Horse Riding Fun for Kids, at Lo Rufete Adventure Park

*We were lucky to be gifted a free horse riding session for all our family at Lo Rufete Adventure Park, in return for online promotion through our website and social media channels. All opinions expressed below remain our own.

Introduction

Having tried horse riding a few times before, our kids were thrilled at the prospect of visiting Lo Rufete Adventure Park with the chance to get back in the saddle. They love being able to interact with all kinds of animals, so for them nothing beats actually riding on a horse. It was great to find somewhere close to us that was offering horse riding for kids in Costa Blanca.

We’ve visited Lo Rufete Adventure Park before for children’s birthday parties, so knew what to expect from the overall setup of the place. This would be our first go at riding the horses though, so there was still great excitement on arrival!

What is Lo Rufete Adventure Park?

Lo Rufete Adventure Park (or Lo Rufete Multiaventura Park, to give it its full Spanish name) is an activity centre offering a large selection of adventurous pursuits for people of all ages. It offers some of the best adventure activities for kids in Costa Blanca.

To compliment this, the centre also runs a small cafe bar offering drinks and simple food. This makes them able to host a range of special events and private parties on site.

Where is Lo Rufete Adventure Park?

Lo Rufete is situated a little way in from the coast, in beautiful countryside between the towns of San Miguel de Salinas and Torremendo, in the south of Costa Blanca, Spain.

It can be reached in under a 10 minute drive from the nearby AP-7 autoroute.

The location of the activity centre allows for rural tours through the surrounding landscape, while its hillside setting boasts some great views.

Horse Riding at Lo Rufete Adventure Park

On arrival at the centre, we were keen to get a closer look at our horses for the day. Care had been taken to select suitable horses for us, which were the correct size and more importantly, had very calm temperaments. Many of the horses are grey/white in colour and all seem very well cared for.

Before riding our horses we all had the chance to get to know them a bit better, by stroking and brushing them so that they felt relaxed and ready for action. Our kids all loved being able to get up close and interact with the horses in this way.

Once the horses were looking at their best, we were kitted out with helmets to wear. A range of sizes ensured that everyone got a good fit. Disposable hair nets were also provided to wear underneath, for added hygiene.

The first onto their horses were my youngest 2 boys. They were both grinning from ear to ear! Friendly and multilingual staff were then on hand to assist them as they were led around a sand paddock. They both really enjoyed the experience, especially being able to hold their own reins like proper cowboys!

Once the boys had finished their session, my eldest 2 girls joined us oldies on a short horseback tour around the surrounding countryside. The pace was tranquil and the views were lovely. The highlight was visiting a nearby viewpoint overlooking the blue waters of the Embalse de la Pedrera reservoir.

After our little horse riding tour we returned back to the stables to dismount and say our goodbyes to the horses. The staff provided the kids with natural treats to feed the horses as a way of saying ‘thankyou’.

If you are wanting to try horse riding yourself, it is possible to reserve single horse riding sessions, either in the sand paddock or out in the countryside, or to book onto a course of regular horse riding lessons.

Other Activities at Lo Rufete Adventure Park

We were primarily visiting to have a go at horse riding on this occasion, but Lo Rufete also offers a whole range of other adventure activities for visitors of all ages.

If you prefer your transport to be motorised, they have quad bikes for hire and their own dirt track to drive them around. On their own small lake it is possible to try kayaking or water zorbing. For anyone wanting to shoot something, they have both paintball and archery. For a rush of excitement, try the zipwire. Or, for something a bit calmer, there is always the option of a round of minigolf.

In addition to this, there is also a cafe, children’s playground and swimming pool on site (pool open in summer).

It is possible to book single activities individually, or to purchase a package of things to do via their website – perfect for anyone looking to turn their visit into a fun day out. Most of the activities can be done by both adults and children, but it is best to check first for what is available if coming with very small kids.

In Summary

Lo Rufete Multiaventura Park is a fun and exciting adventure park for people of all ages. Smaller kids will be sure to love the horses and zip wire, while older kids and adults can enjoy the quad bikes or paintball. There is something for everyone.

The location of the centre also makes it a pleasant day out in the countryside. For those not wanting to join in, there are nice, shady places to sit and enjoy the surroundings.

We went for horse riding and our kids all had a great time. The horses were all very calm and relaxed around small children. They all seemed well trained and well looked after. The staff who assisted us were all very friendly and patient with our children, making sure they all enjoyed the experience.

Perhaps the only problem is they enjoyed it a bit too much – we are now paying for our eldest girls to return for regular horse riding lessons! So far, they are still loving every minute of it.