GALLOPING across Africa's game parks alongside herds of giraffe and zebra, and cantering a horse along a deserted beach is the fantasy of most horse lovers, which comes as no surprise to Olwen Law.

As head of Britain's biggest specialist riding holiday operator, In The Saddle, Olwen is on a mission to provide her clients with that dream holiday on horseback.

But while the sun-drenched beaches and superb horses in Mediterranean countries like Spain, Italy and Portugal remain popular, hundreds of riders are now choosing more adventurous experiences. Becoming a hands-on cowboy in Montana and trekking across Mongolia in the company of yak carts are on the wish list of many clients.

Olwen gave up a top job in the city to follow her dream of making worldwide riding holidays accessible to everyone. She samples the holidays herself to make sure they are suitable - from trecking in Assam, in the north-east of India, to challenging trail rides of the Sierras Chicas in Argentina. Other destinations include Botswana, New Zealand and Jordan.

And you don't have to be a first class rider to enjoy the expeditions, but you do need to have reasonable riding skills. Some holidays are fast and challenging, but there are also quieter trail rides, horse safaris, ranch holidays and camping expeditions, which entail a few more hardships but will reward you with an experience to remember.

"I had to go and find the holidays myself," explained Olwen. "I started in Montana in the USA, Iceland, Spain and Africa. Then it was a matter of finding the clients, which I did by advertising, going to trade shows, travel shows and the big equestrian events. "I started off with 50 clients. Now we have 1,300. I am so glad I had the courage to turn my dream into reality".

Olwen and her husband, James Sales, moved from London to the countryside near Ludlow, where their converted barns make perfect, purpose built headquarters for their thriving company.

"I created my own dream job, which was to travel the world on the back of a horse and then set up the best of the experiences for others. 16 years ago this type of holiday was exclusive and expensive, but now it's possible to bring costs down and make them affordable for many people."

Olwen was so successful that, two years later, she was joined by her husband, an oil industry analyst, who quickly dusted off his riding skills, which had been unused since he

was a child.

James was a former border at Ludlow School which influenced the couple's decision to move to their farmhouse at Neen Savage near Cleobury Mortimer. Unsurprisingly - given the British woman's long standing love affair with the horse - more than three-quarters of the riders who holidayed with In the Saddle last year were women, with the majority travelling alone or with one partner. Interestingly, those between 30 and 50 make up the bulk of clients, with a good number of intrepid senior citizens proving themselves more than up for the challenge.

Olwen said: "Most new clients have a particular ambition, something that they've always wanted to do but never had the time, money or opportunity. Many are extremely adventurous and aren't afraid of living a more basic lifestyle for a couple of weeks if it means that they can visit some of the world's remaining wildernesses.

"The great thing about travelling on horseback is that it is unobtrusive and does not create the barriers which you encounter when travelling by vehicle. When we ride through isolated villages in India, Jordan, Iran and Turkmenistan we become objects of curiosity, not of mistrust. As far as we can we employ local staff and guides, so our money is going directly to benefit the local communities.

"Our holidays are good for single woman because our groups are small and everyone has a shared love of horses and riding. Many people make friends and meet up again on holiday the following year. We also have couples and groups of friends looking for a shared experience. Last year, the BBC 'Wish You Were Here' film crew followed five women clients in their 50s on a trail ride in Botswana and were amazed at how they took to the drop loos and bucket showers which are part of camping in the wilderness!," added Olwen.