I had ridden horses before, but never with such dedicated caretakers. The places I had ridden previously were kind to their horses, but this experience was exceptional. Pedro was passionate about providing the best possible care for his animals, and I gained invaluable knowledge about horse care. Additionally, the horses were incredibly well-trained and responsive, which amazed me. They loved their environment and loved to run! Overall, my time there exceeded my expectations. The house was beautiful, the scenery was breathtaking (wild horses included), and the food was abundant and delicious (although I had to skip meals due to the quantity). I felt guilty about not finishing my food, but Pedro told me that the leftovers went to the animals. The owners were skilled artists who worked tirelessly to achieve excellence. Pedro was also an expert on Iberian wolves and loved to talk about them. There was even a friendly domesticated cat that lived on the property! Additionally, there were many opportunities to learn about the history of the area.
Although I had ridden horses before, it was never with individuals who took such exceptional care of their animals. The places I had previously been to treated their horses well, but this experience was on a whole new level. Pedro is devoted to providing the best care possible for his horses, and I gained valuable knowledge about how to maintain a horse's happiness and health. Additionally, the horses were incredibly well-trained and responsive, which impressed me greatly. They truly enjoyed living in their environment and loved to run! Overall, my experience exceeded all of my expectations. The house was stunning, the scenery was unlike anything I had ever seen before (wild horses included), and the food was plentiful and delicious (though I ultimately had to skip meals due to the quantity). I felt guilty about not being able to finish all the food, but Pedro reassured me that the leftovers were given to the animals. The owners were passionate artists who worked tirelessly to achieve perfection. Pedro was also knowledgeable about Iberian wolves, and he enjoyed talking about them. There was even a domesticated cat that lived on the property! Moreover, there were ample opportunities to learn about the region's history.
The instructor's demeanor was unpleasant, with his scolding and lecturing tone and moody behavior. There was no warning about the number of stallions, which proved dangerous on the first ride when one stallion attempted to attack another. The second day was worse, as a loose stallion in the paddock caused a near-catastrophic accident with a guest and a gelding. The advertised TV and internet were unavailable, with no effort made to fix the broken internet, which was said to be permanently off. There was no pre-ride assessment of horse and rider, nor any explanation that riders would frequently get on and off, which would have prompted different footwear choices. The instructor did not explain his methods but barked orders. To add to the discomfort, the house's heat kept turning off.
The instructor's scolding and lecturing tone, combined with his moodiness, was unsettling. The lack of warning about the number of stallions was alarming - on the first ride, one stallion tried to attack another. On the second day, a loose stallion in the paddock nearly caused a serious accident with a guest and a gelding. The advertisement promised TV and internet, but neither was available. The TV was permanently off, and there was no effort made to fix the broken internet. There was no assessment of the rider and horse before heading out to the paddock, and no explanation that riders would be getting on and off frequently. If they had known, they would have brought different footwear. The instructor didn't explain his methods, but simply barked orders as they went along. To top it off, the heat in the house kept turning off.
Pedro and Anabela's dedication to providing top-notch hospitality made our horseback riding holiday unforgettable. We are grateful for their hard work and commitment to ensuring that we had an enjoyable experience. Thank you both!
