THE MONEYCHANGERS OF THE TEMPLE
ARE AT WORK

Horses are a business like any other business....

The sale of riding holidays is just like any other object to be sold to the public : the same needs, the same constraints – and the same competition. In the end, the consumer judges, with the same critical gaze as he turns on a toothbrush, a car or an ordinary holiday.

"...Oh yes, in Tanzania, it was better – the waiters wore white gloves, and we didn't have to saddle our own horses. Everything was ready for us in the morning – it was just great!"

"...The horses in Spain were better trained. After a good gallop was over, they stopped practically without being reined in".

"...The food was much better in Morocco. And the trip was much less expensive". Etc.

But usually we only hear praise - fortunately!

Now, our competitors in Jordan are also selling horse. Seeing our fine groups of riders, they thought that we were on to a good thing, bringing in a lot of money.

So the travel agencies joined in... Not very imaginative, really. Just do the same as somebody else, hoping to attract his customers. Using any means. Their advertising is all but outright lies, passing lightly over the personnel involved and referring vaguely to their "own stable"; their methods prevail, and the customer thinks that everything is fine.

Later he is surprised that the horses don't know how to trot, that they are nervy, that they have a hard mouth, that they can be difficult to control, that the guide doesn't know how to set the pace. Never mind! The countryside is beautiful. Forget about the rest....

One can read on the Web sites of certain Jordanian agencies, and others, that they have a string of 25 Arab horses, that they use high quality English tack and that their local guide was born in the desert and is a specialist with 30 years experience....

"Just look at my beautiful pure bred Arabians!"

All the men in Wadi Mousa (Petra), trying to sell something, will tell you that they were born in a Nabatean tomb down in Petra, that they know the mountains and the desert perfectly, and they know all the local tracks because they led their flocks on them when they were young shepherds?.

You believe every word, and between their persuasiveness and the ready corroboration of their friends, you will be convinced that you will be in good hands. In fact this will be often the case, because after first lying their heads off,  they were quick to learn the best ways that other people had laid out – they aren't stupid ... Some of them have even copied our programmes word for word!

You might say that this is fair enough. But it is a bit more serious when it comes to the bigger agencies, claiming to be professionals and who make these claims on the web…

Some Jordanians have had trouble in accepting that it was a foreigner who revived the horse business for tourists. Apparently it hurts their pride....

An Arab proverb says that "to lie puts a little salt in the virtuous truth". Or in other words, lying is only wrong when nobody believes it.

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Even at the Paris Horse Show, one hears stupid assertions at the agency stands, which come very close to swindling. To the various questions concerning the origin of the horses used for such or such a trip, one invariably gets the same misleading answers : yes the horses are Bedouin, yes the guide is Bedouin, yes the horses are desert  horses, yes, this trip is directed by pioneers, etc...  And this from the specialists in riding holidays. This is not even funny !

*   *   *

This is just to shed some light on the small frauds which which the tour agencies –  "the merchants of the temple!" concoct to lure you in and to get you to sign up with them.

Very few  Europeans organising these trips actually come themselves to see what things are like, to visit independently and in depth (and not taken on a pre-arranged tour) to see the various teams, to examine the horses (a precaution which seems obvious to us!), to meet the guides, the hotelkeepers, etc.

The Desert Guides Society originated the itineraries which have been taken up by nearly all the equestrian organisations.  The following have come riding with us : 

• Jean de Châtillon of "Hue and Cry" (France),

• Paul Coudenys of Hippotrek (Belgium),

•  Ruth Taggart and Nigel Harvey of Ride World Wide (Great Britain),

• Anne Mariage and Claudine Cywié of Cheval d'Aventure (France),

• Marc Lotkha de Cheval Caracole (France).

And several others....

 We have taken on many trips customers sent by:

• Equitour-Pegasus (Switzerland-Germany),

•  Equitour U.K. (The United Kingdom),

• Hidden Trails (Canada-USA)

without ever having seen any of the persons in charge of these companies.

But perhaps they came but were seduced by talk of Petra and finished there, far from the desert, and the open spaces, in a top class hotel. A curious idea of professionalism...

But all that will take nothing away from the experience of your visit – which will always be interesting and fascinating from the landscapes traversed!  And the Jordanian people, in any case, remain a truly adorable and friendly people. Everybody who comes there agrees!

For the Sultanate of Oman it will be the same thing. Once our trails are known, there will be a rush to join in. And everybody will claim paternity of them! With incredible audacity.

Apparently, among equestrian tour agencies, one appreciates the horses, but still much, much more, the money

Wilfried Colonna