Horseback Riding in South-Estonia

Mustakurmu, Estonia

Mustamõisa horseback tours started organizing horseback tours in 2009.

Since 5 October 2016, their trips have been awarded EHE an eco-tourism quality label recognizing environmentally friendly rural tourism products and services. Since 2022, they are proud members of Estonian Wildlife and Nature Tours Association.

Picturesque horseback adventures, sleigh rides or carriage tours will take you to the holy and magical South-Estonian area and forest. They ride white blue-eyed Estonian Native Horses. Estonian native horse belongs to the north forest-horse group and it is one of the few breeds, which has retained the characteristic features of the native northern horse and were not significantly influenced by crossing with other breeds. The oldest records about Estonian native horse are dated from the 11th century. The character of the Estonian native horse is lively but peaceful, cheerful and sensible, with a vigorous temperament. Estonian native horse is known by its relatively great strength and speed.

If lucky, you will see the largest living bird of prey in Europe, the White-tailed eagle or meet the Kingfisher (“Flying Blue Gem” as locals say). You may set up a campfire in one of the picturesque Estonian State Forest Management Centre wilderness camping sites.

On the journey you pass a protected ancient cemetery, popularly known as the Great Northern War tumulus. According to scientists, remains belong to the second half of the 1st millennium.

Bears, wild boars, lynxes, elk and other prides of Estonian forests also lives in the area. On a meditative horseback ride leading to an Akste Ant Kingdom, we see a colony of Formica aquilonia (Scottish wood ant), one of the largest in Europe in the 1970s, built by ants at the time of Christ’s birth, approx. 2021 years ago. Akste Ant Kingdom has over 3 billion “inhabitants”. About 1500 nests communicating and connected with each other by the tracks of forest ants are located here.

The main trump card of the nature reserve is the primeval and untouched Estonian nature, which acts as a real antidepressant and source of vitality. There is many different bird, animal and plant species. With good fortune you may see Common crane, Lesser spotted eagle, Northern goshawk, Ural owl, gray wolves, red deer, wild boar, elk, roe deer, brown bear, beavers, otters, water voles, White-throated dippers, Spined loaches, European bullheads, European graylings, River trout and Thick shelled river mussels. www.horsetourist.com info@hobumatkad.ee