Spain, Costa del Azahar

Finally! After many years of searching we are thrilled to be able to offer dressage on Friesian stallions. The fact that they are situated in a beautiful environment with great chances for sun, delicious local food and wine makes this trip even more amazing. This is a unique and exclusive opportunity where you both get to practice dressage and enjoy an unforgettable canter along the Spanish coastline at sunrise. Some of the programs also include yoga sessions tailored for horseback riders.

At the edge of Amposta, surrounded by the sea, the mountains, olive trees and organge groves, Oriol who practically was born on horseback has together with his brother established a lovely stud farm of Friesian horses. They are now the leading importers of Friesian horses to Spain and are well-renowned in the Friesian world.

On site Matilda from Sweden will be your guide. She is passionate about horses and about giving all guests a wow-experience, by also giving the guests a glimpse of the Spain that she loves. Matilda will be around for your whole stay and she will be translating the dressage lessons to English (or Swedish).

Dressage on fairytale horses + beautiful location and personal guide + local delicious food = bucket list experience!

Accommodation & Food

You stay in a family-owned hotel right by the sea and about 5 minutes from the riding facility. There are about 30 rooms. All rooms have sea views. Single room at no extra cost.

The lunches usually consist of a hearty salad with local produce, bread and drink that you can enjoy as a picnic outside or at the hotel. Most dinners are served at the hotel and consist of classic Spanish dishes with a local touch. 3-course meal including wine with meals.

The hotel is within walking distance to the cozy village of St Carlos de La Rapita and about 30 meters to the beach.

Program Dressage & Beach ride on Friesian horses

The riding lessons are fast-paced and offer a lot of trotting and canter. The riding instructor focuses on you getting to know the character of the Friesian horses and on finding the smile on the horse's back. You will also be helped to find a better and more conscious seat, through exercises on horseback and off. Some of the horses are young and good riding experience are desirable.

There will be a longer yoga session on arrival and then yoga-inspiring seat exercises Saturday after lunch (usually about 45 min), and Sunday a calmer yoga-inspired stretch for tired muscles for those who want.

Preliminary - day-by-day program

Day 1- Welcome to the beautiful Costa del Azahar! Arrival around 3.00pm. Restorative yoga around 4.00pm . You will meet with your guides Matilda and Sara who tells you what the day and weekend will look like. The first night is spent together with the other guests around the dinner table, you might even be able to pick up a few Spanish words!

Day 2- After a nourishing breakfast your being driven to the stables for lessons both before and after lunch. When you’re not riding yourself you can cuddle with the adorbable foals, take a walk in the beautiful surroundings or watch your fellow riders’ classes. You can’t get enough of these black Friesian beauties!

Day 3- First a riding lesson (a little shorter), which then ends with a quiet outdoor ride around the olive trees and the surrounding area and then lunch at the stables so you have time to cuddle with the horses a lot!

Day 4 – After breakfast the day ends with the grande finale; a 1.5 hour beachride in the beautiful natural preserve of Delta del Ebro. You will have the Mediterranean ocean on either side and the horses enjoy the excursion just as much as the riders – pure magic! Lunch for those who have time (depends on flight) and Hasta luego!

Horses

Welcome to ride on fairytale Friesian stallions! Quality is of the essence and all horses at the equestrian centre are approved purebred Friesian horses. There are only about 80 approved breeding stallions in the world, two of them are owned by Oriol who also owns the Equestrian centre we spend our time at.

The Friesian horse, always completely black, is a graceful but muscular horse that moves with pride and with the characteristic knee lift. Despite the features of coldblooded horses such as fetlocks they have tall legs and are light and supple. The long and thick mane and tail make them even more stunning! The Friesian horse has very gentle character which makes it very enjoyable to handle and to ride. At the centre there are about 80 horses, including breeding mares, youngsters and foals. About 15 of the centre’s stallions are used for the riding lessons.

Despite the high quality the horses are not used for dressage competitions but rather exposed at shows all over the world and Oriol has won many prizes for best in breed. The stud farm is immensely popular and they have clients all over the worls, even to the Friesian’s country of origin; the Netherlands. The last year people from for example USA, China and the Nordic countries have become lucky owners of horses from here. The horses are very ambitous and easy to train which makes them very well-schooled and pleasurable to ride. They combine a lot of energy with a stable and supple temper.

The horses are used to hack out on the beach and even though they are really enjoying the canter in the waterline it is easy to keep them in a controlled tempo as they are very well-behaved and pay full attention to their rider.
This weekend is about learning to know and riding these beautiful Friesian horses. The lessons are group lessons that focus on basic riding.
Many of the horses are young horses that have not yet been trained for the high school movements yet.

Travel Information

Ability description: Level Dressage 2-4

Included in the price:
Dressag & beach ride on friesian horses: 3 nights, 3 dressage lessons, 1 beach ride, full board (incl. wine with dinner). It is possible to buy 1 extra lesson (70 EUR)
Frieser horses & Yoga: 4 nights, 2 dressage lessons, 1 beach ride, 4 yoga sessions, full board (incl. wine with dinner). It is possible to buy 1 or 2 extra lessons (á 70 EUR)

Not included: Flights, transfer to/from the airport. Other activities and body treatments.

Travel: Fly to Barcelona (ca 170 km) or Valencia (ca 150 km)

Flight and bus:
From Barcelona airport (el Prat) you take the bus straight from the terminal to S.Carles Rapita or Les Cases de Alcanar (Cases d'Alcanar,Les) depending on accommodation. Tickets are easily purchased online at: hife.es/en-GB

• Time: about 2,5 hours
• Price: around 25 Euro

Flight and train:
From Barcelona airport (el Prat) you take the bus to Sants. From there, direct trains go to Amposta, where you will be picked up and driven to your accommodation.
• Time: about 1,5 hours
• Prce: around 22 Euro

From Valencia Airport, take the metro or bus to the train station, Estacio Del Nord and take the train to Amposta, where you will be picked up and driven to your accommodation.
• Time: about 2,0 hours
• Price: around 15-20 Euro

You find train times and tickets on Renfe.com>>

Taxi: You can also book a taxi transfer from the airports, price approx. 230 EUR / car /way.

Arrival:
Day 1, Arrival around 4.00 pm in time for a yoga lesson at 5.00pm. Day 4, departure after lunch around 2.00pm.

Season: All year. Specific dates.

Single room: A limited number can be booked for with a supplement. For price click "Book on request" under Date & prices. If you are prepared to share a room, you do not have to pay extra if you are placed in a single room

Currency: Euro

Credit card: Not accepted. Cash only.

Tips: Optional but appreciated.

Wi-fi: Yes

Electricity jack: EU standard

Age limit: 13 years for rider.

Closest village: From the riding centre: San Carlos de la Rapita (5-7km) but villages that you also may visit: Las cases de alcanar and San Carlos de la Rapita.

Beach: Kilometers of fine beaches within 0-7 km.

Pool: Yes during season (May - September)

Group size: Minimum 5 riders max 8

Special diet: Inform when booking.

Misc: Riding equipment to borrow: Riding helmet is available to borrow, but we recommend that you bring your own.

Feedback from our travellers

In Love with Friesian Horses – A Fantastic Riding Experience!
"I have ridden and owned warmbloods for many years and didn’t know much about Friesian horses. The first thing that struck me (besides the well-maintained riding center) was how calm and easy to handle these beautiful stallions were! Once in the saddle, I was impressed by their willingness to cooperate and their level of training. The riding instructor guided us skillfully through the lesson, with Matilda translating. It worked perfectly, and I truly feel that I want to ride Friesian horses again and again!"
– Katarina Dahl

Rediscovering the Joy of Riding – An Unforgettable Experience!
"After many years at the riding school, I had almost lost interest in riding, but I took a chance and WOW! I feel like I learned as much in three days with Matilda and the team as I have in the past two years. The small groups, professional instructors, and these amazing horses, whose 'engine' adapted to our experience level, made all the difference. Now my passion for riding is stronger than ever! The beach gallop was truly the icing on the cake, and experiencing the culture and food with such a wonderful group made me happy from head to toe!"
– Cecilia Von Gerber

A Dream Trip with First-Class Riding and Food!
"A wonderful welcome. The accommodation was far beyond expectations. Fantastic food! High-quality riding and professional instructors. The horses were absolutely amazing.
A dream trip!"
– Elisabeth Haag

A Memory for Life – Already Planning Our Next Trip!
"An incredibly warm welcome with chilled cava and snacks beautifully prepared! Sara, Matilda, and everyone we met were absolutely fantastic and made sure we had the best possible experience. A memory for life! The horses, the environment, the wonderful people, and especially the beach gallop made for an unforgettable experience. We are already planning our next trip back. I will definitely travel with HorseXplore again."
– Ann-Mari Dahlström

Climate

"Book on request" means that we cannot confirm your booking immediately, but we will get back to you as soon as possible with a booking confirmation, normally within 24 hours on weekdays.