Hire of horses

[Shelley Yeatman]

Hi there, I'm interested doing the walk by horseback this summer. Are there trekking companies or individuals that hire the horses out? I'm interested in talking to people who have done the walk by horseback with regards to accommodation if you have a horse etc.
Cheers

[Covey]

You occasionally see Spanish riders along the Camino Frances, but I have never seen non-Spanish riders going solo. One Spanish lady rider I spoke to a couple of years ago said it was quite difficult to ride the Camino now because of a lack of places to park the horse when she wanted to go for a meal. She carried a tent and an electric fence kit to make an enclosure for the horse at night. Feed was a problem for her and she had arranged for a friend to deliver feed for the horse every other day for the various sections she was on.

If you don't speak fluent Spanish, then a solo attempt even if you could find a suitable horse, would be almost impossible. I have seen groups of Spanish riders arriving in Santiago, but I suspect they were owners who wanted to do the Camino.

I have occasionally seen pilgrims with a pack horse which looked nice especially if you did not have to carry a pack yourself, but the welfare problems of the horse remain the same even if you are doing the walking.

[grayland]

I think that Covey outlined the main problems very well.
I have seen horses during the day along the final stages of the Camino in Galicia but it always appears that it is more a day or a couple of day thing rather than a complete Camino.
In 2009 there was a group of horse people galloping thru a crowded, narrow and muddy trail in Galicia. The path had rock fences on both sides and the horses ran by a few feet away. They would stop at next rest point and then run back thru us again. The muddy path was all chewed up by the horses.
I do not have a fond memory of horses on the Camino.

[Covey]

I have the same feelings about most of the cyclists on the trail. The majority of cyclists seem to prefer cycling along the walkers trail as they feel that it is more "authentic" than the marked cyclists trail, which is mainly on roads.

The cyclists seem to assume it is the walkers who are going to get out of the way and head for the ditch, but my totally biased view is that if they want to ride the walkers trail, then they should give way to the walkers. I get even more anti when you get 20 riders from some club who come hurtling down the trail but at about 50m apart. They seem to assume that the walkers will appreciate the break from walking as we wait for them to pass by, only to have another lot 15 minutes later!

The section between Roncesvalles to Pamplona is bad in July/Aug as the Spanish cycling clubs are out in force and tend to start at Roncesvalles.

[grayland]

I have seen the big groups (Usually German) a couple of times. Overall, I have had good experience with the cyclists being courteous and sharing. It is disconcerting when you are in the middle of nowhere by yourself for hours and suddenly there is someone right behind you trying to pass as you stumble along.

[HuskyNerd]

Now, be nice to bikers. I myself hope to bike the Camino Frances someday and experience the joy of shouting "Buen Camino!" as I whisk past and splash mud on your legs.