We head up to the stables to meet the horses and set off for the first and possibly the most varied of our rides. We follow ancient Moorish irrigation channels (more than 1,000 years old), bridle paths through old terraced farms and orchards, and up through holm oaks and pasture lands to the more recent dirt tracks through the pine woods (here there are some good canter opportunities).

Picnic lunch at the tree line approximately 2,400 meters, spectacular views down the Barranco Habali, across the Contraviesa mountains to the Mediterranean and on to Morocco.

Descending on one of the firebreaks we pass the remains of trenches and gun placements from the Civil War (1936-1939), and down through oak woods to the main forestry track leading back to the stables.