The Mountain Cattlemen's Association of Victoria runs guided horseback rides through the Victorian High Country. A three-day ride changes how you understand this landscape.
Why Horseback Changes Everything
The Victorian High Country is accessible by vehicle on its major tracks and on foot on its trails. On horseback it becomes something different again — you cover ground faster than walking, reach places that vehicles cannot go, and experience the terrain at the pace and height that the cattlemen who worked this country for 150 years experienced it.
The Mountain Cattlemen's Association and several private operators run guided rides ranging from day trips to multi-week journeys through the alpine. The three-day ride I joined departed from the upper Howqua Valley, crossed the main divide, and returned via the Bluff massif — approximately 120km of high country on trails that see very few people outside the guided ride season.
The Country
Alpine ash at lower elevations gives way to snowgum at the treeline. Above 1600 metres the snowgums are wind-sculptured and ancient — some of the twisted multi-stemmed individuals we passed are estimated at 300 years old, which means they were established before European settlement of the continent. The views from the main divide on a clear day extend to the coast in one direction and to what appears to be the full extent of the high plains in the other.
The Practical Reality
Three days on horseback in the alpine requires physical preparation that most city-based riders underestimate. Muscle groups you did not know existed will communicate their displeasure clearly by the end of day two. The reward is proportional. Pack light — saddlebags have a fixed capacity and every extra kilogram is weight the horse carries over terrain that already demands significant effort. Waterproof outerwear that does not restrict arm movement for riding is essential. Browse our outerwear range.
