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SHOW JUMPING (OR DRESSAGE) COMBO
Here at the Centro Ippico La Somma we have excellent facilities to enable this special Show Jumping tuition and trail riding combination to take place. Lessons are taught by the Centre's main instructor Andrea Bevilacqua, a FISE instructor and regional show jumping champion with years of experience teaching show jumping and dressage. In addition to the invaluable lessons you will also have the chance to ride out and explore the beautiful surrounding countryside. Beginners and novice riders can also receive lessons appropriate to their level as can children, and dressage tuition is also available, instead of show jumping.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - SHOW JUMPING COMBO
Day 1
Upon arrival at Spoleto train station you will be transferred to the riding centre. After settling into your room and depending on the time, you will be able to have a look around the stables, relax in the clubhouse or sit down to enjoy your first delicious meal.
Day 2
Your horse riding holiday will start off in a fairly leisurely way on the first day, to give you the chance to get to know your horse. You will pass through shady paths among the chestnut woods and you’ll have time to admire the magnificent gnarled old trees which have supplied chestnuts to generations of people living in this area, and to spot the wild cyclamen and other flowers that grow in the woods, before climbing steeply up into the foothills of Mount Acetella, today’s destination. There are plenty of chances to trot or canter along these paths, but don’t forget to stop and take stock of the magnificent views here. You can see high mountain peaks in the distance, with the stables and Montebibico, a mediaeval village where time seems to have stood still, nestling in the foreground – a great place for a photograph.
Afterwards, you will head up to the top of Mount Acetella itself, just a short climb, where you will be rewarded with more stunning views here on top of the world. You will head back to the stables via another series of trails for lunch. In the afternoon you will make your way to the stables to become acquainted with your horse and instructor for the week and enjoy your 1st 1 hour lesson.
Day 3
Today it is time to recap on the previous days lessons with two more in the morning and afternoon. There will be free time in between the lessons for you to relax.
Day 4
This half-day ride will take you through the grounds of a magnificent 600-hectare private estate called La Tenuta dello Schioppo, but known locally as Il Parco delle Farfalle, the Butterfly Park. There are wide avenues perfect for cantering for those who want to, and trotting for those who don't, and splendid views of mountains, valleys and hill villages in all directions. In a woodland glade a huntsman's table has been fashioned out of local chestnut wood, and this will be the stopping place for an aperitif. In May and June, these woods are carpeted with tiny wild strawberries. You will ride back for lunch at the clubhouse.
Day 5
Pianella, the destination for this day-long trek of 5-6 hours (35kms), is a gloriously peaceful spot in the heart of the Umbrian countryside. To get there, you will ride through woods and trails and down into a hidden valley where you can pause to admire the exquisite little village of Castagnacupa, whose old stone houses have all been recently restored.
From here you will ride past a beautiful Romanesque church and into more woodland before reaching the shady meadow where you will have lunch, tying the horses to a post and rails and sitting on wooden tables and benches thoughfully provided for picnickers. After lunch you will head on through the old village of Pompagnano, close to Spoleto, and back over the hills via Catinelli, a village poised spectacularly on a rock outcrop and home to just two people, an old man and a woman who can often be seen tending to their animals.
Day 6
After your rest day from the school yesterday, today is back to work with two one hour lessons in the morning and afternoon.
Day 7
Today will be your final day of riding and the chance to re-cap on your week's Show Jumping or Dressage tuition, with a 1 hour lesson in the morning and afternoon to round off your week nicely.
Day 8
After breakfast you will be transferred back to Spoleto train station.
