Riding high: Horse adventures in the Wolgan Valley

Rachel Case has a passion for horses and for the Australian bush, and her role at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley introducing guests to the resort’s equine family and beautiful nature trails is, as she describes it, “her dream job”.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is an ultra-luxury, conservation-based resort set in a stunning wilderness reserve in the Greater Blue Mountains in New South Wales. In addition to its 7,000 acres of native bushland, it is also home to thirteen horses, a stunning state-of-the art stables and mounting yard.

For as long as she can remember, Rachel Case has lived and breathed horses. As the resort’s Horse Guide, her day starts early, grooming the horses, getting them ready for the day’s adventures and mucking the stables.  She then takes guests on rides, exploring the area’s jaw-dropping trails through river crossings, up and down steep terrain and across open pastures, encountering the local wildlife and kangaroos. With her training as a field guide, combined with the calm, friendly horses, even guests with minimal experience quickly acquire the skills such as mounting, dismounting, balance, steering and stopping that every horse rider needs.  “I love watching our guests ease into the ride as they realise how gentle and kind our horses are,” says Rachel. In addition to managing the guest’s equine adventures, Rachel is responsible for maintaining the horses, stables and the trails.

Prior to joining Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Rachel worked as a rural contractor for Australia Post. After ten years working in hospitality, finance and real estate Rachel eventually realised that office life was not for her. Much of her personal time was spent outdoors, caring for injured wildlife in Wolgan Valley, so when a job as a Field Guide came up, she leapt at it, and has never looked back. For Rachel, getting guests back in the saddle and exploring the nature reserve together is her greatest pleasure. As she puts it, “I’m living the dream.”