Description
This beautiful rural property is set in the heart of Provence in France and is a mere 40-minute drive from Marseille Airport. The stables were opened in 1987, where Hay de Crau AOC was originally produced and now is dedicated to the breeding of Lusitanian horses and sport horses.
The renowned stud farm is set in beautiful extensive grounds which are home to around 60 horses. The stud farm was founded by your hosts 50 years ago and initially the focus was on breeding highly rideable Lusitanos. In later years, the family have chosen to develop their breeding programme to include crossbreeding with active warmblood Grand Prix stallions. Now, there are offspring who are sired from, among others, the two-time world champion Glamourdale (successfully ridden by Charlotte Fry) and Jovian (ridden by Patrik Kittel).The goal is to breed horses that, in addition to being highly rideable, also have excellent gaits to compete with world-class dressage horses.
Proof of their successful breeding is liberty rider and world artist Alizée Froment, who has performed all over the world in big arenas with her two stallions, Sultan and Mistral du Coussoul. Both come from the stud farm, and Mistral still contributes to the birth of more fantastic individuals.
Riding guests can enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the farm while refining their horsemanship skills. Lessons are suited to your ability with a maximum of 2 riders in each group to allow for plenty of personal attention.
When you arrive, your hosts will discuss with you what you would like to achieve during your stay and you will be matched with a suitable horse. They have up to nine horses of varying ages and levels - these are not your typical riding school horses and each has its own personality and charms. Your hosts also use liberty work in the training of their young horses - this is very important to introduce a calm, mature approach to training. One or two of your sessions will be taken either on the ground, working with your horse using liberty techniques, or you can opt for a gentle trail through the estate instead. Although the focus is on dressage training, they encourage whole horsemanship and going for a gentle trail or working with your horse on the ground are important steps in ensuring the horses are well-rounded and relaxed.
From a young age, the horses that are bred here are trained to become confident riding horses. Alicia often takes umbrellas and tarpaulins out to the large paddocks where they have a wonderful upbringing. This is so they get used to handling new things early on and become confident individuals. The horses are raised in large paddocks with companions so they can develop their muscles and tendons, all to create the foundation for a sustainable horse. About ten foals are born each year, so if you are interested in buying a young horse, there are great opportunities here.
The facility has a smaller indoor arena and two large outdoor arenas.
