Welcome to Horse Country Tours
Wind your way through the beautiful Horse Country of North Texas. Texas is the nation's number ONE horse state with more than 1 million horses. Famous for the Quarter Horse, Texas also offers an exciting variety of other horse breeds and many different horse disciplines.
Horses have played a vital role in every facet of human and societal development for the last 5,000 years. They have served farms and ranches around the globe in agriculture and hunting. They provided the fastest and most reliable form of transportation until a mere 150 years ago! They brought the world closer together by facilitating the exchange of information and knowledge between cultures. Horses carried warriors into battle, kings to their thrones, and conquerors into new lands. In this modern era, horses are still mounted for leisure, competitive sport and recreation, hunting, and myriad other reasons. Bred to be the very best performers in specific disciplines and styles, horses provide entertainment, companionship, and competition to thrill humans throughout the world.
The 912 square miles of lush Denton County are located just northeast of Fort Worth and extend almost to the Red River at the Oklahoma State line. Known as "Horse Country USA", the area is populated with more than 300 farms and ranches, many of which are breeding and training facilities. There are an estimated 25,000 horses in Denton County. Horse sales in Denton County during 2004 topped $20 million. Boarding fees alone were more than $11 million. The horse industry represents the number one economic impact in agriculture for Denton County.
Attracted to the area's mild winters, horse farms and professional horsemen began moving into Denton County in the 1970s, settling primarily in the north and east part of the county where the sandy loam soil is perfect for working horses year-round. This area is now a national equine trading center.
The modern horse market has changed its approach to business with farms specializing in narrowly defined disciplines. There are farms that specialize in halter horses, pleasure horses, cutting horses, reining, jumpers, hunters and more. So, a seeker in the market for a halter horse goes directly to a halter farm, simplifying and streamlining his search by quality, breed and discipline. The farms specialize in breeds such as Quarter horses, Thoroughbreds, Paints, Andalusian and more. Along your driving tour you will see miles of pipe and rail fencing, beautiful pastures, impressive barns and, of course, lots of horses.
The farms on this tour are all working farms. We strongly suggest you exercise the courtesy commonly practiced here in horse country. We call it "Heads Up". Horse farms ask that visitors call first to give the "Heads Up" that they plan to visit. In fact, a "Heads Up" is appreciated even if you only plan to drive through a farm on its private roads. Unless gate signage specifically invites drop-in visitors, please refrain from entering private driveways and stick to the main roads. This ensures safety for our visitors, our horses, and a positive visitor experience for everyone.