Living in such a beautiful part of Spain, it seems a pity not to get out in the countryside more often and with this in mind I have recently revived a previous interest of mine – horse riding. A friend had told me about an excellent equestrian centre within a half-hour’s drive of where I live, called the Centre Hípic El Mas de Xetá, so I decided to give it a try.
They cater for all levels of expertise, with trainers on hand to give lessons, or the more experienced can (after being assessed) take a horse out for a hack through the surrounding countryside. I decided to start by having a couple of refresher lessons in their training enclosures to get me back into the swing of things before venturing out on a hack further a field.
The whole atmosphere of the place is very relaxed and friendly and they are more than willing to let you find your own pace and confidence. I was given individual instruction for my first couple of lessons until they were happy that I was of a sufficient standard to be allowed to take one of their horses outside of the property, and I have to say I had a great time remembering what it was like to be on a horse again after such a long time. I used to go riding reasonably frequently in South Africa, so was glad to see that the feel and skill for horse riding had not entirely left me! After the refresher lessons were over, last week saw my first hack in the truly beautiful surroundings of the centre, and I had a most enjoyable hour and a half with a friend, getting the true feel of riding out again, rather than in a learning environment.
It has certainly given me the taste for horse riding once again, and I shall be back for many more hacks in the future, I am sure. The excellent facilities (you can even have a meal in their restaurant there), combined with the relaxed ambience and lovely surroundings, make for a really enjoyable morning or afternoon spent out in nature – certainly an experience to repeat!
Mark van Jaarsveld
Mark van Jaarsveld