If you say ‘YES’ to this ride in Spain, you’ll be staying in Carmona, one of the famous white villages of Andalusia. Every night and stolen moments during the day {when you’re not in the saddle} you’ll explore this hilltop town that sparkles with noble palaces and majestic Mudéjar churches.
But I’m getting ahead of myself – let’s talk about the riding. Andalusia is the birthplace of Spanish horse culture, so it comes as no surprise that on this riding itinerary, you’ll not only be mounted on the revered Spanish horse (Pura Raza Española – P.R.E. – Andalusian), you’ll actually learn to dance to its majestic rhythm with the help of highly trained teachers who are adept at teaching to every ability. There are three different programs to choose from depending on your interests and the level to which you want to take your riding throughout the week. Whether you’re a happy hacker or a highly trained dressage enthusiast, you won’t feel out of your depth and regardless of ability, you’ll leave feeling more confident as a rider.
Out of the saddle, the Spanish cultural highlights are crazy good – one morning you’ll be front-row spectators to watch the famous Andalusian Stallions perform, and your last evening will involve a road trip to nearby Seville to experience a typical Flamenco dancing show. Your hosts and guides, the Garcia family, will open their 16th century Hacienda and allow you to live and breathe their way of life – not only on an equestrian level but also through the food, lively evening entertainment, and colourful village life of Carmona.
Horse Breed: The majority of the horses are Andalusians or Andalusian crossbreeds; there are also a few warmbloods.
Pace: The pace varies from a walk right through to a canter when the terrain allows.
Weight Limit: A maximum of 95kg / 210lbs.
Type of tack: You will be riding in all-purpose saddles while on the trails, and Spanish Vaquero saddles covered in sheepskin on the beach ride.
Time in Saddle: On average, 3.5 to 4 hours daily.
Riding Ability: Suitable for all riding abilities.
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We are a travel agency devoted to horse riding holidays and unique cultural horse experiences the world over. We have personally tested every ride we offer, enabling us to match rides with riders’ abilities and budgets.
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FAQ
How do I know what my riding ability is?
You may have noticed that all of our horse riding holidays mention the riding ability we need to have in order to participate. We divide this into four levels: beginner, intermediate, strong intermediate and advanced.
Beginner – reasonably confident riding a horse at a walk, a rising trot, and learning to canter.
Intermediate – confident and in control on a moving horse at all paces outside an arena, but not riding regularly. Comfortable and competent using aids {you need to know what aids are} to communicate with your horse.
Strong intermediate – an intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly outside of an arena and is comfortable in the saddle for at least six hours per day. Strong intermediate riders are comfortable and competent in all three gaits; able to post or sit to the trot; have an independent seat while cantering (don’t hold onto the saddle); and can pick up the correct canter lead. They can also navigate more complex terrain, including asking a horse to sidestep and jump over a small obstacle.
Advanced – a frequent rider who is very fit, comfortable in the saddle for at least six hours per day, and has an independent seat and soft hands. Advanced riders are confident on a forward-moving horse at all paces over rough and variable ground on open terrain. They can ride over small jumps and know the techniques used to collect a horse.
Hopefully you now feel confident in describing your ability and choosing a ride that’s a perfect fit!
If you have any doubts, or if there’s a ride you’re longing to experience but you’re not sure if your riding level is high enough, don’t hesitate to get in touch! We’re always happy to clarify things and answer all your questions, big or small.
I’m keen to return to the saddle after a long hiatus, what’s the best ride for me?
We have a number of rides that are perfect for who have been out of the saddle for a while – designed to cater to your individual fitness level and riding ability while giving you a big confidence boost.
I’m over 60, will I be the oldest on the ride?
Age is no barrier in signing up for a horse riding adventure. The majority of our riders range in age from 35 right through to 72, so you’ll be in good company no matter which ride you decide to join. Believe me: if you’re in good health and want to grasp life with both hands and go on a wildly exciting adventure that will blow your socks off, then one of our riding holidays is for you.
After sixty, gone are the days of riding young horses that prance on the spot, am I right? You want to relax and enjoy the experience, knowing that you’re riding safe, responsive horses, surrounded by like-minded people, and that your creature comforts on and off the horse are delivered. THIS I can guarantee, and that’s the true benefit of booking with us: we offer impartial advice as an agent that specializes in horse riding holidays. We can steer you in the direction of a horse riding holiday that suits your riding level, interests and budget.
If you’re riding regularly, you’ll be MORE than fine to conquer a huge percentage of our rides. And to be honest, if you’re in (or past!) your sixties and lucky enough to still be a frequent rider, you should be taking advantage of this time in your life – leave the cruise ships and the New York shopping trips for when you need a zimmer frame! This is the golden time to put yourself first; babysitting your grandchildren can wait.
For those who haven’t been in the saddle for a few years and are concerned about whether your body will handle the riding hours each day, I recommend looking into our entry-level rides.
Can I go on my own?
Believe it or not, the majority of our riders travel solo. I started my career as a single globetrotter and have made life-long friendships borne from hours upon hours of conversations in the saddle. Once you’ve completed a horse riding holiday as a single traveler, you’ll realize that it’s an absolute cinch and you’ll be signing up for the next ride (as a single) in a heartbeat.
Here is why:
FREE CHOICE
You can pick the travel dates that fit within your holiday schedule rather than co-ordinating with a friend.
You can select the PERFECT ride based on your budget, time and riding ability rather than downgrading your expectations to fit with a friend who may not be as confident in the saddle as you. Or vice versa – you may be a beginner looking for an entry-level ride where you can really get your riding mojo on.
THE PEOPLE YOU MEET
Typically, when travelling alone, you’re in a better position to meet more people and get out of your comfort zone than if you were travelling with a friend or partner. The wonderful part of a horse riding holiday is that more often than not, almost everyone on the ride is a single traveler. You’ll meet like-minded folk who all share a common love of horses and travelling. You’ll enjoy endless hours of swapping riding stories around the campfire that would bore a non-equestrian to tears!
WE MAKE IT EASY
From the get-go, we make solo travel easy. If you’re going to a foreign country, we ensure that one of our representatives is at the airport with your name on a sign (yep – you’ll feel famous) to collect you, take you to an ATM to get the local currency and drive you to your hotel.
Also, once you’ve booked your holiday, we invite you to join our private Facebook group, a space for all who have ridden with us in the past or are about to embark on their first ride. It’s a great spot to ask questions and get first-hand advice. You’ll also be able to correspond with other who booked on the same ride, so you can make arrangements to meet up beforehand or share transfer costs if required.
We’ll always try our very best to secure you a private room or tent (depending on the style of accommodation) without having to pay a hefty single supplement charge. If you have to share due to ride numbers, we’ll make sure you’re teamed up with a rider of the same gender – who doesn’t snore!
So don’t put off your career simply because you’re flying solo – life is WAY too short and there are FAR too many riding holidays to conquer.
What happens if I need to cancel my saddle seat?
Should you or any member of your party need to cancel your riding holiday once it has been confirmed, the party leader must immediately advise us in writing {email}. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when we receive it in writing at our offices. As we incur costs from the moment we confirm your booking and may be unable to resell your saddle seat, cancellation charges will be payable. If you cancel your saddle seat prior to your departure, you will forgo all monies paid to date upon receipt of the email.
Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your travel insurance. We recommend ALL to take out travel insurance the moment they confirm their saddle seat with a completed booking form.
What happens if I need to change my booking?
As per our terms and conditions, you agree that you will, at least 60 days prior to your departure date, provide us with written notification (by email) of any changes to your booking. If you change your departure date, your new departure date must be booked with the same supplier that you originally booked with. The new departure date must fall within 12 months of the date on which we receive notification of your request to change your booking.
For example: you have booked a ride with a departure date of 31 December 2022. You notified us by email sent at 5.05pm on 30 October 2022 that you wish to change your departure date, which we received on 31 October 2022 at 9.01am. In this situation, you will be able to choose a new departure date, subject to the original supplier’s availability, that falls before 31 October 2023. If we are able to accommodate the change(s) that you have requested, we may charge an administration amendment fee of $150 USD per person in the currency of your ride invoice. Additional supplier fees may also apply where a booking is changed. Where we incur any liability for a supplier cancellation fee for any booking which you change or cancel, you agree to indemnify us for the amount of that fee. Any change requested within 30 days of the original departure date may, at our election, be treated as a cancellation and the cancellation fees set out in clause 6 below will be payable.
How do I know that the horses are well looked after?
We wouldn’t dream of recommending a ride that doesn’t treat their horses well. We road test each and every ride that we offer and seek feedback from riders on a regular basis to ensure that horse welfare is of the highest standard. Horse culture differs between each country that we operate in, but we believe that all horses should be treated with respect and be well cared for. It’s paramount to us.
What is the group size?
The group size depends on the individual ride’s popularity and capacity. On every ride page, we specify the minimum and maximum group size for that particular holiday.
The maximum group size with any ride that we recommend is 16 guests plus guides {with a ratio of one guide per five guests}. To be clear, you won’t be riding with 16 guests each day; instead you’ll be split into smaller sub-groups so that everyone can ride at their preferred pace. You will meet the other groups for meals and off-the-horse activities.
That said, most rides have a lower maximum group size, with some offering as few as four saddle seats per departure.
Do I need travel insurance even if I’m travelling domestically?
The short answer – yes. Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our rides and is a condition of booking with us, regardless of whether you’re travelling within your home country or abroad. When selecting a travel insurance policy, we require that at a minimum you are covered for horse riding as an activity, and medical expenses, including emergency repatriation.
When looking for a travel insurance policy, make sure it covers COVID-related changes and cancellations, personal liability, loss of luggage and personal effects, and most importantly cancellation insurance. This will cover cancellation penalties in certain circumstances if you have to cancel your trip unexpectedly due to illness, injury or unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately, cancellation insurance will not cover you if you change your mind (unless you take the ‘cancel for any reason’ insurance – which we recommend.)
Your insurance policy, including the specific name of your insurance company, policy number and emergency insurance contact number, MUST be provided before you start your ride.
Our personal independent travel agents can provide no-obligation travel insurance quotes that specifically cover horse riding.
When completing your booking form, please indicate if you would like to receive a quote for competitive travel insurance that specifically includes horse riding as an activity.
How much should I tip?
Good question! On our horse riding holidays and safaris, tipping at the end of your adventure is {more often than not} customary, but each ride is different to the next. With that said, we’ve put together some guidelines so you can budget prior to the trip, don’t get flustered when working out the final amount, and have the cash {in the correct currency} on hand at the end of your ride.
And for even more peace of mind, within your Trip Prep Kit (which you’ll receive once you’ve confirmed your saddle seat), we’ll also draw your attention to the tipping guidelines for your chosen ride.