Riding holiday for teenagers in France

[DarrowbyEightFive]

DD1 (13) has been riding for over 5 years and has reached a pretty good standard. She's a member of a stables/riding school here in Germany which encourages its members to take complete care of the horses - mucking out, tacking up, feeding, leading out, helping younger kids etc. We've said we'll pay for a one-week riding holiday this summer - it's fairly common for teenagers in Germany to do this, they get their 'own' horse for the week and dormitory accommodation, so it's fairly bare bones, but also low cost - around 250-300 euros for the week, including food, accommodation and riding.

She'd like to improve her French as well, so it would be ideal to combine the riding with a holiday in France, ie with French as the language of communication rather than separate language lessons. This is her 4th year of school French, so she can communicate OK. Does anyone know of a riding school in France that offers something like this for teenagers? She's bilingual English/German, if that makes any difference. The stables I've found online seem to be offering more upmarket programmes aimed at adults.

Try looking up UCPA. They organise lots of sports holidays for French youngsters. Horse riding, sailing, you name it. Very basic yet a rock-solid reputation. DD will be amongst a group of French children her age. I'll eat my hat if they don't have something for you.

www.ucpa-vacances.com/sport/equitation/

Hope that linky works

cool, it seems to work in preview

need help with the French?

PS your dd will probably come under "expert" category of rider... in fact if "expert" starts at galop 3 then she is a very expert "expert".

Thanks unobtanium, I'll check that out. I do hope we find something because your hat might be somewhat indigestible!

And DD will be tickled pink that she's classified as an expert expert. She would certainly expect to be able to have a good old gallop in her lessons, but she can only jump around 75 cm because her club weirdly puts more emphasis on dressage.

I might need help with the French at some stage, but for the actual booking I know a few people who are French or speak solid French who I hope would check things out for me.

Thanks again!.

Can confirm that UCPA do great sport holidays for teens! DS has done 2 ski hols, and DD (15) had fantastic time last year on week-long riding trek in Vercors.

Was wondering, DarrowbyEightFive, if you could recommend a riding camp in Germany for said DD? She has 3 years of German behind her and wants to improve, but in a German-only environment, not an international summer camp. Any ideas?

Careful with the definitions of expert. On reading this I would put your DD between amateur and expert, certainly not any higher.

UPCA look good, I might look into them for DD2.