Looking for friendly, animal-loving helper(s) in rural Brandenburg, Germany

Germany

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Feedback
22
Last activity
23/01/2020
Reply rate
96.8 %
Average reply time:
within 2 days
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Availability

2020

Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Description
Hi,
we have a little Trakehner horse stud ( around 20 horses) in the south of Brandenburg and looking for a nature-loving girl or boy with animal and horse experience to help us with the horses, running the stud and keep an eye on our dogs (big and small ones - they are really lovely!!!).
experience in the handling of horses and large dogs and physical fitness are desirable.
I have been breeding horses and dogs for over 30 years and love life in the countryside/forest. We are searching for somebody from the beginning of February to..... (preferred longterm ) - but short term(min 14 days) is possible as well!
Our lifestyle is simple rural and open.
Type of help
Farmstay
Animal care
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Traveller can learn about the traditional simple life on the rural countryside. Improve handling horses and dogs.
Of course, improve / learn the German language(I speak dialect-free).
Help
-help with general horsecare(mucking out, feeding, turn in/out)
-help to ride/start horses or ponies, if experience available
-taking the dogs on walks in the woods(small +large dogs)
-little bit of help around the house, yard
Languages spoken
german, spotty/acceptablel english
Accommodation
sharing a room in the family house with another girl/boy who helps on the farm
bathroom is used by 2-3 helpers
You live with us, as a part of the family together with 5 dogs in the house .....
Our life is rural simple - but very open and hospitable.
What else ...
we live isolated in the woods, 2 km from the next small village.
berlin, leipzig and dresden are 1,5-2,5 hours away by train.
you can enjoy the rural life, learn about horse- and dog breeding and have fun learning about our way of life together with people from different countries.
A little more information
- Internet access
- Limited internet access
- We have pets
- We are smokers
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
Hours expected
4-5 hours max 25 hours a week

Photos

me and terrier-puppys

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Feedback left by and about host (22)

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:
(4.5)

13/10/2019

Left by Workawayer (Freya) for host

This was my first Workaway experience and I didn't really know what to expect before staying with Gerlind. From the very first day I felt welcomed and valued. I learned so much about the animals (horses and dogs mainly) from working with them and I would highly recommend staying with Gerlind if this is something you are interested in. The work was… read more

(Excellent )

08/09/2019

Left by host for Workawayer (Polina)

Polina helped caring for our dogs and horses in our farm for 2 weeks
She is a friendly, polite and self-confident person who always tries to do her best.
It was interesting to hear about Russian tradition and culture and we really enjoyed her homemade "Blini" ... a kind of Russian pancake.
In the short time here, she was able to learn something… read more

(Excellent )

04/09/2019

Left by Workawayer (Polina) for host

I spent two weeks with Gerlind and all of her dogs and horses and it was indeed an interesting time. One of my chores was going for a walk with dogs twice per day in the pine forest and I really enjoyed those moments. I even saw wild deers, pigs and raccoons in that forest! Also I visited the Targo castle which you can reach in 10 min by train. I… read more

(Excellent )

30/08/2018

Left by host for Workawayer (Tobias & Zimera)

Zim & Tobias came as Workawayers and left as friends. Always willing to help and do any task asked of them.They dealt with everything we asked them to do with joy and enthusiasm.
I really enjoyed their company and their time spent here passed far too quickly .This couple are fun, joyful and hard working.The have a big heart and good sense for our… read more

(Excellent )

18/08/2018

Left by Workawayer (Tobias & Zimera) for host

We stayed with Gerlind for just over two months, and we experienced so much. Just as many other workaway's have said, Gerlind is a very kind and welcoming woman who made us laugh everyday. She is a fascinating person and an awesome story teller, with whom we developed a close bond. Gerlind is like our German mother and we miss her a lot.
Gerlind… read more

(Excellent )

27/04/2018

Left by Workawayer (Clare) for host

I ended up staying on the stud for 6 months and in general I am glad I had this experience. I think experiencing another way of life is important and I'll be missing the animals forever! I put together a pros and cons list so it’s easy to read:

Pros:

- The location is absolutely beautiful; you live literally in the middle of the forest. It is… read more very unique to have all that to explore right outside your door.
- There are so many different animals of different training levels, ages and temperaments to care for so you’ll learn a lot about them.
- The food is amazing (for example you can try wild boar that was hunted in that forest) and you will always have more than enough of it.
- Gerlind is a caring person who welcomes everyone into her home and will help you when you need it. For example, she helped me and the other helper get our residency permits when we weren’t fluent in German.
I am very grateful to her for everything!
- Gerlind usually takes two helpers at a time so you’ll have the opportunity to make a friend from anywhere in the world. I met a now great friend from the other side of the world!
- You can improve your German.
- Helpers also may get the opportunity (especially longer stays) to explore the surrounding cities and possibly other parts of Europe. I got to see a lot of different places while I was there.

Cons:

- The location is very isolated; you cannot easily get to a sizeable town without a car.
- The Wi-Fi at the house is available under a strict limit (for example no calls or video streaming allowed); however there is unlimited Wi-Fi a 5-10 minute bike ride away.
- In my experience, some of the dogs rarely listen to anyone other than Gerlind. This can and has made things difficult, even dangerous at times when working with other horses or dogs around them. This is the reason there are many rules and routines surrounding the dogs, but you still cannot predict what may happen so be cautious.
- Gerlind’s son lives very close and will be working with you often (depending on the time of year). I have to completely be honest, both I and a couple other helpers felt he was rude and inconsiderate a fair amount of the time we worked with him.
- There were times when both I and the other helper felt the criticism was excessive, especially after we had been at the same routine for months.
- The overall state of the farm is pretty run down and things need repair often.

Please feel free to send me a message if you have any questions :relaxed:

(Good )

21/10/2017

Left by Workawayer (Coraline) for host

I stayed 3 weeks at Gerlind's and only regretted that I had to leave! She welcomed me with open arms, open heart and generosity as a part of her family from the moment I got out of the train. Very quickly, I felt at home, a feeling that I hadn't had in my other workaway experiences (although they were all really good). Gerlind is one of the nicest… read more

(Excellent )

11/10/2017

Left by Workawayer (Basia) for host

When I arrived for my two-month stay at this little house in the forest, it was like walking into a winter wonderland with freshly fallen snow giving an aura of magic to the lovely pine forest. I enjoyed the work with the horses and dogs. I had worked with individual horses before, but this was my first time working with groups of horses. My daily… read more duties included feeding and watering, turning the horses out into their pastures in the morning and collecting them in the evening, mucking out stalls and freshening up the bedding. I found the work to be interesting and enjoyable and was particularly fond of mucking out the stalls and providing a nice, clean living space for the horses. I was also pleased to develop some nice arm muscles during this time and see myself getting faster at doing the work as time went along. In addition to working with the horses, I also walked the smaller dogs in the forest once or twice a day.
Gerlind is an interesting workaway host who likes to talk on many topics. It is truly inspiring to see how hard she works and what a positive attitude she maintains in the face of many years of adversity. And she always took special care to make sure that I had enough time to do my own translation work in addition to my workaway duties. During my two months there, Gerlind and I were often on our own, and I did not have any days off except for a pre-arranged weekend to travel to London. Of course, that is the nature of working with animals; they need care every day. During the first month, while I was working on a large translation, I did about 25 hours of volunteer work per week. After that, it was usually around 36 hours per week. I did have some light-duty Sundays where I only had to walk the dog(s) in the forest or a few hours spread out over the day. Unfortunately, some of the same muscles are used for dog walking as are used for mucking out, so with no time off to rest those muscles, I developed a bit of tendonitis by my last week there and could not carry on with mucking out (which was a disappointment to me, because I really liked that kind of work), so Gerlind was kind enough to let me limit myself to dog-walking duties during my last week, and fortunately, by that time, we had a couple of other volunteers who could do the mucking out. Although the work is not physically difficult, if you are not used to doing this type of work, I would recommend developing your arm muscles a bit before coming to this workaway. You will be glad you did.
Some things to note: When you are working with animals, particularly with horses, a small mistake can result in disaster, so you should insist on getting your training directly from Gerlind. Otherwise, if you are trained by another volunteer who may have also been influenced by neighbours or family members who sometimes help out, your training may be a bit different from Gerlind’s way of doing things. She has spent many years developing her ways of doing things to prevent accidents from happening and to make sure that animals and people stay safe, so you want to benefit from those years of experience. You should also note that, in addition to the large Swiss Mountain dogs, which are rather gentle, she also has one or two Jagdterriers (hunting terriers). These dogs are small and very sweet with people, but they are bred for hunting and can be vicious and deadly with other animals. With that in mind, take Gerlind’s instructions on handling them and her warnings about keeping them away from cats, etc. very seriously. In fact, you should insist that Gerlind give you a demonstration (when you first arrive) of how to break up a fight between Jagdterriers. The method is quite simple, but if you don’t know it, there could be serious consequences. Of course, the best thing is to prevent the fight in the first place.
Also, although the profile doesn’t say so, the wifi plan is limited, and you are not allowed to do any downloading or streaming. There is unlimited wifi at her son’s house, but that is 2 km away, and I am not sure what the availability of that is, so if a good internet connection is important to you, you may wish to discuss this with Gerlind before arriving to get a clear idea of whether her wifi situation will meet your needs. For my purposes, the connection was fast enough to do my work easily, but I was unable to skype with my parents when they were having medical issues.
I think you will enjoy this workaway the most if your German is fluent or near fluent, and winter is definitely a wonderful time to do it, as the forest is beautiful, and there is more work to be done with the horses (they spend summers outside, so little or no mucking to be done then). Sorry for taking so long to write this review, Gerlind. Ich wünsche dir “keine Überraschungen”!

(Very good )

06/11/2016

Left by Workawayer (Madeleine) for host

I spent an amazing 5 months at the farm and it was the best experience I've had so far. Gerlind is a really great host, from the moment I arrived she was warm and welcoming and it wasn't long before I felt really at home. I learnt so much from Gerlind while I was there, she has so much experience with the animals and is happy to teach and answer… read more

(Excellent )

11/10/2016

Left by Workawayer (Thea) for host

I spent 2 weeks here in the summer. It was great! I was there with Meritxell from Catalonia (Spain), and it was so much fun talking with her. One day, we went to Leipzig together and went sightseeing, and another day we went swimming on a nearby lake. Every day has the same routine, but it did take a week or so to memorize it. Each day we mucked… read more

(Very good )

03/09/2016

Left by Workawayer (Holly) for host

I spent three and a half months with Gerlind , the dogs ,chickens , ponies and horses and the time just flew by!
There was never a time when I was bored because there was always something to do from mucking out and riding in the forest to gardening and early mornings getting Varete ready for competitions .
Gerlind is a very patient woman with… read more

(Excellent )

15/08/2016

Left by Workawayer (Naoise & Sara) for host

Although I was only with Gerlind for a short time, it was an amazing experience!
Gerlind is so full of love for her animals, is passionate about her fantastic Trakehner bloodlines and has taught me so much in such a short time. I understand now not just more about breeding in general, but the depth and history to his majestic breed she has… read more

(Excellent )

16/04/2016

Left by Workawayer (Kevin) for host

This was my first work away experince and it was amazing. I didnt have too much experience with horses but i learned so much and Gerlind was a great teach and a very warm and welcoming host. The work is very simple once you get to know the order the horses are turned in & out and fed. It was very remote living with a farmers diet but thats part of… read more

(Excellent )

24/01/2016

Left by host for Workawayer (Daniel)

Daniel helped us during the complicated time in which we brought all the horses into the stables for the winter. It was particularly challenging, because he didn’t have any professional experience in farm work or in the handling of horses, which naturally caused some confusion. He was a good team worker, always polite, trustworthy, tried his best… read more

(Very good )

19/01/2016

Left by Workawayer (Daniel) for host

I spent almost a mounth at Gerlind's (hostmother) and Albrecht's (her son) place. It's like you're travelling back in time. Everything is very basic and totally rural. Regular Farmfood and Farmwork at it's best. It's impossible to not make mistakes because the tasks change every day (especially in wintertime when I was there) even though it's… read more

(Good )

18/11/2015

Left by Workawayer (mika) for host

I had a lovely an time with gerlind and her big family ( including all the animals. ) The work is not difficult and never boring. I loved walking in the forest with the dogs, it became my own personal garden for adventure ! I learnt that a simple life style can be beautiful and more fulfilling than any amount of money or city life could offer.… read more

(Excellent )

10/11/2015

Left by Workawayer (Marion) for host

After a first disappointing workaway experience, I was feeling a bit discouraged... but I decided to get another opportunity in this farm... And I'm realy glad that I did it !

I stayed 3 weeks with Gerlind and all her gentle animals. The farm is located in a wonderful forest. It's a good place if you need to rest and exercise in the same time… read more

(Excellent )

02/11/2015

Left by Workawayer (Daphne) for host

I spent a lovely 3 weeks with Gerlind on her small farm along with another workawayer. The work here is not hard, but there is a lot to do and it must be done right and at the right time of the day (so its very easy to make mistakes). While I was there it was summer meaning it was very hot however there is a lovely lake that is perfect for… read more

(Good )

28/09/2015

Left by Workawayer (Johanna) for host

I spent two weeks at the farm (via the Last Minute Search) and the time past so fast!! I can't describe how much I learned about dogs, horses, hunting, breeding.... And it was easy learning, because Gerlind is a very good teacher! Everything is without time pressure and relaxed. Also when I worked the time flow!
I had a lot of fun and we laughed… read more

(Excellent )

16/09/2015

Left by Workawayer (Julia) for host

I got the opportunity to spend 2 weeks on this wonderful farm this September. Gerlind was always so nice, ready to teach you about horses, dogs, breeding; helping with my German, cooking lovely food or telling interesting stories. I am really grateful that I could become part of the everyday life here for this time. It was a great experience and I… read more

(Excellent )

07/11/2014

Left by Workawayer (Maren) for host

This year in September I spent two and a half weeks on the farm. It was a great experience for me. The place is situated in a forest not far away from a little village. The area is wonderful and the work on the farm was manageable. I spent almost all the day outside caring for the animals which are all really sweet and well educated.
Gerlind… read more

(Excellent )

08/08/2014

Left by Workawayer (Sylwia) for host

I have spent almost a month in this place and it was one of the best periods of my life:)
it's impossible to describe how much did I learn about horse&dog breeding, about horses nature & training and in such a wondeful atmosphere. I had an amazing opportunity to learn from Gerlind who's litterally the best teacher I ever had - really calm,… read more

(Excellent )

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