Staged it may be, but the 1½-hour puszta show at the 300-year-old Máta Stud Farm, 3km north of Hortobágy village, is a real slice of Hungary. You get to ride in a horse-drawn wagon train across the prairie, making stops at large thatched barns to peer into the pens of racka sheep, see great grey cattle grazing, witness semi-wild horses being herded and watch Hungarian csikósok (cowboys) perform tricks, including 'five-in-hand' galloping – standing balanced on the back of two horses, with three more reined in front.
To get to the stud farm on foot, cross the train tracks from the station and find the path through the brush (to the right). This well-worn track through the fields, over the river and past the now-closed Hortobágy Club Hotel cuts the walk to 2km, down from 3km if you follow the road. Buy tickets at Nyerges Presszó cafe and have a look at the Carriage Exhibition near the main entrance.
