Horsemanship and trail riding holiday in Tuscany
| country: | Italy |
| location: | Tuscany |
| departures: | 2010: 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 17 Apr, 20 Apr, 24 Apr, 1 May, 4 May, 8 May, 15 May, 18 May, 22 May, 29 May, 1 Jun, 5 Jun, 12 Jun, 15 Jun, 19 Jun, 26 Jun, 29 Jun, 3 Jul, 10 Jul, 17 Jul, 24 Jul, 31 Jul |
| price: | From €1200 (8 days) excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The local trekking centre offers an exciting combination of alternative horse training and riding lessons (bareback riding, riding in rope halters with no bit ect) followed by afternoon trail rides through the beautiful Tuscan countryside, fascinating and rich in art, history and traditions.
Everyone can benefit from these horsemanship lessons utilizing equine pyschology, versus the often used fear and intimidation techniques, the time invested pays huge dividends quickly by increasing one's enjoyment in all disciplines of riding. Our general horsemanship lessons in defensive riding, bareback and bitless riding, groundwork and le-trek make the sport safer and lead to a more rewarding relationship with the horse..
This secluded estate, operates a hands off yet courteous service, resulting in a truly relaxed friendly atmosphere. For the adventurous this environment provides the perfect platform for some fantastic hiking and expertly guided horseriding with your hosts. Guests stay in Tuscan style appartments which have been recently refurbished. They provide a luxurious and private sanctuary far from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The appartments are strategically nestled among the oaks or perched among the junipers on the hillsides well spaced from one another. Meals are taken with your hosts in the restaurant at Iano (walking distance) where the atmosphere is informal, relaxed and friendly. We provide breakfast supplies so you can make breakfast in your own appartment kitchens.
For wildlife lovers the area is rich with local fauna, wild boars and deer, fallow deer, badgers, weasels, hares, porcupines, squirrels and foxes are present in the area. It is also possible to find wolves, freshwater shrimps, frogs, two different species of newts and the Aesculapius' snake. Among the birds, it is worth mentioning: tawny owls, falcons, redwings, redstarts, woodpeckers and nuthatchs.
The exact schedule is kept flexible to meet individual needs, but includes 1 hour of ridden instruction, and one hour of groundwork/lunge lessons in the morning and 2-3 hours of trail riding in the afternoon for 5 days.You have one free day on Wednesday to see Florence or Volterra, and transfers to the station will be provided on this day.
Everyone can benefit from these horsemanship lessons utilizing equine pyschology, versus the often used fear and intimidation techniques, the time invested pays huge dividends quickly by increasing one's enjoyment in all disciplines of riding. Our general horsemanship lessons in defensive riding, bareback and bitless riding, groundwork and le-trek make the sport safer and lead to a more rewarding relationship with the horse..
This secluded estate, operates a hands off yet courteous service, resulting in a truly relaxed friendly atmosphere. For the adventurous this environment provides the perfect platform for some fantastic hiking and expertly guided horseriding with your hosts. Guests stay in Tuscan style appartments which have been recently refurbished. They provide a luxurious and private sanctuary far from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The appartments are strategically nestled among the oaks or perched among the junipers on the hillsides well spaced from one another. Meals are taken with your hosts in the restaurant at Iano (walking distance) where the atmosphere is informal, relaxed and friendly. We provide breakfast supplies so you can make breakfast in your own appartment kitchens.
For wildlife lovers the area is rich with local fauna, wild boars and deer, fallow deer, badgers, weasels, hares, porcupines, squirrels and foxes are present in the area. It is also possible to find wolves, freshwater shrimps, frogs, two different species of newts and the Aesculapius' snake. Among the birds, it is worth mentioning: tawny owls, falcons, redwings, redstarts, woodpeckers and nuthatchs.
The exact schedule is kept flexible to meet individual needs, but includes 1 hour of ridden instruction, and one hour of groundwork/lunge lessons in the morning and 2-3 hours of trail riding in the afternoon for 5 days.You have one free day on Wednesday to see Florence or Volterra, and transfers to the station will be provided on this day.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival and introduction. Your holiday starts with a short transfer from the airport at 16.30 to the farm. Dinner all together with your hosts outside on the terrace. |
| Day 2: | Philosophy behind Natural horsemanshipLesson: Learn the philosophy behind Natural Horsemanship and how it has improved communications between horses and their owners.Learn the basic techniques to sensitize and desensitize your horse to be less spooky and more confident. Learn ground techniques to move your horse’s feet to increase your horse’s respect for you as a leader. And what you learn on the ground, will transform to under the saddle. You will build on your ground techniques for a more confident ride Lunch in the clubhouse. Afternoon trail:Casterfalfi and Tondi: Castles and forest trails |
| Day 3: | One rein stops and confidence in the saddle. Lesson:Learn basic one-rein stops for confident control of your horse in any situation. Learn the techniques of riding with a loose rein and feel the confidence and trust build between you and your horse. Learn simple leg cues to move your horse off at a walk, trot, or canter and how your independent seat teaches a horse to stop without verbal command or reins. Lunch at Clubhouse.Afternoon trail:Vignale: the abandoned hamlet in the forest. |
| Day 4: | Sensitizing and DesensetizingLesson:Advanced sensitizing and desensitizing techniques. Learn techniques in circle driving, side passing and change of direction lunging with your horse. Advance your riding skills by learning techniques in lateral flexion at the walk, trot and canter. Afternoon ride:The Mysterious convent of San Vivaldo |
| Day 5: | RelaxDay of relaxation. You may choose to do some sightseeing in the beautiful art city of Florence, or Siena? |
| Day 6: | Behavioral problems Learn step-by-step methods of correcting behavioral problems such as spooking and shying, stall vices, saddling, blanketing and bridling issues, and learn good techniques to use with agressive horses, buckers and bolters.Work on flexation and defensive riding in the ring.We complete a small le trek style course out in the countryside, where you will be required to show a good working relationship with your horse. Afternoon ride:The ruins of Pietrina Sactuary |
| Day 7: | Bareback and BitlessLesson:Today the entire lesson will be completed bareback, with only a rope halter(no bit). Using the techniques you have learnt over the week, disocover the joy of riding your horse naturally. Afternoon ride:Villamagna and the Volterra hills with aperitif on the trail. Evening campfire with BBQ dinner to celebrate the week. |
| Day 8: | Departures, transfers and flights. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
The Equitrekking stables of Kiwi / Italian hosts Jess and Paolo is located 35 km west of Florence, and offers authentic & unique horseback trails and riding vacations through one of the most beautiful parts of Italy. We use horses that have been specifically chosen for the job at hand, tack that is designed for those who spend time in the saddle, and both our guides and ourselves have years of international experience in the equine industry. For us responsible travel also is all about the treatment of our most valued assets- our much loved horses . Our equine friends live out in established herds during the summer and the winter as we believe that it is important for our horse’s mental and physical well-being that they get time to 'be a horse' they need time to play, groom, roll and interact with other horses at some point during every day - this is the horses way of relaxing.
We do not keep our horses stabled 24/7 for convenience, they live as close to nature as is practical and this is what makes them happy, relaxed and a pleasure to handle and ride. The horse is not a machine, and this week is dedicated on far more than simply great Tuscan countryside riding.You will develop a bond with your horse this week, with mornings dedicated to the idea of enriching the experience between horse and rider by teaching the principles of good horsemanship from the ground through the saddle.We teach psychology between horse and rider and ground work to give the basis for effective communication when in the saddle, assist in improving riders skills by developing a balanced seat through relaxation mental imagery, and teach riders to assist in developing athletic movement in the horse through balance, flexion, collection and relaxation.
Responsible Travel is important to us. We have an environmental policy in place to make sure that the eco-system here is not damaged in any way. Our staff are trained to uphold this policy and are fully briefed on appropriate/responsible behavior whilst riding through wilderness areas. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to all trips. We are proud to be recommended by the Rough Guides "Clean Breaks" 2009 edition earlier this year. One of the greatest benefits that you will enjoy when you choose one of our rides is the intimate, exclusive experience that is not often found with trekking centres, pack outfits, working ranches or other trail rides where 12-50 riders are common. A smaller group means more personal attention, more privacy ,more individual space and minimizes the impact of horses on the environment. You won’t get lost in a crowd with us; group size is limited to 8 enthusiastic riders per ride. We use only locally owned transport, restaurants, shops and accommodation on our tours. The atmosphere at the farm is inspired by a genuine love of the local traditions of the places, people and culture that surrounds it. It has recently been completely restored and divided into country style apartments preserving original, rustic and farm-like characteristics. Community Many riding stables prefer to keep large strings of unhappy horses, their overhead dictating that each ride must be as large as possible in order to stay afloat. To us, that's not a good ride. So, we based our whole business on using great horses, well treated and well trained, and on giving great responsible travel service to the people who come ride with us. We use only locally owned transport, restaurants, shops and accommodation on our tours. The atmosphere at the farm is inspired by a genuine love of the local traditions of the places, people and culture that surrounds it. It has recently been completely restored and divided into country style apartments preserving original, rustic and farm-like characteristics. Food produce is local, and where possible organic and specialized to the area. Wine is produced on the very terrain you ride across, and is of a very good quality. Local staff that know the area well are hired. During this holiday you will meet real people, and experience the culture that many larger tourism outfitters neglect. . |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |