Reynella Rides - a Once in a Lifetime Snowy Mountains Adventure

Reynella Snowy Mountains Ride

Silver ghost gums, high mountain ranges, brave horsemen, and brumbies running wild and free – the Snowy Mountains are a quintessential part of our cultural heritage, and call to a rugged and pioneering part of our Australian spirit. Experiencing this majestic scenery has always been on my bucket list, with my love of horses, the Aussie bush, colonial history, and of course The Man from Snowy River! And what better way to fully immerse yourself than by riding through it on horseback, on a multi-day adventure, and spending the nights camping under the stars by the campfire.

So in January I booked in with Reynella Rides for a 5 night adventure. They have a long history of taking groups into the mountains - for 47 years the Rudd family has been sharing the country that inspired Banjo Patterson’s ‘The Man from Snowy River’ with people from around the world. 

Reynella Snowy Mountains Ride

Their website grabbed me – “Come and ride the land of mountain horsemen, brumbies, wildflowers and alpine wilderness. We offer horseback safaris of 5 days – 6 nights, 4 days – 5 nights or 3 days – 4 nights giving you a wonderful opportunity to explore mountain plains, see brumbies up close and relax around a roaring campfire in the evenings. Our prices include not only willing horses and equipment but hearty mountain food – hot breakfasts, picnic lunches and delicious dinners, roomy tents and comfortable mattresses as well as unmatched hospitality at the homestead. Our horseback safaris offer a wilderness experience you will never forget!”

Commercial Horse Treks through Australia’s Snowy Mountains date back to the 1940s. At this time two enterprising young mountain men, Vincent Russell and Harold Mansfield, guided adventures through undoubtedly Australia’s most picturesque, inspiring and challenging country. Among these pioneering adventurers was John Rudd, first introduced to the mountains by his uncle Vincent Russell on a guided trek from Kiandra to Mt. Kosciuszko.

John Rudd

For John, this led to a lifetime affiliation with the high country and he has continued the tradition with his wife Roslyn, guiding adventurers through the Kosciuszko National Park on horseback. In 2004 John received an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) in the Australia Day Awards for Eco-Tourism.

And so I made my way to Reynella, near Adaminaby in the NSW side of the Snowy Mountains. Even the drive to the Reynella Homestead had me feeling like I was crossing into another world, big open plains with giant boulders scattered about the golden paddocks. Arriving at Reynella, we were settled into our rooms for the night and then had dinner together. It was a great way to get to know the people I’d be sharing this experience with. There was a variety of nationalities, ages and groups, from 20’s to 50’s. Some singles like me, some friendship groups, and some parent/daughter ones. All had some experience with horses which made things easier, although Reynella does cater for complete beginners too. We all clicked straight away, sharing our horse stories and experiences. It’s great to share your passion with people. I could barely sleep that night, looking at the photos of the riders in the mountains that hung on the walls, hardly believing it was finally my turn to pioneer across the mountains on horseback!

Emma and Blizzard, on top of the ranges after a hard climb 

The next morning we were driven to the edge of the Kosciusko National Park to meet our horses. They take great care to match you based on your riding experience, and you are able to swap around if you want a change. They led over to me a beautifully orange bay with a gorgeous thick mane named Blizzard, how fitting for a Snowy Mountains horse! His breeding was Brumby, Thoroughbred and Clydesdale, so he was strong, fast and tough. They had allowed me to bring my own saddle, which is rare among horse trekking companies. I felt much more comfortable and secure in my own, and thought it might help reduce some of the inevitable aches and pains!

Reynella Snowy Mountains Ride

We mounted up, and we were off! John explained a bit about his horses, saying they are good horses which means they are lively and free-moving. Not dull sluggish trail horses that just follow the tail in front, as is so common on trail rides. These horses sped up when you leaned forward and upped your energy, and slowed down when you breathed out and sat back. No kicking or yanking on reins here. He encouraged us experienced riders to go off the track and carve our own path through the bush, to establish control and respect over the horse. On the track you had to walk, to make sure any beginners or people just wanting a chilled ride always had that option, and if you wanted some speed you could do that off to the side. You had a lot of control over your riding style and pace, some of us challenging ourselves picking rough tracks and asking for more speed, others just chilling on the track and enjoying the magnificent scenery. We also had with us Clyde the packhorse, and three saddled horses to be used as spares if something happened to one of ours, as we would be riding so remotely. They were just running around loose, choosing their own paths and cutting in front of riders, they had such personalities. I was amazed they didn’t run off to join the brumbies!

Campfire on Reynella Rides

The scenery we rode through was utterly breathtaking. Dense silver snow gums twisted all over the landscape, filled with native animals and wildflowers. Because we went high so quickly, the vegetation changed rapidly, from green ferns in valleys to wildflower plains to thick gum scrub. And such incredible views from the high places! Each day’s ride was so different, we got to see such amazing country and lookout views. The going was rough, up and down steep hills, over many logs and through narrow trees, ducking and weaving under branches. If you weren’t paying attention it would be easy to get knocked of, or a bruised knee! The horses were incredible, the way they stepped over difficult combinations of logs, down slippery slopes. You had to use lots of muscles and careful balance to keep most of your weight off the horses back to aid their climbs. We rode through deep bogs, mud and rivers. John said to hold onto their mane, loosen the reins and just get out of their way. Trust your horse to find the best path, don’t try and direct him. John would wind his way through us, pointing out interesting facts about the landscape and giving us riding tips. It was great to be learning the ways of mountain riding from such a straight-talking, experienced horseman.

Cattleman's hut on Reynella Ride

Every day we would stop for lunch somewhere picturesque. The horses would wander off in search of the best grass, we would get a campfire going for the billy tea, and unload salad and sandwiches from the packhorse. It was good to lie on the grass and rest sore muscles and joints. We often stopped at historic cattleman’s huts, which were set up with fireplaces, matches etc in case people needed an emergency shelter. They had logbooks inside, where those who travelled to these remote places could sign their names and story. You could almost pretend you were a pioneer living there, with your horse outside and campfire going. It felt like a bygone era.

Reynella Snowy Mountains Ride

And my wish to see brumbies was well and truly granted! On the first day we saw two cantering and playing in the valley. The next day we rode across a stunning plain, with huge horizons as far as the eye could see. There were creeks flowing over it, and obviously an ideal place for brumbies as we saw about four herds at once! Each mob had close to 30 brumbies in it, and we saw stallions fighting, foals playing… it was incredible to watch them in the wild like that.

At the end of each day we would arrive tired, dusty and sore into our base camp high in the mountains. There the incredible cook, Frank, would have cold drinks and cheese platters waiting for us, and we sat around the fire. Some days we drove to the beautiful Tantangara Dam for a swim to refresh ourselves. Frank’s cooking was just delicious, quite a few of us joked about taking him home to cook for us. The food rivalled anything I’ve had in the fanciest of restaurants. Fish, steak, Irish stews, roasts, soups, three courses of mouthwatering goodness every night. Which was needed after long days of physical work in the fresh air!

Reynella Snowy Mountains Ride

At night we would look at the stars, so bright and clear in the mountain sky. It was magical going to sleep in my tent with the gum trees glowing silver in the moonlight, hearing the horses so close. Knowing I would get up the next day, have breakfast by the campfire, and do it all again.

Now that I’m back home, in the bustle of life and work, I like to pause, close my eyes and think back to those moments. Remember the sights, the mountain breeze on my face, the bird calls and the sounds of the bush, the smell of horses and dust and eucalyptus, and the feelings of freedom and adventure of my trek. There is nothing else like it, and I highly recommend you experience it for yourself. It feels like another world, another time, a refreshing for the mind, soul and body.

I have made a Youtube summary of my trek, so you can see some of the scenery through the horse’s ears! Watch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j-MK2crV8Q

Visit www.reynellarides.com for more information, or to book your own once in a lifetime Snowy Mountains adventure.

*written by guest writer Emma Llewelyn