Horse riding Holidays in France

Are You looking for an equestrian centre which organizes the most wonderful horse riding holidays ? Then you’ve come to the right people!

Edwin and Erica de Graaf have been arranging horse riding holidays since 2001 from their own equestrian centre in France (in the Limousin region).

What do we have to offer?
Varied programs. We offer a wide range of horse riding holidays. Whether you wish to make daytrips or a round trip over the course of a couple of days, we cater to everyone’s wishes for individual riders, families, friends or groups. We also provide horse and carriage trips. The duration and level of difficulty will be matched to your experience and capabilities. During overnight trips, accommodation is mostly provided in old cozy farm houses. Prices for 2009: starting from € 700, housing and meals included, 25 hours of riding, 6 days, 7 nights.

Do you want to improve your skills?
Please feel free to ask us if there are specific things or techniques you would like learn. Sometimes even during daytrips, it is relatively simple to gain a better understanding and learn to utilize a specific technique. Gaining confidence is a known area for us: going uphill and downhill, canter without stirrups, your balance, seating etcetera. You’ll be astonished what rider and horse can accomplish out in the open nature. You’ll learn without knowing that you’re learning!

Your guides
You will be accompanied by either Edwin or Erica de Graaf, both of whom are qualified respectively with the diploma of Guide de Tourisme Equestre and Accompagnateur de Tourisme Equestre.
They will gladly tell you about the techniques needed to organize a ‘randonnée’ (a round trip over the course of a couple of days), about keeping their horses healthy, shoeing a horse, nature in general and the history of the area you will be travelling through.

Flexibility
No rider or group is the same: (nearly) everything is possible. All you need to do is ask.
According to your wishes and most of all your level of experience we will tailor the holiday you desire.

Fine dining, that’s Erica’s passion. She’s the one in charge of the varied pick nicks and multiple course dinners , which she prepares on her La Cournue stove. You will dine at our table, sharing fresh bread and French table wine. Our guests have been known to return for this! On request and for a surcharge, we can even provide for a culinary Gourmet horse riding holiday. We will then provide locally produced food from small suppliers, such as duck, pintade, meat from Limousin cows and farmer cheese.

Beautiful accommodation for humans and horses, spacious and restful. Situated on 60 hectares it includes a 300 years old restored farmhouse, a beautiful swimming pool, the equestrian centre (fully wood build in 2005) which includes boxes, an indoor arena, barns, outdoor training area and circuit, all on private property.  There is a 1, 2, 3 and 4 person’s bedroom and there are two ‘cabanes’, which provide for four persons. Modern sanitation.

Smale scale. We are a small, family company, with 20 horses and ponies with personal attention for our guests.

Good docile horse with spirit, living in a herd. We have all kinds of horses and ponies: Frisians, Berber Arabs, Spanish, Anglo, Merens, Fjord, Welsh Cob and Crossbred. They live outdoors year round and are therefore truly used to riding outdoors. Not flashy horses who get let out once in a while. This is their true habitat. The horses live in beautiful fields with a variety of grasses and herbs. Hay is lovingly produced by ourselves without the use of artificial manure.

Confortable saddles, an item of the utmost importance for you. Tailor-made by Hulsebos Saddlery in Holland. The saddles are the best quality and are adapted by Hulsebos to accommodate our needs for multiple days and are totally focused on the comfort of horse and rider.

Beautiful day and round trips, a wide range of possibilities, short and long day trips, through the forest (warm days), over hills, along old Roman pathways, past lakes, crossing creeks, through small authentic villages, complete with a café on the village square, all set in a centuries old landscape, and most of all, lots and lots of peace and quiet.

All in all we aim to provide you with a wonderful horse riding holiday!