About us
Outside the Corral was born out of a deep passion for discovering the world from horseback and the drive to share this extraordinary experience with as many people as possible. We believe it is the most magical way to immerse yourself into the nature and culture of a new destination and we simply want to get you as addicted to it as we are!
Who’s behind Outside the Corral?
The founder of Outside the Corral Laure-Anne Rigaux has been an avid rider and traveller for over 20 years. While she loves many things in life, there is nothing that makes her smile quite as big as when she is out on horseback in the great outdoors. Because of this passion, she undertook many riding holidays herself and also worked at riding holiday locations in France and Kenya. This is how she developed a deep feeling for this niche sector.
From own hit and miss experiences in the past Laure-Anne knows how tricky it can be to find high-quality riding locations that treat their horses with care and that are no tourist traps. These experiences planted the seed to found Outside the Corral, with the goal to connect as many horse enthusiasts as possible with the most authentic and extraordinary riding holidays in the world.
Why are we called Outside the Corral?
Of course there is the literal meaning. On a riding holiday you leave the safety of an enclosed corral (or riding arena) and you ride out into the wide open nature. But what attracted us more than anything else in this name, is the fact that it expresses the exact feeling and filosophy that riding holidays represent to us.
On a riding holiday, you go outside the corral of your own daily grind to experience something exciting and unique. You leave the safety of your comfort zone for a life-changing experience that breathes freedom. To us, there could be no better name to represent our authentic riding holidays.
Are you ready to go outside your own corral?!
Our DNA
Authenticity
We stay far away from tourist traps and bring you to the authentic gems. We look for the pure places that allow you to fully immersive yourself in the culture, history and the local atmosphere of your destination. Our partners are locally rooted and have lots of stories and knowledge to share with you.
Exceptionality
We go for the ‘waw’-factor! We select and create horseback journeys with the objective to bring you happiness, wonder, excitement and the feeling of being alive. It’s our aspiration to disconnect you from your daily grind and to give you a memorable experience that enriches (or even changes) your life.
Responsible tourism
Our ‘leave nothing but a hoof print’ ethos aims at having a positive and minimal impact on the local communities and environments we travel to. We select local partners that share and demonstrate these values of responsible tourism and sustainability through their way of operation.
Small-scale
Mass tourism is not our cup of tea. We like to take you off the beaten track to the hidden gems. All our partners are small-scale, often even family-owned, businesses. This small scale allows for a more personal and therefore richer travel experience.
Cooperative brands
Cloots Ruitersport
Still looking for something for your next riding holiday? We work together with Cloots Ruitersport, an equestrian shop where you can find all the top brands for both horse and rider. Online shopping is also possible.
Trip natuur
A place full of inspiration about travel and trips that put you in contact with nature. For more peace and happiness. On adventure in Europe with your kids, but sometimes also without.
What do others say?
What a wonderful holiday! I wanted to plan a fun trip with horses for my daughter and myself, and after searching online, I discovered Outside the Corral. Communication with Laure-Anne was very easy and pleasant. She knows all the destinations personally and was able to put together a proposal that suited us perfectly. After that, it was simply a matter of eagerly counting down to the holiday and we already had so much fun anticipating it.
The holiday itself exceeded all our expectations. We enjoyed every moment. The surroundings were stunning, and everything was organised down to the smallest detail. The horses were truly wonderful. My daughter especially loved the high-level lessons and learned so much from them. The rides through nature were superb, and the food was always delicious and freshly prepared. And I still miss the view from the jacuzzi! A special recommendation for the location in Portugal: don’t miss the evening with live music, it’s absolutely magical.
