Horseback Riding Adventures Abroad: Catalonia, Spain

Summer is the time for doing new things and seeing new places. If you've got the time and money to travel, there's always the question of where to go, and what sort of trip to take. For some, uninterrupted time on the beach is a necessary indulgence. For others, a holiday needs to be active and fast-paced. If you fall into this second category, and you happen to enjoy horseback riding, there are a plethora of riding treks, located all over the world, that combine the love for travel with the love for horses.

I found myself falling into this category, and after considering different riding treks offered around the world, I settled on one located in the Catalonia region of Spain. The trek consisted of six nights, and five full days of riding. Each night would be spent in a different place, and each day would be ridden through varying scenery, on the back of Andalusian horses, a breed developed in Spain.

I booked the trip, using a company called Cross Country International. They were helpful and friendly, and I grew more excited about the prospect of seeing the countryside of Spain from atop a horse. The months of waiting for the trip seemed incredibly long, but before too long, it was time to depart.

The adventure began for me in the Barcelona Airport in Spain. There, I waited to be picked up by the group that ran the tour-Panorama Trails. Soon enough, I was picked up, and brought to Mas Alba, the farm that served as the base for the trek. There, I met my traveling companions. The group included people from a variety of countries, including the USA, Germany, and Switzerland, and in a range of ages. That night, we settled in, enjoying our first meal together, all of us excited for the days to come.

The next day dawned sunny and warm, and we enjoyed our first breakfast together-Catalan style. Afterwards, we brought down our luggage, to be transported to the next stop while we rode, and we all went outside to meet our horses. The horses were wonderful, and all of them were in amazing shape. I was assigned mine, a lovely gray named Faro. After being shown the methods for tacking the horses up, and packing our saddlebags, we headed out and began the journey.

For the majority of the five days, the format was the same. Breakfast was at nine, after which we'd bring out our luggage, pack up our saddlebags, and go down to the horses. We'd groom and tack up, and then ride. After a few hours, we'd stop for lunch. First, we'd see to the horses-tying them to trees and untacking them, and then feeding them and sponging them down with water. Lunch was brought to us, picnic-style, by a man everyone called Buffalo. He would cook us wonderful meals on a grill, and each meal was always three courses-soup or salad, then grilled meat, veggies, pasta, or something similar, and a dessert. There was always an abundance of water, wine, and Cava, a sparkling wine native to the Catalonia region of Spain. After eating, we'd have a siesta, and then we'd tack our rested horses back up, and continue on the path. At night, we'd see to the horses in the same way, giving them their dinner and a sponge bath, and then we'd make our way to whichever new place we were spending the night at. We overnighted at a mixture of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, and each of them had extremely friendly, helpful staff. Dinners was served, and, like lunch, always consisted of three courses, and always meals were punctuated by a toast with our glasses of Cava.

While the days were similar in format, each one was extremely unique. The scenery of Catalonia was always changing, and almost never did we pass through two places that looked the same. Countryside was interspersed with small, picturesque villages, and occasionally near to larger roads. Regardless of the traffic, people, or any other distractions, the horses behaved themselves and provided calm, steady, and surefooted mounts for all of us.

Our first day, consisting of a long seven hours of riding, took us through forests and fields, and through the first of the little towns we'd ride through. We also got in our first few gallops... and you learned quickly that when Rudi, the trail guide, called "Galope!" you'd better just hold on! My horse was a bit of a kicker, and didn't much care for having horses behind him, but aside from that, he had a wonderfully smooth canter, and racing down paths with him was exhilarating.

The second day brought us through rice fields, and at one point, we rode through a narrow, cool waterway. Between the splashing of the horses, the wind through the trees, and the tall grass on either side, it was easy to forget the world I'd left behind, and to just relax into a more peaceful, natural setting. The end of our ride (which was a few hours shorter than the previous day) found us at the beach of the Mediterranean, and after taking care of our horses and picnicking with Buffalo, we were free to go relax on the beach and swim in the warm (if rough!) waters of the sea.

The third day found us following a river, and eventually, crossing it and heading towards the mountains. Much of the day was spent riding quietly through a pine forest. Herbs grew from the forest floor, lending wonderful aromas to the air, and the setting was, quite possibly, one of the most peaceful places I've ever passed through. Midday, we stopped for our picnic and a rest in the forest, after which we continued our ride, reaching another hotel near a different section of the Mediterranean. Some of us went for a quick swim before dinner, though the water was colder than the previous day, and then we enjoyed a variety of seafood tapas, including clams and mussels, shrimp, and tiny squid (for those braver than I!) along with the usual glasses of Cava, a main course of fish, and a tasty dessert.

The next day, our schedule differed; for it was the day we would get to ride along the beach of the Mediterranean. We needed to do so early, so as to avoid running over any tourists going for a swim. So, we met up in the lobby of the hotel bright and early, at five in the morning, then headed out and completed our usual routine of grooming and tacking up the horses... but without our saddlebags, this time. We headed to the beach, and once there, got our horses into a line, easing them into the harder sand where the waves broke on the shore. Not all of the horses were fond of the sea, but I was lucky in that my Faro didn't mind the water. In the end, all of the horses managed to put aside their fears of the waves, and the call went up-Galope!

I can't quite describe what it's like to gallop through the waves of the Mediterranean Sea at sunrise. There's nothing that comes close to it, and I doubt that the experience could ever be topped by anything else. When the pounding of our horses' hooves lessened, we turned them towards the water, and following our guide, waded into the surf. For a bit of time, we enjoyed the feeling of the water invading our boots as the horses became submerged to their bellies, and afterwards, we rode to a small park to dry off and have some breakfast at a nearby cafe. The remainder of the day was spent crossing streams and other waterways, our trusty steeds rarely missing a step on the stones and pebbles of the riverbeds. That night, our overnight stop was at the house of a man called Bogi, and it was, without a doubt, the most beautiful place we stayed at-a big, stone house, covered in vines and flowers, and with an impressive backyard, filled with nooks and hammocks and plants, with the river as a backdrop.

The next day was our last. We enjoyed it, welcoming the shade of the trees along the jungle-like path. Our last lunch stop was savored, and we enjoyed another delicious meal before saying our final goodbye to Buffalo. All too soon, we found ourselves riding back into the driveway of Mas Alba, and then, after untacking and grooming our horses for one final time, we said goodbye to those hard-working equines, and turned them out for their weeklong rest.

That night, we enjoyed one last fine dinner together, and then next morning, our last breakfast. After snapping the obligatory group photo, we piled into the vehicles, to be driven to the airport or train station, and, with promises to keep in touch, we all parted ways.

The trip was an absolutely amazing, unique event. Not only did I get to ride a wonderful horse for five days, ranging from four to seven hours in the saddle each day, but I got to see Spain from a perspective that most tourists don't experience. I saw the little ancient-looking towns that visitors rarely pass through. I saw the countryside, parts both rugged and tamed, in all its varied glory. To me, more than the crowded cities bustling with souvenir shops and catered towards visitors, the countryside, untouched and natural, was the true heart of the land, and I was lucky enough to interact with it in an unobtrusive, but incredibly exciting way.

And, of course, the people I met will remain in my memories always! They were a wonderful group, all of whom I hope to keep in touch with. For the week that we spent together, the formed a bond as a group of travelers, united by our love of riding, and by our appreciation for the land that we rode through.

If you ride, and you have the opportunity to vacation on horseback, go! The experience is one that will stay with you, and nothing else can quite duplicate the amazing time you'll definitely have.