Who are we?
We are a small, registered association looking after a herd of six horses on site, and others off site at various times.
We rely on help from animal lovers so that our project can grow.
Some of our horses had been barefoot on the mountains all of their lives enjoying a natural existence, while others have arrived from sad situations to improved conditions and care for the rest of their days.
In 2016, we were forced to move the horses from their mountain home and since then have been working on improving the new pasture and facilities for both horse and human. We and the herd rely heavily on contributions of both labour and funds from kind animal-lovers.
We have developed volunteer programmes which allow people to come here to meet our herd and help us to care for them, or the land around them. Our volunteers often find that learning to respond to each horse's particular needs aids their own self - development.
To find out more about your hosts and how this project started...
“Leave a piece of your heart in the Spanish mountains. “
Music: First Aid Kit – My Silver Lining
What do we do?
Our work as an organisation covers four main areas. Our two volunteer programmes; force-free training and handling both taught and practiced; education and support in the wider community; and creating a sustainable and stimulating environment for humans and for our six horses:
Volunteer Programmes
Find out more about joining us on one of our two programmes where you can take care of the land and make improvements for the horses; or learn all about the science of force-free training working with the horses. Here you will find all the time and space you need.
Horse Training and Handling
This is a good place to start your relationship with a horse, even experienced horse owners and riders may have much to learn. Many people have a perfunctory relationship where they just turn up to the stables and ride. We start hands off with respect to both the human and the horse and put the horses' emotions first.
Community Outreach
Here in Andalusia, equine care is out-dated and often brutal. It is not unusual to see horses tethered or hobbled all day and without accessible water. Those you don't see are often permanently confined to a small windowless stable which may only be cleaned once a year.
Land & Enrichment
Creating an enriched space for both flora and fauna. Developing the centre agriculturally - building, clearing, planting and harvesting. Working in interesting and stimulating ways to complement human needs with those of the horses', while protecting the land against erosion and creating sustainability in all areas.
What do our volunteers say?
"My week at the sanctuary was a fantastic experience, Clare has so much knowledge and experience and is a really great teacher. The setting is lovely, Atajate is a small, quiet mountain village and our house was really quaint and the sanctuary is walking distance away. I learned so much during my visit and I can't wait to go back and learn some more."
"My favourite part was definitely working with Calcetines. But poop-picking and fixing fences was fun too! Especially when Stella was around to make silly jokes.
During my stay I learned a lot about myself, about horses and how they communicate with us and with each other.
I learned to enjoy the little things in life....''
''I really enjoyed my 5 months at Time and Space Equine Sanctuary. I learnt about a different way of working with horses using positive reinforcement. My experience helped me gain confidence and intuition.''
''...Clare and Chico lovingly attend to their seven horses - each with their own trauma histories and patiently re-establish a trust relationship between horse and man. They use completely force-free methods - all aversive stimuli that are distressing for the horse are removed. So no pushing, no whipping, no kicking, no reins to pull on. Allowing each horse space to express their own voices again.''