from 1,450€

Fantastic 4.5rating (22)
  • Life On Land

Support a Horse Riding Academy in Crete

location
4 - 48 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Fantastic 4.5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Good response rate

Highlights

  • Learn a lot about proper care and training of horses
  • Work in close contact with the horses
  • Get first insight into hippotherapy and therapeutic riding
  • Learn about the rich culture and history of Greece
  • Enjoy the great weather and your beautiful surroundings in Crete

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Learn everything about the proper care and training of the animals. Depending on your experience, you can also assist in hippotherapy and therapeutic riding.

The project is a riding academy on the island of Crete near the city of Heraklion. The project is run by a Greek aid organization, which cares for the 30 animals currently living here with much love and respect. The heart of the facility is the riding school, which specializes in therapeutic riding, ...

About the program

The project is a riding academy on the island of Crete near the city of Heraklion. The project is run by a Greek aid organization, which cares for the 30 animals currently living here with much love and respect. The heart of the facility is the riding school, which specializes in therapeutic riding, among other things. The facilities are open to the public as much as possible to allow visitors to come into contact with the horses and ponies.

The academy offers a wonderful place to visit to learn all about the proper handling as well as the species-appropriate keeping of horses or to impart one's own knowledge. Due to the large number of horses, the organization is happy to have motivated volunteers to assist in caring for the horses, grooming them, taking them for walks and overall spending time with them.

The goal of the project is to take care of the animals in the best possible way and at the same time to teach the volunteers how to care for and train horses.

Typical day

At the riding academy, everything revolves around the welfare of horses. During your assignment, various tasks await you. Your activities include feeding the animals, mucking out the stables, daily training with the horses and helping in the riding school. 

Depending on your experience and skills ...

Typical day

At the riding academy, everything revolves around the welfare of horses. During your assignment, various tasks await you. Your activities include feeding the animals, mucking out the stables, daily training with the horses and helping in the riding school. 

Depending on your experience and skills with horses, you can also support the team on site with therapeutic riding and hippotherapy. Therapeutic riding is about using horses in a targeted way to enhance the mental, physical, emotional and social development of people with special needs. In addition, the use of hippotherapy has a particularly positive effect on people who suffer from certain skeletal and movement problems. When working with the horses, the welfare of the animals is always taken into consideration.

As a volunteer you usually work five days a week for six hours a day. After work and on days off you will have time to explore the area and go on excursions.

Free-time activities

Crete is the largest Greek island and one of the sunniest in the Mediterranean. The paradisiacal island seduces you with 300 hours of sunshine per year and invites you to a beach vacation. But it is also worthwhile to put the numerous cultural sights on the to-do list. Probably the most important is ...

Free-time activities

Crete is the largest Greek island and one of the sunniest in the Mediterranean. The paradisiacal island seduces you with 300 hours of sunshine per year and invites you to a beach vacation. But it is also worthwhile to put the numerous cultural sights on the to-do list. Probably the most important is the Palace of Knossos, closely followed by the Arkadi Monastery near Rethymnon and the Archaeological Museum of Iraklio. Here you will learn a lot about Greek history and there are several other destinations, such as the Samaria Gorge or the coastal city of Chania.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Required Documents

CV, letter of motivation and visa documentary

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

For the work in the horse academy you do not need any special previous knowledge. However, you should have a lot of love for animals and interest in working with animals, especially with horses

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Rainbow Garden Village

Included:

  • Individual consultation by the RGV team in Munich 

  • Organization of the entire stay incl. placement in the project 

  • Support with travel preparations (if necessary, vaccinations, insurance, safety)

  • Comprehensive RGV Travel ABC for your travel preparations 

  • RGV T-shirt 

  • Accommodation on site Orientation program by the team on site 

  • Personal contact and guidance by the team on site 

  • 24/h emergency number 

  • Certificate of participation 

  • Introductory course Personal development


  • 2x Airport Transfer


  • Meals: Breakfast

Airport Pickup at Heraklion Airport

You will get picked up from the airport by a local team member.

Accommodation

During your assignment you will live in one of the volunteer apartments on site. Depending on how many volunteers are participating in the project and how long you will stay on site, it will be decided in which apartment you will stay.

The apartments can accommodate up to three volunteers together. All apartments are fully furnished and equipped with WLAN. Towels and bed linen are provided, but you are responsible for keeping the rooms clean.

The best way to get to work from your accommodation is by bus or car. A trip takes about 10 to 30 minutes.

Supermarkets, restaurants, bars and other stores can all be found in the vicinity. The beach is also not far away and invites for swimming days. The area is generally considered safe, so you can stay here alone without any problems. Occasionally there are social events or joint excursions in which you can participate.

Food & Beverages

Breakfast is already included in the program cost. You can inform us about your diet before your departure. The vegetarian diet is possible.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Heraklion Airport (HER) in Heraklion. We assist you to find cheap flights to Greece. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Greece provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Greece you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Greece. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

You will land in Heraklion and will be picked up from the airport by a team member. On the way to your accommodation you will make a short tour through the city by car. During this tour, the schedule of the next days will be explained to you and you will be shown some important places, buildings, shopping facilities and restaurants. Afterwards you will be taken to your accommodation and have the rest of the day free. You will have time to rest, explore your surroundings or get to know the other volunteers.

The day after your arrival, the orientation program will begin and you will learn a lot about Greek culture, customs and the house rules. If necessary, you will go together to the city to get a monthly ticket for public transportation or you will go directly to your workplace. There you will be shown your workplace and the further procedures will be explained to you. If you have any questions, you can always contact the team on site. After the orientation program, you have the rest of the day free.
Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 1,450€
5 weeks 1,690€
6 weeks 1,930€
7 weeks 2,170€
8 weeks 2,410€
12 weeks 3,370€
24 weeks 6,250€
48 weeks (max. stay) 12,010€
Average fees 306€/week

Program fees

306€ per week 4 - 48 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

4 - 48 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Rainbow Garden Village during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

Rainbow Garden Village

Fantastic 4.5 rating (22 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 1999

Verified by Volunteer World

  Good response rate

Coordinated by

Steffen

Spoken languages: English, Spanish, German

About the project

Rainbow Garden Village specialises in worldwide volunteer placements and has been sending volunteers on impactful, life-changing trips since 1999.

Meet your organization

From Africa to Asia and Europe to Latin America and Oceania - through volunteering or internships our participants gain unique impressions and experiences abroad. Rainbow Garden Village (RGV) offers sustainable projects in more than 30 countries worldwide in various fields, such as social work, teaching, animal welfare, environmental protection, medicine, etc..

While our participants are engaged in their project, they broaden their horizons and become more open-minded. They strengthen their personal skills, grow from the challenges in their volunteer projects and also improve their language skills. Countless new impressions, experiences and special moments round off the stay abroad - and lead to a return with many exciting stories in the luggage!

22 reviews · rating4.5

This was a very bad experience for my sister and me. Firstly, we were sent to a different riding school than what had been advertised, without any warning. When we saw the place we had doubts about the animal's welfare. Not to mention the fact that the organization didn't listen to us when we ...
Eliot Jacquemin rating3.8

2024 at Penguin Sanctuary

J'ai beaucoup apprécié ce projet. L'organisation fut globalement assez bonne, je n'ai pas eu de soucis. J'ai appris énormément de choses sur les pingouins et les défis qu'ils doivent combattre au quotidien, c'était très inspirant. ..
Maria S rating5

2023 at Street Children

I was there for 8 weeks as a volunteer in a street children's project in Accra. My goals for this stay abroad in Ghana were to get to know a new culture, improve my English language skills and learn to appreciate my own home country. I can happily say that I achieved all three goals. Working in ...
Greta Moser rating3.8

2023 at Veterinary Clinic Assistant

Ich habe als Praktikant in der Tierklinik während meiner Zeit in Heraklion sehr viele verschiedene Dinge mitbekommen. Da ich vorher einige Praktikumserfahrung bei Tierärzten gemacht hatte, durfte ich auch im OP so viel helfen, wie es rechtlich als Praktikant zulässig ist. Auch neben den ...
Charlotte W rating1

2023 at Assistant for an Animal Shelter

I decided to spend 2 weeks in the animal shelter in Crete. Everything went wrong from the beginning. I was placed much too far from the shelter and took 2 hours to get there. After a complaint I was put in a dirty house with cockroaches, no air conditioning and mouse droppings. After another ...
Swenja G rating5

2023 at Street Children

Now I would like to tell you about my time in Ghana: I lived in Accra for 6 weeks and worked in the street children project there. In the time before my departure, I mainly took care of my health care (vaccinations and tablets against tropical diseases) and read the pages about the country, culture, ...

Location

Europe > Southern Europe > Greece > Heraklion

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Contact Steffen
  Good response rate
English, Spanish, German

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