From 4 weeks
from € 1.450
Greece

Volunteering at a horse academy in Crete

  • Directly at the sea
  • Surrounded by nature
  • Diverse cuisine

Do you love working with horses or have you always wanted to learn how to handle the animals properly? Then come to our horse academy on Crete. If you are looking for contact with horses and can't get enough of the animals, this project is perfect for you. Here you will learn everything about the correct posture and training of the animals and, depending on your previous experience with horses, you can provide support in the use of therapeutic riding and hippotherapy.

Location icon Crete
Minimum age icon from 18 years
Icon Duration From 4 weeks / from €1.450
Departure days icon Wednesday, Sunday
Volunteering at the Horse Academy in Crete
SDG 15 - Life on Land
life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Project ID : FA-GR470

As a volunteer
Greece

From 4 weeks / from €1.450
to the cost overview

Volunteer with horse at the academy

What's the matter?

The site is a large equestrian 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 a lot of love and respect. The heart of the complex is the riding school, which specializes in therapeutic riding, among other things. The facilities, which also include a park with other leisure and event options, are largely open to the public to enable 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 and welfare of horses or to impart your own knowledge. Due to the large number of horses, the organization is happy about motivated volunteers who help to care for the horses, to clean them, to take them for walks and to deal with them in general.

The aim of the project is to provide the animals with the best possible care and at the same time to teach the volunteers how to care for and train horses.

Your tasks as a volunteer

At the riding academy, everything revolves around the well-being of the horses. Therefore, during your assignment, you can expect the following tasks, which you can actively support:

  • Feeding the animals
  • Mucking out the stables
  • Daily training of the horses
  • Help in the riding school (previous experience in handling horses)
  • Support with therapeutic riding and hippotherapy (previous experience required)

For example, a typical work day might begin with you helping to organize errands needed for the facility and overall maintenance of the grounds. You then spend the rest of the working time directly with the horses, feeding them, washing them, training them and generally making sure that they do not lack attention.

Depending on how much experience you already have in dealing with horses, you will also be assigned tasks with greater responsibility. For example, you can get involved in the riding school, learn more about therapeutic riding and hippotherapy and can also provide support in these areas. Therapeutic horseback riding is about using horses purposefully to promote 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 suffering from certain skeletal and movement problems. When working with the horses, attention is always paid to the well-being of the animals.

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

Accommodation Catering

Volunteer Apartment in Crete

Volunteer Apartments in Crete

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

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

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

Supermarkets, restaurants, bars and other shops can all be found in the vicinity. The beach is also not far and invites you to swim. The area is generally considered safe, so you can easily be alone here. Occasionally there are social events or joint trips that you can take part in.

Location

Crete

Crete is located in the south of the Aegean Sea and is the largest Greek island. It offers breathtakingly beautiful nature with high mountains and wild gorges. The island is like a small version of the mainland. You will find beautiful original villages, big cities and mountains here. Blending the old with the new, the mountains with the sea, the island brings together so many comparative advantages that it is now one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations.

The scent of thyme, sage and oregano fills the air due to the cultivation of aromatic herbs. Crete's agriculture is mainly used for wine, olive and fruit growing and you can admire grapevines and olive trees everywhere. The island is one of the largest olive oil exporters in the EU and one of the oldest olive trees in the world can be found near Kavousi in north-east Crete. 

Administratively, Crete is divided into four prefectures: Heraklion, Chania, Rethymnon and Lassithi. Heraklion is the island's largest city and its capital - a vibrant city full of students and youth, where the organization is also based. 

Here you can combine work with vacation and fun. Your internship or volunteer work will definitely be etched in your memory forever!

Your free time on Crete

On Crete, the island of the gods, you will certainly not get bored. Be sure to take some time after your work on the project to thoroughly explore the largest island in Greece.

Heraklion, Crete's capital, is about twelve kilometers away from your project location. Highlights of the city are definitely its beautiful Venetian harbor, the historic old town and the attraction par excellence on Crete: the palace of Knossos. There you will learn about the most well-known myths surrounding the Minotaur, discover the labyrinth and learn more about the history of the Ionian civilization. By the way: Entry to the palace is free for volunteers under the age of 25. Talk to our project team about this.

Would you like to absorb even more historical knowledge? Then off you go to the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. The museum is full of finds from the Minoan period. The time is considered the hour of birth of European culture.

You can take another city trip to Chania. It is considered one of the most beautiful cities on the island with its Venetian harbor, a lighthouse, the ancient old town and the Hasan Pasha Mosque.

Crete is also an ideal place for nature lovers with its breathtaking nature, high mountains and deep gorges. The Samaria Gorge is one of the largest gorges in Europe and definitely an ideal place to go hiking in Crete. Equally exciting for hiking is Crete's second largest mountain Pachnes. It lies in the white mountains and impresses with its bizarre lunar landscape.

If you are more drawn to the beach, Crete will not disappoint you either. For example, visit Preveli Beach. The beach is a popular photo opportunity, as a heart-shaped rock juts out of the water. You will find another special feature on the beach of Elafonisi. Here, turquoise water meets pink sand. Definitely a must see!

On-site procedure

Arrival in Crete

Arrival in Crete

You land in Heraklion and a team member will pick you up from the airport. On the way to your accommodation, you will take a small tour of the city by car. The course of the next few days will be explained to you and you will already be shown some important places, buildings, shops and restaurants. You will then be taken to your accommodation and have the rest of the day free. This gives you time to rest, explore your surroundings or get to know the other volunteers.

Orientation in Crete

Orientation program on Crete

The orientation program starts the day after your arrival and you will learn a lot about Greek culture, customs and the house rules. If necessary, you can get a monthly ticket for public transport together in the city or you can drive directly to work. There you will be shown your workplace and the further processes will be explained to you. If you have any questions, you can contact the on-site team at any time. After the orientation program you have the rest of the day free.

Volunteer project on Crete

Your first day in the project

Each project has different working hours (approx. five days a week), which will be discussed with you right at the beginning of your assignment. On the first day you will get to know the employees and the work processes and you will be briefed on your tasks.

Our team is your number 1 contact for the entire duration of your stay on Crete. If you have any questions or problems, you can contact our team at any time!

Pricing

  • base fee
    € 1.450, -
    4 weeks of participation
  • extension week
    € 240, - / week
    up to 48 weeks

included
Services

Before departure

  • Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
  • Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
  • Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
  • Non-binding flight advice
  • Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
  • RGV t-shirt

On site

  • Orientation program with the team on site
  • Support and guidance from the on-site team
  • RGV 24h emergency number
  • Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities
  • Airport transfer on the agreed arrival and departure days
  • Accommodation in Volunteer Apartment
  • Meals: breakfast

After return

  • Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
  • Reflection course on your experiences abroad
  • Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion
useful additional services

not included
Services

  • Round trip
  • Private expenses on site
  • Excursions with microlight flights
  • Travel and cancellation insurance
  • Visa and Vaccinations
  • All nights outside your agreed accommodation
  • Public transport and extra transfers
  • Daily drive to the project
  • Drinks

Individual Recommended additional offers
& must-haves

Picture must-haves

Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?

With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.

Flight booking icon
" Round Trip
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.
Flight offers with maximum flexibility

Would you like to receive a cheap flight offer for your stay abroad that is perfectly tailored to you? After you have successfully registered, you can have a non-binding offer created.

The excellent rates for volunteers, students and young people are a great advantage. Arrival times and flight time changes can also be sent directly to RGV upon request, so that our RGV teams in the destination countries are always informed about your arrival times.

These special tariffs give you special added value:

  • maximum flexibility for rebookings and cancellations
  • generous baggage allowance
  • Additional discounts on one-way flights: The new volunteer tariffs include attractive discounts to reduce your financial burden on one-way flights (e.g. for stopovers, project or country combinations).
Insurance icon
" Insurance
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.
The 4 in 1 insurance cover for volunteers and internships abroad

You can easily book the long-term travel protection of ERGO Reiseversicherung after you have registered. You will receive the links to this automatically after a successful registration.

The following building blocks are included:

  • Health Insurance
  • Comfort protection: accident, liability and interruption insurance
  • Travel insurance

Crete Team
site

The main person responsible for the projects on Crete Nikos. Your volunteer coordinators are Rebecca and Cecilia.

Rebecca is English and has lived in Greece for over 20 years. Therefore, she speaks fluent Greek and also has basic knowledge of German. She has also worked in the travel industry for many years, is a professional singer, dancer and loves sports.

Cecilia is Romanian, speaks English and Greek and studied tourism and management. She loves travelling, reading and sports.

Portrait team in Crete, Greece

RGV FAQ
to the project

How far in advance do I have to register?

Ideally your registration takes place at least 3-6 months before the desired departure date, But also short-term registrations are up 1-2 months before the planned departure is possible.

But it could be that your dream project is already booked. In this case we will try together to find a suitable alternative for you.

Can I travel with a friend or in a group?

Yes! On request we enable a double room if you for two with a friend or a friend, or an apartment or other suitable accommodation for groups.

We are very happy to enable our participants to go on a project and share accommodation with friends. Shared accommodation is usually possible both in the volunteer house and with the host family, although the room in the volunteer house may also be shared with other participants. In some locations there is also the option of sharing an apartment.

When registering, please always mention the person(s) traveling with you!

Can I combine projects?

Yes! You can combine projects at one location, at different locations, but also in different countries. It is also possible to combine a project with a trip. You can specify your desired combination directly when registering.

Combination options at a glance:

  1. Combine programs in one country
  2. Combine programs across countries
  3. Combine a program with a language course
  4. Combine a program with ours Adventure & Trips

There are a few things Project combinations to note: The minimum length of stay per project must be observed and you may incur additional costs for country combinations, for example for an intermediate flight.

What are the project fees used for?

Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.

Do I need a visa?

As an EU citizen and from Switzerland, you do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days. If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you have to apply for a residence permit in the first month at the location.

What language skills do I need for the project?

In order to be able to communicate well with the team on site, you should definitely have good English skills.

What are the requirements for the horse project?

There are no special requirements for participation. If you already have experience in handling horses, that is of course an advantage, but not absolutely necessary.

Empathy, motivation, good basic fitness and a heart for animals are important.

General FAQ about volunteer work

Ready to volunteer in Greece? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!

Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.

You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.

Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.

RGV Your way
to the volunteer

1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.

2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.

3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.

4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.

Gallery Impressions &
Impressions

More projects you too might be interested

Are you not sure yet? Think about whether a spontaneous assignment as a volunteer abroad is the right choice for you or whether you would like to Voluntary social year (FSJ) abroad want to decide.

With RGV you achieve flexible volunteer work in different countries worldwide. Maybe there is one too Internship abroad the ideal choice for you to gain valuable experience abroad.

Volunteering Turtles Crete SDG 14 - Life Below Water
Volunteering
Greece | turtles
Volunteer work in the turtle project on Crete
Horse farm South Africa SDG 15 - Life on Land
Volunteering
South Africa | horses
Volunteering on a horse farm in South Africa
Dog sanctuary SDG 15 - Life on Land
Volunteering
Greece | dogs & cats
Volunteer work in the dog project on Crete