Riding on holiday: the greatest joy on earth

Advanced children and adults experience the greatest joy on earth on the backs of our ponies and big horses during group and individual riding lessons. Experienced riders enjoy the gorgeously beautiful surroundings of Hotel Oberschwarzach during a one-hour ride accompanied by one of our riding instructors.

In summer-time your children and their carers can be found at the riding stables five days a week with joint activities such as cleaning the pony harness and much more. There’s always something to do in the stable!
There is of course also riding at 9 am and 4 pm.

At the start of their riding career, your children learn the fundamental horse gaits on the lunge (a long rope on which the riding instructor lets the horse run in circles). Once they feel secure in walking, trotting and cantering, kids can take part in group riding lessons or hone their skills during individual lessons.

• Five ponies and three big horses at the hotel’s riding stable
• Sand court 20 x 40 m
• Lunge lessons for beginners
• Group riding lessons and individual lessons for advanced riders
• Rides for skilled riders
• Twice a week free pony riding during childcare in winter-time
• Weekly free horse-drawn sled rides in winter for house guests
• Twice a day free pony riding during childcare in summer-time
• Weekly free horse-drawn carriage rides in summer for house guests
• Weekly free pony-drawn carriage rides in the summer for all children
• Weekly mountain pasture hike with the horses

Rides depend on weather and terrain conditions and can only be booked on location; not in advance!

Our horses are well-behaved and balanced. That doesn’t change the facts that horses are, by nature, flight animals that can react spontaneously to impulses from its surroundings. Therefore, riding still has a dangerous tendency to it:
please note that riding and handling horses at our farm happens at your own risk!

• Riding helmet: needs to be mounted securely, mustn’t slide on the head. (you can rent one at the stable)
• Breeches: tight and elastic, prevents pressure marks and abrasions, for good saddle position.
• Gloves: giving you a secure grip of the reins.
• Riding half-boots, boots or solid, ankle-high shoes for best protection and a secure feeling in the step.

• Friendlily say hello to the horse you will ride: petting and kind words give it trust and calmness.
• Never approach the horse from behind: always keep eye contact, or keep enough distance.
• Be careful and affectionate during saddling and snaffling: put the saddle slowly and carefully on the horseback. Don’t brace to tight in the beginning. Wait until the horse willingly accepts the bit.
• Get on the horse slowly and carefully; only louts flop on the horse’s back.
• Treat your horse like a friend during the ride: kicking, hitting it, pulling the reins and ranting show poor manners!
• Treat your horse decently after the ride: groom it, pet it, thank it.