Even a small backpack or camera can become a bouncing, painful nuisance when worn atop a trotting horse. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, Adventures On Horseback operates out of Saddlerock Ranch, a 1,200-acre spread in an idyllic area of Malibu, surrounded by stands of oak trees, avocado groves and a rolling landscape. Or take in the stars during a moonlight ride, available during each full moon. Call ahead for ride dates and for an update on fog, which sometimes becomes heavy enough to obscure views. Younger cowhands are welcome, too.
Older kids can ride along with the regular treks.
6 p.m. Reservations are advised on weekends. Jocelyn Heaney and Deborah Stern take in the view at Will Rogers State Park. There is something wrong with him. Trail rides leave from Will Rogers Trails, located behind the polo field. The trail affords sweeping views of the park, winds up into the mountains, and is capped off by a 360-degree view of the ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains.