Emma Thompson, Far and Ride

I took a cheap and easy flight with Ryanair from London Stansted to Rodez and the transfer to the gite took 45 minutes.  On arrival in the evening I walked into a relaxed atmosphere to find people talking around the roaring wood burner.  Amongst the guests there were two sisters, Vanessa and Jayne on their sixth visit and one of Far and Ride’s good friends on her second visit to the Lot Valley, following her first visit at Christmas time.

I was handed a glass of wine and sat down at the large wooden dining table for an introductory chat, whilst eating some snacks which consisted of some seriously tasty homemade pate, fresh bread, Toulouse sausage, homemade quiche and a selection of cheeses. After the travelling, chatting, food and drink it was time to retire to my suitably comfortable bedroom. All rooms are en-suite, they provide towels, offer large mirrors and hairdryers (important for some!!).  The furniture throughout the gite is traditional in its French style with an air of shabby chic in the bedrooms.

The morning started with a continental breakfast around 9am before it was time to meet the horses.  Derek goes off to whistle his horses up from the Valley, with this they appear a few minutes later; a sign of his fantastic relationship with the horses.  I was introduced to my first horse, Kommador a 15hh Spanish type and a real sweetie. As all of these horses lead a natural lifestyle it was time to groom and pick out their feet (of course if you really don’t want to do this, you don’t have to); I always enjoy spending a little time bonding with the horses that look after you during your visit.

We set off to Opel’s corner, this is one of the morning or half day rides, taking you through country roads, tracks and forest paths.  After a delicious lunch of homemade soup and fresh bread, the afternoon followed with a two hour ride, through steep terrain of the valley, forest and crossing the flowing river. The day ended with a sociable and relaxed evening, again by the fire and round the large dining table with good company, mouth watering food and drink.

The following days were spent riding El Nino (a 16 hh, 9 year old Andalucian, with character and sparkle) and Maluga, a beautiful and well mannered bay mare.  The riding offered a mixture of full day rides and half day ride, each offering new and spectacular views, with some opportunities for some good gallops (should you wish) and time to splash around in the river. Lunches were either substantial picnics or home cooked back in the comfort the gite, where dinner was always served.

The Druhle day ride offers fantastic scenery through the valley; open countryside, passing farms, crossing streams, following natural tracks through the forest, and finally reaching a pictureque destination on a farm. I can only describe this as ‘Black Beauty’ country, where the horses have acres of pasture to roam whilst you enjoy a well deserved picnic lunch in the farm’s courtyard. The Grottes de Fossac again offers stunning views and scenery, riding through villages where you will find beautiful cottages and relaxed village people.  This was a faster days ride, full of excitement.  At the picnic site, an area was penned off for the horses and a large and tasty picnic was served.

There are a variety of horses here all with individual personalities and some characters in the herd.  The scenery is absolutely stunning and varied, each ride is different and offers an individual beauty of its own.  Derek is always looking out to source new rides and paths, to keep the ever returning clients amused and the new clients stunned by their surroundings. Anne’s homemade dishes are fresh and delicious, using local produce and ingredients. Dishes range from soups, to hearty stews, fish dishes, snails for those who dare to modern duck dishes and picnics to die for. A homely atmosphere with a taste for good food and drink compliments the perfect riding in this stunning setting.

This really is an absolutely first class experience from start to finish. This riding holiday offers something for everyone from rider to non rider, beginners through to the advanced riders. I could have written this report in a very short format and simply say this is one European ride not to be missed!

If you love to ride great horses in fantastic country side and enjoy exceptional company then I highly recommend you visit this fabulous ride.

Read more about the ride here: Lot Valley.

Sierra Nevada, September 2008
Lucy M.

As we were flying into Granada, we decided to arrive on a Friday and spend Saturday and Sunday visiting the Alhambra and other areas of this beautiful city.  This is well worth doing, particularly as Manolo (who owns and runs the riding school) will pick you up from your hotel.

On arriving at the cave hotel we were delighted by our accommodation.  We had a sitting room, small kitchen, shower room and bedroom.  Part of this accommodation was dug into the hillside, so you sleep in a cave and the whole ‘cottage’ retains a perfect temperature whether hot or cool outside.  When you are not riding there is a small pool where you can swim and sunbathe whilst enjoying the lovely views – we had the pool all to ourselves when we were there!  The food at the hotel is excellent – good traditional Spanish food with lots of local dishes.

Every day Manolo picks you up to drive the short distance to his stables – also caves.  As we were inexperienced riders with only a few lessons behind us, the structure of each day was perfect.  We would have a lesson first in the arena followed by a good ride out into the countryside.  On the last day you just do a three hour ride.  By the end of our stay we had learnt such a lot and with Manolo’s excellent teaching had improved our skills day by day.

The countryside is delightful and you ride through fertile valleys irrigated by ancient water courses bring water from the mountains; you can see eagles flying overhead and enjoy a horseback view of the stunning Andalucian scenery.

Read more about the ride here: Sierra Nevada.

Enjoy stunning scenery of this wild uncontaminated coast line of the Calabrian Coast in the South-East of Italy. The daily rides are based from an ancient rambling farm house. The farm is a family run establishment who produce their own wine, cheese, meat, preserves and extra virgin olive oil for the guests. A great place for families, couples, groups or singles and being only 300 metres from the 42 km of protected Mediterranean coastline also makes it ideal for those non riding partners.

For more information see the Calabrian Coast page.

We understand that family holidays are very important so we have found a perfect location in Tunisia. This ideally located coastal hotel is a family run establishment and offers attractions for non riders including windsurfing and deep sea diving.  The ride centre which is nestled within the seven hectare gardens of the hotel offers riding lessons, half and full day hacks or you can use the hotel as a  base to gallop along white washed beaches on a week long trekriding through the fertile countryside visiting lesser known parts of northern Tunisia. This fabulous hotel is open all year around and the beautiful weather means you can take a sunny holiday at any time.

For more information see the Beach Hotel page.

We are very excited to be able to offer you a unique riding experience in an unexplored area of Serbia. A land of variety and contrasts, Serbia is a safe and wonderful place to visit and is the perfect country to discover on horseback. The Balkan trail winds through the forests, mountains and remote villages of central Serbia. Brushing with nature as well as discovering historical jewels, this moderately paced ride is a great adventure for intermediate riders who are comfortable in the saddle.  You will be offered the chance to experience rural village life, as well as soak up the diverse history visiting historical monuments, in this culturally rich and naturally diverse country.

For more information see the Balkan Trail page.

Far and Ride are giving away a KP Equestrian Polo top worth £25 each to 5 lucky winners in our completely free competition.

The closing date is 1st June 2009.

To enter just go to the KP Equestrian competition page.

The article discusses Emma taking classical dressage lessons on the famous Lipizzaner horses, and includes her meeting with Favory Canissa XXII as he was being prepared to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II a week later.

To read Emma’s article you can download an online snippet of the magazine here: Lipica Stud Review (1.3MB PDF).

This is a fantastic opportunity for single travellers to join an organised adventure to an unspoilt country, rich in history and culture.  It is suitable for intermediate riders and above. 

We are also pleased to offer a 10% discount off all of the Transylvania programmes (singles or small groups) and an further 5% discount for groups of six persons or more on bookings confirmed before the 31 March 2009.

If you are interested in joining this ride, 13 - 21 June, then please contact us.

The Lot Valley, December 2008
Tabatha

I decided I wanted to do something different for Christmas and always wanted to ride a horse, so I decided to roll both into one and gave Lot Valley a try.  As a complete beginner, I managed to squeeze in two riding lessons from a conventional riding school before my trip. The overall goal of my trip was to gain experience riding and grooming and to be comfortable around horses.  Derek met me and a couple of other guests at the airport in Toulouse (the closest airport in Rodez is closed during the winter). There was a very pleasant and scenic two hour drive from the airport to Asprieres.  Entering the Lot Valley region from the highway was beautiful, there were several small villages along the way and varied levels of terrain with beautiful scenery all around.  Asprieres is a beautiful old village.

The gîte was relaxing, warm, welcoming and well decorated.  The living area is large and airy with a large dining table; the kitchen is large and always fully stocked.  There’s a pool (not for winter use though).  Each bedroom was a good size, cute and quirky with an en-suite.  Across the road is the first of several fields with horses, so it was a pleasure to open the window every morning to be greeted by one or some of the many horses there.

Derek and Anne are absolutely wonderful! They are very down to earth, easy to speak to and just a lot of fun to be around.  Derek has to be the best horseman ever! He knows all of his horses as if they were his children and treats them with as much love and affection as any good parent would treat their kids.  Derek makes riding look as easy as walking.  He does things on horses I didn’t even know were possible! He’s a great instructor and is very forgiving of new learners and their mishaps.  He’s encouraging and relaxed in his style and enjoys being out on hacks as much as his horses.  Anne is an absolute gem; she brightens any room she’s in.  She’s funny, sweet, caring and an awesome cook (more about Anne’s cooking later).  Anne also makes riding look easy, she’s a great rider and has a way of calming the most nervous of riders (ie: me).

The horses are great, they all have their personalities and are very patient. The horses are kept in the fields all year round with personal space to envy. They are very well taken care of and we (the guests) spoiled them rotten (you won’t be able to help yourself) – they’re so personable!  They really enjoy going on hacks, are easy to ride, affectionate and like Derek, very forgiving.

The trails are amazing! I’m pretty sure you’ve never been on rides like these before.  Although at times they can be challenging, they were a lot of fun.  We went through very beautiful sceneries from flats, to hills to forests.  Each day brought a new trail and each trail was a new adventure that makes you want more.  The trails were so beautiful; it was sometimes difficult to take it all in. We were fortunate enough to experience riding in the snow and riding at night, which are both new challenges in themselves.  With the instructions of Derek, the encouragement from Anne and the reassurance from the horses, the trails were never a problem.  The days were relaxed and tailored to what we wanted to do, so we were out as long as we wanted or as little as we wanted.

After a few hours on a hack, relaxing in the gite was always welcomed.  The fireplace was always on the go and there were always drinks before dinner.  I really enjoyed the “come as you are” attitude to dinner; a few evenings we ate whilst still in our jodhpurs. Anne’s cooking is to die for! She makes several courses of both French and/or English cuisine every evening, always looks energetic and never stressed; I don’t know how she does it.  During the evenings of the Christmas days, there were several activities and games that we played; despite everyone’s initial apprehension, the games were a lot of fun; the gifts were very nice too.

I had an amazing time; I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it so much.  My comfort level around horses has improved immensely; I learned a lot about riding, horses and myself. As a result of this trip, I actively want to ride, improve on my skills and challenge myself.   If I had my way, I would have several of Derek’s horses, Anne (because she’s so sweet) and Doogie (one of their Westies) – Derek needs Bertie (Doogie’s brother). Since I couldn’t fit any of them in my suitcase, I’ll have to go back!!

Read more about this ride here: Lot Valley Ride.

Australia

Far and Ride are now offering a fabulous trail ride in Australia, where excellent tuition can also be provided. They can cater for all ages, abilities and for non riders. This ride will take you to the pristine beaches of Australia.  Maybe you fancy a ride in the bush, where you will find no traffic, just kangaroos, cows, 6,000 acres and a barbie in the middle of nowhere. Following your day in the saddle, they can arrange a massage, sauna, spa, swim, facial, pedicure or aromatherapy. 

The ride is owned and managed Alex and his qualified staff, including Operations Manager, Geoff Moore. Alex is an Olympian in Modern Pentathlon, which comprises of running, swimming, fencing, shooting and show jumping;  representing Australia at 3 Olympic games. He competed in Los Angeles (84), Seoul (88) and Barcelona (92).

This beautiful ride lies on the Eastern coast of Australia; the varied scenery through state forests, rainforests, across beaches and open ranges is very impressive. The hosts here offer great accommodation, delicious meals and good conversation, the hospitality is bound to be a memorable experience.   

For non riders, they can offer a variety of activities, such as exploring the National Parks, the beach or Noosa’s famous Hastings Street iconic shopping centre, surfing, fishing, golf, sightseeing, dining and exploring local markets.  There are optional visits to Edmundi markets (wed and sat), Fraser Island, and Australia Zoo founded by the late Steve Irwin, famed Crocodile Hunter.

More info: Sunshine Coast ride.

Ecuador

This exciting new ride through the stunning scenery is flexible and offers activities for the non rider to travel with their horse mad buddies. The Hacienda accommodation is beautiful, cosy and offers a homely touch, with fresh local food, all this set in stunning countryside.  Virtually everything gracing the table comes fresh from rich earth and is carefully prepared by hand. Fresh milk and cream from the farm’s dairy cows are offered daily. Handmade cheeses are produced from the farm’s fresh milk and carefully crafted in the small factory near the guest house. 

Rainbow trout are caught moments before melting in your mouth. Freshly churned butter melts over warm bread baked from wheat harvested on the Hacienda. Fresh organic fruit and vegetables are picked from the expansive garden to make unforgettable salads and freshly squeezed juices. The recipes used have been inherited from great-grandmothers and are influenced by the various countries where family members have lived over the years.  Many of the dishes served are so unique you will not encounter them elsewhere. They have even been published in renowned magazines.  

This Hacienda’s hospitality retains intimacy, warmth and sincerity.  Additionally, they offer a level of privacy rarely achieved in the 21st century.

Riding has been a family tradition for over one hundred  years, and today reflects this equestrian affinity by boasting one of the most exclusive stables in Ecuador. Here they are also known for their Zuleteno horse, a unique mixture of Spanish-Andalusian, English and Quarter horses. The outcome of this cross-breeding is a robust, noble and smooth Andean horse with a perfect disposition for trail riding. 

More info: Ecuador Adventures ride.

Stationary programme, Farmhouse Tuscany Ride, June 2008

I visited the Farmhouse Tuscany in June 2008.  This was my first holiday on my own and I decided to make it an activity holiday and chose horse riding.  I’d looked at various venues but kept coming back to Tuscany and to Franco’s Farm in particular.

Everything about the place appealed to me and I was not disappointed, in fact this is one of the best holidays I have ever experienced.  From the location, the horses, the food and especially the people – everything was just wonderful.

The farmhouse is 1,000 years old and has lots of character.  From the outset the welcome you receive from Raimonda, Franco and the rest of the “gang” is warm, open and friendly and they do their best to make you feel at home.

The mealtimes are based around the needs of the horses and food is only served when they have been dealt with.  The food is plentiful and incredibly tasty (I have never eaten so many different flavours of pasta); each meal was a joy and the chianti plentiful.

Everybody eats together at large tables and there is an abundance of laughter and good-natured leg pulling.

Groups are organised through ability and even beginners are catered for.  The guides are very experienced and choose routes to suite abilities but which also present challenges and take the riders to places where they are able to take in the magnificent scenery.  You ride through forests and up mountains.  The views are breathtaking and every time you think they can’t get better, you are amazed by the next view.

Sometimes in the evening Franco and Sam would tune up their guitars and we would all join in the singing or humming if you didn’t know the words.  These nights were just magical.

The last day is taken up with a picnic at a very picturesque lake.  Groups that have been on various treks all meet up for a swim and a sumptious picnic under the shade of the trees and catch up on all their adventures.  Everyone then treks home together on various types of terrain even going through a river at one point!

This was a wonderful ending to a perfect holiday!

I would recommend The Farmhouse to anyone who wants to experience the magic of horse riding through the beautiful Tuscan countryside with like-minded people.  The farmhouse might have basic facilities but this is far outweighed by the quality and warmth of the welcome, the wealth of experience of Franco, Steph and the rest of the grooms and the quality of the horses and riding experiences.

I will definitely be returning to the Farmhouse and I hope to see you there.

Read more about this ride here: Farmhouse Tuscany Ride