One course, two ways to experience it.

Join us for a focused week of French classical dressage in the Costa Rican highlands. Choose our Ride & Stay Package with one small-group lesson each day, or immerse yourself more deeply with our Dressage Intensive Package, including one group lesson and one private lesson each day.

Both packages follow the same weekly schedule and include accommodation, fresh homemade meals, airport transfers, and access to our highly trained school horses.

Optional yoga can be added to support body awareness, mobility, and balance in the saddle.

Both packages follow the same weekly schedule and include accommodation, fresh homemade meals, airport transfers, access to our highly trained school horses, a foundation theory session, and lifetime access to our four-hour online course.

Ride & Stay Package

Enjoy one small-group classical riding lesson from Monday to Friday, with plenty of time to observe other lessons, spend time with the horses, work remotely, relax by the pool, or explore Costa Rica independently.

Dressage Intensive Package

Combine your daily small-group lesson with an additional private lesson from Monday to Friday. With ten riding sessions throughout the week, this package offers highly personalized instruction and a deeper focus on your individual development.

The Dressage Intensive Package is limited to a maximum of four riders per week.

Foundation Theory Session

At the beginning of the course, all participants join a shared theory session introducing the foundations of our training approach.

We explore the horse’s natural movement, balance, and basic biomechanics, as well as how lateral movements can mobilize the body, bring more activity to the haunches, free the shoulders, and develop balance and lightness.

This foundation helps riders understand not only how to perform an exercise, but also why and when it benefits the horse. Theoretical knowledge and practical explanations are then integrated naturally into the riding lessons according to each horse-and-rider combination.

Every participant receives lifetime access to Isa’s four-hour online course:

Classical In-Hand Work for a Strong and Healthy Horse

The course introduces the principles of balance, biomechanics, mobilization, and classical in-hand work. It allows you to become familiar with our training approach before your arrival and provides practical exercises you can continue using with your own horse at home.

Access to the online course is included with both the Ride & Stay Package and the Dressage Intensive Package.

Rooted in the teachings of Manuel Jorge de Oliveira and French classical masters such as François Baucher and La Guérinière, our approach to French classical riding focuses on developing balance, mobility, lightness, and pride in the horse.

Depending on your experience and personal goals, your lessons may include:

• Refining your seat, timing, and aids

• Understanding the horse’s natural balance

• Working with corners, lines, transitions, and lateral movements

• Mobilizing the haunches and freeing the shoulders

• Developing lightness and self-carriage

• Classical in-hand work and preparation of the horse

• Understanding the connection between the horse’s anatomy, mind, and spirit

All experience levels are welcome, from motivated beginners to experienced riders. Every lesson is adapted to the individual horse-and-rider combination.

A Course Focused on Riding

This week is intentionally designed for riders who want to learn, practise, and make meaningful progress. Instead of following a fixed sightseeing itinerary, afternoons leave space for additional learning, observing lessons, spending time at the barn, relaxing, or arranging independent activities.

Optional Equestrian Yoga can be added to the course for guests who would like to improve their mobility, body awareness, alignment, and balance alongside their riding.

Equestrian Yoga

This course can be optionally added to your booking and includes five 90-minute sessions, offering a total of 7.5 hours of equestrian-focused yoga.

Improve your balance, strength, mobility, alignment, and body awareness through yoga designed especially for equestrians. The sessions help release tension, develop a more stable and supple seat, and create a deeper connection with your movement—supporting you in becoming a more balanced and effective rider.

The course is suitable for all experience levels, guided by a professional yoga teacher, and guaranteed to take place even with only one participant. Yoga mats are provided.

Conversational Spanish Course

Add a practical conversational Spanish course to your Ride & Stay experience. The lessons are designed for beginner to intermediate learners and focus on useful vocabulary, everyday communication, travel situations, and insights into Costa Rican culture.

The course is taught by an experienced Spanish teacher and adapted to the participants’ language level. No previous Spanish knowledge is required.

Meet Your Host and Instructor

Isa Avendaño is the founder of Finca Soley and brings more than 25 years of experience in horse training, rehabilitation, French classical riding, natural horsemanship, and liberty.

Her classical work is influenced by the teachings of Manuel Jorge de Oliveira and focuses on developing the horse’s balance, mobility, lightness, and self-carriage.

Isa combines practical knowledge of the horse’s body and movement with a deep understanding of communication, psychology, and individual personality. Her lessons are adapted to each horse-and-rider combination, helping beginners build confidence and experienced riders refine their seat, timing, aids, and feel.

At the heart of her work is one goal: to develop horses who are healthy, willing, proud, and balanced partners.

Our School Horses

At the heart of this course are our carefully trained and deeply cared-for school horses. Our herd includes Quarter Horses, Andalusians, Aztecas, and horses of different ages, sizes, personalities, and levels of training.

Many of our horses are schooled in lateral movements, transitions, simple changes, classical in-hand work, liberty, and selected high-school movements. This allows us to match each rider with a suitable horse and adapt the lessons to their experience and individual goals.

Advanced movements such as piaffe or pirouettes are available only to experienced riders when the horse-and-rider combination is suitable. Our priority is always thoughtful, horse-friendly training that develops balance, strength, lightness, and pride in the horse.

Accommodation

Your stay includes comfortable accommodation in one of our hand-crafted mountain lodges at Finca Soley.

Wake up to birdsong, fresh mountain air, and peaceful views across the Costa Rican highlands. All rooms include quality mattresses, hot showers, regular room service, and access to our pool, gardens, shared dining areas, and relaxing spaces around the finca.

Shared Accommodation – Included

Our shared accommodation is included in the base price of both riding packages. Rooms are shared with other course participants, with comfortable beds and access to a shared bathroom.

Private Accommodation – Upgrade Available

For guests who prefer more privacy, a limited number of private rooms are available for an additional fee. Depending on the selected room, the bathroom may be private or shared.

Please select the Private Room Upgrade during booking. Private rooms are limited and assigned according to availability.

Fresh, Homemade Meals

Good food is an essential part of your stay at Finca Soley. Our meals are freshly prepared with local ingredients and seasonal produce, including herbs, fruits, and vegetables from our farm whenever available.

Your stay includes:

• Fresh Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

• Water, coffee, tea, and juice

• Herbal teas from our garden

• One glass of wine or beer with dinner

Our cuisine is colorful, nourishing, and inspired by Costa Rican and international flavors. Meals are enjoyed together in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere overlooking the finca.

We are happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary needs. Please inform us about allergies, intolerances, or special requirements when booking so that our kitchen can prepare accordingly.

Additional alcoholic beverages are not included.

Please read the following terms carefully before confirming your booking.

1. Payment and Booking

• A 25% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking.

• The remaining balance is due no later than 10 days before arrival.

• Your reservation is confirmed only after the deposit has been received.

• By completing your booking, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.

2. Cancellation and Refund Policy

• All payments are non-refundable.

• No refunds are provided for cancellations, late arrivals, early departures, no-shows, missed lessons, or unused services.

• We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that covers trip cancellation, medical care, and unexpected travel interruptions.

3. Rescheduling

If you cannot attend your booked dates, you may transfer your booking once to another available course date within 12 months of the original arrival date.

Rescheduling is subject to availability and must be requested before the original course begins. Any price difference for the new dates or selected package must be paid by the participant.

4. Package Selection

Please select your preferred package when booking:

• Ride & Stay Package: five small-group riding lessons

• Dressage Intensive Package: five small-group lessons and five private lessons

Upgrading to the Dressage Intensive Package is possible only if an Intensive place remains available. The Intensive Package is limited to a maximum of four riders per week.

5. Horses, Lessons and Program Changes

Horse assignments and lesson content are determined by Finca Soley according to each participant’s experience, height, weight, balance, confidence, and physical condition.

The welfare of our horses always comes first. We reserve the right to adjust horse assignments, lesson content, riding activities, or the daily schedule when required by weather, horse welfare, safety, or other circumstances beyond our control.

Missed lessons resulting from a participant’s late arrival, personal decision, health condition, or inability to participate are non-refundable.

6. Safety and Community Guidelines

Participants must follow all safety instructions and treat the horses, staff, other guests, facilities, and local community with respect.

Finca Soley reserves the right to end a participant’s stay or riding activities if their behavior creates a safety risk, compromises horse welfare, or seriously violates our house and community guidelines. In such cases, no refund will be issued.

7. Personal Responsibility

Participants are responsible for informing us before arrival about relevant medical conditions, allergies, injuries, dietary requirements, riding concerns, and any other information that may affect their safe participation.

Participation in equestrian activities involves inherent risks. All participants will be required to complete and sign our rider information and liability forms before riding.

Riding

• Riding pants

• Riding boots or closed shoes with a small heel

• Riding helmet, if available

• long sleeve light shirt for sun protection

Yoga and Comfortable Clothing

• Comfortable clothing suitable for yoga

• Light layers for cooler mornings and evenings

• Swimwear

Outdoor Essentials

• Sneakers or walking shoes

• Sandals or flip-flops

• Light rain jacket

• Sun hat

• Sunscreen

• Insect repellent

• Reusable water bottle

• Small backpack

Personal Items

• Personal toiletries

• Any required medication

• Small personal first-aid kit

• Notebook and pen

Riding helmets and yoga mats are available at Finca Soley if you prefer not to bring your own.

Please book your flight to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) near San José, Costa Rica.

We recommend arriving in the morning or by 2:00 PM at the latest to join the scheduled group transfer to Finca Soley. Our driver will meet you at the airport holding a Finca Soley sign.

If you are traveling from overseas, you may prefer to arrive one day before the course to rest after your journey. You can book an extra night at Finca Soley or stay at a hotel in San José or near the airport.

Please send us your complete flight details as soon as your travel arrangements are confirmed.

For the well-being of our horses and to ensure a safe and harmonious riding experience, we have the following weight guidelines:

Beginner riders should not exceed 80 kg (176 lbs).

Fit and experienced riders may be accepted up to 90 kg (198 lbs), depending on riding ability, balance, fitness, and overall physical condition.

To ensure accurate horse-and-rider matching, we have a scale at Finca Soley, and all riders will be weighed privately upon arrival. If the information provided during booking differs significantly from the recorded weight, we may need to adjust or limit mounted activities.

As every horse-and-rider combination is individual, we reserve the right to assess suitability on a case-by-case basis. When mounted riding is not suitable, we may offer groundwork, in-hand work, liberty, or theory-based alternatives.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us protect the health and well-being of our horses.

Our programs are designed to be combined. Join the Liberty, Horse Connection & Yoga Retreat followed by the Classical Dressage Course for a complete 14-day horsemanship experience.

Your extended stay includes both programs, accommodation during the weekend between courses, and a special combination price.

By 2:00 PM – Airport Arrival
Arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and scheduled group transfer to Finca Soley.

Upon Arrival – Settle In
Check into your room, refresh after your journey, and take your first look around the finca.

5:00 PM – Farm Tour
Meet our horses and discover the stables, arena, pastures, gardens, and surroundings of Finca Soley.

5:45 PM – Welcome Tea Circle
Meet the group, enjoy herbal tea from our garden, and receive an introduction to the week.

6:30 PM – Welcome Dinner
Enjoy a fresh, nourishing dinner together while we discuss the course structure and riding schedule.

Exact afternoon times may be adjusted according to the group’s flight arrivals and transfer conditions.

Important Schedule Information

All participants join one daily small-group riding lesson.

Guests booked on the Dressage Intensive Package also receive one individual private lesson each day. Private lessons may take place in the morning or afternoon, depending on the number of participants, horse assignments, weather conditions, and the individual needs of each horse-and-rider combination.

Guests booked on the Ride & Stay Package can use this time to observe lessons, spend time at the barn, relax by the pool, work remotely, or enjoy the finca.

Morning yoga is available for guests who have booked the Equestrian Yoga Course Add-on.

The schedule and lesson topics shown below provide a general framework. Every course is adapted to the group, and every riding lesson is individually adjusted to the experience, goals, and needs of the horse-and-rider combination.

6:15 AM – Morning Tea

6:30 AM – Equestrian Yoga
A 90-minute session for guests who have booked the Yoga Add-on.

8:00 AM – Breakfast

9:00 AM – Foundation Theory Session
An introduction to natural movement, balance, biomechanics, and the purpose of lateral movements in developing mobility and lightness.

10:30 AM – Small-Group Riding Lesson: Corners and Lines
Learn how to use the riding arena effectively and functionally. We explore how correctly ridden corners, lines, and changes of direction improve preparation, balance, and communication between horse and rider.

12:00 PM – Lunch

Afternoon – Private Riding Lessons
Included with the Dressage Intensive Package. Individual lesson times will be provided on site.

Ride & Stay guests can observe the lessons, spend time at the barn, relax by the pool, or enjoy free time.

6:00 PM – Dinner

6:15 AM – Morning Tea

6:30 AM – Equestrian Yoga
A 90-minute session for guests who have booked the Yoga Add-on.

8:00 AM – Breakfast

Morning – Private Riding Lessons
Individual lessons for guests booked on the Dressage Intensive Package. Personal lesson times will be provided on site.

10:30 AM – Small-Group Riding Lesson: Separating the Forehand and Hindquarters
Learn how to influence and mobilize the horse’s forehand and hindquarters independently. Through carefully selected exercises, we bring more activity to the hind legs, improve control of the shoulders, and help the horse develop greater mobility, balance, and freedom of movement.

12:00 PM – Lunch

Afternoon – Private Riding Lessons and Free Time
Private lessons continue according to the individual schedule.

Ride & Stay guests can observe the lessons, spend time at the barn, work remotely, or relax around the finca.

6:00 PM – Dinner

6:15 AM – Morning Tea

6:30 AM – Equestrian Yoga
A 90-minute session for guests who have booked the Yoga Add-on.

8:00 AM – Breakfast

Morning – Private Riding Lessons
Individual lessons for guests booked on the Dressage Intensive Package. Personal lesson times will be provided on site.

10:30 AM – Small-Group Riding Lesson: Lateral Movements
Building on the previous day’s work, we explore lateral movements to improve suppleness, coordination, and balance. Exercises are adapted to each horse-and-rider combination and may include shoulder-in, travers, renvers, or leg-yield.

12:00 PM – Lunch

Afternoon – Private Riding Lessons and Free Time
Private lessons continue according to the individual schedule.

Ride & Stay guests can observe the lessons, spend time at the barn, work remotely, or relax around the finca.

6:00 PM – Dinner

6:15 AM – Morning Tea

6:30 AM – Equestrian Yoga
A 90-minute session for guests who have booked the Yoga Add-on.

8:00 AM – Breakfast

Morning – Private Riding Lessons
Individual lessons for guests booked on the Dressage Intensive Package. On this day, all private lessons take place during the morning. Personal lesson times will be provided on site.

12:00 PM – Lunch

3:00 PM – Final Small-Group Session and Optional Trail Ride
Bring the elements of the week together through rhythm, flow, awareness, and harmonious movement.

Participants may choose to conclude their riding week with a relaxed 45-minute trail ride through the beautiful surroundings of Finca Soley. Participation in the trail ride depends on weather, trail conditions, riding experience, and suitable horse-and-rider matching.

6:00 PM – Farewell Dinner at a Local Restaurant
Celebrate the final evening together with dinner at a local restaurant and reflect on the experiences and progress of the week.

8:00 AM – Breakfast

Enjoy a relaxed final breakfast at Finca Soley. Check-out is by 11:00 AM.

Scheduled group transfers to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) will be coordinated according to participants’ flight times.

Guests wishing to stay beyond 11:00 AM can book an additional night, subject to availability. Additional riding lessons may also be arranged in advance, depending on horse and instructor availability.