Saddle up for sunshine ranch holidays

Holidaymakers are donning their cowboy hats and taking to the saddle for increasingly popular ranch holidays.

North America is the home of the cowboy and if fresh air and wide-open spaces is what you're looking for then how about a ranch holiday in Arizona?

Relive the Old West at the Kay El Bar Guest Ranch, located in the historic town of Wickenburg.

Over a hundred years ago this town was surrounded by gold strike sites and desperadoes and now it is listed as an historic place.

Wannabe wranglers can ride through the scenic Sonoran desert and listen to the stories of local naturalists, historians and cowboy entertainers.

The ranch at Grapevine Canyon offers hiking, bird watching and delicious home-made meals as well as riding tours through Arizona's picture-perfect scenery.

Further north, the Canadian province of Alberta is the place to go for the quintessential great-outdoors experience.

Horseback riding through valleys and foothills, mountain meadows and old Indian trails can be undertaken from Homeplace Ranch.

For those who want to gain some in-depth experience of western-style riding, natural horsemanship and ranch life, Bent Creek Ranch is a great choice, allowing guests to become immersed in the adventurous cowboy spirit.

At Willow Lane Ranch guests can experience genuine Albertan cattle ranching life: roping, branding, fence mending, holding the herd, and sorting beasts with the cowboys.

People wanting to escape from the clutches of the European winter can head for the sun-drenched ranches of the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba for their ranch holiday.

This 70-square-mile island lies just 15 miles off the coast of South America and the ranches here offer riding holidays for all ages and levels of experience.

Explore the sand dunes, the black pebble beaches or the smooth white sands of the coast or the exotic desert plains of the interior.

There's even an 18th century gold mine and the historic Alto Vista chapel to 'discover'.

Rancho Daimari is set among one of the oldest coconut plantations in the Caribbean and provides romantic riding tours for couples.

At Rancho Del Campo you can ride trails that take you through the untamed flora and fauna of the Arikok national park.

And the Gold Mine Ranch specialises in tours for beginners and families and even has horses suitable for four year olds.

It is near the coast and a popular trail visits the ruins of 19th century Bushiribana gold mine.

After a long day in the saddle, there's always the opportunity to swim in the warm Caribbean sea.