Erikas Horse Farm.
Trail Ride (1.5 hours) for Advanced Riders
21.08.2022
03.; 09.; 14.; 18.09.2022
30.06.2023
17.07.2023
What can I expect on a one-and-a-half-hour sunset ride at Erika’s Horse Farm? Here you’ll find all important information about the schedule, the stable, the trail ride, whether photos are taken and my review.
Table of Contents
Information
A transfer picked up guests from their hotel.
Payment was made directly at check-in, either in cash or by card. Until it was time to start, guests waited in the lounge/restaurant area.
Stable
The horses were kept in individual stalls, each clearly labeled with the horse’s name. The staff prepared the horses in the indoor arena. During the introduction, they also distributed feed. Behind the stables was a paddock with horses.
My Trail Ride Diary
Your personal companion for your ride trips– with plenty of space for photos and notes!
Arrival
When it was time, all riders went together to the helmet room. Sometimes the owner accompanied the group, other times the guests went ahead on their own. Everyone was provided with a helmet. Experienced riders had the option to borrow boots or riding pants. Some beginner riders showed up in shorts, dresses, or even flip-flops. Since beginners only rode at a walk, they were not provided with riding pants.
On the riding arena, all horses stood ready. The owner first asked who among the riders was “advanced.” Riders then split into two groups: beginners and advanced. Erika addressed the advanced riders first, emphasizing that this was a fast ride with lots of trotting and galloping. She stressed she would only take experienced riders who could keep their horses under control at all times. She then asked about each rider’s experience and assigned horses accordingly. Regular guests could make requests for a specific horse.
Before mounting, staff tightened the girths. Once everyone was in the saddle, the ride leader arranged the horses in order. The staff untied the horses and led them into formation. The size of the advanced group always depended on how many experienced riders were present.
Trail Ride
The ride either followed the asphalt road all the way to the beach, or first went to the salt lake to warm up the horses.
Option 1: The ride began at the salt lake. We circled it at walk, trot, and canter. From there we went through the dunes in all three gaits before reaching the beach. At the beach, we walked and galloped several times. Riding directly along the shoreline was wonderful.
Option 2: The ride followed the asphalt road straight to the dunes. There we trotted and cantered, then continued on to the beach. Again, we walked and galloped several times by the sea.
There was no designated horse section at the beach, so we had to ride past tourists.
Not all riders were able to see the hand signals for changes of pace. Tip: Always watch the rider in front of you. Especially at the gallop, the group tended to split because of the different speeds of the horses.
When weather allowed, there was the option to swim the horses in the sea for about 5–10 minutes at sunset. During swimming, the horses’ order changed.
The ride back followed the asphalt road at a walk. In the dark we had to cross an intersection. The ride leader did not wear a reflective vest or carry a flashlight.
After the ride
Back at the stables, experienced riders helped unsaddle and un-bridle. Guests placed their tack on the wall for the owner or staff to put away. At the bar, guests could buy drinks and snacks.
A transfer took everyone back to the hotel.
On 3 of 5 rides, the actual ride time was only 75 minutes from departure to return. I pointed this out to the owner.
Photos
During sunset, the ride leader paused to take pictures. Riders either got photos of swimming with the horses or at the beach. On request, she also filmed gallops or swimming with her phone.
Riders contacted her afterwards via WhatsApp with the ride date, and she sent the photos.
My Review
I really enjoyed the ride. Great beach gallops and swimming with the horse were a lot of fun. Riding around the salt lake was also beautiful and added variety.
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