Wendy Hofstee has a very thick passport. Three hundred thirty-eight trips to 156 countries—and all of those trips were on horseback.
Hofstee is the founder and owner of Unicorn Trails, a company that organizes and leads horseback riding vacations around the world. The trips can last from a few days to several weeks.
Born in Holland and raised in South Africa, she moved to Britain after qualifying as a veterinarian. A dedicated traveler, she would work for six months, then travel for six months. Whenever possible, she’d find a way to work horses into the itinerary.
Seed of an Idea
The idea of turning her passion into a business came in 1999 while on a lengthy riding trek in the Amazon with friends. People often asked about her adventures and were interested in trying something similar.
Using her South African connections, Hofstee started arranging riding safaris. Using her dining room table as an office, she soon organized trips to South Africa, Botswana, and Madagascar. She now has a network of nearly 200 employees, partners, and guides.
“I’m very passionate about getting as many people as possible on the back of a horse and exploring,” says Hofstee. “My philosophy is that if you can persuade a significant proportion of the population to strap two sticks on their feet and throw themselves down a snowy hill, why can’t you persuade them to get on the back of a horse?”
Cultural Exploration
One of her main goals is learning about the culture of other countries. Horses, she says, are the ideal starting point.
“You find horse cultures in the most unexpected places,” says Hofstee. “Who would have thought that the highlands of Ethiopia had a horse culture? When you speak the language of the horse, you’ve got a common language. You can communicate.
“I remember riding into a little village in the Amazon, and people immediately came out and started asking questions about our horses—how old they were, what did we pay for them, where did we get the saddles, all sorts of things,” she recalls. “We always try to ride the local breeds and use the tack and local habits. Those things usually develop that way for a reason, and understanding that is one reason we travel on horseback.”
Gentle Riding
The notion of a riding vacation can be simultaneously exciting and intimidating. Galloping across the savannah with a herd of zebras sounds thrilling, but also terrifying for people who are nervous on strange horses and in strange surroundings. Hofstee stresses that her trips are designed with that concern in mind.
“Most rides are taken at a walk,” she says. “The vast majority are for people who want to have a nice ride on a well-schooled, well-trained horse. Maybe we have a few trots and a gentle canter, but we don’t want anyone to feel unsafe or uncertain. I understand that. I don’t bounce anymore when I fall, either. Our horses know their jobs and take care of their riders. Someone who is a novice and spends a day or so learning how to handle a horse is often a better rider for these trips than an experienced rider who wants to direct the horse all the time.”
Out for Adventure
Hofstee does keep a list of riders who want more adventure. She’ll often invite them on scouting trips—initial rides to see if a new destination will fit her needs. Even if the trip doesn’t work out as hoped, the group adapts to the situation and has a unique adventure.
Even with planned trips, the unexpected can happen, like the time a herd of elephants casually strolled through their campsite one night. The group had inadvertently stopped on a trail regularly used by the local herd.
“The horses were on a picket line and panicked, of course,” Hofstee recalls. “We spent some time tracking them down and getting them back.”
Her catalog of trips covers the world and is constantly changing.
“It depends, in part, on our partners,” she says. “Some guides do many trips, while others specialize in one or two specific experiences. We’re subjected to changes as the world changes. One of my favorite trips was to Lake Baikal in Russia, but with the political situation, it’s not safe to go there now.”
Her other favorite is Iceland.
Personal Touch
At a time when many tour companies use impersonal websites, descriptions, and reviews, Unicorn Trails works one on one with customers. About 40 percent of her customers are return clients.
“People get very addicted to exploring the world in this way,” says Hofstee. “A lot of people buy five or six trips a year. Our highly trained people match [customers] up with a trip individually. We make sure that people get the experience they want.”
Hofstee wants the world to appreciate the magic of discovering the world on horseback.
“There’s a quote that says, ‘Wherever man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism to civilization, we find the hoofprints of a horse beside it.’”
This article about Wendy Hofstee of Unicorn Trails appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!
