I’m sitting in the grass, with the rugged mountain ranges of the Val Mora in the background; next to me, my mare Shamira is happily nibbling on some alpine herbs. With her authentic Western outfit, the piebald mare fits perfectly into this landscape. The sparse vegetation and the many different colors—to me, the Swiss Münstertal feels like Canada at this moment.



We drove to Val Müstair in eastern Switzerland for the weekend. My boyfriend is hiking and I’m exploring the Swiss Münstertal in the saddle. The riding stable is idyllically situated at the foot of the alpine village, surrounded by peaks ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 meters height. The horses graze on lush alpine meadows at night and are brought to the stable during the day for riding. One morning before our ride starts, a herd of colorful Arabian Pintos suddenly runs across the farmyard. They line up perfectly in their paddocks. I’m impressed by how well-trained the horses—most of which were born here—are. Here in the Val Müstair, all the tour horses are intensively trained using the horsemanship method. I notice this while riding, too. Although the Western riding style is somewhat unfamiliar to me and my mare is only 5 years old, she understands me right away and is a pleasure to ride.

  

We plan to take a day ride to Val Mora. We set off right after breakfast and enjoy the early summer alpine weather. Our horses skillfully make their way through the different vegetation zones, climbing 1,000 meters in elevation to the pass. Every step is steady—no stumbling, no hesitation. Short gallops liven up the ride and we take frequent feeding breaks for the horses and rest stops for our tired riders butts. The ride is calm overall, but that suits me just fine given the magnificent landscape. Snow-capped mountain peaks, roaring waterfalls, and the occasional marmot cross our path. Once we reach the top of the pass, we take a well-deserved lunch break and eat sandwiches and apples. The apples, of course, are happily shared with our four-legged companions.

  

Throughout the entire ride, I feel like I’m in a Western movie. My outfit and my mare fit perfectly into this daydream, but the landscape of the Val Müstair also reminds me of the Canadian wilderness. What a great weekend getaway! I’m also surprised by the excellent transportation connections. Although we drove here by car, our host Samanta tells me that the PostBus drops guests right at her farms gate regularly. So you can easily travel here by train and bus—using public transportation—from Zurich, for example. And that’s even though Val Müstair really does feel like a place where you’re supposed to be cut off from the rest of the world. For me and my non-riding boyfriend, it was a fantastic outdoor weekend and a wonderful break from everyday life!



More information: https://www.equitour.com/pegasus/uk/reisen/europa/oester_schweiz/pacsta.htm