7 Days "Working with Horses" Horse Riding Holiday Spain

During this horse riding holiday, you will either stay in a basic casita (like a little dormitory with two single beds) or caravan accommodation with shared cooking and bathroom facilities. The accommodation is normally a sharing twin bedroom with another although a private bedroom can be arranged when available. The accommodation provides bed linen, towels, etc.

The kitchen is shared with some of the farm help too. There is no hot water in the kitchen so that you need to boil the water to wash up. There is also an outside compost toilet and a hot shower in a separate building which is used by all on the ranch. Normally, there is a minimum of 6 other people staying.

However, if you prefer to choose accommodation near the ranch and come up each day for your riding and tuition, you would not have to part take in the volunteer work. Obviously, you would then pay for the accommodation you have chosen. Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre can help you choose accommodation near the ranch.

Day 1

You will wake up and have breakfast before 07:30. Thereafter, you will feed, water, hay the horses, as well as muck out. After that, you will enjoy your coffee break at 10:00.

Then, you will tack up horses for a 2-hour trail ride and ride out with the guide. Afterward, you need to untack the horses plus wash down followed by having lunch. Again, you need to bareback back the horses from the meadow followed by feeding the horses at 16:00-ish.

At 18:00, you may be free to explore the rest of the day such as taking out the horse to explore the area on a horseback, walking down the mule track to town, working on a horse in a school, etc.

Day 2

Today, you will have 6 hours of helping out including helps with children lessons, schooling new horses, and walking dogs. There will be a one-hour lesson and one hour of 'joinup lesson'. At 18:00, you may be free to explore the rest of the day.

Day 3

For approximately 5 hours, you will help out including helps with tacking-up for the ride, schooling new horses, cook dinner, plus a fast trail ride. At 18:00, you will be free to explore the rest of the day.

Day 4

Today will be your day off.

Day 5

For approximately 6 hours, you will help out plus one hour lesson, one hour hack.

Day 6

Today will be your day off.

Day 7

For approximately 5 hours, you will help out plus enjoy your choice activities such as jumping lesson / dressage lesson or riding out or exploring on horseback.

Note: This is a very rough itinerary and you will ride up to higher altitudes (2,400 meters). Also, your accommodation and food are provided in an exchange for your work each day. Thus, you are basically volunteer working in exchange for your food and lodge.

The horses

The horses are fully trained to be ridden either Western style or traditional style. They are mainly purebred Andalucian & Andalucian and Arab crosses as well as Cobs and ponies. The heights of the horses available are between 12 hands and 17 hands. Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre has a wide choice of horses of varying ages to suit the beginner and advanced rider for the horse riding holiday in Spain. In this case, horses suitable for complete beginners to experienced riders are available and your hosts will ensure that you are placed on treks with riders of similar experience levels.

Other information

• The weight limit is 80 kilograms / 12.5 stones / 176 pounds.
• Type of tacks that are used are mainly English tack and some Western saddles.
• There are no special health requirements although you will be asked your level of fitness. Thus, Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre can plan the appropriate number of hours in the saddle.
• There are plenty of opportunities to canter or gallop. Although the terrain is mountainous, Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre has ensured the route gives opportunities on each and every ride (if you are already competent at the walk, trot, and canter).
• The horse ride can accommodate single guests.

Lanjaron is famous for its water springs which are dotted all over the hills. Many Spanish come here to drink the water which is said to contain minerals for eternal youth. The towns in the surrounding area are heavily influenced by Gothic and Moorish architecture. While out on the hills, you will be surrounded by almond, olive, and citrus groves which are still tended to by ‘man and his mule’. This area of Spain really is steeped in history and rich in culture.

The stables are situated on a small plateau at a height of 1,023 meters above the spa town of Lanjaron in the Las Alpujarras region of Andalucia, close to Granada, Spain. Wonderful views of the surrounding countryside, hills, and Sierra Nevada Mountains are evident in all directions. You can even see the coastline of Africa on a clear day.

Since 1980, Lanjaron has celebrated Midsummer’s Eve in honor of San Juan Bautista (John the Baptist) with its Fiesta del Agua y del Jamon (Water and Ham Festival) although the ham aspect has been overshadowed over the years by the liquid element. At the stroke of midnight on 23 June, the small mountain village erupts into the greatest water fight in Spain and maybe even the world.

Furthermore, Lanjaron is the perfect destination for this crazy water war. Locals make sure they park their cars out of town in anticipation of the liquid onslaught that attracts revelers from all over the country and further afield. At midnight, participants take to the streets armed with buckets, water pistols, and anything else they can get their hands on. Total strangers soak each other to the skin while ladies spray the crowd with hose pipes from the safety of their balconies, filling up their buckets in the process.

By the time the whistle blows at the end of the fight, there is a river running through the streets and all are soaked to the bone. After a quick change of clothes, the cerveza starts pouring, fireworks fill the sky and the real party begins. Over the next few days, revelers celebrate the calm after the storm with a feast of mouthwatering Jamon (ham) and another product for which Lanjaron is renowned.

Only its ruins remain over a rocky promontory near to the town. It is located about 600 meters of altitude. Its location was superb because on one hand, it dominated the access road to the Alpujarra and on the other, the one that communicated Granada with the coast. The castle was surrounded by a wall defended by two great towers of rubblework, one to the north, semi-circular, and another one to the south.

Fernando, the Catholic King, conquered the town in 1490. Its Moorish inhabitants rebelled again in 1500, a revolt that was controlled by the Christians after an epic defense. The captain who defended the place preferred to throw himself from a tower before surrender. It participated in an active way against the Napoleonic troops in the Independence War and its inhabitants received the qualifying name of “canoneros” since then. The castle is currently being renovated.

Nearby places

• Federico García Lorca Airport (GRX) - 45 minutes

Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre will provide you with the food for breakfasts and lunches which they ask you to prepare for yourselves. Everyone will take turns to make evening meals and you will be supplied you with the basic ingredients and a mostly vegetarian diet. Normally, you will have breakfast before 8 a.m. and start working just after.

Although the meals will be provided, Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre offers a ‘stop to shop’ service with transfers where you can go to a large city supermarket if you would like to shop for one hour before arriving at your accommodation. The transfer costs an additional of 10 EUR for this service.

• 3 and 4 days of trekking
• 4-WD offroad adventures in the Sierra Nevada and the Alpujarras with 4WD Sierra
• Countryside exploration by horse
• Full trail rides
• Granada exploration
• Harley-Davidson motorcycle riding in the beautiful and diverse landscape of Andalucia with Thunder Road Tours
• High-level trekking in the Sierra Nevada and the Pyrenees
• Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada
• One-day cheese-making workshop
• Relax on the beach
• Ski touring in the Sierra Nevada
• Snowshoeing in the Sierra Nevada
• Visit to Orgiva
• Walking to Alpujarras and the Sierra Nevada
• Wonderful nature and bird life experience with Alpujarras birdwatching and nature

• 2 day-offs
• 6 nights' lodging
• Breakfasts, lunches, and dinner
• Daily 2 hours of horse riding lessons
• Daily 5-hour working on the ranch (mucking out, cleaning tack, exercising horses, helping with children’s lessons, etc.)
• Trekking out, schooling horses, and stable management sessions

• Airport transfer

Driving directions from Lanjaron

• Head towards Motril and the coast from Granada.
• Follow the signs to Lanjaron.
• Turn right onto the bypass upon reaching the village.
• Notice a Repsol Petrol Station on your left-hand side just before leaving Lanjaron. At 600 meters past the Repsol garage, there is a left-hand turn with the sign "Caballo Blanco" in the bank.
• Turn left up this steep concrete track.
• Continue up for 15 minutes, following the signs to Caballo Blanco.
• Go under a bridge on a third of the way up to the Ranch.
• Keep left after the bridge. The last sign is on a sharp right-hand bend by a white rock.
• Head down the track and park where you see the other cars below.

Arrival by airplane

Federico García Lorca Airport (GRX) is only 45 minutes away. You can fly there by using British Airways from London City Airport (LCY). If you are coming out on a long weekend, Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre strongly recommends this airport to maximize your time with them. Caballo Blanco Horse Riding & Trekking Centre can also organize a transfer from Federico García Lorca Airport (GRX) at an additional cost of 45 EUR each way per car for up to 4 persons.

• A reservation requires a deposit of 16% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.