Greece
Kos
Erikas Horse Farm.
07.09.-01.10.2023
What can I expect from the internship at “Greece Kos Erikas Horse Farm”?
Here you will find all important information about the accommodation, meals, a typical workday, the horses, and my conclusion.
Table of Contents
General Information
During the Greece Kos Erikas Horse Farm internship, the following were provided free of charge:
· Accommodation
· A coffee for breakfast
· If hungry, a leftover muffin from the previous day
· A baguette sandwich for lunch
· a soft drink
· choice of a dish from the menu for dinner (soup, salad, or fast food)
· Tap water
Additionally, the intern received pocket money. In return, interns helped on the farm. Each intern worked six days per week, with working hours ranging from 9 to 11 hours per day. One day per week was completely free, although Erika allowed splitting this day into two half-days if afternoon assistance was needed. On free days, it was possible to participate in a ride or explore the island. On workdays, all staff accompanied the walk-ride on foot.
The beach was 1.2 km from the farm and could easily be reached on foot during free mornings.
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Accommodation
Erika provided the assisting staff with a studio apartment that included two beds, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. The apartment could be shared with up to two additional interns.
The bathroom was quite small. The small shower had no curtain, so the bathroom would get slightly flooded during showers. Additionally, there was no toilet seat (at least at the time of my stay). There were also only limited storage spaces for toothbrushes and toiletries.
The house had free Wi-Fi, and the password could be requested at the farm bar.
Meals
For breakfast, there was the option of a muffin or donut from the previous day. Lunch at 12:00 consisted of a baguette sandwich. Dinner, after finishing work at 20:30, was freely chosen from the menu. Options included soup, salad, or fast food like burgers, sandwiches, or pizza.
Working Day
Once the horses had finished breakfast, a staff member led them to the paddock.
The workday started at 8:00 a.m. and included the following tasks::
· Provide water to the horses in the paddock
· Tie, groom, saddle, and bridle the horses
· Clean the horses’ eyes and nostrils
· Sweep the barn aisle
· Muck out the paddocks and open stalls of the farm animals
After these tasks, we had a short sitting break before the riding guests arrived. Once the guests arrived, one of us distributed the helmets. Once everyone was ready, we went to the paddock. A staff member assigned the horses, we helped the guests to their horses and assisted with mounting. The ride leader first led the advanced group. We waited a few minutes until the staff member announced the horse order and instructed us to arrange the horses correctly. All helpers walked alongside the guests to ensure safety. We walked over footpaths past the salt lake, through the dunes, and to the beach. At the beach, we took a photo break, taking pictures with the guests’ phones. After returning to the barn, we completed the following tasks:
· Help with dismounting
· Unsaddling and unbridling horses
· Shower the horses
· Bring horses to the midday break
· Turn the saddle pads over on the saddles
· Clean our own shoes and put out water
After the horses had finished lunch, a staff member led them back to the paddock. After our lunch break, from 12:00 to 14:00 or 15:00 (depending on booked rides and start times), we continued with the following tasks:
· Offering water to horses
· Tie up the horses
· Fetch other horses that were by the olive trees and offer water
· Grooming, saddling, and bridling horses
· Clean the horses’ eyes and nostrils
· Sweep the barn aisle and driveway
· Muck out the paddocks and open stalls of the farm animals
After these tasks, we had a short sitting break before the riding guests arrived. Once the guests arrived, one of us handed out the helmets. Once everyone was ready, we went to the paddock. A staff member assigned the horses, we helped the guests to their horses and assisted with mounting. The ride leader first led the advanced group. We waited a few minutes until the staff member announced the horse order and instructed us to arrange the horses correctly while distributing ourselves along the guests for safety. We walked the same path on foot along the salt lake, through the dunes, and to the beach. During the photo break at sunset, we took pictures with the guests’ phones.
After the ride, tasks included:
· Help with dismounting
· Unsaddling and unbridling horses
· Shower and bring the horses to their evening rest
· Wash bridles
· Wash saddle pads (every Saturday)
· Wash our own shoes, put out water, and finish the day
Horses
There were 34 horses on the farm, including 4 ponies and 2 foals. Most horses had their own stall with a water bucket (refilled several times daily) and a feed trough. The other horses were tied under olive trees, each with their own water bucket. All animals received three meals daily.
My Review
I enjoyed the internship. It was a wonderful experience to have the opportunity every day to reach the beach through my work. We were lucky to witness breathtaking sunsets during our activities. The short sitting break before the riding guests arrived was also very pleasant.
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