Articles in the media
Horse & Rider Magazine
The following feature appeared in the December 2003 issue of Horse & Rider Magazine, a leading UK equestrian magazine, and is a report by Wendy Trafford, in her own words, of her holiday experience here with us in May 2003.
HORSE HEAVEN !
A beautiful country with gorgeous horses, Andalucia offered Wendy Trafford the riding holiday experience of a lifetime.
Do you know where Paradise is? Well, in my case, I won a holiday there – and my journey started with an Easyjet flight to Malaga in southern Spain. Two very excited people boarded a flight from Gatwick and were greeted at Malaga by a smiling Miranda from the ranch, our home for a week. (My husband Peter is a non-rider, but he benefited from the prize by toasting under the Spanish sun.)
After a warm welcome by Giles, Miranda´s husband, a delicious supper and a wonderful night´s sleep in a cool, spacious apartment, the horses beckoned…
Making a splash
And they were wonderful – fit, keen Andalucians, perfect for long rides. We rode through rivers – wading at first as Lilly, the tail-less rescued Spanish Labrador, bounded over water weeds – until the horses were splashing up to their chests through rivers with grandiose names such as Rio Seco and Rio Grande.
The treks took us through pine forests, open fields of cereal crops, orange and lemon groves, cork trees and eucalyptus-lined river banks. Fields of beet – wild, huge and bamboo-like were cut like grass.
Lunch was planned at just the right time and at just the right place. The food was chunky and healthy, with beer and wine to wash it down.
The final descent back to the ranch was slow and gentle towards home. The horses were hosed, and they just loved the water cascading over their hot bodies. This was also a good opportunity to spot injuries, ticks or any sort of problems. Seeing the hosed, beautifully groomed horses roll made you realise just why you love them. A swim, shower, generous wine and delicious supper, then sleep of the contented, made this prize-winner start saving to return to Coin very soon – yes, we´ve booked for next May!
Art of training
An evening outing to Pepe Senior and Pepe junior´s Andalucian Horse Training Ranch was an inspiration. The horses are superb and the riders a close second. With an hour of equestrian dressage, Spanish style, they made the classical airs look effortless. On closer inspection, the horses´ concentration and foamy sweat revealed the true extent of the effort involved.
On Thursday evening, Miranda and I saw the Cartujano show in Malaga. Billed as ‘del Arte Ecuestre’, the little family show put the classical airs and airs above the ground to music – a wonderful experience to see these beautiful horses perform so well.
On Friday evening, Giles, Miranda, Peter and I had a lovely, though sad, meal at an Andalucian restaurant. Sad for me, because a whole year away from this little corner of Paradise seems too long a time.
Superb horses
The ranch has at least a dozen fit, forward-going and beautiful horses. There´s a stallion in training that cries out to be painted, photographed or sung about and youngsters, too – long-limbed and generous in spirit.
The ranch is set in a river valley that is an oasis of peace and quiet below a lively Spanish town, Coín – typical southern Spanish commercial centre, unspoilt by outsiders. The company at the Rancho is excellent – Miranda and Giles are kind and generous hosts – the pool in May is warm and the food absolutely delicious.
To get to the ranch, a 4x4 descends a steep goat path to reach its imposing gates. To exit, by horse, is seriously uphill, until panoramic views take your breath away with their beauty.
The four and five hour treks on keen horses in excellent tack take you to remote regions of outstanding natural beauty – not least the Andalucian hills, where in spring the area is alive with dozens of delicately coloured wild flowers.
The Stallions
All the world´s strength condensed into muscle, All the world´s wisdom betrayed by an eye.
Ignore, if you dare, this powerful creature, Turn, if you can, as he sashays by.
Him, and the man, sublime combination, Moving as one, seamless and flowing.
Piaffe and passage, a dance for the ladies.
(by Wendy Trafford)
2007 WINNER OF THE WORLD HORSE WELFARE (ILPH) COMPETITION !
Congratulations to Debbie Leonard who came to stay with us in May 2007 as the winner of the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) Spanish Riding Holiday competition, which HorseridingSpain is proud to provide and sponsor. The ILPH is one of the world’s leading equine charities, and is an arm of the FEI, with four rehabilitation centres for horses in the UK and also rehoming more horses within the UK than any other organization.
The charity also provides overseas education and training in some of the world’s poorer countries as well as being active in political lobbying at home ‘to make the world a better place for the horse’. You can visit the ILPH website by clicking on the magazine icon below ‘A dream come true’.
2006 WINNER OF THE WORLD HORSE WELFARE (ILPH) COMPETITION !
Barbara Mills was the winner of this year's ILPH Spanish Riding Competition - a week-long riding holiday in Spain - sponsered by HorseridingSpain. She and her Mother, Doreen Cumming, spent a week at Coin, near Malaga in July
A DREAM COME TRUE!
First and foremost I would like to say a really big thank you to our hosts for the week, Giles and Miranda, who went beyond the call of duty to give us a holiday we shall never forget. They are two really exceptional people, with big hearts, and this shows in the way they are with their horses - and with all of their animals in fact.
As an example, Miranda told us that, not long before we arrived, Giles had been out with some other guests down by the river when they spotted two puppies hiding under some rocks. As soon as they arrived back at the ranch, Giles asked Miranda to take the car and rescue them - despite already having five dogs! There was no stopping her. Into the car she jumped with one of the guests, and down to the river they went. Before long the puppies where safe and sound. The dogs, Leftie and Pif Paf, are now living a great life on the ranch along with the other animals, which just goes to prove what fantastic, caring people Giles and Miranda are.
I could write a book about our holiday, but for anybody to experience what I have, all I can say is that you need to go for yourself. Let me tell you about the beautiful horses and some of the fantastic sites I was lucky enough to see.
The horse which was chosen to be my first ride was a beautiful Andalucian bay mare called Pepsi. She was tacked up in a high school saddle which has to be the best I have ridden on, and after five hours, I was pleased to see how good the condition of my mount was. The only sweat on her was under her saddle, and to my surprise I did not hurt or ache at all. I think that I owe that to the way in which Pepsi was with me, going up and down the steep hills, taking things very carefully, and never giving me cause for concern. When we arrived back at the ranch, I asked if I could have Pepsi for the rest of the week and was delighted when Giles agreed.
Miranda took me out alone on all but one day, and on the rides the views were breathtaking. Just when I thought that nothing could surprise me anymore, we would turn another corner and there in front of me would be another fantastic sight. We would go over hills, through villages and down through rivers before eventually returning to the ranch ready for a well earned siesta! I don't think the smile left my face for the whole week!
After an excellent ride, I was able to relax by the pool. At around 3 p.m. we would be served dinner on the veranda, with more time to relax before supper. On some nights Giles and Miranda would join us and we would talk about life, listen to music and drink wine. Then it would be time for bed, ready for the early rise the next morning, always starting the day with a delicious breakfast at 7.30, ready to climb back into the saddle for another fantastic day.
I have spoken of Pepsi with whom I fell deeply in love, but it would be wrong not to mention the other horses. The first one who caught my eye was a beautiful grey stallion called Fulanito (Fully for short) who was in a paddock just outside my apartment window. What a joy it was to wake up to him every morning, as he was always happy to see us. Then there was Shikira, Evita, Madonna, Capri, Lucy, Balero, Valienty, Shikahn, Nikita and last but not least, Picasso. My mother, Doreen, who came with me, (although not riding), experienced the same excellent hospitality that I did. She also had the pleasure of giving Picasso his title after proposing the name over lunch.
I could go on and on, but if you want to have the horse-riding holiday of a lifetime, don't sit reading and dreaming about it, go and book - you won't be disappointed!!
