Horse riding
One of the 12 activities you could get with Go Yellow, from €17 per person. Like all of them, you do not find out this is the one until between 48 and 24 hours beforehand.
About horse riding
What is a horse riding route?
A horse riding route is as good a way as there is to see the countryside properly. Do not worry if it is the first time you have sat on a horse: the routes come at different levels so that you enjoy it and come back with something to remember. They are put together with an eye on birthdays, days out for couples, stag and hen dos and family visits.
You can do it on your own or in a group. No previous experience is needed: there are different levels to suit everyone.
The ride itself
What is included?
- The technical kit for the activity.
- A qualified instructor.
- Safety equipment.
- Public liability insurance.
How long a ride lasts
This activity lasts about 1 hour.
How much a ride costs
This activity costs €17 per person and includes the ride, the kit and photos and video of the session.
Where to go horse riding
Horse riding in Bizkaia
Horse riding in Gipuzkoa
Horse riding in Álava
Season
This kind of activity runs from March to October, because it depends on the weather to be run properly.
Why go horse riding
There is something to riding a horse that is hard to put a finger on. It brings you close to the countryside and to a kind of calm, and it takes you back to a time when this animal mattered enormously in everyday life — not least for getting from one place to another.
It is a very good way to be outdoors, and it comes with a few other things besides:
- It builds confidence and gets you past your fears
Something people rarely think about is how much riding can do for your confidence, your fears and your self-control.
You have to find a kind of understanding with the horse, because you are not only relying on yourself. Plenty of people find the idea daunting, and that is reasonable: it is a large animal that you have to sit on and control. That is exactly where the confidence comes from — learning to read the horse and enjoy both its company and the ride.
So besides a good afternoon, you get something out of it.
- It lifts your mood
Most weeks end with a certain amount of tiredness, anxiety and stress, given the pace most of us live at.
A ride takes you out of all that and into somewhere quiet, at a pace that suits looking around you.
The company of a horse while you ride does a surprising amount for how you feel.
- It is more exercise than it looks
The horse is doing the walking, but that does not mean you are doing nothing. Staying balanced on it uses a good deal of muscle.
At GoRandom we would suggest trying it with friends or family. If you are interested, you can write to us by email and we will sort it out.
A bit more about riding
Did you know that equestrianism is a sport that runs all the way through history, starting with Roman chariot racing and going on through horse racing, which brought betting with it. It has been a serious economic activity in a great many countries.
On the official website of the Royal Spanish Equestrian Federation (RFHE) you will find the news from the sport, event calendars, annual programmes and social media with photos and video of professional riders across its eleven-plus official disciplines.
The clothing is worth a look too.
To start with there is the helmet and the body protector, both essential. There is also a jacket, though that is for appearance.
Then breeches, socks and gloves, all of which make riding more comfortable.
And finally the riding boots, which should be tall and close-fitting.
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