Experience is not a finished state, but something that continues to develop with every ride.
Portrait
This page provides insight into the background and experience from which this work has grown.
The portrait describes a path shaped over many years and many miles.
Long‑distance rides on different continents and time spent with a wide range of horses and situations have formed the perspective on trail riding presented here.
This is not about achievements or records, but about what experience leads to:
how decisions are made, how horses perceive situations, and how riding changes over time.
This portrait forms the personal background to the content, clinics, and rides offered on this website.
Who Is Peter van der Gugten?
Peter van der Gugten is a classical long rider, trail riding instructor, author, and founder of Extremtrail, Alpentrekking, and the Swiss Trail Riding Academy.
He has ridden more than 40,000 miles on a wide variety of horses across five continents.
Over the past two decades, Peter has guided nearly 200 riders with their horses across the Alps of Switzerland and Italy.
Peter has organized and led trail rides, alpine expeditions, and educational programs designed to help riders and horses prepare for real-world challenges on the trail and during multi-day horseback journeys.
His focus is simple: helping riders become the kind of leaders their horses trust.
Professional Background and Experience
Peter started riding relatively late in life, at around age 45.
His first teacher was an Arabian gelding named Flash, who taught him one of the most important lessons in horsemanship:
The horse is not the problem. The horse is the mirror.
What began as weekend trail rides grew into alpine expeditions, international long-distance journeys, and eventually a comprehensive training program for riders who want to travel safely and confidently with their own horses.
Some of Peter’s best-known horseback expeditions include:
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Andes Trail, Argentina — approximately 2,200 miles
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Tschiffely Trail, Athens to Kassel — approximately 1,900 miles
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Continental Divide Trail, USA — Mexico to Canada — approximately 3,100 miles
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Great Divide Trail, Canada — approximately 1,000 miles
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Trans Caucasus Trail — approximately 560 miles
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Grande Traversata delle Alpi, Italy — approximately 480 miles
These journeys crossed mountain ranges, deserts, wilderness areas, and remote regions where there were no fences, no arenas, and often no immediate help.
Out there, the fundamentals matter.
What Peter van der Gugten Teaches
Peter teaches riders how to:
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Communicate clearly with their horses
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Build trust and confidence
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Develop calm and consistent leadership
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Prepare for overnight and multi-day trail rides
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Navigate with GPS and digital maps
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Use satellite communication for safety
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Handle emergencies and wilderness first aid
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Select practical tack, hoof protection, and equipment
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Pack efficiently for self-supported travel
All instruction is practical and takes place in real terrain, not just in an arena.
Training Philosophy
Peter believes horses are prey animals whose primary concern is safety.
When riders communicate clearly and behave in a calm, fair, and predictable manner, horses begin to relax and trust.
His guiding principle is:
Consistent Leadership. Trusted Horses. Confident Riders.
Peter’s teaching is based on:
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Clear, horse-understandable communication
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Respectful handling with clearly defined roles
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The rider taking responsibility for planning and decision-making
Allowing the horse to do its job: reading terrain and placing its feet
The goal is not to dominate the horse.
The goal is to become a reliable partner your horse chooses to follow.
And once your horse trusts you, you can begin to trust your horse.
Navigation and Safety
On long-distance rides, Peter primarily uses:
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Dedicated GPS devices
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Digital topographic maps
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Satellite communicators such as Garmin inReach
He teaches practical modern navigation combined with traditional map-reading and route-planning skills.
His approach emphasizes reliability, efficiency, and sound judgment rather than gadget dependence.
Books and Publications
Peter is the author of books and technical articles covering:
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Trail riding
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Horse selection and training
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Horse care and nutrition
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Tack and equipment
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Navigation and route planning
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Pack animals and long-distance travel
His field-tested articles and reports form the foundation of much of the content published on his websites.
Clinics and Programs in the United States
Through Extremtrail and Front Range Trail Confidence in Colorado, Peter offers:
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Foundation Instruction Course
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Equipment and Ultralight Outfitting Clinic
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GPS and Navigation Clinic
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Trail Skills Parcours
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Weekend Instructional Trail Rides
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Multi-day Colorado Trail Camps
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Wilderness and long-distance expeditions
In the U.S. program, riders typically complete four core clinics before joining weekend trail rides:
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Foundation Instruction Course
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Equipment and Ultralight Outfitting Clinic
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GPS and Navigation Clinic
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Trail Skills Parcours
Most participants ride their own horses.
Qualifications and Recognition
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FITE Guide (Fédération Internationale de Tourisme Équestre)
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Founder of the Swiss Trail Riding Academy
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Author of multiple technical books
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First Aid Instructor
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Recipient of the VFD “Iron Gustav” Award (2022)
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Who Is This Training For?
Peter’s programs are designed for riders who:
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Are new to trail riding
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Want to ride safely with their own horse
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Want to improve trust and communication
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Are preparing for overnight or multi-day rides
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Prefer practical, experience-based instruction over entertainment
Personal Beliefs
Your imagination sets the limits for your horse. Your horse is capable of far more than you think.
Peter often summarizes his motivation this way:
“The trail is real life. It is about my horse’s life and my own.”
Official Websites
Additional Resources
Team
Foundation Course
GPS and Navigation Clinic
Trail Skills Parcours
Planned Rides
In Summary
Peter van der Gugten is a Swiss-born longrider, trail riding instructor, and author with more than 40,000 miles of riding experience on five continents.
He helps riders and their horses become safe, confident partners capable of traveling independently in real terrain.
His teaching combines decades of practical experience, structured instruction, and a clear philosophy:
Consistent Leadership. Trusted Horses. Confident Riders.
My name is Peter van der Gugten
my nickname: Alpine trekker
I am a LongRider and Guide FITE.
(Federation International de Tourisme Equestre)
Trail riding guide and instructor at the Trail Riding Academy Switzerland and have been on horseback for almost 20 years on 5 continents around the world. I have now covered around 40.000 mls in the saddle.
I started with my wife's endurance Arabian, Flash, who taught me how to ride when I was 45 years old. Every time I saddled him with a western saddle, got up and trotted off, galloped along forest and meadow trails to the next western stable, drank coffee there, and went back at the same pace. 12 MLS one way, and after 3 hours, we were back at the stable.
Thanks to him, I mutated to a light trot, my stomach muscles relaxed during long canters and when I leaned back in the saddle, he would stop at some point. When I desperately tried to understand why he wouldn't want to cross the intersection, because the construction sign is 3 degrees different today than it was yesterday, I educated myself with Parelli books and videos. Later, I had help from the Parelli people when I didn't know how to proceed. Today, I know this was possible because I had no fear, neither for the horse nor for myself, and because I had a lot of energy, so my horse easily submitted.
After 3 years with a horse, a colleague called me and asked if I wanted to ride with him from Budapest to Offenburg for the Eurocheval conference of trail riders. I agreed on the condition that my equipment came with me on a pack horse. This was then sent home after 3 days, and so my equipment was reduced to what I could attach to my horse and my English saddle.
After 3 weeks, I had had enough of the carriage horses that only walked when there was tension on the corner of their mouth, which caused me back pain. I flew back to Switzerland, picked up my Arabian horse, and spent the last two weeks riding pain-free across Germany on a loose rein. This is where my addiction to trail riding began. The following year, we decided to ride from Budapest to the Danube Delta, but when I found out, during the preparation, that the temperatures were reaching 110° F, I called and told my friend Zsolt that I would suggest a different route, namely to ride from Munich to Venice. This was the plan, but Zsolt called me a week before the trip to tell me that both of his carriage and riding horses had died of poisoning, and he couldn't come. I therefore decided to ride solo from Schaffhausen to Bellinzona on the Via Sbrinz to cross the Alps. We did the 230 mls in 5 days, and I found this to be completely normal. However, the trail riders I met in Bellinzona made it clear to me that (a) they didn't want to believe me, and if they did, (b) they thought I was crazy. Luckily, there was another gray horse who absolutely wanted to join up with mine, so I had no choice but to get to know the rider.
I spent the next 5 years traveling with her in the high mountains of Europe, and when my Arabian Flash was 22, it was his last 5-week tour over 600 miles. We then bought and trained two Karabagh horses from Russia together and were on the road with them for another 5 years. Later, a Kabardian from the same Caucasian Region of Russia came along. Pat and I rode stallions in Kyrgyzstan, with Mongolian ponies over 600 mls and traveled with Mestizos over 1600 miles in Argentina for three months. In 2017, I organized a tour with 5 horses from Athens in Greece to Kassel in Germany for the Documenta modern Art exhibition. 2000 mls in 100 days across Europe. Today I am in the USA for 6 months of the year on our small ranch, with cattle, horses, and chickens. In 2018/2019, we rode 3100 miles from Mexico to Canada with our Mustangs and a Criollo. In 2022 and 2024, there was a continuation of the Great Divide Trail in Canada.
I now organize trips for riding friends in Canada, Argentina, and Mongolia. On my blog, you will find all my private tours.