Our Destinations
Letter Randocheval
Why travelling with Randocheval ?
PREPARE YOUR TRAIL RIDE
Physical preparation - Health - Insurances - Formalities - Money - What to bring ? - In the Plane -
French / English / Spanish dictionary of equestrian terms
We collected here the craftiness and the practical advice from our horse rider experience in order to help you to prepare your trail ride as well as possible.
Do not hesitate to announce us your own tricks so that you share with all the riders!
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
Even if you ride on horseback regulalrly, a trail ride is very different to your usual way of riding (and it's the aim !). You'll ride from average 4 to 6 hours a day, and this during 6 to 10 following days.
With a bivouac accommodation, you'll not be able to sleep as well as in your bed, and if you choice a trail in a country with hard weather, you'll become overtired by climate and lack of sleep.
A trail ride will ask you to be in great shape, to be comfortable in the saddle and a good stamina.
Therefore, we suggest you to intesify your physical activity one ot two month before departure in order to leave on top form.
Your riding abilities are also important and if you don't ride regularly, we recommand you to increase the number of horse riding sessions before departure, with one or twice sessons a week with a minimum of 2 following hours on horseback.
If you never made a full week ride, it should be useful to test yourself on a weekend trail ride, in order to be sure, you can endure long hours in the saddle.
That's why, we selected different weekend rides in France, Switzerland and Spain.
MONEY - CHANGE
A part of you purchase can be paid with your international credit card. You also can collect money into numerous cash dispenser. Note that each time your collect money, your bank will debit you banking fees.
You have better time to make one big collecting is better than 3 smalls.
Warning, if in France and in Europe all cash dispenser accept Visa and Mastercard credit card, it'll not be bound to foreign country.
If you pay by credit card, be careful with change commissions which can be high. Be prudent with some counrties as Russia or USA, because on the credit card receipt, there is a free ligne for tip service. If you don't fill this line, the waiter could fill it for you. Always keep your credit card in your field of vision.
Travellers check are a security because in case of loss or robbery, they'll reimburse you. Note fees are more expensive and are not accepted everywhere.
To travel with money, you can use a belt with pockets, not beautiful but useful and effective. Never put out your money in public places. Keep your banknotes in a different pocket as your coins, and never forget that your banknotes sometimes represent a lot of money for local inhabitants.
SECURITY
We remind you that for security reasons, we recommand the helmet or riding hat on all our trail rides.
JET-LAG
- To the western side (of Europe to America...), you'll tied late afternoon, and in good shape the following early monring. The first day, you should arrive in the afternoon, which will make live a longer day as usual. Try to be awake until the evening, go outside, in order your body can be adapted to the light rythm.
- To the estern side (From Europe to Asia...), You'll certainly arrive in the morning after a night in the plane. This day will be hard and tiredness, but try not to sleep before the evening and go out side to take the sun in order to adapt you as quick as possible to the new rythm. It should be prudent to plan a first quiet day to have a cool day (but not a sleeping day !). If you're too tired, sleep 2 hours when you arrive in the morning and... get up !!
FIRST AID KIT
(to adapt depending your destination and your medical habits)
- Necessary medecines againt (type Ercéfuryl - Imodium - Smecta or similar)
- Large action antibiotic
- Anti allergics is your're predisposed
- Arnica ointment
- Dressing + spray disinfectant (avoid cottons, because hard to keep clean)
- Dressing against blisters
- Eye drops, especially for safaris and dry areas
- Analgesic (Paracetamol ou Aspirin)
- Burns ointment (Biafine)
- High protection solar cream
- Pastilles to purify water (type Hydroclonazone) if you leave to un isolated place
- Physiol blood card
- Repatrietion insurance + emergency phone number to contact in case of problem !
VACCINATIONS
- Concerning the Yellow fever vaccination, don't forget that it should be made minimum 10 days before departure.
- If you take Lariam against Malaria, start the treatment 10 days before departure, because it can cause bad effects and it would be preferable not to be ill on departure date ! Otherwise, you have choice in products, consult your doctor.
DIET
- Accustom you gradually to your new diet,
- Drink only water in bottles open face to you or put the pastille to purify your water. Don't eat no peel fruits and vegetables, avoid ice and dairy products. Give priority to rise and well costed food.
INSURANCES
Credit card can give you some insurance on condition that you pay your trip with it.
Only top of the range credit cards (Premier, Gold) include a cancellation insurance, others will only give you a repatriation insurance with various amount of franchise. Be careful with the level guaranty, ask your banker about the "equestrian" risk !
Concerning repatriation insurance, if you're leaving in North America or Australia, check the amount of covered medical fees : it must be more and several hundred of thousands euros, one day in an hospital cost average 5000 euros.
As trail ride is a sporty activity, and for your safety, we ask all riders to have a repatriation insurance. We will suggest you our insurance if you're living in Euorpe or Switzerland, otherwise, we'll ask you all details concerning your own repatriation insurance (company name, contract number and emergency phone number).
Consult our insurances.
Warning : Cancellation insurance only cover cancellation due to illness, dead of a member of your family, professionnal unforeseen difficulty, ... It doesn't cover a cancellation if you only decide not to come because you finally don't want to leave.
FORMALITIES
Check with your local Embassy according to your nationality.
WHAT TO BRING ?
We tried to make the list the most complete as possible, for a trail ride with bivouac accommodation.
Of course, some certain specific equiment is missing for some of our trail rides, and conversely some equipment is not necessary on other rides (a full equipment list will be furnished in your travel documents, youshould receive it 30 days before your departure.
- Sleeping bag
- Gourd
- Pocket torch / flashlight + battery
- Pocket knife
- First aid kit (see our recommandations "Security"above)
- Sun glasses
- Solar cream (high protection)
- Protector lip stick
- Toilet bag (compact, think about disinfectant wipe or make-up remover wipe)
- Small towel
- Handkerchief and toilet paper
- Marseille soap for body toilet and washing
- Camera + memory + battery
- Notebook and pen
- Alarm clock
- Pullover, polar sweet if the climate is cold
- Rain coat
- Trousers (to ride on horseback and for the evenings at camp)
- Underwears
- Jogging ou sous-vêtements longs pour les nuits froides
- Walking shoes + half chaps or full chaps
- Comfortable shoes for evenings
- Cap and hat against the cold, the sun and the rain !
- Swimming suit
- Gloves
- Rain jacket (more or less hot depending the destination)
- Plastic bags to protect your equipment from dust and water
In the plane, take all precious equipment with you (camera, money, medecines...)
If you don't find you luggage at the arrival airport, do immediatly a losing statement (all airports have a specialized service).
Before departure make a copy of your passport and your return ticket and keep it in a different place a sthe originals. It should be helpful in case of loss or robbery.
Be careful, you're limited in luggages at the airport and excedents are generally 1% of your full tickets / kilogramme. Usually you're limited with 20kg, but some charter flights or domestic flights ask a maximum of 12-15kg.
IN THE PLANE...
To have a comfortable trip, check in you luggage very early before departure, and ask a seat close to the emergency, where you have more space for your legs !
As the atmosphere is very dry, we suggest you to take a facial mister, moisturizing cream, eye drops.
During the flight, it's generally quite cold and very hot during stops, so take superimposed and comfortable clothes.
Feet and legs puff out, so don't quite to short shoes, because it's possible you not be able to wear it at the end of the flight.
If you require a special diet in the place, ask the stewart for a special meal. It's better to advise us when booking in order we can advise them before departure.
On certain companies, it's possible to book a seat when booking, even if you travel in economic class. This is a free service, ask us.
