Horse Riding
We are a natural horsemanship establishment and believe in our horses comfort and well being at all times. Most of our horses are ridden in bitless bridles - but don't worry - this has only improved their behavior! We believe, from customer comments, that the riding here at Cortijo Los Lobos is hard to beat for terrain and views. We have open fields, cool shady pine forests, olive groves and streams. For any of you who are nervous of heights, don’t worry, there are no very steep, narrow mountain paths, all the tracks are wide and we don’t ride on roads, (with the odd exception of a quiet country road if it links one track to another). We cater for all abilities and you choose the speed you are comfortable with. Our horses are kind and sure footed and we will ensure that we find the right horse for you and your requirements.
We tend to concentrate on hacking as it is the perfect way to be at one with your horse and the surrounding countryside and wildlife. We are happy to teach beginners, but prefer to teach whilst out riding in the country side, as it is more enjoyable for both horse and rider. If you have never been on a horse before then don’t worry, we are more than happy to walk along with you to help you gain your confidence and learn the basics, though our horses are very good with beginners and you probably won’t need any help. We can take out mixed abilities at the same time, so if one of you wants to have a canter while the other stays in walk that is not a problem, and it means that you can enjoy your ride together instead of having to ride separately.
Our main clients are our riding holiday guests, but we can provide riding for anyone on holiday locally wishing to ride, or locals living here who would like to give it a try. We are not a busy riding school by any means, and never take out more than two rides a day, for our horses comfort.
We like our guests to feel that the horse we allocate them at the start of their holiday is theirs for their stay and they are welcome to care for them, grooming, tacking up etc., or if preferred we will do it all – the choice is yours, it is your holiday!
We are great fans of Monty Roberts here at Cortijo Los Lobos and use his methods for our training. We have a round pen and if you would like to have a go at “join up” we will be happy to give you a demo and let you try your hand.
Depending on the time of year we can arrange breakfast hacks, picnic hacks, hacks to include a meal at a restaurant and even moonlit hacks! Basically, if there is something you would like to do, just ask and we will do our best to arrange it.
We try to vary the routes from day to day to give you the chance to see all the surrounding countryside. The length of ride depends on the rider’s ability and the time of year. If it is very hot then we have to restrict the riding to early morning or evening, meaning that rides of 2 or 3 hours are the maximum. For cooler months we can do longer rides, with a stop for picnic or restaurant lunch.
*A 2 day ride, camping over night with the horses on a nearby mountain can also be arranged, subject to time of year. Please ask for details. (Experienced riders only)
Children
We can take children of all ages, and are happy to take out small children on a lead rein, or give a short ‘taster’ for toddlers in the arena. For hacking with parents we would normally stipulate a lower age limit of about 6 to 8 years but this will depend on the child and their riding ability. We have a lovely Shetland pony and gentle horses for smaller children. For young children who are competent riders, once we have judged their ability to be good enough on a lead rein hack we will let them ride un-led.
We also have chickens, 2 pet goats and a lamb, plus the usual family pets to make their stay more enjoyable. (We never allow our pets to become a nuisance to guests, we completely understand that not everyone likes animals) Children are welcome to help with feeding and collecting eggs etc. Obviously we ask that children are kept under adult supervision at all times as the pool and horses can be dangerous for very young children.
It is very important if you want to get the most out of your riding, and for safety, that you give us a truthful account of your riding abilities.
- Beginner:- A person with no experience of riding. (seaside donkey rides don’t count!)
- Novice:- A rider that is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, can apply the basic aids, is comfortable in walk, moderate length trots and short canters.
- Intermediate:- A rider that has a firm seat, is comfortable and in control at all paces (including trot, canter and gallop), is proficient at riding over more challenging terrain.
- Expert:- you should be able to ride all of the above and in addition with a balanced and independent seat, a soft hand and be confident to ride forward going, and in some cases, spirited horses.
We are happy to take all abilities, all we ask is that riders are fit enough to ride and do not weigh more than approx. 14 stone as our Spanish horses are all between 14 and 15.2hh.
Clothing
If you are on holiday and have come unprepared to ride then of course we do not expect you to be perfectly turned out. We do recommend that you wear long trousers for your own comfort, as the stirrups will pinch your legs if you wear shorts. Trainers or walking boots are fine as foot wear.
We do have some riding boots to lend if you are struggling for footwear, and a large selection of riding hats.
If you are coming on a riding holiday in the summer, you may find jodhpurs too hot so it is worth packing some lighter comfortable trousers such as combat trousers to wear just in case.
*We have water bottle carriers that clip to the saddles. If you are doing a long ride you may wish to bring a small bottle of water with you.
