SEGOVIA AT A CANTER
OVERVIEW
An easy short-break for experienced riders in stunning Segovia in the heart of Spain. The walled city has a roman aqueduct, a medieval heart and renaissance castles. Even Disney was inspired and the Alcazar was a model for the famous Disney castle.
The riding is fast paced and sporty. You’ll canter and gallop in open fields - a joy for experienced and fit riders. The horses are well trained and forward. We love the combination of incredible views, history and fast riding.
Let’s Ride
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Stunning fortified city
Four nights a 4* spa hotels
Fast riding, cantering often
Well trained, sporty horses
Optional jumping
Dreamy three course picnic lunches
Restaurant dinners with wine included
Tour of the city and palace garden
Fairytale feeling
OVERVIEW
RIDE GUIDE
Duration: 5 days / 4 nights / 3 days riding
Cost: €1,700 per person sharing + a single supplement of €200 for your own room for all four nights.
Operator: Equiberia
Languages: You must speak fluent english to join our rides
Max Riders: 8
Min Riders: 6
Departing: Madrid Airport
Riding Level: Advanced. Many years riding with a natural seat. Comfortable riding at speed over uneven ground in open spaces. Please don’t apply if you have trouble controlling your horse in open countryside.
Weight Limit: Maximum of 90kg / 198 pounds in your riding clothes and boots.
Time in the saddle: 4 - 7 hours a day
HORSES
The horses are mostly Anglo-Hispanos (Andalusian & Thoroughbred cross), ranging in height from 15-16hh, and selected for their good nature and endurance. They are very well trained for the rides and for schoolwork, dressage and jumping. They are very fit, very willing and they are fun to ride.
You’ll ride in english saddle and bridles. Small saddle bags are provided.
You will canter often, sometimes in a line and sometimes freely. At both times you must know how to control your horse at all times and stay a safe distance from the horse in front of you. If you hold the saddle when you canter, this is not the ride for you! You must be able to hold the two point position when cantering and maintain soft contact with light hands.
This is a great ride for lifelong riders with a natural seat and easy balance, foxhunters, experienced safari goers and confident riders.
ACCOMMODATION
You will stay in two iconic 4* Parador hotels:
Nights 1 & 2: Parador La Granja, also a 4-star spa property, is located in the scenic foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama, near the palace, offering guests royal heritage and luxurious gardens for a tranquil stay.
Nights 3 & 4: Parador Segovia, a 4-star luxury spa hotel, offers stunning views of the Alcázar and combines historical charm with modern amenities.
Solo riders will share a room with another rider of the same gender. If there is no one available to share with (in the case of an odd number of riders) or if you would prefer your own room, a single supplement of €200 for all four nights is available, subject to availability.
Please ask us if you would like your own room and we will make the booking for you.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
All meals, shared accommodation, horses, guides, road transfers from Madrid at the set times, wine with meals and very good hotel breakfasts.
WHAT’S EXCLUDED
The price does not include international or domestic flights, mandatory travel insurance, or staff tips (which are optional but appreciated).
Subject to availability you may have your own room at the hotel for a cost of €200.
TRANSFERS
Riders will be met at the Madrid Adolfo Suárez International Airport – Terminal 4 – arrivals at 3pm the day of arrival.
If you stay in Madrid the night before you will need to make your way to the airport for 3pm
On the final day you will be dropped at Teminal 1, usually around 12pm. If you are staying on in Madrid you can take the metro into town or catch an Uber.
RIDING
The riding is fast and free - that’s what we love about it! You must be confident in an english saddle, riding a forward horse in two point position with light hands staying off of the horses back. If you often lose your stirrups while cantering, or hold the saddle when cantering, you aren’t ready for this ride just yet.
Not suitable for beginner or intermediate riders or those that exclusively ride in arenas / schools.
MEAL
Breakfasts are buffets are your Parador hotels.
Lunch are three course picnics enjoyed under a gazebo in beauty spots. Wine, beer, sherry and soft drinks are included.
You’ll enjoy three course evening meals in your hotel or a local upscale traditional restaurants.
Vegetarians and gluten free diets happily catered for.
WHAT TO PACK
Refer to our FAQ for what to pack on a horse riding holiday.
Helmets are provided and should be worn. It’s always better to bring your own if you have one.
In addition to your riding outfits you will need: riding boots / chaps, sun hat, walking shoes, swimsuit, a warm layer, light waterproof jacket, water bottle, rucksack, casual wear, smart casual for evenings at the hotels, personal medication, sunglasses, mosquito repellent, and a battery bank if your phone drains battery quickly.
Small front-fitted saddle bags are provided to hold water bottles and sunscreen though it’s always safest to keep you phone on a lanyard or in your pocket.
INTERNET
There is good cell reception on all parts of the ride and your local provider should allow international roaming in Spain. Download an e-sim from Airalo and install before you arrive to be connected at all times.
Use our code BLACKS3976 to receive $3 off your e-sim credit.
DEPARTURE DATES
Each ride is €1,700 per person for four nights and three days riding.
The season is open from April to June and September to October
Join an exclusive Black Saddle departure or as a private group with a minimum of six guests.
Subject to availability you may be able to have you own room for €200 for all four nights. If only one rider wants their own room the cost is €400.
2026 DATES | €1,700
01 - 05 July 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive
09 - 13 September 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive (one saddle remaining)
14 - 18 October 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive (waitlist only)
Fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile with your preferred dates and we will get back to you with availability.
GET IN TOUCH
Fill in an obligation-free rider form and we will get back to you will all the details of this holiday.
SEGOVIA
Segovia is just one hour from Madrid in the Inner Plateau of central Spain, near the northern slopes of the Sistema Central range and on a bend of the Eresma river.
The city is famous for its historic buildings including three main landmarks: its midtown Roman aqueduct, its cathedral (one of the last ones to be built in Europe following a Gothic style), and the medieval castle, which served as one of the templates for Walt Disney's Cinderella Castle. The city center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
The end of the Middle Ages saw something of a golden age for Segovia, with a growing Jewish population and the creation of a foundation for a powerful cloth industry. Several splendid works of Gothic architecture were also completed during this period. Notably, Isabella I was proclaimed queen of Castile in the church of San Miguel de Segovia on December 13, 1474.
All of these layers of history give the city a fairytale feeling. ay you tell your story online can make all the difference.
ITINERARY
This itinerary is intended as a guide only. Your hosts may change the itinerary to take advantage of weather conditions.
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Transfer from Madrid to Segovia - about 1h 15m hour drive - arriving around 4:30pm. Accommodation is at the Overnight at 4* Parador La Granja, a 4* spa hotel near the palace.
Around 6pm your guide, Ana, will meet you at the hotel and whisk you off to see the stables and the horses. You’ll then enjoy a panoramic tour of the city of Segovia by car and a welcome drink in the main square right outside the cathedral.
Your welcome dinner is at 8:30pm in the restaurant of your hotel.
No Riding Today
Overnight at 4* Parador La Granja
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At a very civil 10am you will depart from your hotel to the stable. Your first ride takes you towards the mountains, through farmland away from Segovia towards the forest of Valsaín. You will follow transhumance trails, such as Cordel de Santillana and the Cañada Real Soriana, pausing for an aperitivo along the way, before arriving to the source of water of the Roman aqueduct, following the reservoir waters and the Acebeda stream.
The saddles come off of the horses and you’ll enjoy a long three course lunch with time for a siesta in the sun.
After lunch you will enjoy some fast riding towards home, moving through an old artillery training ground that still shows hte scars of battle practice though now it’s returned to farmland. You’ll be transferred back to the stable for a shower before an off-horse excursion.
In the late afternoon you will visit the renaissance royal Palace built to replicate Versailles in France, once the royal court of Spain.
After touring the Royal Gardens, you’ll enjoy dinner in the beautiful restaurant of your hotel.
5 - 7 Hour Riding
Overnight at 4* Parador La Granja
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Departure from the stable towards La Granja de San Ildefonso through Palazuelos de Eresma, crossing the Eresma River in front the giant walled dam of El Ponton. Riding alongside the waters of the lake, you will arrive to the La Granja Polo Field, arriving at a canter along a tree-lined driveway to the aperitif table.
After an apertivo and delicious Spanish tapas you will ascend the mountain through Sylvester pine forests around La Granja. You’ll discover the two meter high stone wall of the palace before breeching the tree line to see magnificent views of the gardens and the Royal Palace. In spring, there are beautiful waterfalls flowing down the granite gorges of the Sierra de Guadarrama.
There are many opportunities for canters in the forest and you can pop over a few fallen logs if you’re feeling sporty. All the horses are great jumpers.
There is some steep riding down the mountain before you enjoy lunch at Tejera del Cambrones farm next to a babbling brook. The afternoon ride back to the stables is along the western side of the Ponton lake, weaving through fields with many opportunities for canters until you each the stable.
Tonight, dinner is at your hotel.
5 - 7 Hours Riding
Overnight at Parador Segovia, a 4* luxury spa hotel, offers stunning views of the Alcázar.
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At 10am you’ll be transefered to the stable for your final ride. Following the Eresma river canyon and the bird sanctuary at the Revenga lake, riders will get to the village Hontoria for an aperitivo stop in a local pub. After some exhilarating canters through the Tejadilla river, around the Cerrogordo hills, riders will enjoy the spectacular views of the Cathedral of Segovia and the Alcazar (Arabic for Castle), once the home of Spanish Kings for many generations and inspiration for the famous Disney fairytale castle.
You will descend towards the meadows of San Marcos where the rivers Eresma and Clamores meet, and where the 13th century church of the Veracruz that belongs to the Knights Templar Order of Malta stands.
Lunch is a long and lazy affair with the most fantastic views of the Segovia skyline and old town
You’ll finish your ride back to the stable with a ride through the outskirts of town along the river Eresma and it’s green trails. There is time for one last glorious canter before saying goodbye to your horse and heading back to the hotel for a shower.
Dinner tonight is at a famous local restaurant with a royal warrant for creating Segovia’s typical dish. We’ll leave it a surprise for you!
4 - 5 Hours Riding
Overnight at Parador Segovia, a 4* luxury spa hotel, offers stunning views of the Alcázar.
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After breakfast you will transfer to Madrid, arriving there about 12 noon.
All riders will be transferred at the same time, so if any rider needs to arrive in Madrid prior to noon we will arrange an alternative transfer at an extra cost.
No Riding Today
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
The season is open from April to July and then September to November.
Join an exclusive Black Saddle departure or as a private group with a minimum of eight guests.
2026 DATES | €1,700
01 - 05 July 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive
09 - 13 September 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive (one saddle remaining)
14 - 18 October 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive (waitlist only)
Fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile with your preferred dates and we will get back to you with availability.
HOW TO BOOK
As the ride is less than €2,000 the full balance will be due to secure your saddle.
Cancellation Terms
More than 90 days in advance the full deposit is returned net of bank charges and a €250 cancellation fee per rider to cover our time spent organising your holiday.
90 - 0 days in advance 100% of the full amount is forfeited.
YOUR HOST
Ana Camiruaga
This ride will be guided by Ana Camiruaga, co-owner, and manager of Hipica Eresma. Ana is an excellent, professional horsewoman and riding instructor, with a show-jumping and cross-country background.
Ana will share the history of Segovia with you while always encouraging you to jump logs or looking back with a smile to check if you’re ready for a canter.
Ana trained as an architect and ran her own acclaimed studio abroad before returning home to Segovia to take over the trails from her father, Enrique, who started the family business and will likely accompany you on your rides.
