SPENDING holidays with your horse is getting increasingly popular across Britain as more equine bed and breakfast schemes open up to cope with demand.

Horses Welcome, the UK’s first quality assured scheme for equine bed and breakfast accommodation, started in the south of Scotland in 2006 and since then has grown to include members across England and Wales.

Country Treks, based at Stottesdon, Cleobury Mortimer, near Kidderminster, has joined the scheme and business is going well for owner Steph Eddies Davies.

She said: “It’s such fun welcoming new visitors and their horses. Galloping gourmet breaks are proving popular as our clients enjoy riding all day with picnics and being cooked for in the evening.

“We offer horses and their riders fantastic facilities and can accommodate overnight stays for couples, groups and families.

“We have knowledgeable guides and instructors who take guests on day and trail rides in the breathtaking Worcestershire and Shropshire countryside. This is a fantastic opportunity to bond with your horse whilst enjoying lots of off road work and plenty of gallops.”

Alison Coleman of the British Horse Society believes that becoming a member of the scheme demonstrates an owner’s commitment to providing a genuine home away from home for their horse.

She said:“We visit all Horses Are Welcome premises to ensure that the stabling, grazing and other facilities are of a suitable standard for visiting horses and only promote properties we would be happy to take our own horses to. In this way we can operate the scheme with confidence.

“We re-inspect premises once every three years to make sure the scheme’s standards remain high.

“Our standards are very practical. We would like more people to come on board to share rides and offer more choice for the equine holidays in Britain.”

For more information about the bed and breakfast scheme visit the BHS website at bhs.org.ukhorseswelcome.