“I remember once I threatened to pack up and go back to England . . .

but the kids said they weren’t going anywhere . . .”

“It’s all my grandmother’s fault, she bought me my first pony when I was only nine years old,” laughed Louisa, who runs the Summer Breeze Stables in the wonderful countryside near Alora in Andalucia, about an hour’s drive from Malaga on the Costa del Sol.
In fact Louisa started riding horses at the age of three. By fifteen she was show jumping and winning awards.
“We came to live in Spain about four years ago,” she explained, as she tended to one of her horses in the lovely Spring sunshine. “We came here on holiday, went back to England and then decided to move back here for good, just like that. Our friends were shocked.”
Bringing her four horses with her could have been a nightmare, but things went without a hitch.
“We lived in El Chorro for the first year,” she said, “then I started taking people out riding on the horses.”
The next year the venture developed and she and her husband, with their two children, moved to the campo near Alora, settling on a piece of land on top of a hill, with stunning views in all directions, at first living in a camp site. A builder by trade, her husband Kevin built the Summer Breeze stables himself and the family, especially the kids, now feel very much at home.
“I was feeling a little down at one point,” she recalled, “and I threatened to pack up and go back to England, but the kids said they weren’t going anywhere and would stay here on their own if necessary.”
All of Louisa’s horses are old friends and she trusts them completely. “They’re great,” she enthused, “some horses are particular about who rides them, but mine are very easy to get on with and even absolute beginners feel very comfortable.”
Offering a variety of horse-riding packages, from short trips lasting about an hour to six-hour treks with a picnic lunch included, Louisa tries to tailor her horse riding to meet the specific needs of her clients.
“I usually ask them what they want to do,” she explained, “and then I work out something suitable for their tastes and needs. We get all levels of experience, from people who have never been on a horse before to people who are real experts.”
Louisa pointed out that the countryside around their stables is perfect for horse riding. “There is a circular route we go on when people are still learning,” she said, “which is fairly tame and very safe, and the horses stop immediately with the slightest tug on the reins. And then there are the longer rides which are a lot more adventurous.
Louisa’s mother, who lives in the house next door, delivers the picnic lunches, complete with chilled wine and chequered tablecloths, the perfect reception for the tired and hungry riders. “We have a wonderful time,” she said, going on to describe how plans include an overnight camping expedition to the picturesque El Chorro region. “I’m talking to people in the area,” she explained, “and we are getting together to offer much more for the visitors. Some people go on holiday just to lie in the sun by the sea for a fortnight,” she said, “and that’s fine, but more and more people are looking for something a little different, something more exciting.”
A growing cooperative spirit is developing in the inland Andalucia region, with several of the independent hotels and bed and breakfasts referring guests to neighbours who provide activities and adventure sports. Plans keep growing, the network strengthens and the future looks bright, both for Louisa’s Summer Breeze Stables and the holidaymaker looking for something more than the usual holiday package in Spain.
Of course, as with any activity or adventure holiday, visitors are emphatically warned of the need to take out adequate and relevant personal insurance.
“We love our life here,” said Louisa,” and we want our visitors to enjoy being here too.”

If you would like to stay in the area browse through our lovely selection of holiday rentals

“Echa la culpa a mi abuela, me compró mi primer potro quando tenía solo nueve años,” rió Louisa, quien dirige Summer Breeze Stables en el campo acerca de Álora, más o menos un paseo en coche de una hora al interior de Málaga en La Costa del Sol.
En efecto Louisa empezó equitación a la edad de tres años. Quando tenía quince años estaba haciendo la hípica y ganando premios.
“Vinimos a España hace quatro años,” explicó mientras cuidaraba uno de sus caballos en el sol encatador de la primavera. Vinimos aquie de vacaciones y volvimos a Inglaterra y entonces de repente decidimos a mover a España. Dio un susto a nuestros amigos!
A traer sus caballos con ella podria ser una pesadilla, pero todo fue fácilmente.
“Vivimos en El Chorro hace un año,” dijo, “y despues daba excursiónes con los caballos.
El año próximo la empresa desarrollada y ella y su marido, con sus dos niños, se movieron al campo cerca de Álora, colocando en un pedazo de tierra encima de una colina, con visiónes imponentes en todas las direcciónes, al principio viviendo en un camping. Un constructor por comercio, su marido Kevin construyó Summer Breeze Stables si mismo y la familia, especialmente los niños, ahora se sienten mucho en casa.
"Me sentía poco abajo en un punto," ella recordó, "y amenacé a hacer las maletas e ir de nuevo a Inglaterra, pero los niños me dijeron que no iban dondequiera y que permanecerían aquí." Todos los caballos de Louisa son viejos amigos y ella los confia totalmente. "Son buenos," ella dijo, "algunos caballos son particulares sobre quién los monta, pero los mios son muy amables con toda la gente."
Hay una variedad de opciónes para las visitas a Summer Breeze Stables, de los viajes cortos que duran una hora a los de seis horas con un almuerzo incluido, Louisa intenta a resolver las necesidades específicas de sus clientes. "Generalmente les pregunto lo que desean hacer," ella explicó, "y entonces resuelvo algo conveniente para su gusto y sus necesidades. Hay gente con todos los niveles de la experiencia, de la gente que nunca ha estado en un caballo antes a los expertos verdaderos." Louisa precisó que el campo alrededor de sus establos es perfecto para los caballos. "Hay una ruta circular que tomamos cuando la gente todavía está aprendiendo," nos dijo, "que sea bastante fácil y muy segura, y los caballos paran inmediatamente con el tirón más leve en las riendas. Y entonces hay los paseos más largos que son mucho más adventureros.
La Madre de Louisa, que vive en la puerta siguiente de la casa, entrega los almuerzos, con el vino, la recepción perfecta para los jinetes cansados y hambrientos. "Tenemos un rato maravilloso," ella dijo, y entonces decubrió cómo los planes incluyen unas expediciónes con una noche de camping en la región pintoresca del El Chorro. "Estoy hablando con la gente en el área," ella explicó, "y nos estamos reuniendo para ofrecer mucho más para los visitas. Alguna gente quiere pasar todo el día estirando en el sol por el mar por una quincena, "ella dijo," y ésa está muy bien, pero más y más gente está buscando algo un poco diferente, algo más emocionante." Un espíritu cooperativo cada vez mayor se está convirtiendo en la región interior de Andalucia, con varios de los hoteles y los hostales independientes refiriendo a huéspedes a los vecinos que proporcionan actividades y deportes de la aventura. Los planes sigue creciendo, la red consolida y el futuro parece brillante, para Summer Breeze Stables y el holidaymaker que busca algo más que las vacaciones usuales en España.

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