Help with our non-profit artistic horse shows and our farm in Saint-Clement, France

Details

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  Description

  We are passionate about horses and love sharing our life on the farm! We have Iberian horses, Friesians, mountain horses, and some little ponies, along with lots of cats and two friendly dogs. Our horse approach is based on bitless riding and horsemanship, including French artistic dressage, liberty work, and vaulting.
  No business help is requested from workawayers and help requested is only with a non-profit part of the project of the artitic horse show and trailing association (for the rally).
  Life on the farm is busy and hands-on, and every task comes with its rewards. Volunteers help feed the animals several times a day, clean paddocks and alleys, and assist with daily training sessions. You’ll also support us in preparing our summer horse shows (each week), the highlight of the year, where we combine dressage, liberty, and artistic performances. In September, we prepare a large horse rally, welcoming riders and horses from all over France, followed by another show at the end of the month. Being part of these events gives a unique insight into our horses, our methods, and the excitement of live performance.
  
  Helping in the kitchen or tidying shared areas is also part of daily life, and you’ll get to enjoy healthy, homemade meals together. You’ll also have one riding lesson at least per week and occasional forest rides, giving you the chance to practice bitless riding and experience our artistic and lightness french dressage, and during the show trainings you could try to vault (classical or cossak vault). Best riders or long stay riders will ride more, depends of your level and progress you 'll make during your stay.
  
  You’ll stay in a comfortable guestroom, sometimes sharing with 1–2 other volunteers, sometimes on your own. Meals are prepared and shared together, with plenty of protein included. Vegetarian volunteers are welcome and can cook their own meals with the ingredients provided. We can speak English, Italian, some Spanish, and of course French, though knowing a few French words is helpful as not everyone speaks English. The farm is in the mountains, so winters are cold and wet; the house is cozy but modestly heated, so warm clothes are recommended.
  
  We welcome summer volunteers with riding experience, capable of handling horses safely, including young or stallion horses. In winter, we look for handy people who enjoy physical tasks outdoors and creative projects like costumes and décor. Volunteers should be open-minded, adaptable, and motivated to learn our artistic, bitless approach to horsemanship.
  
  In return, you’ll enjoy a rich and rewarding experience: learning about bitless riding, liberty work, and French artistic dressage, participating in spectacular summer shows and autumn rallies, riding lessons, cozy accommodation, good meals, and the joy of spending time with our horses in a beautiful mountain setting.
  
  We appreciate horses lovers who comes from alover the world and region to have a cultural exchange, share our experiences around horse riding and art, and we even like to learn some words of fareaway countries thats we'll probably never visit according to our busy life with all our horses .

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Farmstay help

  Help around the house
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  Interests

  

  Pets

  

  Farming

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Cooking & food

  

  Writing

  

  Music

  

  Languages

  

  Art & design

  

  History

  

  Animals

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Nature

  

  Mountain
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  You will benefit from a cultural exchange by sharing our daylife on a small French mountain farm with some artist, horses lovers and lots of animals.
  
  Through riding lessons and observation, you will learn a lot about French dressage, bitless riding, liberty work, horsemanship, and vaulting, which is very different from club horse riding!! You will also gain practical skills in animal care, and creative preparation for shows and events, and if you stay a really long time participate to the show?!
  
  Along your stay, you will have the opportunity to experience French culture and traditions, and to improve your french, we'll take time to teach you, correct you and share some evenings listening to music and talking about everything and nothing... You will also meet other volunteers and horse lovers from around the world, sharing time, language and experiences, becoming friends for life ! Or perhaps you'll be alone for the evening, taking time for yourself to refocus and disconnected from your habits. Don't hesitates to ask me if you'll be alone or not, even if I can't guarantee it, I can inform you what is foreseen. Communication is the guarantee of a good stay.

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  Help

  No business help is requested from workawayers and help requested is only with a non-profit part of the project of our association which the aim is artistic horse show.
  
  Volunteers on our farm will be involved in a variety of hands-on activities, including:
  -Feeding and caring for horses, cats, dogs of our house several times a day.
  -Cleaning paddocks, alleys, regularly to keep it clean and comfortable for horses (our horses lives all out so you don't have to clean box only after preparing them for a training).
  -Assisting with daily horse training — including bitless riding, liberty work, and artistic french dressage (mostly observation-but that make you learn a lot).
  -Helping prepare our summer horse shows and the autumn horse rally, including grooming horses, arranging spaces, and preparing props.
  -Supporting kitchen and communal tasks in the home we share with you, such as meal preparation, washing dishes, and tidying shared areas.
  -One riding lesson per week at least and occasional forest rides, depending on experience and how long you stay.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  French: Fluent
  English: Intermediate
  Italian: Intermediate
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  je souhaite approfondir mon Anglais, apprendre l'espagnole et repratiquer l'italien mais je veux bien aussi apprendre d'autres langues :)
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  Accommodation

  We provide all meals, made with fresh vegetables, local meat, and fresh fish from the weekly market. Vegetarians are welcome — we can provide vegetarian steaks and ingredients so you can cook your own dishes. Meals are a social time, prepared and enjoyed together: we take lunch and dinner together,breakfast is more flexible to suit everyone’s rhythm.
  
  Volunteers stay in a comfortable guestroom in our large house. Sometimes you’ll share the room with other volunteers (not genred mixed), sometimes you’ll have it to yourself. It’s cozy and welcoming, but simple in a place surrounding with moutains and forests!

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  What else ...

  We can pick you up from the train station in Vichy.
  During their free time, you can enjoy quiet moments in nature, such as walking in the forest, trail running, or jogging, spending time grooming our old horse, or enjoying some purr nap with our cats. In summer, you can also enjoy the pool in the evenings or day off.
  
  Our farm is located far from towns and activities, you should enjoy being immersed in nature, a little cut off modern life, where the beauty of the mountains, fresh air, and animals become part of the daily experience, with a lot of silence.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    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?

  Two

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  My animals / pets

  Toundra

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