Outdoor Riding Course for Adults – Discovery and Improvement – 8 days / 7 nights – 2026
- Duration: 8 days – 7 nights – 6 days on horseback
- Level: Beginner
- Price: Half-board included, full-board available
- Additional activities: Sauna, Massage
One-week outdoor riding course for beginner adults. 6 days on horseback to discover riding in the great outdoors.
The aim of our teaching is to make this activity accessible to everyone, to help discover the close bond that can develop between humans and horses, and to instill a solid foundation leading to independence as quickly as possible. Ultimately, it's about demonstrating that with a few essential riding skills, it's easy to safely enjoy a wonderful means of transportation and exploration of natural environments.
Offered by many European equestrian agencies, English will be fluently spoken during the course.
Optional massage sessions (by reservation) and sauna available to enhance your stay.
Features
Duration: 8 days / 7 nights / 6 days on horseback, half-board.
Age of participants: Families, individuals, adults. Juniors accepted when accompanied by their parents.
Required riding level: Beginners, riders learning to ride, or those needing to regain confidence.
A minimum level of physical fitness is required for the course to be truly beneficial.
Group size: 1 to 6 people maximum. Maximum weight : 85 kg.
Supervision and safety: Instruction is provided either by two state-certified instructors or by qualified guides with extensive knowledge of the Landes , who are eager to share their expertise with you.
All our staff speak fluent English; some speak German, and others Russian.
Program
5 days of training in the forest environment
Welcome and introduction to the premises, the cavalry and the teaching team.
discovery of the horse, its means of communication, its individual and group behavior with its peers and with humans.
Learning about the daily care a horse requires, both physical and nutritional. Discovering harnesses, how to put them on, use them, and maintain them.
Raising awareness of the rules of movement and group riding, of equestrian hiking techniques according to the type of terrain, learning of different knots for tying.
Daily lessons: 3 hours per half-day, including 1.5 hours of private riding lessons and 2 hours of group lessons. Progressive introduction to the three gaits, primarily riding in the Landes forest.
The aim of the lessons is to learn to post the trot and the canter, to ride independently at all gaits, and to approach natural obstacles (ditches, tree trunks) through exercises in the arena. We do not cover sitting trot or sitting canter during the first week!
Objective: at the end of the course, to perform a few canters on the beach, moving safely and independently of other riders, with good control of pace, speed and direction.
You will then be ready to participate in any of our horseback riding tours in the south of France.
1-day horseback riding tour
Practical application of acquired skills on a day-long horseback ride between forest and beach. Beach access depends on the skill level acquired during the week.
Massage – Sauna
You can enhance your stay with massage and sauna sessions for a complete relaxation experience. See prices
Dates
This program can be completed from January 15th to December 17th, over one week from Monday to Saturday, with arrival and departure on Sunday.
Prices
| Low season (November to April) | Mid-season (May, June, September, October) | High season (July and August) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price includes shared room + breakfast + lunch | 1149 €/pers. | 1249 €/pers. | 1399 €/pers. |
| Additional night with half-board | €89/night | €94/night | €103/night |
| Full board supplement | €190/person. | €190/person. | €190/person. |
| Single room supplement | 130 € | 200 € | 240 € |
| Double room supplement | None | 100 € | 120 € |
| Individual lesson supplement | €200/week. | €200/week. | €200/week. |
GROUP PROMOTION: 30% discount for the 6th rider in a group
The price includes
The price does not include
Massage
- 30 minutes: €30
- 40 minutes: €40
- 60 minutes: €60
Sauna
Sauna available every day at the end of the day. Provided by the Equestrian Centre.
Payment method
BANK TRANSFER: Upon confirmation of your booking request, we will send you our IBAN so that you can pay the deposit and then the balance (for stays of 3 days and more) or the total amount (for stays of less than 2 days) by bank transfer.
For residents of non-EU countries unable to make the bank transfer, please contact us for PayPal payment options.
Reservation request
Accommodation
We offer 2 types of accommodation:
- Charming 3-star holiday cottagewith swimming pool, massage room and sauna, located 5 minutes by car from the beach, or 20 minutes by mountain bike via cycle paths. Breakfast is served at the cottage.
- Detached family home located on the edge of the equestrian centre with 3 bedrooms.
- In case of lack of availability in the Charming Cottage, you will be directed to our comfortable** partner hotel located on the oceanfront where you will have your breakfast.
Meal
Lunch will be at the Equestrian Centre with the other riders of the week. Sharing dinner is also possible if you choose full board.
Lunch is taken either on the terrace by the pool, or in the great outdoors with our horses, if our students wish to meet up with the more experienced riders who have gone on a week-long trek.
Full board option available.
Access
Equestrian gîte, 55 route de Baleste, 40200 MIMIZAN, France.
How to get there?
Meeting time: 8:30 AM
Equipment
Riding gear to bring
- Trousers (jogging pants or leggings). Purchasing riding trousers is recommended.
- Leather boots without heels, sneakers without Velcro, or walking shoes
- Gourd
Personal belongings to bring
- Clothing for 1 week: underwear, socks, t-shirts and polo shirts, a sweater or fleece (the evenings are cool!)
- Waterproof and windproof
- Hat
- For the pool: pool towel, swimsuit, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Notebook and pen for taking notes
- Homeopathic Arnica
Equipment provided on site
- Riding helmets, whips, and half-chaps are provided by the center
- Bed linen and bath towel
Have a question? Send us a message
By phone: +33 5 58 09 34 25 or +33 6 81 27 15 01
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Philippe –
In short, everything was perfect… the 6-day introductory course (October 9-15, 2017), the accommodation, the group picnics, thank you Annette, the evening restaurants, and even the weather.
We were two [almost] beginners, a couple (69 and 70 years old), working with Michel for 6 days, and thanks to his teaching methods, patience, and explanations, we progressed and finished the week with a gallop on the beach, an objective that seemed unattainable at the beginning. The course is intensive, with between 4 and 5 hours on horseback each day, partly in the arena and partly in the forest; needless to say, it's best to be physically prepared.
Thank you Annette, Michel, and Anthony for the warm welcome and the quality of the service, and thank you for the friendly atmosphere to the members of the riding group present (they'll know who they are). Thanks also to the horses who gave us so much kindness and pleasure.
I highly recommend it
Magalie –
The week-long beginner course was excellent in every way. Michel and Anaïs provide top-quality instruction that allowed me to make spectacular progress and finish as planned, galloping on the beach. The family atmosphere (thank you to Anne for her warm welcome and all the fascinating information about Russia ;-)) at the riding center and the guesthouse made my stay exceptional. I felt right at home, with an added bonus: the delicious meals prepared by Lisa. A top-notch intensive course!
Alise –
I completed a horse riding introductory course from October 25th to 30th, 2021. As a complete beginner, I learned and progressed tremendously thanks to Michel's instruction (much more than I thought realistic for a one-week course). I will cherish unforgettable memories of the rides in the forest and on the beach, which were simply magnificent. I greatly appreciated the warm welcome and the cheerful, relaxed atmosphere of the center, as well as the quality of the accommodation and meals. Everything was perfect; a huge thank you to Anne and Michel!
Giovanni –
For anyone like me who has never learned to ride, a discovery course with Michel is a must!
I was lucky enough to benefit from a week of his private lessons (during the winter), which allowed me to progress beyond all my expectations.
Michel's method and personality make you feel safe at all times, which makes learning and mastering the correct techniques easy.
Michel is superb at keeping each rider, experienced or not, outside their comfort zone and within the learning zone, keeping morale and motivation high throughout the course.
Here are the results from this week at Michel and Anne's:
– first canters in the forest on day 2
– first jumps on day 3
– obstacle training on day 5
– canter on the beach and obstacle course training with experienced riders on the last day.
And on top of all that, Anne and Michel manage to create a calm and family-friendly atmosphere that allows you to relax and recharge while enjoying the delicious meals prepared by Anne (I'm so glad I chose the full-board package!).
A big thank you also to the riders with whom I shared this training course and to the magnificent horses I rode: Roland, Fortuna, and my favorite, Jarni.
A little tip that will change everything: take advantage of a sports massage by Laurie, ideally on day 3. It will get you back in top form to give it your all for the rest of the week.
A huge thank you again for this superb week.
We'll definitely see each other again soon!
Philippe and Ariane –
Simply THE week of your life not to be missed! If you had any doubts, forget them, this is where you will learn who you are thanks to the undistorted mirror that is our friend the horse.
The complete beginner's course allowed me to:
– reconnect with the beautiful, curious, sociable, intelligent, and playful horse;
– learn how to saddle them, put on the bridle, make adjustments, and pay attention to the comfort of both horse and rider;
– ride a horse;
– learn and feel the rider-horse balance;
– be precise in giving instructions;
– experience walking, trotting, cantering, and halting through a series of dense, intense, progressive, and educational exercises led by Michel the Maestro.
Absolutely excellent!
Completely new at the start of the week, thanks to Michel, the horses and myself, I am still far from being a rider, but very solid foundations have been laid to aspire to become one.
My partner and I, both in our 60s, were more than delighted by the “discovery” week, in a setting and atmosphere that bordered on perfection.
Well done and thank you to Michel and Anne.
André and Anne-Marie –
A perfect stay, both in terms of the quality of the instruction and the warm welcome at the gîte. The horses were excellent teachers. We made some wonderful new friends. A positive experience in every way. We will be back!