BHS Approved - Price for this package is £1065 per person in shared twin.
Day One
Arrive Seville airport (or Jerez/Malaga) in the evening, transfer to Epona Equestrian Centre. It is a twenty minute drive to this unique 16th century Hacienda.You will be shown to your comfortable room where you will find tea and coffee making facilities, towels, hair dryer, air conditioning and a fan. There is also a large lounge where you will be provided with free wine and sherry and a smaller sitting room with T.V, video and internet connection. The Hacienda also has an outdoor swimming pool and plenty of garden areas, which you will of course, have time to enjoy in the days to come. Dinner in the nearby town of Carmona, one of the famous white villages of Andalusia..
Day Two
Breakfast and short orientation tour of Epona Equestrian Centre. Fernando and Jane Garcia (your hosts) chose this name for their beautiful 400 year old Hacienda as EPONA was a goddess protector of horses. It would seem that she is very much in evidence in this unique equestrian paradise where all the horses are so beautiful and loving. Riding begins today in the morning. Under the watchful eye of Chief Instructor, Catalina Garcia Dow BHSII, you will have your first lesson. Time will be taken to match you to your ideal horse partner, thus ensuring that you will make as much progress as possible throughout the week. Lunch is included today (Fernando’s wife Jane is a wonderful cook). A second equitation lessons will take place in the late afternoon. Already you will begin to feel your school work improving on these expertly trained horses. Dinner at the hacienda.
Day Three
Breakfast, then this morning visit to The Royal Riding School in Jerez. Renowned throughout the world for their breath taking exhibition ‘How the Andalusian horses dance’. Their painstaking training methods make this show a real delight as the horses performing intricate and demanding movements with effortless grace and control. A late lunch in included at Epona today at around 3pm. Riding lessons continue in the cool of the late afternoon back at The Hacienda. Dinner and time to relax and reflect with friends on the experiences of the day.
Day Four
Breakfast, then another opportunity to work on improving your riding technique. Lunge lessons may be recommended to enable you to improve your classical seat. Lunch at The Hacienda followed by time for a siesta. Equitation lessons later this afternoon with a focus on riding your horse in a correct outline, straightness, balance, transitions and lateral movements. Dinner at Epona.
Day Five
As you become more proficient working with your horse, flying changes and other High School movements may be included during your lessons (depending on your ability). This afternoon there will be time for a siesta by the pool. A glass of wine with lunch maybe just what you need to recharge your batteries and prepare for your early evening equitation lesson. Dinner this evening is a traditional ‘paella campestre’ under the stars, washed down with home-made sangria….bliss!
Day Six
Breakfast. This morning will be your final ride, by now you should be really beginning to feel the progress that you have made. You will be able to return home inspired and determined to reproduce some of the movements that you have experienced on these wonderful horses on the horses that you ride regularly at home. After lunch today you will be visiting the historic city of Seville.
‘Sevilla’ lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centres in Europe. It has the minaret of La Giralda, the cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure include Casa de Pilatos, Torre del Oro, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second largest picture gallery in Spain).
We will be meeting up in the early evening in Seville to visit a traditional Andalusian tack shop before our dinner this evening which will incude a fabulous Flamenco Show. You really can’t visit Andalucia without witnessing at firsthand the passion of The Flamenco Dance! The origin of this dance is still unknown, although it is generally believed to be a mixture of gypsy and Arabic dance. What is not in debate though, is the passion and fervour of the performers as they combine acoustic guitar with singing, dancing and staccato hand clapping. A night to remember!
Day Seven
Time to relax this morning and enjoy one last swim before packing up your things and heading back to Seville airport for the flight home.
Included in your tour price
• 6 nights accommodation in shared twin rooms
• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners at Epona
• Transport to Jerez for Royal Riding School display
• 9 one hour equitation lessons
• Airport transfers in Spain (from Seville)
• Trip to Seville for sight seeing & Flamenco Dinner
Not included:
• Entry fee to Royal Riding School Show (25 Euros)
• Flamenco Show and Dinner (65 Euros)
• Dinner in Carmona on first night (25 Euros)
There are many flights to this region of Spain and we keep a close track on which ones offer the best service and the best value for money. Please contact us and we will gladly advice you on the best flight for you.
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