Study visits: local good practices in Kretinga
An integral part of the meeting were study visits, during which partners had the opportunity to learn about the functioning of local equestrian and agritourism centers, which are examples of accessible and diverse horse riding tourism offers.
Horse Riding School “Lyderis” (Žibininkai)
The “Lyderis” stable is a place with a rich educational and recreational offer, available to children, teenagers, and adults—even those who have never had contact with horses before. The center conducts horse riding lessons, organizes summer camps, and promotes contact with horses as a form of relaxation and emotional development.
During the visit, the infrastructure of the stables, organizational capabilities, and the instructors’ approach, which focuses on safety and an individual approach to riders, were presented.
Homestead “Kalniaus sodyba” (Barkeliai)
The second stop was the family estate “Kalniaus sodyba,” which combines elements of horseback tourism, slow tourism, and local heritage. The hosts offer accommodation, meals based on local products, and the opportunity for peaceful contact with horses—walks, observation, and even workshops with horses for people with limited mobility or no riding experience.
The participants were impressed by the natural character of the place and its potential as a model example of horse riding tourism accessible to a wide range of audiences, from families to seniors.
Conclusions and next steps
The meeting in Kretynga confirmed the importance of involving local communities and operators in the development of tourism products and creating offers open to new groups of recipients – including the elderly, families, people with disabilities, and customers who are in contact with horses for the first time.
Further activities in the project will include:
- developing a coherent marketing campaign “Horse Tourism for Everyone,”
- preparing promotional materials,
- developing pilot horse riding trails in partner regions,
- joint activities promoting horse riding tourism as an accessible, safe, and friendly form of activity.
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