More About The Stables

Duration: 2-4 days
Season: 1st November to 31st May
Conditions: Minimum Age 13 Years. Maximum weight 100kg.

Build your own riding holiday, honing your natural horsemanship skills and exploring the spectacular scenery on horseback. 2,3,4 day options.

A Home on the Range horse trekking holiday is an experience where you can get to know your horse, bond with it, and feel your confidence, knowledge and enjoyment improve as you explore new countryside, and undertake rides that have greater levels of challenge.

Included in this package is the following:

Deluxe ensuite accommodation
Full or half days of riding
Dinner, Breakfast & Lunch each day
Use of our spa facilities

This is a custom riding holiday, we can tailor the type of rides and the duration to suit you.

Duration: 2 days and 2 nights
Season: 1st November to 31st May
Conditions: Minimum age 13

River Wild, Mountain High is the ultimate adventure package! Two Days and Two Nights of adrenaline packed adventure. Grade 5 rafting or scenic rafting, horse back riding, great food, deluxe or bunk room accommodation.

Included in this package is the following:

Deluxe ensuite, or bunk room accommodation for 2 nights
A choice of either Grade 5 Rafting or Awesome Scenic Rafting
A half day horse trek
2 x dinners, breakfasts & lunches
Use of our spa facilities

Duration: Custom
Season: All year round. Some activities have seasonal restrictions.

A Stay & Play package is the perfect way to experience some of the best things River Valley has to offer. If you are wanting to stay at River Valley and try one of our adventure activities then this is the package for you.

Included in this package is the following:

Deluxe ensuite, or bunk room accommodation
A choice of one of 5 adventure activities
Dinner, Breakfast & Lunch
Use of our spa facilities

Arriving too late for dinner, but keen on a hearty breakfast before a day’s adventuring and discovery?

Or, maybe you are a traveller on your way through who wants something quite different from the normal Motel or B&B. An Adventure Lodge stay in beautiful surroundings.

Either way, a River Valley Bed n’ Breakfast deal could be just what you are looking for.

Careful though, you never know, you may be tempted to stay longer! This package is also an easy hassle free option for late arrivals for activities the following day.

Included in this package is the following:

One nights accommodation for two (double or twin share) in a deluxe ensuite guest room
A full breakfast for two the following morning
Use of our spa facilities

Not all adventurers want to rough it, and while Weekends are when many people getaway, this deal is available at anytime.

After all you have worked hard and in your time off, you simply want to have the best. And why shouldn’t you?

A River Valley Lodge Double Trouble package is good food, comfy accommodation, great for time out, relaxing after a day’s adventuring or a romantic night away. This package is ideal as part of a Weekend Getaway, whether that be playing on a river, riding a horse or simply relaxing by the river with a good book.

Included in this package is the following:

One night for two in a comfortable deluxe guest room with private bathroom (ensuite)
3 Course dinner for two
Your choice of any item off our breakfast menu for two
Glass of wine or handle of beer with dinner
Use of our spa facilities

Favourite Music:

Country and Rock

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

Being a part of something that gets me out of bed and motivated every morning. Something I feel passionate about.

Still finding joy in being out on the river, especially wilderness overnight trips, and safety catarafting and doing photos over the winter.
The opportunity to be creative.

Greatest work memory:

There are no single ones. A mix though of working with some really good people, and being able to visit some beautiful places (on a regular basis)

Hobbies and Interests:

Family, writing, photography and video, rafting. Still like to be up with the play on current events, and have not lost the interest in history. NZ Warriors fan (Rugby League)

Years as a Guide:

Since 1986

Years working at River Valley:

Since 1986

Extra Comments:

Encouraging people to get outside their comfort zones, whether on a horse or on the river, can for some people be life changing. Another world opens up to them – a more natural world. Seeing this happen can be immensely rewarding.

Is known to comment after some high water cataraft trips – “Sometimes it’s just good for the soul to go and get scared shitless!”

Speaking Engagements:

Periodically Brian is available for speaking engagements. His subjects (amongst others) include:

The River Valley Story
Rafting the Grand Canyon
Rafting the Zanskar in India
Each presentation is generally accompanied by a slide show.

If you are interested in Brian speaking to your group then you can contact him by clicking here

‘Apply Now’ form to be added here

Favourite Music:

Country

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

People and the living spirit that dwells here at the Valley.

Greatest work memory:

Stoat trapping with Roger’s Angels.

Hobbies and Interests:

Drinking gin

Years working at River Valley:

since 2015

Extra Comments:

Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.

Favourite Music:

Wonderwall, because it keeps Derek away.

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

Hanging out with the weird bunch of people that work here
Getting to go rafting and horse riding on my days off
Experiencing life away from the city – learning new skills/wilderness survival/wildlife identification on a daily basis.

Greatest work memory:

So many!
Birthday raft trips.
Max’s first trip rowing on the scenic…then swimming Chute

Hobbies and Interests:

Drinking margaritas on boats
Drinking margaritas at the bar
Buying or making dresses (learned to sew from the master, Coke Sage)
Towel origami
Looking really excited
Cheering the other staff up
Derek.

Years at River Valley:

since 2015

Favourite Music:

Youtube parties with Tom and Janey; Lindsay singing “Dream On”

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

The vegetable garden, winter, afternoon summer swims, our chickens & scrubbing potatoes.

Greatest work memory:

Over night raft trips. Sleeping on the back of a dory. Going on a Lodge to Lodge Horse Trek. Going to Koanga and learning to forage.

Hobbies and Interests:

Wine. Being Ridiculous. Camping. Road trips. Travelling. Tattoos. Day dreaming.

Years working at River Valley:

8

Extra Comments:

Like Helen Keller said:

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

Rafting

Hobbies and Interests:

Kayaking and drinking

Years as a Guide:

1 working and 20 altogether.

Anything Else:

Yeah, nah.

Background:

No triple degrees in classical Greek. I have bother trying to write this. Brought up out here in the country and just don’t want to leave. My teacher and classroom has been sitting out in the hills and mixing with people from all walks of life who come here from all around the world. This has triggered a lot of thinking from within myself.

Favourite Music:

Into all sorts of music. Anything that helps to free us up and touch the deeper spots. My latest project has been reviving the old dual piano combination that I used to have with my old mate, wife Robin, and jamming together again. You can listen to our rendition of “Green Door” by clicking here

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

There is a good spirit here and it’s great relating to people in that atmosphere. It should be like this all around the world.

Greatest work memory:

This is a tough one when I find it difficult to remember what I had for breakfast this morning. I’ll have to pass. There are just too many good memories.

Hobbies and Interests:

I have a little mission – just a small project. Working from my multi media studio I’m out to change the world! It looks as though no one else is going to do it so unless I do something its not going to happen and we’ll all go down the tubes! I’ve discovered that we are all carrying around the answers to a whole new world within ourselves, but we rarely ever go there. That’s what I am promoting.

Years as a Guide:

It’s so long ago I can’t remember

Years working at River Valley:

Since 1986

Anything Else:

I feel that in spite of the fact that many things around the globe are reaching a crisis point we are at the brink of breaking into something that will prove to be very wonderful – amazing! And we’ll look back and think what bloody fools we have been when this has been sitting right under our noses for centuries. I hope to be around to see this happen. I think I will!

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

I love being able to safely push people a little out of their comfort zones (especially on the horses). The buzz they get from this at the end of an activity I think speaks for itself. I then get the buzz when these guests come back again for more!!!

Greatest work memory:

There are a few, but the night out at the New Zealand Tourism Awards and winning the Small Business Award won’t fade in a hurry. Not only the winning (and the party) but the sense of achievement that all the Staff had too.

Hobbies and Interests:

Chairperson Board of Trustees, local primary school
Being a Mum
Chairman of local (Pukeokahu) Play Group
Helping to organise and ride on the Pukeokahu Horse Trek Fundraiser each year.

Years as a Guide:

14 yrs rafting, around 17 horse trekking

Years working at River Valley:

Since I was born, and lots more to come

Extra Comments:

I am really enjoying reliving my childhood through my girls. With new exciting things that are happening with River Valley and the Stables (especially the Natural Horsemanship) and Isla and Keeva growing all the time, I can only see this getting more and more exciting.

Background:

Came to live at River Valley at 2 years of age, when my parents had our family farm here, which backed on to the Rangitikei River. 20yrs later River Valley was born and have been with it from that time. Have a triple degree in being a Mum and Mamma, 3 daughters and 3 granddaughters.

Favourite Music:

I love all kinds of music, but recently I’m being reacquainted with Nursery Rhymes.

Favourite thing about working at River Valley:

Our amazing team, they just keep getting better. Being able to follow my passion working with horses. Having our children and grandchildren around. Living in such a beautiful place and being in a position to see the pleasure it gives other people when they experience it too.

Greatest work memory:

When I was a guide on the Grade 5 lining up the Fulcrum Rapid at a solid flow, I was so zoned, sometimes I don’t think I could even hear the sound of the river!

Hobbies and Interests:

Trekking with friends, gardening, buying new horses, being a grandparent, experiencing new places, watching movies and the simple things in life.

Years as a Guide:

5yrs river guiding, (now retired), while guiding on the horses is a constant

Years working at River Valley:

Since 1986

Extra Comments:

Be yourself, nobody is better qualified.

Remember you are unique………just like everyone else.

If you can dream it you can do it.

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.

More About The Stables

Natural Horsemanship Training

Meet The Horses