Dressage Trips / Riding Vacations? Anyone done one?

[ewells]

So I was on FB yesterday and saw an ad for a Dressage Training Trip and it got me thinking. They have been available for years and look like soo much FUN! But are they really worth it not for the fun but for the educational experiance? Has anyone done one of these trips? Are the lessons going to give you that exposure to a Schoolmaster we all covet but mostly cant find. Give you some insight into where your supposed to be going with your training, what its supposed to feel like and how the aids are supposed to come together for the UL movements? I believe that getting on a truley trained horse can teach you so much but doing it in a trip like this well is it helpful, worth it, a real education?

Here is a link to what im talking about not the ad I just saw but the same concept.
http://www.equitours.com/special-interest/dressage/

If you have done one share your experiance Pro’s, Con’s, what you would do the same/ different, where you went or wouldn’t go, who you would train with or not :winkgrin:.

[BigMama1]

I haven’t been but a friend of mine goes regularly to this place in Portugal and raves about the horses and the training. She works on the same stuff as at home - rhythm, balance, suppleness, etc but also get to experience what piaffe and passage feels like on a schoolmaster. She has family there so doesn’t stay on site but they do offer meals and comfortable accommodations on site. The setting looks gorgeous and hey even have a pool. It’s on my bucket list for sure.

http://www.eealcainca.pt/index.php?id=home

[ewells]

BigMama1 thank you for sharing suprised there isnt more who have done this or are willing to share their experience or thoughts.

[Manni01]

well I always recommend Redefin for vacations connected with riding. There you get a truly amazing experience staying in a historic surrounding but you have some amazing trainers as well. I know the video is German but it does give a good impression of Redefin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwWeDAtsWOY

[Libby2563]

Any experiences with Monte Velho in Alentejo, Portugal? I’m trying to decide between there and Alcainca for a trip with my Portuguese mother in the spring.

http://www.inthesaddle.com/rides/view/168_montevelho_alentejo_portugal

I’m a little worried about the challenge of not coming home with a Lusitano…

Found an old thread on this, FYI OP: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?226474-Portuguese-dressage-vacation-ideas

[MontanaDun]

I went to Alcainca in 2001 and had a fantastic time. It was so long ago that I didn’t think it was worth mentioning in the thread until the other post mentioning the facility. It was wonderful to be able to ride such highly educated horses. The accommodations were not fancy, but pleasant and the food (breakfast only for us) was very good. The area is lovely and it’s definitely worth planning some down time to see local sights.

[keysfins]

I had a conference in Portugal, and stayed to ride in Alcainca, as well. I had a great time, accomodations and meals on site. Such a great time!

It was the first time I had saddle sores, and where I learned shoulder in and haunches in. I would return if I had the chance. And I would probably get much more from it now, having made many years of progress in my riding by now. :yes:

If I recall, I booked through Active Riding, or another organizer.

This is where I stayed and rode: http://www.eealcainca.pt/index.php?id=home And João Batalha was the instructor, I see he is still there!

[Lusoluv]

Morgado Lusitano is also a fantastic experience if you want to go to Portugal. I went for my 40th birthday with a girlfriend. It was hard to come home and ride a WB, so not long after that I did get a Lusitano of my own

[asterix]

Have not been to monte Velho but I’ve done several trips with In the Saddle and they were all as advertised. We went on another ride in the Alentejo they offer (trail riding, not dressage) and it was wonderful. Friendly people, lovely countryside, good food and stellar horses.

[FEIwannabe]

I went to Spain, near Seville for a week of training that culminated in a lesson with Rafael Soto.
Great lessons, super horses, kind family, good home cooked meals, well planned outings. The location was great for some tourism after our week riding there. Besides Seville, we went to Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, Cadiz, Jerez, Ronda, Toledo, some small towns, and we started and ended in Madrid.
Loved it and the horses so much, I went back 5 months later and ended up buying a horse. I do not regret a thing.
Called Epona Spain.
http://www.eponaspain.com/riding-holidays-vacations

[ewells]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It sounds like it is always a wonderful trip for those that have done it. Probably you get as much or as little out of the lessons as your willing to work for. I see that’s usually the case whenever you ride.

[MysticOakRanch]

For those who have done these vacations - what level do you think they appeal to? I have a friend who went (Portugal) and loved it, but she was excited to do things like Shoulder In, a little half-pass, etc - what about for a rider who has actually ridden and trained those “basics”, and is looking for more advanced instruction - do these locations still appeal? I would love to do something like this some day!

[Lusoluv]

When I was there I was schooling all the GP work and even some Haute Ecole since my instructor thought I was capable. So…piaffe, passage, levade, spanish walk, canter pirouettes, tempi changes. Doing these movements on powerful stallions also takes another level of concentrations from the rider! I was never bored, though I think the majority of the students they encounter from America are more First - Third level riders.

[FEIwannabe]

Epona has a variety of programs available, and matches levels of riders and horses. They also tailor lessons for skill of the riders.
A couple of the programs are meant for more advanced riders with more intense work.
I think the less advanced riders tend to do the trail program, which does include arena work. But anyone can do the trail program.
Some of their horses are trained to GP and if you’re at that level, they will match you with one of those.

[Willesdon]

I did a week at Alentejo http://www.unicorntrails.com/europe/portugal/dressage/
The horses were absolutely lovely, the food and accommodation very good and I learned a great deal from a delightfully enigmatic young man who competed at national level on horses from the stable. The trainer left a lot for me to work out but when I asked the horse correctly it would do precisely what I wanted and when I asked the trainer he explained what I should do to be correct. I was there with two Dutch women who could ride dressage to a much higher standard but we each had individual lessons. There were horses for all abilities but I suspect that it is useful to have some basics plugged in before you go. I had two lessons each day and a hack out through the countryside in the afternoon. Intensive but fun.

I have also used http://www.inthesaddle.com and http://www.rideworldwide.com for many other riding trips and would not hesitate to recommend them. They each have concern that the horses are well looked after and suitable for the job. By booking through a UK company you will probably find the trip is cheaper than a USA company. At least, talking to American riders, they seem to pay higher prices.

I intend to go to http://www.rideinportugal.com/ Morgado Lusitano in the Spring. It is conveniently close to Lisbon airport.

As a general comment, I love Portuguese horsemanship. It is classical, effective but soft and seems to go bone deep with their riders. The Spanish, in my eyes, are a bit harder on their horses but again, bone deep horsemanship.

[Danier]

[QUOTE=FEIwannabe;8436301]
I went to Spain, near Seville for a week of training that culminated in a lesson with Rafael Soto.
Great lessons, super horses, kind family, good home cooked meals, well planned outings. The location was great for some tourism after our week riding there. Besides Seville, we went to Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, Cadiz, Jerez, Ronda, Toledo, some small towns, and we started and ended in Madrid.
Loved it and the horses so much, I went back 5 months later and ended up buying a horse. I do not regret a thing.
Called Epona Spain.
http://www.eponaspain.com/riding-holidays-vacations[/QUOTE]

I also went to Epona, it was amazing! We hacked out in the mornings usually for a couple hours or more, then had dressage lessons in the late afternoons, after siesta. Great horses, I rode an excellent schoolmaster. I rode in a double for the first time, and did Spanish walk.
I would recommend this trip to anyone interested!

[GreyGelding]

I’ve been to Alcainca 2x, once in college as a school trip, and once directly after. The instruction was fantastic, the horses were amazing. I had the opportunity to ride both youngsters and some of the school masters. The accommodations were reasonable and food was delicious - family style with everyone who was staying in the villa. I would highly recommend. We did a lot of riding and a lot of “playing” those weeks - so definitely take advantage of seeing some of the sights too.

[emmo]

Is there a H/J equivalent in Europe to some of these places that are talked about in this thread?

[Manni01]

@emmo

Is there a H/J equivalent in Europe to some of these places that are talked about in this thread?

You need to be aware that there are no Hunters in Germany… So in Germany there are a lot of Jumperplaces, In fact I would recommend Redefin for Jumpers a lot!! Redefin is jumping paradise and they also have great connections to the US (Andre Thieme, Christian Heineking). And the lesson horses are extremely experienced Jumpers and they are all approved stallions as well…

[leheath]

I have also been to Epona Spain and it was amazing! At home, I am a first level rider who has dabbled in second level, always bringing along my own horse (often from barely backed) and never with access to a schoolmaster. But I’ve had good, classical instruction over the years and I am pretty competent in the aids for most lateral work and can train it too. I did the intensive program and worked really hard! I started the week riding in a double bridle for the first time (but have ridden with double reins for other reasons in the past so I knew how to handle them) and ended the week with a lesson with Rafael Soto which culminated in an entire tour of the ring in piaffe and passage! They have well trained horses for all levels and there were other riders, much more accomplished than I, there at the same time and they seemed to get a lot out of the instruction too. I think you get out of it what you put in and they will tailor the program/lessons/horses to your skills and desires. I think there is definitely enough challenge and quality instruction for more advanced riders.

When I retire from jumping, I will save my pennies and buy a horse from Epona Spain!