Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
1 Apr 2024
Reply rate
57.9 %
Usually responds within 12 days
Feedback
22
Facebook verified
Email verified
Badges (3)
Details
Description
Hi! We are Sheena, Liza and Justine, and we have a beautiful family-run 8-hectare riding school, situated in the eastern part of Tuscany, between Arezzo and Siena. Since 2022 we have the special family addition of little Arqam!
We have about 40 horses and ponies, about 6 adorable Labradors, and 7 cats!
In the summer we have many children coming for the weekly camps, horse riding and doing all sorts of activities. During the rest of the year we have riding lessons and rides out in the beautiful hills around us. We also have a kitchen garden.
We sometimes go on longer horse rides up to a few days long, or we go to competitions with our ponies and children.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
-You will be able to go on rides on our beautiful horses and ponies (we have Connemara ponies which are also suitable for small-medium sized adults), or we can provide lessons if you are willing to learn (we ask you to help with some extra hours in exchange).
-The dogs are always a major source or relaxation through pet-therapy...you just need to stroke and cuddle them and they love it!
- You will be able to learn Italian or English. We are a bilingual family.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
***- UPDATE FOR 2023...we are possibly but not exclusively looking for a couple to juggle through the following tasks:
- looking after Arqam (6 months old in May 2023) when Liza has some work to do,
- keeping the house kind of tidy (cleaning the kitchen and sweeping the floor or keeping up with laundry - no regular moping or cleaning the house as we have a cleaning lady coming twice a week!)
- helping prepare food at least at lunch. Dinner is not part of the duty but as we eat all together we expect some volunteer help.
- gardening: getting the kitchen garden going, and keeping it going later in the summer. Helping in the orchard to look after the plants, weeding, adding manure, planting new stuff, mulching etc etc etcccccccc***
PLEASE NOTE: even if we are a riding school and have plenty of horses your main duties will not be directly with the horses most of the time. It can happen, but do not expect it.
Any experience in general woodwork, or painting, or permaculture, or cooking, or IT computer ...will be definitely a bonus. We would really appreciate also some help in renovating our website, or in keeping the accountancy up to date.
In your free time you can ride or take lessons in exchange for some extra hours!
We don't expect any experience with horses, but we guess that if you chose us it is because you love animals. Our dogs stay in the house, so sometimes it gets a bit crowded... :)
There are horses all around the house, so you will hear them at night and see them from your bedroom window...
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Swahili (Kiswahili): FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
We have two shared bedrooms available, they are both very light and spacious and have shared bathroom with us (in the house there are 2 bathrooms, one upstairs one downstairs).
We also have a sweet little wooden bungalow in the garden (the bathroom is in the house). There is also plenty of space if you want to come with a tent.
We usually eat all together, and we try to take it in turns cooking. If we have lessons until late we really appreciate if you can start the cooking. We eat meat, but not that often, so there is usually plenty of vegetables for vegetarians or vegans.
What else ...
You can visit some of the most astonishing beauties of Tuscany starting from Florence (60 min by train), Siena (40 min by car), Arezzo (20 min by car), Assisi (1 hr by car), Cortona, and so many more places that you maybe haven't ever heard of!
In our little village (1 km away) there is a little train station with trains going to Arezzo 5-6 times a day or more (only 1 on Sundays!), and from Arezzo you can move to all other cities. Nonetheless we go to Arezzo by car at least once a week, so you can always get a lift with us.
We are surrounded by nature so you can hike as much as you want.
There are thermal baths not too far away (30 min by car), we can try to arrange going together.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (11)
We felt like a part of the family and the athmosphere was really nice.
Sheena and all her family put passion in their job and in everything they do. Surely we'll come back early. Thank you… read more
(All of… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
We felt like a part of the family and the athmosphere was really nice.
Sheena and all her family put passion in their job and in everything they do. Surely we'll come back early. Thank you… read more
(All of… read more
Thank you so… read more
She’s always ready to help and do her best to meet your needs, she is very creative and she commits herself in adding her own touch to the house or to any projects… read more
Finally the 15th of November my first experience as workawayer began.
It is hard to explain by writing such magnificent and unique moments I have spent there. For know it you have to see it for yourself how good it is being there.
Sheen, Liza, Justine and… read more
He was excellent with the dogs, making sure he would find some time each day to take them… read more
Seriously, just go, you ll love it, they will take good care of you. Sheena, Liza , Justine and Stefano made my stay priceless.
Rooms are nice, TONS of delicious food, festivities with… read more
They have such a unique story of theirs to tell, they are funny, easygoing, always ready to help, and eager to do whatever was proposed to them. We ranged from fruit conserving, to cleaning… read more
We feel we have been blessed with his presence at the riding school during his stay. He was a special addition to the family, so become part of the family immediately.
He’s first of all a very hard worker, willing to do his best all time, and very autonomous and independent which is so important in a big farm.… read more
