Riding Clinic on Crete

Introduction
Crete Greece
This intensive program teaches the new rider the English riding style in a very direct approach.

In the end of the course the rider is able to walk and trot independently, feeling secure on and around the horse, able to make an easy outside trip, tack the horse independent and we made a start with the canter. From experience we know that sportive riders even learn to canter independently.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a stationary ride, so all nights are spent in the same location.

Description
The moment you arrive at our hotel, you experience the serene quietness and the tremendous panoramic view. Under us stretches the Langada Valley where the Apposelemis River flows. Above us rise the red colored peaks of the Dikti Mountains. The estate is surrounded by protected Kerm Oak forest and olive groves stretching down to the valley. On the estate, many protected trees and flowers can be found, like different type of beautiful orchids.

The hotel suits its surroundings. It is built with real natural stones collected from the land it stands on, which give it a robust and natural look. The main building houses the reception and a café with a large balcony on which you can drink your Greek coffee or Rakí. In the main building, you also find the Restaurant with its large terrace overlooking the riding place and the valley. The terrace is surrounded by moveable glass walls and a roof that can be opened or closed depending on the weather conditions.

Next to the main building lays the naturally formed large swimming pool of 100 m2 (130 – 160 m deep) with a separate children pool of 11m2 (40 cm deep). The pools are open year round but are not heated. There is also a Jacuzzi with a lounge area that can be rented by the hour during the summer months (comes with Cretan sparkling wine and a fruit platter).
Private outdoor massages and wellness treatments are also available at an extra fee.  

The 12 hotel rooms are grouped into 2 bungalows each housing 6 rooms. The rooms are large and comfortable and all have a tremendous view over the valley. All rooms have central heating and air conditioning, a fridge, a flat screen TV with international channels, a private bathroom with hairdryer as well as coffee and tea making facilities.
Since 2020 the rooms feature new luxury cotton satin bedding, anti-allergic duvet and summer cotton sheets as well as 2 pillow choices (soft and hard).

The hotel has WIFI on the entire property.
Laundry is available for an additional fee.

On the arrival day guests are welcome the whole day, but guests rooms are not ready before 2:00pm. On departure day guests should leave the room before 10.30am, but are welcome to spend their last day in the hotel. A shower/changing room and toilets are available.


Room Options

Classic Room (2 adults max) - included for 2 pax
These rooms are located on the ground floor and have access to a patio and garden. They come equipped with either a king-size bed or twin beds and a private bathroom.


Deluxe Suite (2 adults max) - upgrade
These rooms are located on the ground floor (corner room) and come equipped with either a king-size bed or twin beds as well as a spacious bathroom with a 2 person spa bath (with hydro massage) and a private garden with a veranda and a sun deck with sun beds. These rooms also come with a fireplace.


Panorama Wellness Suite (3 adults max) - upgrade
These rooms are located on the first floor and have a balcony. In case you want a personalized and private wellness experience, this room type is for you. In addition to the bedding (king size bed or twins + single bed on split level bedroom), these rooms feature an infrared sauna cabin for 2 with color therapy. They are also equipped with a private bathroom with a 2 person corner spa bath (with hydro massage). These rooms also come with a fireplace.


Superior Wellness Suite (3 adults + 1 child max) - upgrade
This room is located on the top floor of the hotel and offers incredible views. It comes with a balcony and a private garden with furnished veranda and a sun deck. Like the wellness rooms, in addition to the bedding (king size bed or twins + twin bed on split level bedroom), this room features an infrared sauna cabin for 2 with color therapy. It also has a private bathroom with a 2 person corner spa bath (with hydro massage). These rooms also come with a fireplace.


Panorama Family Room (4 adults max) - included for 3 pax
This room is located on the first floor and comes with a private balcony and 1 private bathroom. Beddings arrangements include 1 room with a queen size double bed (not possible to split), and a single bed. there is also a single bed on a split level floor. The amenities include a fire place, coffee corner and walk in closet.
In case a group of 2 people wants to upgrade to this room category, they will need to pay a single supplement fee.


Superior Family Suite (4 adults + 1 child max) - included for 4 pax
This 2-bedroom suite is located on the ground floor with its own terrace. This room is composed of 2 adjoining bedrooms and has 2 bathrooms. It is equipped with 1 large double bed (possible to split into 2 single beds) and 2 twin beds. The master bedroom has a fireplace with sitting area, and a sofa bed (possible bed for child).


Room Occupancy
Triple share is possible.
There is no single supplement fee if you are willing to share.



Meals
All meals are included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day. Drinks, desserts, and other foods are not included.

The restaurant has its own vegetable, herb, and fruit gardens which provide us daily with new seasonable ingredients. Ripened under the Cretan sun and grown organically, they have a rich and delicious taste. Food is prepared with extra virgin olive oil from our own olive grove. After we press the olives only the highest extra virgin quality is kept for use in our restaurant. Some of the local produce used in the restaurant includes meat from the free ranging goats and sheep of our neighbors, cheese made by the local shepherd, homemade raki, and honey from a local beekeeper. All served with good Cretan wines (extra fee), made with grape varieties that have been used since Minoan times. Sometimes our guests prefer if we eat the Greek way (mezedes) and we put several dishes in the middle so everyone can try them! 
Dinner is your choice from the menu and includes a starter, main dish, and salad.

Meals are usually served at the following times:
Breakfast from 8 am to 10:30 am
Lunch from 1 pm to 4 pm
Dinner from 5 pm to 9 pm

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to dietary restrictions if given prior notice.

Riding


Riding Experience
This ride is suitable for beginner riders and above. Group and private lessons can be arranged by an experienced instructor for all riding levels. Riders are separated into different groups according to their riding level.
The program includes 6 riding days with a total of 6 riding hours, averaging 1 hour in the saddle per day.

Tack
We use English saddles. Every horse has his own saddle and bridle custom fit for every horse, regularly maintained and refit to follow the changes in the horse body. For bridles, we use a broken or double broken K&K Aurigan bit.

Horses
Here we stable 18 lovely horses and 1 pony. We have Arabians, Thoroughbreds and Warmblood horses. These breeds have a long breath and a never tiring will for the long distance riding. They are beautiful and well-trained holiday horses. Always eager to go, very relaxed in the mind, surefooted in the mountains and human orientated.
For the children we have a Welsh B pony. A real children’s pony, very sweat, safe and with speed.
Our horses are trained following the classical dressage method (inspired by the Greek general Xenophon) to maintain the horse healthy and well balanced in its body. Or better explained by his own words: ‘Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful.’
Our horse work very hard on the long distances and in a warm climate. We believe we must do everything we can within our reach to make them feel as good as possible.
On 5 hectares of land, we built the stables by using natural materials like stones and wood. The stables are designed to be as close as possible to the physical needs of the horses.
We feed our horses by placing the hay in a slow feeder on the paddock floor. This means our horses are eating all day long creating a natural grazing behaviour, preventing colics or stumic sores and creating a healthy darm flora.

Eco-Friendly stables
We reduce waste to a minimum and use renewable energy as much as we can. We use solar panels, placed on the roof of our stables, to produce our own electricity. We warm up water by running the water through solar collecting panels and to reduce west, we use 2 septi tanks.
For stable bedding, we use rubber permeable stable mats.
In 2015, the stables achieved an ISO 9001:2008 certificate for stable management and safety.

Facilities
The barn facilities include 15 fabulous stables with an open connection to turnout paddocks, a big outdoor arena (42 x 20 meters) with an all-weather proof floor and a small outdoor arena (15 x 12 meter) for lunging.

Itinerary

Sample Itineraries - subject to changes

This intensive program teaches the new rider the English riding style in a very direct approach. In the end of the course, the rider is able to walk and trot independently, feeling secure on and around the horse. The rider will be able to make an easy outside trip, tack the horse and start cantering (depending on the rider's ability). According to our experience we know that sportive riders even learn to canter independently.

Day 1: Arrival
Arrival in Heraklion (also known as Iraklion) and transfer to the four-star equestrian resort, Country Hotel Velani****, located near Chersonissos.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 2: Vaulting Lesson
Private lesson on the lunge without saddle but with blanket, the rider holds a vaulting band. Lesson concentrates on finding balance, rider position and sitting trot. If rider has a good balance also a few strides canter are practiced.
Riding approx. 30 minutes
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 3: Private Lesson
Private lesson on the lunge with saddle. Learning the body position with stir ups, sitting trot without holding hands on the saddle and learning the rising trot. Then, lesson in tacking and brushing the horse (30 min).
Riding approx. 30 minutes
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 4: Group Lesson
Group lesson with the other starters (for the first time independent riding). Learning how to hold the reins, steer and stop the horse. Practice the use of the lacks as learned before on the lunge. Learning to brush and tack the horse, each rider prepares its own horse with the help of the instructor.
Riding approx. 1 hour
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 5: Group Lesson
Group lesson confirming the learned skills of the last day and more trot. In this lesson we do some games, like slalom race, mounting race etc, to practice the learned skills and to make the pushing lacks more effective. Everybody take its own horse out of the stable, brush it and tack it, teacher corrects mistakes.
Riding approx. 1 hour
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 6: Trail Ride
The first careful outside hack with walk and some short trots, sometimes even already a small canter. Children continue inside with 1 hour group lesson or 30 min private lesson.
Riding approx. 1.5 hour
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 7: Trail Ride
Another outside trip, this time with some longer trots. Children continue inside with 1 hour group lesson or 30 min private lesson.
Riding approx. 1.5 hour
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Country Hotel Velani****

Day 8: Departure
Breakfast and departure.
Meals included: Breakfast


Non-Riding Activities
The holiday is ideal for riders who like to travel with a non-riding friend or like to combine sightseeing or relaxing with horse riding. Non-riding activities include cooking lessons, bird watching, paragliding, hiking and cycling. Sightseeing trips can also be arranged for an extra fee and there is a golf course nearby (7km away).

Rates and Dates for Riding Clinic on Crete

Dates Note: Arrival is possible any time during the season

Other Info
Meeting: Avdou
Airport: Heraklion International Airport
Transfer: Heraklion (Iraklion) Airport by taxi or public bus

Climate:
                                            Heraklion area