observation was that you treat them as equal partners in your business and their success is your success. We loved the fantastic and scenic trails on which you escorted us. We loved the warm hospitality of your community partners at the B&Bs. Lively conversation flowed both on and off the horses. There were also those absolute quiet and beautiful moments of being one with your horse. Thank you both so much for such an incredible riding experience and holiday.  We hope to be seeing you again.  Give Al and Bo big hugs from us.

Susan and Edie

Abbotsford, B.C.

 

A Riding Holiday

(Sent to Canadian Tourism Commission and Council of Tourism May 2006)

by Gerry from Sudbury, Ontario

To Whom it may concern,

Recently I purchased a riding holiday from B.C. Horse Vacations, (Princeton B.C.). It was one of the best holiday experiences in my life. I have taken similar holidays in 15 countries on 3 continents and I would consider this B.C. experience as "excellent". The owners and guides are Damon and Ainsley Beauchamp who are most accommodating and knowledgeable. Their horses are fit, well groomed and well trained and the riding is world class. The B.C. countryside is heaven inspired. The evening's destinations were welcoming, B&B's with wonderful food and accommodations. Our country and British Columbia are fortunate to have such entrepreneurs who translate the rhetoric of eco-tourism-economic opportunities into a reality for Princeton B.C. while providing vacationing moments that translate into lifelong memories for people like me. As the mentors for tourism I thought B.C. Horse Vacations would be an interesting success story for your organization.

 

“…Going along with the “pampering” theme, there was a masseuse listed on the brochure Damon sent us.  Karen and I, thinking we might be sore after a hard days riding, (at least that is what I told Terry) arranged to have her there both the first and second night for us.  I am here to tell you, that was truly “the best” to ride all day, have a glass of wine and then have a massage.”

Jeannie

Fairfax, Virginia

From an article in her local horse paper.

 

Hi Ainsley and Damon,

Just a quick note to say thanks again for a great holiday (the shirt did come clean)! Fiona is still so enthusiastic about her riding adventure and keeps getting the photos out and saying, "Do you remember when....?".  She dines out a lot on our adventure stories.

Hope you've had a good season.

Best regards,  

Marion

Lancashire, England

 

       

Practicing Equine Reiki

Late into September 2005 I had the opportunity to join a ride with Ainsley at her stable "BC Horse Vacations" in Princeton, BC.

It is clear that Ainsley has a very special working relationship with her horses...they are truly her business partners and she treats them with the respect that partners deserve.

Her horses are taken care of on more then just the needs of the physical level. Ainsley seeks to make sure that her horses are also tended to on the emotional and spiritual levels as well. It becomes quickly obvious that these horses enjoy Ainsley's company, their jobs as trail escorts and their environment.

The horses are eager, happy and adventurous. Their vitality, manners and etiquette makes them a pleasure to be around as well as a pleasure to ride. I had a really wonderful day on the trail with Ainsley and my mount "Al"

The trails that we covered that day were varied in scenery, slope and vegetation. There was so much opportunity to cover different grounds that the trail may not be repeated. The horses all proved that they were in perfect fitness to cope with any of the trail variations.

Ainsley easily carries a variety of topics in conversation and this makes her quite an easy person to relate to on many levels.

If you are seeking a rewarding horse adventure then this truly is the place to start...you may never go to another stable.

Maxine

 

Damon & Ainsley,

Just a note to say “Thank you” for such a unique adventure- you touched my heart!

I can’t wait to come back again. It was more than a vacation, it was good for my soul!

Give Straycat a hug for me – the rest of the boys, too.

Sincerely,

Laura

Phoenix, Arizona

 

Hi Damon & Ainsley,

Thanks again for orchestrating such a wonderful riding vacation! Heather & I will remember it forever. In fact – we are off on a ride again today and I’m sure the topic of conversation will be our great time in Princeton.

May you be grateful everyday for God’s blessings of horses & each other in a setting of beauty & peace.

Yours truly,

Lynette

Sydney, British Columbia

 

Hello,

Just wanted to write and let you know how much I enjoyed my vacation.  It was all I expected and then more.  I enjoyed all the parts of it. 

The first bed and breakfast was very warm and I feel I have made two wonderful friends there.  They made us feel very much at home.  The food was absolutely delicious.

The second bed and breakfast was relaxing in its own way.  It took a little adjustment not to seeing so much stuff around after our first place, but once I adjusted to that I could appreciate the hospitality of our new host.

I was able to get an absolutely beautiful picture of Al. I really appreciate what a wonderful and calm horse he was for me on the trail.

I also very much enjoyed getting to know the two of you.  I hope the rest of your summer will be as wonderful as my five day holiday was for me.

Wendy

Williams Lake, British Columbia

 

       

It's awfully hard getting back into the daily grind...

It was a magical and relaxing week. I have such lovely memories, thank you both again and again!  Still dreaming about buying that farm!

Look forward to next time,

Love,

Catherine

Hollywood, California

 

Dear Damon & Ainsley,

Well, I can't believe it has been over 3 weeks since we had to come back to reality after our fabulous vacation in the Canadian wilderness! I was so swamped at work, I'm still digging out from under after being away from the office for 2 weeks –

We truly had one of the most memorable vacations ever, thanks to the two of you. The four days we spent with you could not have been more perfect -- the time went by way too quickly. How are Slick, Al, Drifter, Jessie, and Travis doing? How about Stevi? They all really showed us a great time!!

After we left your place, we continued on to Penticton, and went on to do quite a bit of wine tasting.   Again, we had an absolutely fabulous time -- We were grateful for the gift basket that you gave to us, as we stopped at picnic spots along the way and enjoyed the fruit, trail mix and chocolates while sipping various BC wines. How decadent!! The weather was glorious, and we enjoyed the area so much that we did end up spending an extra day in Penticton, rather than going back to Vancouver –

Too bad you can't make it out here to Virginia some time -- If you ever do, please give is a call -- We'd love to have you stay at our house and ride with us if you are ever in the area!!

Take care --

Pat

Clifton, Virginia

 

       

Dear Ainsley & Damon;

Thank you so much for the greatest horse vacation experience ever. We never imagined the Kettle Valley Railway would be so breathtaking. We will never forget the mother deer with her fawn bedded down in the meadow while we passed through Siwash Valley bottom.

The ride was full of great conversation and laughter. Our stay at the Jellicoe Station Inn was very comfortable; Les and Darlene were so hospitable, feeling right at home was easy. All we talked about all the way home that Sunday was our plans for our next vacation with you.

Thanks again for your country charm,

Mauro, Geraldine, Brittany & Alicia

Vancouver, British Columbia

 

       

Dear Ainsley,

Just wanted to say Hi to both you and Damon and "thank you" for making our trip to Canada absolutely spectacular!!  We loved everything your BC Horse Vacations had to offer. Damon, you were the perfect "host" making sure everything was just right when we arrived for lunch and the food surpassed all my expectations.  Most of all I want to thank you for the privilege of riding your wonderful mustang "Slick" and to you Ainsley for showing us your beautiful trails. I wish you all the best and hope you have many successful years with BC Horse Vacations.

Enjoy the Ride,

Sheila

Cool, California

 

Ainsley & Damon,

Tim & I had such a wonderful time with you & your herd of furry pals! I can’t wait to come back & see everyone. I am especially fond of Slick, he has stolen a bit of my heart in such a short time. I am sending you copies of these pictures that capture a fantastic day Tim & I had with you both. You are both truly doing what you are best at… horses & great memories.

Sincerely,

Candy & Tim

Chilliwack, British Columbia

Ps. Please give all the horses a hug from me & don’t forget that gorgeous Andulusian next door! J

 

Dear Damon & Ainsley,

Thank you for showing my daughter & I the time of our lives with your horse expertise & outstanding hospitality. We’re looking forward to next years reunion.

Many happy trails,

Tom & Robin

Abbottsford, British Columbia

 

Questions:

     Email us at info@bchorsevacations.com.

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