8 Days Wonderful Horse Riding Training in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

You will be accommodated in a studio apartment on-site attached to the family home. It has an en-suite bathroom and shower with a double bed and a sofa bed. The accommodation is a two bedroom apartment, so each guest will have a private bedroom. There are also fridge and tea / coffee making facilities. There is a spacious terrace for relaxing and sunbathing. Hair dryer is provided and clothes washing can be done by request.

Overview

This riding package is about improving your ability to communicate with your horse and developing your skills as a rider. Harris Horses will discuss your experience and ambitions, then create a special program for you. All levels of rider are welcome (from beginner to advanced). The minimum age is 14 years old.

Intensive training

The intensive training is for individuals or pairs of riders which offers 10 sessions of riding. The lessons will take place in the morning and the afternoon, and are individual or shared with one other rider of similar ability. Additional sessions can be booked if required. The lessons will be approximately one hour but if preferred, the riding can be condensed to five sessions of one and a half hours.

That can be an ideal option for a guest with a non-riding partner as this will allow a plenty of time each day for exploring this wonderful region especially those long French lunches! Furthermore, the lessons will be both fun and challenging, but the primary aim is always to build confidence which develops a calm, relaxed, and positive rider, while the focus is always on sensitive and correct riding technique with the aim of developing trust with better communication and clear instructions.

The horses

You will ride Harris Horses’ ex-competition horses through higher level flatwork, poles and basic grids, and onto jumping exercises and course riding. Harris Horses’ experienced horses are light in the mouth and fabulously schooled. They will introduce their riders to the importance of solid basics and higher level flatwork. Show Jumping is Harris Horses’ specialty and the horses have all competed at a high level in show jumping, but they will happily trot poles and "pop" small jumps when working with less experienced riders.

Harris Horses works at developing a strong and effective position, learning how to balance and control your horse through flatwork and pole exercises, and then onto riding courses confidently with a clear plan - the key to successful competing! Shorter programs are also available and can be booked on a daily basis from two to six days. Also available is a longer-term program, with or without your own horse, by arrangement.

The coaches

You will get top class instruction from Johnny Harris who is an ex-international show jumping rider and the elite UK show jumping coach and Jackie Harris, a motivational trainer and instructor with over 30 years experience. They will discuss your individual experience, ambitions, and aims, then create a bespoke program for you. Jumping is their specialty - Harris Horses' wonderful schoolmaster horses are very experienced, well trained and obedient - ensuring you develop confidence and improve skills.

Harris Horses is situated in a peaceful area of countryside near Coutras, South West France and only 50 minutes from the Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) and Bordeaux city center. Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC) is also 50 minutes drive away. Under 20 minutes’ drive from Coutras, the charming town of Saint-Émilion can offer hours of entertainment. Restaurants ranging from bustling terrace café to a Michelin starred restaurant, as well as numerous wine shops for tasting and learning from their (many English-speaking) staff. There, you will also find a modern spa with friendly English-speaking staff.

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. For those who want to feel the coastal life of France, the beach resorts and beaches of the Atlantic coast are located just one hour and 45 minutes' drive from Harris Horses. Lacanau and Biscarrosse are big surfing hubs and the spectacular sand beaches stretch 200 kilometers from Biarritz to Royan and beyond. Furthermore, in the horseshoe bay of Arcachon, you will find the Dune de Pyla which is the biggest sand dune in Europe.

Nearby places

• Bordeaux - 50 minutes
• Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) - 50 minutes
• Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC) - 50 minutes
• Saint-Émilion - 20 minutes' drive

In this holiday, breakfast is provided and dinner is served either in the main room of the house or at 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.

Additional riding lessons

You can get additional riding lesson which will cost 65 GBP per person for an hour of an individual session or 45 GBP per person for a shared session. Please note that this additional program is subject to availability. Shorter programs are also available and can be booked on a daily basis from two to six days. Also available is a longer-term program, with or without your own horse, by arrangement.

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 Chateau visit and wine tasting, a visit to Bordeaux, afternoon at the spa, horse racing at La Teste de Buche or La Bouscat, or a trip to a regional horse show to see International Show Jumping.

The fabulous city of Bordeaux is also a must see. It has beautiful historic buildings, busy roadside cafes, and 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 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

There is a spa and treatment center in nearby Saint-Émilion. Brochures are available and bookings can be arranged on request. Please send an inquiry for more information.

• 10 sessions of riding (approximately one hour per session, individual or shared with one other rider)
• Transport from and to local excursions
• Daily breakfast and evening meal
• 7 nights’ accommodation
• Tax

• Flights from and to either Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) or Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC)
• Transfers from and to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) or Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC)
• Individual travel insurance
• Charges for excursions
• Lunch (except by arrangement)
• Car hire (if required)

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD) or Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport (EGC). Transfer from and to these airports is available upon request.

Please note that guests are responsible for their own flights and transfers. However, Harris Horses can provide transfer at a charge of 80 GBP each way for guests not wishing to hire a car.

• 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.