“Improve your horse riding skills in Portugal”
13 Day Intensive Horse Riding Training Program in Esposende, Cavado
Hotel Suave Mar, Avenida Engenheiro Eduardo Arantes e Oliveira, Esposende, Braga District, Cávado, Norte Region, Portugal
Portugal Horse Riding Training
For those of you who enjoy competing, Portugal Equestrian offers you this amazing horse riding competition program! During this program, you will be guided by professional instructors in improving your horse riding skills in a world-class facility. More than that, if you feel confident, you can test your horse riding skills in the competition that will be held in the middle of your stay. This is the ideal holiday for those who want to improve their horse-riding skill!
Key Information
- Rider Weight Limit: 210 pounds / 90 kilograms
- Horse Height Range: 16.2 to 15.3 hands
- Tack Type: English tack
- Horse Breed: Lusitano, Dutch, French, and German warmbloods
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- 10 days of horse riding
- 20 riding lessons
- A chance to join a horse riding competition
- Classical dressage and show jumping
- Working equitation and combined training
- 12 nights of accommodation
- Daily meals and drinks
Skill level
- Intermediate
Styles
10 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: French, German, Portuguese
Accommodation
During this holiday, you will be staying at the Suave Mar Hotel which is located on the beachfront.
Program
This program includes 20 lessons over 10 days with the option to participate in a competition, held during the middle of your stay. Participation in the event is entirely optional and you may wish only to observe and enjoy the atmosphere of the competition, the decision will be yours to make. Upon your arrival, you will be given a small introduction to the center and you will have time to relax and enjoy the hotel and its surroundings. You will enjoy lessons, generally taken in the mornings, giving you the afternoon free. There is a maximum of two riders per lesson.
Horses
Portugal Equestrian is home to more than 90 horses, combining their own and private livery. The welfare of the horses is paramount and the overall main priority. Portugal Equestrian has a wide selection of horses available for both dressage and show jumping. For dressage, they mainly offer lessons on beautiful Lusitano horses up to Prix St. Georges Level, and in the jumping, they use a variety of Portuguese, Dutch, French, and German warmbloods jumping up to 1.35-meter level.
All of the horses are ridden with English tack. To guarantee your satisfaction during your stay with Portugal Equestrian, it is key to match the right rider with the right horse. Horses and riders will be matched based on information obtained from you during the initial one-on-one session where you discuss your previous experiences as well as your goals for your stay with Portugal Equestrian to find the perfect horse for you.
Arrival
It is preferable that the day of arrival be Sunday and begin instruction on Monday. They are also happy to organize any extra sports or cultural activities you may wish to do. Check their extra activities.
Note
For 2024, the duration is 12 days and 11 nights, while for 2025, it is 13 days and 12 nights.
Instructors
João Barros
João has won eight national titles as a coach and competed in more than 100 international competitions up to 1.40-meter level. He speaks Portuguese and English.
Antonio Portela Carneiro
Antonio is a professional rider who has twice been crowned national champion in show jumping. He has represented Portugal at the WEGs in Aachen and European Championships in Mannheim as well as in numerous nations' cups. He speaks Portuguese and English.
Silvio Teixeira
Silvio is a Brazilian native and professional rider who has ridden in more than 200 international competitions. He is currently one of the most competitive riders on the Portuguese show jumping circuit. He speaks Portuguese.
Miguel Santos
Miguel is a professional rider and devoted trainer who competes at the top national level. He speaks Portuguese and English.
Anna Lindberg
Anna is a Swedish native and professional rider who has competed up to 1.60 meters international GP level. She speaks Swedish, English, and Portuguese.
Location
The training will take place in Esposende, Norte Region, Portugal. The hotel is only five minutes from the equestrian center of Esposende, with fantastic sea views and a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. On the other hand, the north of Portugal has a huge variety of leisure and cultural offerings that combined with the hospitable spirit and excellent gastronomy guarantee an unforgettable vacation.
Esposende
Esposende, like many small towns in Portugal, has a long and ancient history. There is much archaeological evidence of this time - from the Stone Age through to the Roman occupation, although you might not see very much today. The town has been important as it is strategically situated between Oporto to the south and Vigo, in Spain, to the north. Esposende has a long maritime tradition and people from Esposende were amongst the first to cross the Atlantic to Brazil and return to Portugal as "Brazileiros de torna viagem" - literally meaning, Brazilians make the trip.
Nowadays, you are more likely to find and enjoy the various small town squares with their cafes and the stunning sandy beaches, which have long been appreciated by Portuguese holiday-makers and today are being increasingly appreciated by foreign tourists. To the north of the town is the nature reserve - The Natural Park of the North Coast - a large area covering some 1,200 hectares and famous for its wetland areas and beautiful coastal sand dunes.
It was the need to protect these magnificent sand dunes, that led to the creation of the protected area you see today. During the migration period of spring and autumn, this becomes a prime spot for bird watching. Further inland, lush pine forests surround the town. Esposende offers a wealth of activities and culture all year round for non-riding partners and families with many traditional restaurants famous for their seafood, bars, and cafes offering good food and live music. It is easy to find something to do in the evenings.
Distances
- Equestrian center of Esposende - 5 minutes
Food
Half-board accommodation is included so lunches will be provided on the riding days as well as daily morning snacks and soft drinks during morning time at the stables, not at the hotel.
The following meals are included:
- Lunch
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
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 lesson (per riding lesson) - 100 EUR
- Boat trip
- Canyoning
- Cellars visit
- Kitesurfing
- Port wine tasting
- Riverside walking
- Wine tasting
- Upgrade to private lessons (per riding lesson) - 30 EUR
What's included
- 20 riding lessons
- 12 nights accommodation
- Lunches during riding days
- Morning snacks and soft drinks
- Transfers to and from the hotel
- High-performance English-speaking instructors
- Horse equipment
- Individual locker
- Wi-Fi
- Program supervisor
What's not included
- Airport transfers
- Airfare
- All dinners and additional meals and drinks
- Personal expenses
How to get there
Recommended Airports
OPO
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport
35 km
Transfer not provided
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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