A week at Julies

This gives you a rough idea of each week - plans could change around due to weather, participants, activities etc so is a rough guide only.

• Monday We will pick you up from the Westgate Bus Terminus and then transport you to the farm. We can stop for coffee or supplies/wet weather gear/boots if anyone needs to. Once here you'll have some morning tea and an orientation time, what to expect etc. Then we will show you round the property and introduce you to the horses and the rest of the animal family! After lunch we'll start with some ground handling, grooming and getting to know your horses. There will be some free time to settle in and get to meet the regular grazers and riders. You will then learn how to get the horses ready to travel, and you can practice loading and unloading them from the trailers (aka floats). Dinner. After dinner free time to explore the farm and or play with your horse some more.
• Tuesday Grab a cup of coffee or tea to wake up. After feeding out and giving breakfast to the horses, chickens etc we have breakfast. It's then time to get the horses ready for your first ride. This will be a structured lesson where we find out your riding level and ability and who suits each horse best. By this time - you'll be hungry - lunch time! After lunch we will take you to one of the beaches on our fabulous West Coast where you will be able to sight see, hike a short trail, go for a swim etc. Free time follows for a bit of a rest. Then we will have a short lesson on tack cleaning and care. After dinner when it's nice and cool we will do some more riding.
• Wednesday After breakfast and feeding out we will travel the horses to a riding establishment and have some fun with flatwork and jumping, followed by a good lunch at our favourite local cafe, Blossoms. Here you can eat lunch looking out over an orchard with turkeys and chickens running free. Back at the farm we'll tackle some practical farm management, moving stock, checking fences and troughs. Some more free time then it's back to the riding stables to teach some kids what you have just been learning and have an evening ride. Then it's home for dinner.
• Thursday Once all the humans and animals have eaten breakfast we will head to Woodhill Forest. We will spend several hours riding through this lush, cool green haven. You'll most likely get to see some wild deer and maybe some wild pigs. Lunch will be at the forest. Dinner later is at a local restaurant that brews it's own beer, for a bit of socialising with the new friends you have made by now.
• Friday Breakfast and feedout and it's off to the forest and ride out to the beach. Muriwai is 30kms in length and is fabulous riding. We'll ride in the river and check out some different forest trails. We'll have lunch at Blossoms again (they really are very good!) At th end of the day; After packing up and saying your goodbyes we can drive you back to the bustop where you will catch the bus back to the city for a well earned night out at your leisure. If you are staying on for the 12 day course you can have another ride on the farm, or chill out and relax.
• Optional Evening Activities (to be arranged and at an extra cost) - Movies Leisure Centre/Gym Ten Pin Bowling Pool/Snooker Hot Pools Tandem Parachuting