HORSE RIDING IN VENICE? YES YOU CAN!

[Photo on top: galloping on the beach at Venice Lido. Ph. Courtesy Circolo Ippico Lido di Venezia]

There are countless ways to live a different experience in Venice, and many of them are fun and unexpected, like touring thorugh the canals on a kayak, learning to row like a gondolier, or taking a horse ride on the beach and admiring the wonderful views on the lagoon and Venice, and St. Mark square from the Lido.
The various options go from the “baptism of the saddle” for beginners, to the full four-hour excursion on the long and wide beach of Venice Lido.
You can reach Venice Lido, the golden island of the Venetian Belle Époque, very easily with public transportation from St. Mark square, Santa Lucia train station, or even from Marco Polo airport. The excursions are organized by and start from the Circolo Ippico.

Pro or rookie, you can picture yourself riding on the golden sand beach, accompanied only by the sound of the waves, and–why not–moving toward a nice aperitif with friends.
Excursions on the seaside at Venice Lido are allowed from the end of the beach season up to April 1. And it is easy to imagine how captivating it is to admire Venice skyline form a horse’s back during those months.

Ph. Courtesy Circolo Ippico Lido di Venezia

This activity is offered by the Circolo Ippico del Lido di Venezia (Venice Lido Equestrian Club), which covers two hectares of land facing the lagoon, with views on Venice and St. Mark square.
The complex includes two arenas with obstacles, one dedicated to dressage, one to cross, a horse track (“Galoppatoio” in Italian, which gives its name to the whole area, surrounded by liberty villas and buildings), a beautiful indoor riding hall, and the club house.
The Club was born as initiative of Coni (Italian National Olympic Commitee) in 1960, when the Olympic games were held in Rome, and today offers its recreational, training, and professional sport activities to its almost 200 associates.

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The horse rides on the beach have been available from the very start, in the Sixties, and are suitable for each and all nature and open air lovers, both for experts and beginners.
Beginners can count on the classes held by expert instructor Fabrizio Lazzarotto, thanks to whom you can experience the thrill of horseback riding in only three or four lessons.

Fabrizio is a very fond and passionate instructor who understands both horses and riders, thanks to his thirty-year experience in the managing of equestrian clubs between Bassano del Grappa, Asiago (Vi), Madonna di Campiglio, and the Marmolada (the highest mountain of the Dolomites). Eventually, he descended to the sea, first on the island of Albarella, and now at the Lido of Venice, the city he fell in love with and where he manages the equestrian school and the excursions.
Fabrizio puts in the saddle both grandfathers and granddaughters, professionals and students, and is so empathetic that he can covey his passion to all.

Ph. Courtesy Circolo Ippico Lido di Venezia

Excursions start from the Circolo Ippico, with breathtaking views of the lagoon and Venice, and end leaving hoofprints on the golden sand of the Lido. The longest excursion covers a distance of about 15 kilometers and reaches the Lido Lighthouse, or the Alberoni Golf Club, at the far end of the island of Lido, to enjoy the famous “glass of the stirrup” in one of the traditional bacari (the typical Venetian eatery), or even have a snack on the beach in the area of the Murazzi, where huge boulders protect the lagoon from storm surges.

«The duration varies, according to willingness and ability, from 1 to 4 hours. The experience we offer is not an excursion for boisterous people, but an outing on horseback in one of the most beautiful and harmonious place in Venice—something unforgettable.» It is Fabrizio Lazzarotto who describes the feelings: «Usually, with a few lessons (it is enough to be over 14 years old) even the most unskilled rider can participate in this unique experience. On the other hand, if the rider is already proficient, then the trip starts right after a good coffee.»
Only a medical certificate of good health and ID are required; equipment (i.e. cap, gaiters, etc.) is provided by the Circolo Ippico.

Ph. Courtesy Circolo Ippico Lido di Venezia

The activities of Circolo Ippico also include therapeutic experiences (offered by the G.S. Agre Onlus until April 2022, and now provided directly by Anffas, the Italian association of families and people with disabilities) in which the wonderful sport of horseback riding is shared with young people and adults affected by neurological, mental, and motor diseases, through active days also in full immersion. Moreover, the equestrian school provides many other courses as well, like the Campuses for Kids with Horse Days and Horse Weeks.

For information and reservations regarding the walks, please contact the Equestrian Club directly by reaching Fabrizio Lazzarotto at tel. +39 348 3364833 or the secretary’s office via email: asdcivl@gmail.com

Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Circolo Ippico Venezia Lido
Via Colombo, 41 – 30126 Venezia Lido
Tel +39 348 0332860
Fax +39 041 5262028
Cell +39 347 697255
asdcivl@gmail.com

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