Skip to main content

Horse Riding

Horse riding experiences in central Portugal. We believe horses can only be Horses once they have freedom...
Amazing moments around horses for experienced and inexperienced riders of all ages. Horse riding in small groups. Enjoy all the views, numerous streams with Roman bridges, boulders, rock formations, nature and the atmosphere of the Portuguese countryside. We also take you on full moon rides or private rides and give you the unique experience how to communicate with horses.

Read more

Horse riding in beautiful nature of Portugal.

Horse riding for all ages, with and without experience. Natural Horsemanship, Horseback riding, picnic rides, or special holidays where you learn your first connection with horses.

You like horseback riding in small groups, enjoy horse riding in pure authentic nature, ride in a horse friendly way? Than you are at the wright place!

For experienced horse riders

We offer a different way, another dimension of horseback riding.

Have unforgetable Horse riding experiences during your holiday in Portugal, stay in a unique cottage at Quinta da Alegria.

Price

Rides accompanied on reins 

Horse riding 45 minutes

€ 30/ person

15 min preparation+30 min riding

Rides for experienced riders

Horse experience 1h 15min

€ 35/ person

1 hour riding+15 min preparing horse

1h 15 min Private ride

€ 55/ person

1h ride+15min preparation

A dream morning !

Morning with horse riding & picnic. (2h30)

€95/ person

Horseback riding with picnic by the riverside close to the waterfall of São Geraldo, for experienced or inexperienced riders. At arrival helping to brush and tack your horse, leaving for a ride to the river rio dos cavalos. Having picnic at the riverside where you also can have a swim or wet your feet before continuing to our farm.

Max 4 persons

Included:

  • Picnic (the best Portuguese pirri pirri chicken, bread and a salade + a drink of choice, vegan or vegetarian option on request)
  • 1h Horse ride
  • Insurance
  • Only on request due to weather conditions!

Riding helmets, chaps and trousers available!

Please book your ride a few days ahead!

From 20 oktober 2024 to 21 december 2024 no lessons or rides for experienced  riders available.

For the horse riding events we limit the number of participants to 4 people. Every participant has to take care of his/her own horse: preparing the horse. If you lack experience we will assist you.

Out of respect for the horses, we cannot have people heavier than 80 kg. It is very important for the group to be honest about your riding experience because the less experienced riders will slow the pace down for the advanced.

People with little or no experience can have some lessons or they can have a guided walk for max 45 min, walking on the rein.

!Important!

The reins and bridle of horses are handled with care on departure and arrival of a ride, always keep them under control and not let them hang on the ground to prevent breakage. Breaking of either is reimbursed by the customer at market price!

*Insurance included!

We teach you to ride in a horse friendly way. Feeling, balance, timing & synchronization are important. You will learn to ride using your body and weight. Soon you will be riding confidently, without or with a bridle in a natural way resulting in a more comfortable ride for both horse and rider.

We start to build up your confidence around these beautiful creatures by grooming the horse and learning to saddle. Afterwards you start walking around with your horse in the riding school to start knowing each other. Than we go on the horse and do some basic balance exercises in walk and in trot. From here on you will learn to ride your horse with the balance of your body. Stop, start without kicking or pressure. Going left, right without pulling the reins.

Riding lessons are held in our open air 16m x 32m riding school or in the Round Pen. We teach all ages, all lessons are one to one, like this you learn much more and faster in a shorter time.

You and your family or friends can have riding lessons during your holiday or weekend staying in our holiday homes or in the neighborhood.

Riding lesson: Due to our open air riding school, we only open the school on sunny days.

Price

30 min private lesson, 15min grooming and saddling

€ 35

15min. first contact with horses: reading and listening to your horse, grooming, saddling. Communication on the ground + 30 min private riding lesson

Out of respect for the horses, the maximum permitted weight of the rider is 80kg.

Dancing with horses

João can teach you how to understand horses and how to communicate with horses. You learn to understand a horse first from the ground and than in the saddle. You learn how to read horses, be between horses and how to behave  when you are with them.
You learn how to move, stop, turn, trot and make them canter without touching, without pressure, without rope or whip, only with your inner energy and body language. You can follow lessons per hour or a combination of lessons and a beautiful holiday on our farm – with or without horse riding – while you visit the most beautiful places in Portugal.

For this magic encounter you don´t need previous experience with horses!


Warning: Trying to access array offset on false in /home/portugalbyhorse/public_html/wp-content/plugins/salient-core/includes/vc_templates/vc_gallery.php on line 490

Price

1h15min private Horsemanship Lesson

€ 70

All lessons cover the following from a basic to an advanced level, according to duration:

– The language of horses
– Feel, intuition, balance, timing, synchronization
– Ground work & ridden work
– Manoeuvres

Some days away from the world…immersed in the Magic of Horses…

Special offers and Packages for beginners and experienced riders. Celebration packages for any occasion!

Programs

From 20 oktober 2024 to 21 december 2024 no lessons, packages or rides for experienced  riders available.

Valentine/ Birthday special Package

For 2 persons

€ 370

Inclusive: 2 nights in accommodation for 2 persons with breakfast, 2 x 1hour horse rides for 2 persons.

Program 

1st day: Arrival at Quinta D´Alegria after 17.00. In the evening meeting the horses and you can help to feed the horses.

2nd day: In the morning, after breakfast, meeting the horse you will ride. Learning to read, groom and saddle a horse followed by a 45min ride to the village of Casal da Senhora where João Brandão (the Portuguese Robin Hood) was born. We pass the Celtic graves of Midões and enjoy the beautiful views of the Estrella-Açor- and Caramulo mountains. In the afternoon, grooming and saddling your horse followed by 45min horse riding in the magnificent nature around our farm. You can help to feed the horses in the evening.

3rd day: After a nice breakfast enjoy the valley a little bit more before leaving the beautiful holiday farm…

“Dances with horses” Package

For 2 people

€ 510

2 nights in accommodation for 2 people with breakfast, 2 horsemanship lessons/ person for 2 people.

Program

1st day: Arrival at Quinta D´Alegria after 17.00. In the evening meeting the horses and you can help to feed the horses.

2nd day: In the morning, after breakfast, meeting the horse you will work with. Learning to read and groom the horse, then 1 Horsemanship lesson. In the afternoon grooming the horse you will work with followed by 1 dancing with horses lesson. You can help to feed the horses in the evening.

3rd day: After a nice breakfast enjoy the valley a little bit more before leaving the beautiful holiday farm…

Iniciation Learning to ride Package

For 2 people

€ 370

2 nights accommodation for 2 people with breakfast, 2 private horse riding lessons/person( for 2 people)

Program 

1st day: Arrival at Quinta D´Alegria after 17.00. In the evening meeting the horses and you can help to feed the horses.

2nd day: In the morning, after breakfast, meeting the horse you will ride, learning to read the horse, learning to groom and saddle the horse, followed by a private riding lesson. In the afternoon, grooming and saddling the horse you will ride, second private riding lesson. You can help to feed the horses in the evening.

3rd day: After a nice breakfast enjoy the valley a little bit more before leaving the beautiful holiday farm…

* No experience required, also possible to ad more people to the package