KAZANLAK

WELCOME TO RANCHO: THRACIAN SPIRITS

Have you ever dreamed of being an American Indian or Middle Ages Knight?

Recently we were visiting Rancho Thracian Spirits near Kazanlak and with its owner, Evlogiya, we will tell you more about horse riding and horse caring.

About the Rancho Thracian Spirits

Rancho lays in very countryside village Golamo-Drjanowo, at the end of it, very close to the forest. There lives Evlogiya with her family, who help her a lot working with horses, and with her puppy named Şeytan.

During the winter horses also are living at rancho, in their stable. During warmer days – they are living in the forest. There is 6 horses in total, 5 geldings (there is no horse-riding at stallion as they may be aggressive) and one pregnant mare.

Usually beginners, especially children start their adventure on this mare, with a lariat, however now she waits for the childbirth and relax on the clearing.

First steps with horses

After learning basics riding with a lariat (the most important is to learn the proper seat in the saddle and “driving” horse with this seat), people start their adventures with trakkings (usually there is also a possibility to use riding school, but Thracian Spirits focus on trakkings mostly).

Except riding a horse, people learn also how to take care of the horse – how to clean it and saddle. It allows to make better connection with a horse. Better connection with a horse you can get also by giving him food. There are various rules about that at different stables.

Sometimes you can give a horse sugar, sometimes it is forbidden, sometimes you should give carrot or apple, otherwise oat cookies, sometimes you can give food from hand, otherwise you are asked for leaving it in the box or on the ground.

At Thracian Spirits rancho you can give whatever you want to horses, they don’t have special diet, however you need to remember to put food on the ground.

What is important for the beginners, is to remember about some safety rules before riding. First of all you can’t ride after drinking alcohol, secondly you need to remember about equipment. Usually at stables you can borrow helmet, but you need to remember about proper shoes. It should be sport shoes with thin sole (for example trainers) or special shoes to horse riding – elastic-sides or jackboots. If you choose trainers or elastic-sides you may also use chaps to cover your calf.

Story of Evlogiya

We also talked with Evlogiya about her personal story with horses – first time she sat on horse when she was 3 years old at the festival. She really enjoyed that and started learning riding a horse, what became her great hobby.

When she was 15 she started to work in a stable in Stara Zagora. Four years ago she decided to open her own rancho, she chose the area because of many good ways for trakking, what is her favorite horse riding activity.

Evlogiya is working 4 days a week at rancho and then another three days in the hotel in Kazanlak. She has manage to do it thanks of help of
her family and friends. She admits working at rancho is a hard job and it takes from 8 am till midnight, however this job is her passion and she loves it.

So… why not to try a horse riding?

At the end of the meeting we all had a possibility to ride a horse, it is truly a great thing and something what we recommend to everyone. If you are afraid, remember – everyone are, but this fear maybe just good dose of adrenaline.

Also, sometimes you fell from horse, that’s true, but really serious accidents happen very rarely and are usually fault of your fear – because the horse trust you and if you are afraid, he thinks there is a danger and start to save himself and you. So our advice is – defeat your
fear and try to ride – you will soon fall in love in it!

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