Horsey person welcome to help with grooming and maintenance in Grândola, Portugal

Details

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  Description

  I´m Simone, a single mature person with rescued animals. I live in a small cottage in the countryside, somewhere in the Setúbal region (under Lisbon on the map). This region is known for cork oaks, pine trees, wine and black pigs. I am not native to Portugal, but have lived here since 1999. I´m looking for someone who can help me with the horse related work.
  For various reasons, one being my nervous cats, I do not accept volunteers that want to take their dogs anymore.
  
  It is sometimes possible to come for a short stay, like if you need a roof over your head between workaway episodes.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  House sitting
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  Interests

  

  History

  

  Drawing & painting

  

  Music

  

  Languages

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Culture

  

  Pets

  

  Sustainability

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Farming

  

  Writing

  

  Photography

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Blogging

  

  Books

  

  Art & design

  

  Animals

  

  Nature

  

  Dancing
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  They can enjoy Portuguese lay back country living, go to the sandy beaches, visit historical towns or get the buzz of the capital city if they want too. Get a taste of the Portuguese kitchen in restaurants (meals are 8-20 euro, including wine, dessert and coffee). Learn or better their English and/ or Portguese. Learn about different horse breeds including the native horsebreeds and other horse related stuff.

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  Help

  All the help is around horse care. Mucking out, feeding, grooming etc. some riding is sometimes possible, but not necessary. The help concentrates around about an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening and the rest of the day you are free to go. It´s quiet country life, I have 4 horses (they are in at night and out during the day), 4 dogs and 4 cats and chickens. You will have to get up early. In summer it´s custom to sleep a bit after lunch. Tempertures can reach over 40 ºC in June to September. Prefer short periods over longer stays, 2 weeks is the max in summer,

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  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  Portuguese: Fluent
  German: Intermediate
  Spanish: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

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  Accommodation

  Own bedroom with queen bed, in the small cottage.

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  What else ...

  Nearest village 8 km. Beaches at 25-30 minutes by car. You can reach some beaches by bus. Bus stop very near, but only 3 buses either way and only in weekdays, not in the weekend or on national holidays.
  Lisbon can be reached by Express bus and train. Setúbal also by bus and ferry. I have a bicycle available. I speak Dutch, English, Portuguese, some German, Spanish and French and am learning Welsh at the moment. Prefer a non smoker. LGBT welcome. I cook mainly vegetables with pasta or rice. I have eggs from my own hens. Cereal/bread for breakfast, warm lunch, tea with cookies/biscuits and bread for dinner (but you are allowed to cook something for yourself if you want to). Fruit available all day.
  Limited internet use, but this is due to the bad signal, not because I don´t want people to use it. Sometimes signal is strong and fine, sometimes it´s weak or non existant. It can be frustrating and it is no good if you depend on it for work. No TV. I do have hundreds of DVD´s, in a variety of genres. I have books you can read, in Dutch, English and Portuguese. Mostly horse related, but also thrillers, novels, travelguides, culture and history and such.

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  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  My animals / pets

  

  Gandi (14 years)

  Gandhi was so emaciated as a foal before I rescued him, that he has a mental retardation. but he got the looks. Very handsome boy that loves cuddles.

  

  Honey (13 years)

  Garrano. Honey is not mine, but here because her owner can´t take care of her anymore.
  She has quite a strong will, but is also affectionate.

  

  Pócótó (19 years)

  Mare, Luso-Arab.
  Very sweet horse. Skilled in opening gates and doors.
  Sweet natured.

  

  Vincent (van Gogh) (21 years)

  Cruzado (Lusitano with unknown parents). Horse with an opinion and quirks. I wrote a book about him. "Vincent, paard met praatjes".

  

  Olímpio (30 years)

  French Trotter. Gentle.

  

  Tiago (2 years)

  Tiago is a very shy cat when it comes to strangers (some never get to see him), but once he knows you are okay, he is very friendly and looking for affection. He is also a lap cat, but not so much with strangers. It really depends if he trusts you or not.

  

  Maria (4 years)

  Maria likes people and is a lap cat. She will follow you around to keep you company and is quite vocal and usually in for a chat.

  

  Tina (6 years)

  Tina is okay with people, but not a lap cat. She doesn´tmind to be stroked but she needs to get to know you first. She likes to keep you company in the stables if you are mucking out. A perk that she has is that she will chime in when you are singing.

  

  Salvi (12 years)

  I inhereted Salvi from a friend at the age of 10. She is quite a character and barks a lot when she gets exited to go for a walk and as an alarm when people walk or cycle on the road in front of the house.

  

  Dingo (5 years)

  Labrador Retriever cross, medium size, very sweet and always hapy.

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