Luxury Health Week

This is an opportunity to spoil yourself thoroughly. Combine a horse riding holiday (all levels) from outrides, game viewing, polocrosse and jumping with a pilates course.  This, together with a range of salon treatments and a delicious healthy menu, makes for a truly magical experience.

The focus on this holiday is horses and quality riding and we are able to ensure that riders of any ability are well matched and have the chance to ride several suitable horses during their holiday. Rides are tailor-made to suit the needs of our guests and we try to be as flexible as possible, with morning rides of 3-4 hours and shorter rides in the afternoon.

Each day will start with a pilates lesson with a BASI qualified instructor who will take you through the basic concepts of pilates: discovering your pelvic floor muscles, stretching the spine, toning the thighs, buttocks and arms and of course exercises for the perfect set of abdominals! Lots of fun to be had by the pool; a perfect tranquil setting, but remember, no pain, no gain! For the more experienced pilates enthusiast, more advanced sessions that go further can also be arranged.

In between horse riding and pilates, enjoy a range of salon treatments by an experienced practitioner. During your week long stay, you will receive a full body massage, Indian head massage, pedicure, manicure and facial. Other treatments also available upon request include massage (Swedish, aromatherapy, lymph drainage, deep tissue, hot stone), shiatsu, energy healing, electrolysis and waxing.

This location is well known for its passion for food. Being a health week, they will be serving a selection of low fat, well balanced yet utterly delicious meals. All accompanied with an abundance of fresh summer fruits, salads and vegetables from their organic vegetable garden.

Contact us on: contact@redlandsequestrian.com for a brochure or call 01225 424413

DAY 1:

Transfer from Johannesburg airprot to Horizon Lodge (approx 2.5 hrs) for lunch. That afternoon enjoy an introductory ride in the game reserve, with sundowners served at one of our picturesque hippo dams.

DAY 2:

Begin your day with the first session of the pilates program by the pool. Discover and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles! After breakfast, ride to the original farm homestead and main African village, view the quaint hand decorated houses, call in at the historic Baber family homestead for tea, and a visit to the farm crèche for some delightful entertainment. Ride back to Horizon Lodge for a cooling swim in the lake with your horse before lunch. In the afternoon, ride out into the game area to encounter game on horseback and learn the signs of the wild and medicinal values of the native bushes and trees.

DAY 3:

Start the day’s activities with an early morning stretch and workout for tired thigh muscles during pilates. This morning’s ride will be an introduction to polocrosse, an invigorating sport that will soon have you addicted. Before an afternoon ride and all the mornings activities, relax with a full body or Indian head massage treatment. Then enjoy another outride in the game reserve whilst enjoying the excellent going on the complex network of sandy tracks.

 DAY 4:

To get you in the mood for the day, flex and stretch the spine in today’s pilates session, then enjoy an exhilarating fast ride to one of the furthest points of the property, utilizing kilometers of clear sandy tracks. After a light lunch with fresh garden salads, time for a pedicure or manicure. In the afternoon the saddle weary can have a brisk walk to Beadle, the local farm community-linked project and shop, where locals hand make exquisite beaded leather products, including browbands and made to fit riding chaps. Alternatively, go on a gentle outride to discover new parts of this beautiful property or to find the hippo!

 DAY 5:

Today’s pilates concentrates on the abdominals…no pain, no gain! The ride this morning will explore the reserve further, through the koppies and open plains, with a chance of close encounters with giraffes and zebras. Enjoy a refreshing and uplifting facial before another indulgent afternoon tea, followed by an outride or the challenging cross-country fences.

 DAY 6:

Pilates is all about toning the thighs and buttocks this morning! Experience a morning of mustering and cutting some of the ranch’s magnificent Bonsmara stud cattle, a non-aggressive breed adapted to local conditions. After bringing a herd in from pasture, take turns to move one cow or youngster away from the group. This activity pits you and your mount against the animals’ herding instinct and will test your riding ability to the full. Follow the action with a refreshing swim with your horse. A relaxing or invigorating massage and afternoon tea will prepare you for the next challenge; western games (gymkhana for adults) where your riding skills and competitive edge can once again be pushed to the limits.

DAY 7:

The final pilates session will be a relaxing full body stretch to ease out tired muscles and warm them up for the rest of morning’s activity. After breakfast we travel to Telekishi, a community tourism project situated on communal land adjacent to Masebe Nature Reserve. Nestled at the base of the north-eastern Waterberg escarpment, the site has access to this pristine and inaccessible landscape with breathtaking views and impressive geo-morphological forms. The morning is spent hiking the magnificent escarpment with cultural guide, Malesela, to view Middle Stone Age tools, San rock art, 18^th and 19^th century Iron Age settlement sites and an initiation site. After lunch at the traditional sotho houses, we return to Horizon Lodge. Afternoon tea is followed by an outride in the game reserve for one last photo opportunity with game followed by a final sundowner on a high rock overlooking the tranquil Waterberg landscape.

DAY 8: The last ride of the week is one of your choice.

2012 prices: Rate per person excluding transfers - £1,449.00

2012 dates: The next health week will be run from February 4th to 11th 2012. Please enquire to further dates available.

 Spring/Summer is Sept-March with the rainy season from Nov-March. Nov & Feb are the hottest months. 

Autumn/Winter is May-Aug with little rain

Not Included: Flights and Travel Insurance

Single Supplement: 20% if none if available

Includes: lodge accom with en-suite, all riding activities, meals & drinks

Not Included: Flights and Travel Insurance

Meeting Point: Johannesburg Airport

Indicative flight price: London to Johannesburg £400 - £500pp return depending on time of year

Transfer: group transfer £65pp one way

No of hours in the saddle: Variable

Max Weight: 95kg

Group Size: Variable

Suitable for non-riders: yes

Call us on +44 (0)1225 424413 or email contact@redlandsequestrian.com to check the ride availability and dates, once we have confirmed availability you can download and fill in a booking form:

• UK Rides Booking Form
• Worldwide Rides Booking Form

Each rider in the party must also complete a riding ability questionnaire before we can complete the final confirmation of your holiday booking.