Beach Riding the Ultimate Fantasy
On beach days your dreams come true. The movement of the sea, the pounding of the waves, the openness and expanse of sand extending for kilometre after kilometre before you. This is the stuff that horse riding dreams are really made from. Two of our routes on our horse riding holidays take in the beach. Here you can really let your horse show it's paces off with an unforgettable beach gallop. At times the pace of the beach is fast and exhilarating, at times it is mesmerising and relaxing. A beach ride is certainly an experience that you will never forget.
Unbeatable Forest Riding
The location of our horse riding vacations is unbeatable. As well as beaches our holiday includes superb forest riding. With long wide firebreaks, and twisty forest tracks the park couldn't have been designed better by a horse rider. The going in the forest is excellent and as it is sand it stays excellent whatever the weather. Each day there are plenty of opportunities for long collected canters along sandy tracks, and exhilarating gallops along firebreaks. In-between the fast work we move through the forest on a long rein and at a leisurely pace taking in the peaceful tranquillity of the forest.
Superb Location
Our finca borders onto the Barbate nature reserve and provides an ideal starting and finishing point for the rides. The finca is only a few minutes drive out of Barbate, and on arrival at the finca the horses will be ready to ride. An average of four and a half hours each day is spent in the saddle with a short break part way round. After returning to the finca lunch is taken at a local 'Venta' nearby. Returning back to Barbate between 16:00 and 16:30 leaves the afternoon free to spend on the beach, sightseeing or shopping.
Summer Beach Riding
Unlike most other riding holidays on the Iberian Peninsular we are able to beach ride twelve months of the year. The Hierbabuena beach is hardly used at any time of the year for sunbathing, and even in the main summer months we have the beach to ourselves. The law in Spain and Portugal prohibits taking horses on the beach at any time of the year. However in practise this law is only enforced when the beaches are heavily used. On the main Spanish Costa's like the Costa del Sol this law is enforced stringently. On the Costa de la Luz the law is only enforced on busy beaches from the 1st June to 30th September. As mentioned above we are lucky as we have available to us one beach where this law is not enforced.
Los Caños to El Palmar
The beaches from Los Caños to El Palmar are in total about 10 kilometres long. Walking across Cape Trafalgar reminds us of the famous sea battle that took place here between the British and the Spanish/French navies in October 1805. The British won the battle but lost the life of Lord Admiral Nelson. After we make our way to the waters edge we go for our first beach gallop of the day. Most of the day's riding is spent on the beach with a mixture of meandering in the surf, gentle canters and the occasional gallop. This day's riding is a complete equestrian experience that you will never forget.
Hierbabuena Beach
The Hierbabuena beach at barbate is just one of the beaches that we ride on during your week long holiday with us. Running from the port of Barbate to the base of the cliffs of the natural park this beach is as close to paradise as you can get. About one kilometre long the beach is loved by both riders and horses who both enjoy a good gallop along the full length of this beach.
