« In my work with horses over the years, I have seen proof that horses learn much faster if we remove unnecessary pain from their training.

The bit is known to be a constant source of pain, and aside from the ethical considerations about causing harm to another species, the horse's reaction to the bit responds to the ancient fear of humans when confronted with the power and strength of horses.

Real safety, communication, and control of a horse is only truly achieved through mutual education. The Bit less Bridle is a reliable and safe tool to be used in all phases of education, breeds and ages. It is ideal for starting young horses and assuring a healthy and contented horse. »

Paul Walker

Day1: The trip will start at your hotel where you will meet your tour leader and driver, load the minibus and drive for three hours, crossing the Valdivian forest along the Reloncavi estuary. Arriving to the Tagua - Tagua Lake. Time for picnic lunch before crossing the lake, a ferry crossing will take us to the other side where will drive for another one and a half hour. The end of the road arrives up to La Colina Farm. Arrival to the base camp. Short visit to the farm, presentation of the group and activity. Diner and night at the camping place.

Day 2: Home made breakfast, and get ready for the first day of the course. Local breakfast. We will fetch the horses and prepare for the workshop. The workshop starts with a theoretical introduction to the Amanse concept and equine language; a Power Point presentation of the most important stages of the taming; basic aspects of a horse; the importance of our body language and clarity of intention in its education, and its effect in the relationship that we form with the horse. Truths and myths about the horses’ mouth and the fear of humans of loosing control. We will analyze our untamed horse based on its morphology and character.

Horses and Patagonia, history and reality....Lunch break. We start the round open work with the horse.

First lessons: Space control, we start to establish a relationship based on respect and trust between horse and us; how horses educate between themselves and how they are conditioned response animals: this means, if we set up a condition, and we get a response, and if we set up the condition often enough, then the condition becomes a cue for desired reaction or response.

Touching the horse: first lessons of sacking out, facing fear and reinforcement of listening attitude between horse and rider.

Day 3: Review of prior lessons. Long reining, complete sacking out, the Bit less bridle, lateral flections and increasing control. First saddling and varied trusting tests. Lunch break. Review of prior lessons Advanced round pen exercises. First mount. We apply Amanse techniques on our gentled horses, increasing the attitude of listening, and trust in themselves and us. The Cordeo; its use and applications in the education of a horse. Meal and sleep at the camp.

Day 4: Review of Amanse lessons in our gentled horses and the untamed horse. Horse ride up to Puerto La Guala for a night on Bandurrias Island. End of Workshop and meal. Certificate and celebration.

Day 5: Breakfasts. Free day at leisure. Opportunity to chat with Paul about the course and experiences. Lunch, tea and dinner included.

Day 6: After a delicious breakfast we will say goodbye to our host and sail to the other side of the lake and meet the baqueanos and the horses again. We will ride to Las Rosas post crossing the amazing pasarela bridge; we will have the chance to experience the great capability of the horses for crossing river Puelo and the Ventisquero River. Lodge at Lago Verde B&B.

Timing: 4/5hs horse back riding

Day 7: Breakfast and after sorting out our luggage we will get on the boat again and cross the river Puelo to start today’s ride to Ventisquero Valley. This is one of the remotest places on the itinerary. We expect to arrive late in the afternoon. Lodge at settlers home. Delicious meal and good rest.

Timing: 6/7hs horse back riding

Day 8: Today we can have a late breakfast since we will ride a shorter distance but with a totally different terrain. We will start the ascent to the Ventisquero, having the chance to get to spectacular mountain scenery and a nice place for the horses to graze. Lunch on the side of the river. Early arrivals, so plenty of time for reading a book go for a swim, relax of go for a walk. Great dinner again.

Timing: 3/4hs horse back riding.

Day 9: early breakfast and depart to Puelo Valley, fantastic scenery of the rivers and chance to canter on flat terrain. Lunch, lots of river crossing and finally reach Urrutia jetty. Here the horses will swim across the river. Accommodation and last dinner with the baqueanos in the valley.

Timing: 7hs horse back riding

Day 10: After breakfast we will get ready to travel by minibus back to Puerto Varas. * We can also provide an alternative service of of going back to Bariloche, Argentina on day 10. End of our services.

**Ask for Extra Services

Rates per person

in Dollars all inclusive

*Prices reflect all services including the hire of one horse. Riders over 90Kg/198lb are required to have an extra horse to allow alternation morning and afternoon due to the limited size of Chilean Creole horses.

Riders over 90Kg/198lb extra horse price U$150.

Opentravel motto is to love what we do and improve our trips and products and at the same time face the financial worldwide crisis. For this we have decided not to change any prices as long as the price of the dollar /Chilean peso remains within a 10 % fluctuation of the actual price.

www.economiaynegocios.cl/calculadora_vf/index.asp

In case this occurs we will be forced to update the prices accordingly and you will be notified as soon as we can. 

What’s included in the price

Group Transfers in / out Puerto Varas, La Colina.

Tame course & Bilingual English/ Spanish speaking horseman, Paul Walker,

Accommodation: Nine nights and breakfast, lunch box and dinner during the 10-day trip. 3 night camping accommodation, at La Colina farm with hot showers, tents are for 2 people sharing, 2-night accommodation at Bandurrias Island, 1 night at Lago Verde 2 nights at Ventisquero. 1 night at Puerto Urrutia.

Equipment and Logistics: Baqueanos, riding horses and pack horses. The entire luggage transfers from place to place plus extra emergency horses. All transfers by boat, ferry , minibus. What’s not included in the price.

Extras services not mentioned above, and extra drinks, gratuities for the local baqueanos, hosts, and assistants. Travel and adventure & personal medical insurance, the cost of transferring and carrying extra luggage per person, flights, airport taxes.

BOOKING CONDITIONS

For making a bank deposit please provide your bank with the following instructions:

Bank Name: Banco Corpbanca Puerto Montt Office

In order to: Françoise Dutheil B.- Catalina I. Bérard Address: Urmeneta 541 Puerto Montt Dollar account number Nº 36-028551-0

SWIFT: CONBCLRM

A copy of the deposit slip should be e-mailed or faxed to: (56-65) 260524

Please contact us if you have any questions or doubts, to confirm the payment process.

Reservation: Prepayment upon confirmation 30%.

Terms and conditions: We stipulate that the 70% balance must be sent at least 50 days before trip starts.

OPENTRAVEL cannot be held responsible for any extra cost in the event of cancellation or extension due to safety considerations.

Cancellation Conditions: Before 60 days: prepayment will be refunded. 59 - 21 days: 80% of total will be refunded. 20 - 14 days: 50 % of total will be refunded. 13 - 0 days 0% of total will be refunded In case of "last minute" cancellation due to weather circumstances the payment is not refundable but may apply to another departure during the same or the next season.

OPENTRAVEL cannot be held responsible for extra costs in the event the trip is prolonged by any circumstances.

We greatly appreciate our beautiful country and we make efforts to protect and to preserve our environment. Thank you for your collaboration.

Transfers

From the airport to P. Montt/P. Varas

Accommodations

Puerto Varas: Bed & Breakfast U$ 75 dbl. Room (day 0 & day 10)

Bariloche: Hotel Milan: 70U$ dbl. Room

*Alternative of going back to Bariloche, Argentina on day 10.

Day 10 Transfer from Puerto Urrutia to La Colina farm. Short walk to Las Rocas Lake. Boat trip to Isla Las Bandurrias. Lunch. Boat trip to the border. Border procedures at Reten Paso El Bolson. Short walk to Lago inferior and boat trip crossing the border across two lakes. Arrival to Lago Puelo (Argentina) pier. Border procedures at the Argentinean side.

U$ 270 per person minimum 4 persons up to 6 persons.

U$ 190 per person from 7 to 9 pressons

Private transfer to Bariloche.

Alternatives of going to Bariloche from Puerto Varas on day 11th

Crossing lakes excursion U$ 230 p/p

Andean Cross Puerto Varas/Bariloche (Van) Full day. US 125.