“Beginner to advanced - improve your riding”
8 Day Individually Tailored Horse Riding and Training Holiday, Coutras near Bordeaux, S-W France
Harris Horses, Ecurie Guillot, Coutras, CA Libournais, Le Nord-Libournais, Libourne, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Horse Riding and Training Holiday in France - All Levels Welcome
This program is designed for anyone who wants to learn the correct way of riding and handling horses, or upgrade their riding skills, and build confidence. Riding takes place as a morning and an afternoon sessions. They will teach you how to prepare the horse for riding - grooming, foot care, tacking up. How to lunge your horse in preparation for riding, all levels of mounted skills covered - from beginner to advanced, the process of groundwork and control in all paces, dressage, polework and jumping. Take care of your horse after your lesson - untack, wash off and turn the horse out into the paddock.The lessons take place in either their smaller indoor arena - perfect for beginners, novice and more timid riders to start in a closed and very controlled environment. The lessons are 1 on 1 and the focus is entirely on the single rider, or they can take place in the our large outdoor arena - perfect for more experienced and confident riders. The arena is great for practicing dressage, riding polework, and for jumping. Maximum 2 riders per session. Joining this program your hosts will discuss each individuals experience, their hopes for the week with them, and their future ambitions as a rider. The program is designed especially for each individual.
Meet the instructors
Jackie & Johnny
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Highlights
- 10 sessions of horse riding, individual or shared with another rider of the same level
- Learn to lunge, and prepare yourself and your horse for each training session
- Approximate daily riding time: your 10 sessions can be spread out as required
- Kind and well-mannered horses
- Understanding and handling your horse
- Caring for your horse after riding, individual clear training plan for each rider
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily meals, all food requirements are available
Skill level
- Beginner
Styles
5 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: French
Group size: Maximum of 3 participants
Airport transfer available:
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (US$ 84 per person)
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (US$ 84 per person)
Airport transfer available:
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (US$ 84 per person)
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (US$ 84 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
14:30
Check-out Time:
10:30
Facilities
- Horse riding
- Dining area
- Kitchen
- Lounge
- Special menu request
- Terrace
- Laundry
Guests are accommodated on the ground floor of our lovely modern house. Bedroom 1 is a studio apartment with an en-suite bathroom and a shower with a king-size bed and a sofa bed. There is air conditioning, and a fridge for keeping your wine cool! There is a spacious terrace for relaxing and sunbathing, which stretches to the salt swimming pool and a hot tub.
There is a second bedroom, with a separate adjacent bathroom, so the accommodation is perfect for 2/3 guests. All bed linen and towels are provided. Hair dryer, room heater, or room cooler. Individual/solo travelers are very welcome.
Program
The basic itinerary for the week:
Day 1 - Arrival day
- Arrival is normally after lunch, settle in.
- Meet the horses.
- If time allows - there could be a short assessment training session.
This course offers 10 training sessions to be taken over the week.
They can be flexible with lesson times to accommodate any other activities that you would like to participate in.
In times of extreme heat, all riding will take place in the mornings.
Day 2 and 3
- 8.30 Breakfast.
- 10.00 Riding / training session.
- 12.00 Lunch. Your hosts will suggest recommendations/ideas for where to go for lunch.The local town - Coutras, is 5 minutes away by car. There are cafes, salad bars and a there is a large supermarket. For guests without a car, they can transport you or offer a light lunch here.
- 15:00 Riding / training session PM
- 17:00 Finish
- 19.30 Drinks and evening meal
Day 4
- Day off to explore the local area.
- 8.30 Breakfast.
- 10.30 Leave for St Emilion. Explore this beautiful and historic town - home to some of the best wines in the world! Enjoy a long and leisurely lunch, and in the afternoon take a wine tour and tasting, around one of the many stunning Chateaux.
- They can help with booking, and transport if required.
Day 5
- 8.30 Breakfast
- 10.00 Riding / training session
- 12.00 Lunch. Your hosts will suggest recommendations/ideas for where to go for lunch.The local town - Coutras, is 5 minutes away by car. There are cafes, salad bars and a there is a large supermarket. For guests without a car, they can transport you or offer a light lunch here.
- 15.00 Riding / training session
- 17.00 Finish
- 19.30 Drinks and evening meal
Day 6.
- 8.30 Breakfast
- 10.00 Riding / training session AM
- 12.00 Lunch. Your hosts will suggest recommendations/ideas for where to go for lunch.The local town - Coutras, is 5 minutes away by car. There are cafes, salad bars and a there is a large supermarket. For guests without a car, they can transport you or offer a light lunch here.
- 15.00 Riding / training session PM
- 17.00 Finish
- 19.00 Trip out to a local French restaurant, there will be a mid range price (approx 30.00 EUR per head) - guests are responsible for cost of their meal. The transport is free of charge.
Day 7
- 8.30 Breakfast.
- 10.00 Riding / training session AM
- 12.00 Lunch. Your hosts will suggest recommendations/ideas for where to go for lunch.The local town - Coutras, is 5 minutes away by car. There are cafes, salad bars and a there is a large supermarket. For guests without a car, they can transport you or offer a light lunch here.
- 15:00 Riding / training session
- 17.00 Finish
- 19.30 Drinks and evening meal
Day 8
- 8.30 Breakfast
- Depart 11.00. Hope to see you again soon!
Instructors
Jackie Harris
Jackie is a fun and motivating instructor with over 30 years experience of teaching riders of all levels. Before moving to France, Jackie managed the very successful Basingdene Equestrian Centre in the South of England. As well as a busy riding school, this dynamic center trained BHS students and young competition riders. The Petersfield Pony Club had regular rallies and coaching here and in 2000, their show jumping team were the national champions - with Jackie as their trainer.
Johnny Harris
Johnny is one of the original 12 coaches that were personally selected by Lars Sederholm to spearhead the new training teams. He has huge experience as a top-level competition rider. Together with his wife Jackie, he has bred, trained, and produced numerous horses for sport. Johnny has been coaching riders for over 30 years and continues to travel back to the UK on a regular basis to teach at various centers in the South of England.
Location
Harris Horses is situated in a peaceful area of the countryside, four kilometers from Coutras, South West France. Coutras has a mainline train station and is close to the A89 motorway, which travels across Aquitaine from Bordeaux. The center of Coutras is 50 minutes from the Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) and the same from Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC).
Under 20 minutes drive from our horse farm in Coutras lies the charming and historic town of Saint-Émilion. Surrounded by stunning Chateaux and thousands of hectares of some of the most famous vineyards in the world.
Wine tours and tasting can be booked online, there is a "road train" and you can hire bikes (with or without power) or even a Segway!
It is a wonderful place for a classic French lunch...there are many excellent eateries, ranging from bustling terrace cafés to 3 Michelin starred restaurants. After lunch, visit one of the numerous wine shops for tasting and learning about the local wines from their English-speaking staff, they can also ship the wine all over the World at competitive prices.
The fabulous city of Bordeaux was featured in the Sunday Times' "Big Weekend Break" and is becoming one of Europe’s top city destinations. The city also has an excellent feature in The Wayfarer travel magazine.
The spectacular Atlantic coast of SW France is world famous for its surf and beaches. The resorts are located just one hour and 45 minutes drive from Harris Horses. Lacanau and Biscarrosse are the big surfing hubs, with the annual Championships held every August. The stunning sand beaches stretch over 200 kilometers from Biarritz to Royan and beyond. In the calm waters of the horseshoe bay of Arcachon and Cap Ferret, you will find the Dune de Pyla - the biggest sand dune in Europe.
Distances
- Coutras for shopping, small restaurants, train station - 5 minutes
- St Emilion for wine tasting, Chateaux tours, outdoor cafes, and high-end restaurants - 20 minutes
- St Seurin sur L'Isle for canoeing and kayaking - 20 minutes
- Libourne for Lake amusement park, pizza, and restaurants - 20 minutes
- Bordeaux for City exploring, Wine museum, restaurants, cultural displays, theatre, cinema, etc. - 50 minutes
- Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC) - 50 minutes
- Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) - 1 hour
- West Coast beaches for Arcachon, Lacaneau, Biscarrosse, and numerous small beaches. Also cycling in the many pine forests - 1 hour and 30 minutes
Food
On this holiday, daily breakfast is provided - either cooked or continental. The evening meal is served either in the main room of the house or on the terrace. All meals are cooked using fresh local ingredients and any dietary requirements can be catered for. There is a huge variety of local salad, fish, meat, fabulous fresh bread from the village Boulangerie, and delicious French patisserie - as only the French can do. Of course, you can have a glass of local wine and the choice is endless. Please note that lunch is not normally provided, except by arrangement. Please send an inquiry for more information.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Pescatarian
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
Additional riding
Additional riding can be booked, subject to availability. The cost is 70 EUR per hour individual. 65 EUR per hour shared with another rider.
Explore the local area
Lunch is usually the main meal of the day in France, so an opportunity to visit local restaurants is one not to be missed. There are some restaurants that can be visited in the local town of Coutras. For a real treat, you can visit Saint-Émilion and have traditional lunch in the outside cafes, sitting in the warm sunshine with moules-frites and a glass of ice-cold local rose - perfect. Harris Horses is very flexible and can adjust times to suit riders who wish to take trips out to visit local attractions.
There are a number of excursions that Harris Horses can arrange for you including a Chateau visit and wine tasting, a visit to Bordeaux, an afternoon at the spa, or a trip to a regional horse show to see International Show Jumping. During the summer months, an afternoon at the lake - swimming, and trying the inflatable obstacle course. Or a gentle paddle down the gorgeous river in a kayak or double canoe. The fabulous city of Bordeaux is also a must-see.
It has beautiful historic buildings, busy roadside cafes, and a very cheap tram system to get around. The new Wine Museum shows the whole wine-making process from start to finish with a very modern twist. The riverside walkway is a great place to stroll and then stop for a coffee or lunch at one of the many snack bars along the way. In addition, all along the coast of Dune de Pyla, there are fabulous seafood restaurants and relaxing seaside cafes that you can visit.
You can also visit the smaller and less well-known beaches of Hourtin and Carcans which are just delightful, relaxed, and generally quieter. Traveling a little further away is the historic walled Citadel of Blaye which guards the mouth of the huge Gironde estuary and the stunning Chateau de Vayres in Libourne is well worth an afternoon out.
Local spa and Hotel in St Emilion
Massage and beauty treatments are also available. Harris Horses is in partnership with a local masseuse Aude who will come to the house by arrangement. She offers an excellent sports massage - fantastic for those sore riding muscles.
Other extra activities
Harris Horses can assist with booking extra activities, for example, a wine tour, a table in a local restaurant for lunch, canoeing on the river, etc. These excursions are not included in your package but can be arranged for you if required.
What's included
- 10 sessions of riding
- Handling horses, grooming, caring for the hooves, and preparing a horse for riding
- Ground skills - lunging and general managing the horse in hand
- Untacking, washing the horse down, and after-work general care
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily breakfast and evening meal
- All taxes
What's not included
- Flights
- Airport transfers
- Car hire (if required)
- Charges for excursions
- Lunches (except by arrangement)
- Individual travel insurance
- Additional ridings
How to get there
Recommended Airports
BOD
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
49 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 84 per person
EGC
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport
59 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 84 per person
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) or Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC) where you can hire a car. Guests not wishing to hire a car can take the tram from Merignac Airport to Gare St Jean in the center of Bordeaux, where they can take a local train to Coutras. Alternatively, Harris Horses can provide airport transfers at a charge of 80 EUR each way. Please note that guests are responsible for their own flights, train journeys, and transfers.
Arrival by train
The fast TGV from Paris travels directly to Bordeaux, where you can hire a car or take a local train to Coutras. There is another which continues to Perigord, via Libourne where you can hire a car or Harris Horses can arrange a pick-up.
Airport: Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
Airport transfer available:
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (US$ 84 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Airport: Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport
Airport transfer available:
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (US$ 84 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 28 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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