There are other areas that volunteers can get involved in, above and beyond the Equine and Sustainability programmes. We are really flexible and the level of involvement is at each volunteers’ discretion.
Food and Culture
Clare cooks balanced, healthy vegetarian meals and enjoys sharing ideas and skills with people that we can all enjoy! This is particularly satisfying when it is prepared with home-grown produce. Chico is also a wonderful cook with knowledge of many traditional Spanish dishes passed down through generations. Although day-to-day meals are DIY, you are invited to join in cooking our favourite dishes or to share your own traditional dishes with us should you wish!
Language
In the house and while working, we speak a mixture of Spanish and English. We are happy to help and to correct both the written and spoken word. You can get practice in all areas of work and play. Most residents in the village only speak Spanish. You will be welcomed whether you speak Spanish or not, but can practice if you choose to with locals and other family members. Clare and Chico’s daughters Stella (2015) and Nora (2019) are both bilingual.
Building
As well as all the usual maintenance that comes with a farm, we are also building interesting enrichment opportunities for the horses and infrastructure for their humans. Please let us know if you have particular skills or interests in these areas.
Gardening
You can learn about taking care of plants and trees native to the area. Depending on the time of year you can help with clearing the land, harvesting and preserving. As well as vegetables, we pick almonds and olives. Olives are preserved and pressed to make wonderful extra virgin olive oil. All seasonally dependent so please ask first if this is something you are particularly interested in.
Hoof care
Every horse is barefoot here and hooves have to be trimmed regularly. You will be amazed how sure-footed these horses are and how easily they move over the rocks and varied terrain. Everyone that works with, or owns horses should have a certain level of knowledge, be able to recognise a healthy balanced hoof and know what is needed to encourage this in your horse. No hoof – no horse. We see some awful cases of poor hoof care here and we are determined to raise the level of understanding. Hoof trimming is much more than just taking off the excess growth. It’s a fascinating subject that requires considerable skill.