How to NL

Horse-riding

Sorry, I do not actually know a lot about horse-riding (please excuse me if I have not used the correct equestrian term), but here are some minimal information that I know about horse-riding in the Netherlands.

Many recreational maps in the Netherlands show ruiterroutes and menroutes. Ruiteren is horse(back)-riding, whereas mennen is riding a horse-drawn carriage (and routes is 'routes'). The networks of bridle paths (horse trails) are not as extensive as the network of bicycle paths, but they are often signposted in ways similar to hiking trails and bicycle paths. Similar to the bicycle path junction websites/apps, I know one website where you can click bridle path junctions sequentially to plan your horse adventure: ruiterenenmennen.nl. Bridle paths are more extensive in the (less-urbanised) north, east, and south of the country, but there are also many bridle paths along the west coast.

Another word you need to know is hippisch. For instance, Nationaal Hippisch Centrum is not National Hippie Centre; hippisch is an adjective meaning 'equestrian'. There are many hippische centra (plural of hippisch centrum) around the country. Hippisch toerisme is also popular. Hippisch-Toerisme.nl gives extensive lists of bridle path networks around the country, some extending into Germany or Belgium. At hippisch-toerisme.nl, move the cursor to the Ruiterroutes tab, click on one of the Dutch province in the drop-down menu, and you will see various maps that you can purchase, and sometimes maps that you can download for free (via other websites). The following are some words that you might find useful:

• SBB: Staatsbosbeheer, a national governmental organisation for management of nature reserves.
• NM: Natuurmonumenten, a non-governmental organisation for management of nature reserves at the national level.
• Ruitervergunning Natuurmonumenten: Natuurmonumenten horse-riding permit; some nature reserves under Natuurmonumenten require a horse-riding permit. You can buy a day-pass, a 2-day-pass, or a year-permit here.

  

• provincie: province. Every province has its own non-governmental nature-preservation organisation (see a list in the walking and wheelchairing page). They maintain their own bridle path networks.
• gemeente: municipality, the level of government beneath province. Many municipalities maintain their own bridle path networks.
• paard(en): horse(s); paardrijden: horse-riding. (See also the supposedly real joke on fokken and paarden; you might also see a paardenfokcentrum while riding your horse.)

  

• koets: coach.
• kaart(en): map(s); overzichtkaart: overview map.
• grens: border; grenzeloos: borderless (they are probably talking about routes crossing international borders).
• knooppunt(en): junction(s).
• duin: dune, kust: coast; meer: lake, zee: sea.

A ruiterbewijs is a horse-riding licence.

I found this Dutch–Spanish Hippisch Woordenboek / Diccionario Ecuestre, if it is useful to you.

Veel plezier! Hiii hiii!