{"id":12727,"date":"2026-05-29T06:48:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T21:48:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ashu-travel.com\/news\/ashu-travels-5-riding-levels-when-can-you-go-trail-riding-and-canter-in-kyrgyzstan-and-kazakhstan-plus-recommended-tours-from-no-experience-to-intermediate\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T21:06:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T12:06:55","slug":"kyrgyzstan-kazakhstan-horse-riding-level-guide","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/ashu-travel.com\/en\/news\/kyrgyzstan-kazakhstan-horse-riding-level-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"[ASHU TRAVEL’s 5 Riding Levels] When Can You Go Trail Riding and Canter in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan? Plus Recommended Tours from No Experience to Intermediate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Salam! This is Sugi from ASHU TRAVEL, your guide to spectacular horse riding journeys in Central Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Can I ride a horse in Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan with no experience?” “Which tour suits my experience?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are questions we often get when people are choosing a tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ASHU TRAVEL offers everything from tours for complete beginners to full-scale tours for intermediate riders. Kyrgyzstan is 94% mountains, and the real joy here is riding that climbs up into the mountains, as if soaring through the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The riding style here is different from the way it is taught in Japan, so you are welcome to give it a try even with no experience! But horses are living animals, so the more experienced you are (intermediate and above), the more important it is not to get complacent and to listen carefully to your guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we have put together a six-level guide to riding levels, along with recommended tours for each level!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u26a0\ufe0fThe levels introduced here are our own, designed for participants in ASHU TRAVEL tours. Please note that they may not apply to other travel companies!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ASHU TRAVEL Riding Levels \u00d7 Recommended Tours: Quick Reference Chart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you are not sure, start with this quick reference chart! The fitness level \ud83d\udd25 is rated from 1 to 5 and shows roughly how much stamina each tour requires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Level<\/th>Guideline<\/th>What you can do<\/th>Recommended tours (examples)<\/th>Notes & advice<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
No experience \u2b50<\/td>Have never ridden a horse at all. Only pony rides with the horse led by a handler. Children (around elementary school age)<\/td>First time ever riding a horse. Have done a led pony ride at a tourist spot<\/td>Chong-Kemin 2 days\/1 night \ud83d\udd25 \/ Issyk-Kul Falconry 4 days\/3 nights \/ 5 days\/4 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Issyk-Kul Lake & Culture 5 days\/4 nights (1 or 2 rides) \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Nomad Homestay 4 days\/3 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Drone Trip 3 days\/2 nights \ud83d\udd25 \/ Charyn Canyon 4 days\/3 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Mare’s Milk Detox 4 days\/3 nights \ud83d\udd25 \/ Song-Kul Lake 5 days\/4 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25<\/td>The goal is to “discover the joy of riding.” It is safest to start with a short, slow-paced tour<\/td><\/tr>
Beginner \u2b50\u2b50<\/td>Have ridden at least once. Can start and stop on your own and change direction at a walk<\/td>Posture, balance and rein handling are OK. Stable posture at a walk. Cantering can be adjusted to suit the first participants<\/td>Jeti-Oguz 6 days\/5 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Summer Ride to Issyk-Kul Lake 6 days\/5 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Song-Kul Lake 6 days\/5 nights \/ 7 days\/6 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 (the 6-night version is the most relaxed)<\/td>Includes ups and downs and long-distance riding. Riding times are longer, so complete beginners should first consider the shorter tours for riders with no experience<\/td><\/tr>
Novice \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50 (for riders who have cantered)<\/td>Smooth at walk, trot and stop. Can handle the reins while trotting. Have cantered before<\/td>Have cantered before<\/td>Song-Kul Lake in the Sky: Half-Circuit at a Canter 8 days\/7 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Winter Kyrgyzstan Scenic Riding 4 days\/3 nights (from Bishkek) \/ 5 days\/4 nights (from Bishkek or Almaty) \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25<\/td>Tours with more frequent cantering. Stretch beforehand to prepare your core and legs for the strain<\/td><\/tr>
Intermediate \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>Can handle a horse’s temperament and habits. Keeps a stable posture at a canter<\/td>Can control a canter without any problems<\/td>Remote Kol-Ukok Lake 6 days\/5 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 \/ Kol-Kogur Lake 8 days\/7 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25<\/td>Includes crossing mountain passes and camping in tents. Your stamina and concentration will be fully engaged. Stretching and core training beforehand are recommended<\/td><\/tr>
Advanced \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>Can handle a horse of any temperament. Can start, adjust the speed of and stop a canter at will<\/td>Can canter continuously for nearly 10 minutes on your own<\/td>Song-Kul Lake in the Sky: Half-Circuit at a Canter 8 days\/7 nights \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 (can be customized) <\/td>You need the judgment to stay calm and control a horse even when it bolts. At ASHU TRAVEL, tours for advanced riders are arranged individually<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Guide to the required fitness level (\ud83d\udd25)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n