side from inventing the wheel, domesticating the horse might have been one of humankind's smarter moves. In the sweep of history, the horse changed our lives – altering everything from migration to warfare. And let's be frank – history's horse riding tough guys like Genghis Khan wouldn't have looked nearly as cool jogging across the plains.

While the horse's role in global development has diminished, its mystique has not. The beasts inspire blind passion in some, blind fear in others. But there's no disputing human and horse still enjoy a healthy relationship. Equestrian sports are big business. And horseback riding trips have taken a firm place in the adventure travel canon.

Equine-themed travel abounds in Asia, for the enthusiast or dabbler. Tour buses are wonderful innovations, but they can't be compared to the back of a horse when viewing the haunting vastness of the Gobi desert, with the wind and a whinny your only conversation. History has time to whisper to you through the palace gates of India when clip-clopping along on a rare breed whose ancestors carried kings.

Besides horseback treks, travellers can saddle up at a few exclusive riding resorts. Here, the compulsive multi-tasker can learn to ride or hone their skills while also enjoying a luxury vacation with all the amenities – swimming pools, golf, massage.

While a little riding background might make a horseback holiday easier on the thighs, many destinations don't require any experience. As long as you're reasonably fit and most of all, enthusiastic, equine-tourism can be a richly rewarding way to see the world.

Club Aviva at The Horseshoe Point – Thailand

When you're in harmony with a horse, the feeling can be transcendent. At Club Aviva, you could be bouncing your teeth loose on an uncooperative pack mule and it might still seem like bliss. Club Aviva at The Horseshoe Point is an equestrian getaway combining a resort lifestyle with world-class riding facilities. The Mediterranean-style hotel sits amid a 1,300-acre natural park and is built around The Horseshoe Point International Riding School (guest rooms overlook a covered riding arena). Billed as Southeast Asia's finest, the school offers five riding arenas, a trimmed grass field for polo and jumping, a 200-stall barn, European-trained instructors, lush trails and over 100 imported horses. For the riding enthusiast, these kinds of facilities can induce a full swoon.

Located in Pattaya, Thailand's busiest beach resort area, it's entirely possible to stay and never sniff saddle leather as the resort offers a comprehensive roster of outdoor activities. But horses are at the place's heart, and non-horsy types won't stay that way for long.

(+66 (0)3 873 5050; www.club-aviva.com, www.horseshoepoint.com; rooms from THB 2,300, riding lessons from THB 600/hour, package of 10 private lessons from THB 10,400)

Ghanerao Safari Tours – India

The northwestern state of Rajasthan resonates with India's royal past. The warrior Rajput clan dominated the region for a millennium, imbuing it with a culture of honour and independence. Even the region's native horse has a story so old it blurs into lore. The Marwari horses are said to originate from "a period when horses had wings". The Marwaris may no longer fly, but echoes of Rajasthan's vivid past remain in the palaces, forts and temples that dignify the landscape.

Ghanerao Safari Tours celebrates Rajasthan with rides through farmland, foothills and lake regions. On the five-day Aravalli Hill Ride, you'll see herdsmen, farms and tribal villages, view wildlife and visit temples. A highlight is the 15th-century Kumbhalgarh Fort, the only citadel in the region to remain unconquered. If you're lucky, you'll be paired with a Marwari – a unique experience in itself as few of these horses exist outside of India.

Tour groups stay overnight at heritage hotels – former palaces or forts still owned by the descendants of nobility and now converted to luxury accommodation. Meals combine western and local fare – English breakfasts and traditional curries for lunch and dinner. And never fear getting lost, the Marwari are known for their homing instincts.

(+91 (0)141 220 1209; www.horsesafari.com; rides start from XXXX)

The Umalas Equestrian Resort – Bali

Cinema classic The Black Stallion forever elevated the dream of galloping full-speed along a pristine beach for all who saw it. The film's signature scene shows the main character racing down a deserted beach atop the eponymous Black – no saddle, no bridle, arms outstretched in triumph. Beaches never looked the same after that.

While you might not get a black stallion for company, The Umalas Equestrian Resort Bali is the beach-riding dream. And with a la carte riding options, you can live it as many times as you like. In addition to the beach, Umalas offers international-level instruction in dressage and show jumping, and trail rides through the area's lush rice terraces. After a morning astride, lounge by the pool or have a massage. The resort is intimate with only five standard deluxe rooms and one suite. In fact, horses outnumber guests with 30 imported steeds chomping hay next door. Rooms are decorated with a local flair and each has a private balcony or terrace. And the resort is set on only four acres, so guests are never far from that equine feeling.

(+62 361 731 402; www.balionhorse.com; prices from USD 200 for a two-night package, including accommodation, airport transfer, trail ride, beach ride, aromatherapy massage and lunch or candlelit dinner)

Kaipara Horse Treks – New Zealand

When she visited New Zealand, horse enthusiast Alexandra Roloff rented a car. But that was only to transport her from horse trek to horse trek. "I wanted to see various areas," she says. "[On horseback] you get to go to points you'd never usually see. It's fantastic." So to cover more ground, Roloff did several day rides with different stables. Planning a similar trip is made easy with website www.truenz.co.nz/horsetrekking, a comprehensive listing of trekking companies by region.

But if settling in is more your style, Kaipara Horse Treks on New Zealand's North Island offer longer holidays along with day treks. Located an hour from Auckland, Kaipara operates from a working cattle and sheep farm and their riding holidays roam across 3,000 acres of farmland and 30 miles of beach. The three to five-day treks include beach gallops, swims in the lake (plunge in with the horse, if you like), and 60-feet-high sand dunes. Joining a cattle drive is optional. Accommodation is at the farmhouse, where guests enjoy the Kiwi hospitality (and gourmet cooking) of Kaipara's proprietors, or at converted sheepshearers' quarters (during overnight treks).

(+64 (0)9 420 2835; www.horserides.co.nz; overnight treks from NZD 450)

Nomadic Expeditions – Mongolia

Nowhere in the world is the horse more closely linked to national identity than Mongolia. From Genghis Khan's all-conquering cavalry to the nomadic lifestyle of many Mongolians today, Mongolia's fortunes have long rested on the back of a horse.

While you don't have to commit to an extensive trek, excluding a horseback ride from a Mongolia itinerary would be a bit like going to Paris and skipping the Louvre. Nomadic Expeditions builds horse rides of different intensities into several of their trips. For the fanatical, opt for the two-week 'Northern Mongolia on Horseback'. Eight days are spent riding through forested mountains to visit reindeer herders. For more variety, try 'From Yak to Kayak', which offers travel by horse, camel, kayak, and yak cart. Among the views of Mongolia's raw, unspoilt landscape, trekkers should keep a look out for the takhi – the last truly wild horse in the world.

(+976 (0)11 313 396; www.nomadicexpeditions.com; 'Northern Mongolia on Horseback' treks start from USD 2,975; 'From Yak to Kayak' treks start from USD 2,950)

Boojum Expeditions – Tibet, China

Boojum Expeditions call their Tibet Highlands Trek "a ride back in time". Read: you're out in the sticks. The trek crosses areas of Tibet's eastern highlands, accessible in only two ways: by foot or by horse. Luxury isn't a consideration, but hardy trekkers are rewarded with a glimpse into a world rarely seen by foreigners. The ride takes in eye-popping mountains covered in wildflowers, endless stretches of green, and remote hamlets and temples. And there are also encounters with the herdsmen, villagers and monks that populate the region.

Travellers spend eight of the trip's 16 days in the saddle. And during that time there is no vehicle support – it's just you, the horses, your guides and the people along the way. Accommodation is a sleeping bag and tent, and meals are largely based on the local fare – mutton, rice and noodles. While the trip may not be lush, it is exclusive. Boojum runs the trek only once a year and limits numbers to 12 people.

(+1 (0)406 587 0125; www.boojum.com; Tibet Highlands Trek USD 3,550/person)