Andalucia is the most fantastic place on Earth to own and ride a horse. The combination of the balmy all-year- long weather and the fantastic unspoilt countryside can prove hard to ignore for those of the horsey persuasion.

Even those of the non-horsey persuasion can easily be drawn into the fold after admiring the beautifully turned out horses and riders at the ferias and romerias. Romantic is the word!

Still, most of the same criteria apply when buying and riding a pony or horse-and a lot of different ones too. I will try to outline the main areas of differences. Firstly if you are a non-Spanish speaking expat you will probably have to rely on the translation skills of either a friend or employ someone to help.

If you don’t you will be limited to purchasing from expats, which will certainly mean you pay more and will limit your choice! If you can’t understand the seller don’t buy a horse from them! There are lots of on-line sites for horse sales and the local English language papers often have horses in the classifieds but the best means of acquiring a horse is word of mouth.

So don’t buy as soon as you arrive here; build up your contacts first. Many horse riding clubs exist (amigos de caballos) which can be very helpful.

Horses and ponies seem to be kept rather differently here-not loved less or treated badly- but just slightly less wrapped up in cotton wool! Some horses are never stabled and at most will have a field shelter for the sun and the very heavy rain.

This is not cruel and will not have any bad effects as long as the horse is sound. In the campo (or countryside) you will often find horses hobbled and wandering along seemingly lost. Brits panic! Don’t-if the hobbling is done correctly the horse will not be damaged and it enables them to roam around their home area without going too far, and to consume a better variety of vegetation than if they were stuck in a minuscule back yard!

Tack is also a bit of a surprise here, you will find that English type saddles are despised and called Galapagos after the giant turtle that it so closely resembles! Spanish saddles are basically Western or Mexican types providing an armchair with a pommel to hang onto or attach your lasso to!

But then there have always been cowboys in Spain and because of the countryside there always will be! If your cows are spread out over kilometres it’s the easiest way to get around!

The “hackamore” bridle is another surprise; it looks quite vicious at first and if put on too tightly can damage the horse’s nose. But if put on correctly the horse can be controlled properly without the use of a bit meaning the horse has a much more comfortable mouth, important in our summer temperatures.

The hackamore is in common use in the campo by rural sorts but less commonly in use with riding stable or quality horses!

British type farriers are easy find on the coast and near the major towns, but in the countryside cold shoeing is the norm. The farrier will come to you and the whole process is quick, fear free and cheap! They don’t last as long -but feet grow quickly here in the spring and autumn with the abundant grass.

Talking of food: most of the same types of products can be found in the farm shops or agri centros but you may search to find classic pony nuts. Hay is relatively cheap here but the price of alfalfa varies with the season and the rainfall.

Hay (heno or pasto here) can be of a very poor quality, it all depends on which field it comes from and the weather. My rather rural foal is currently eating her way through hay that seems to consist wholly of borage!

A salt lick and constant fresh water is an essential here with our heat and the pesky flies have to be dealt with more frequently than in the UK. Worms are also a bigger problem but loads of good products are available. Your vet can give you some strong products.

Rabies vaccinations are compulsory and the chip is necessary for travel but the main secret of owning a horse in Spain is to relax! Everybody here knows something about them so if you are in any trouble, just ask in your local bar, and 10 genuine experts will popup!