HORSEMANSHIP
Q&A
INTERNSHIP
This is suitable for horse lovers looking for an immersive hands-on experience. You should be fit and healthy and comfortable being around horses.
The internship program includes accomodation, all utilities, free WiFi, and 4x individual lessons per month.
Interns devote 5 days per week (up to 5 hours per day) in helping around the farm. Tasks include feeding, mucking, general horse care, farm maintenance and garden work.
You work alongside me (Laima) and my husband (Krisjanis). You are provided on-site accommodation (in the LOFT above our pottery studio) with a kitchen (it has electric oven, fridge, and all basic appliances and tools) and a rustic shower room at our family sauna house that joins the pottery studio OR during winter time- a private en-suite room at our family home.
In your free time, you are allowed to watch training sessions with horses, as well as spending time with the herd, join us for taking our horses for walks around the property and dive into our extensive horsemanship book library.
Read more about our horse sanctuary, the type of work we do and meet the herd here.
Please note this is not a holiday, although people do report feeling balanced and nourished in all sorts of ways after this experience.
If you would like to learn about pottery during your stay you can also book individual classes too. See all individual guidance classes that can be reserved here.
HOW DO I ARRIVE AT YOUR PLACE FROM THE AIRPORT?
Fly into our only airport RIX in RIGA, 70km from the studio.
The BEST way to get to us from airpot is by booking BOLT taxi ride. Make sure not to take any random taxi, install the app BOLT and book the ride. It should cost you around 60eur for the 1hour ride (it’s about 70km).
By car: please simply enter LAIMA CERAMICS in google and follow through with your navigation app (Waze or google maps).
HOW WILL I GET AROUND?
Rental car is best way to get around as we are 7km from nearest shop, but if you are on a budget or don't have drivers licence- you can get by with public transport, get a weekly ride with us to the closest town BAUSKA for groceries.
We also have bicycles on site that you can use to reach the closest shop (5km) in the village PILSRUNDALE.
Food / catering info
There is kitchen on site to make meals in.
The main kitchen features electric oven, induction cooker, kettle, hand blender, two fridges, and of course pots and pans and handmade tableware.
It is a basic setup, we usually stock it with some spices, salt, cooking oil and tea.
Where I can do food shopping ?
We recommend the farmers market in Bauska for local seasonal vegetables, meat and fish. And Rimi shopping mall has everything else. There is also a small seasoning shop in Bauska.
The main shopping center in Bauska is hypermarket Rimi .
There are amazing restaurants and cafes in 5-20min driving distance.
Aveņi (in Bauska)
Tornis (in Bauska)
Rezidence (near Rundale palace)
Baltā Māja (near Rundale palace)
Property
Located in the rural Zemgale countryside, the closest town Bauska is 20km, the vibrant capital Riga convenient 70km away, surrounded by vast farming fields and an enchanted apple orchard, next to horse “paddock paradise” sanctuary “LaimesZirgi”.
The studio and farm is just 5min away from nr.1 top tourist location in Latvia- the gorgeous Rundale Palace as well as other lovely day trips in the local area.
How many people work on-site?
There are 4 people at the core of our team
Laima - the potter, doing all the pottery work, marketing and photography as well as training and taking care of the horses
Krišjānis - Laima’s husband, running the farm, maintenance, doing photography, graphic design
Oksana - pottery studio assistant
Vēsma -Laima’s mother, doing all the book-keeping and finances
What kind of electricity plug there is in Latvia?
Latvia is a standard European plug.
My hope is that this information will make this position and the expectations that come with it as transparent as possible.
We require that you are:
Committed to your own development - Above all, this means you are willing and able to spend time doing self study about horsemanship and horse language. Personal motivation and an eagerness to learn.
Respect the Space - We spend much of our time here at the studio and farm. It is both our home and livelihood. The mental space and energy we foster here support our ability to be successful and love what we do. We ask that you respect the space both mental, emotional, spiritual and physical.
Good Communication - Our ability to share this space relies on transparency and good communication.
Feedback - We are invested in sharing information and helping you grow. We will do our best to come to you with what we need from our exchange. We do this through making this descriptive webpage and reviewing your application to assure you are a good fit.
We have hosted Workaway volunteers and interns since 2014, you may have a look at some of our testimonials here.
What to bring along?
There is bedding and basic kitchen equipment.
Bring your:
Wellington/rubber boots, Zemgale region is known for MUD
Appropriate clothes for the season!
What amenities there are?
Electric kettle
Electric oven
Refrigerator
Crockery
Shower
Bed linen
Washing machine
wifi
WHAT ARE THE TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES?
The studio and farm is located 20km from the town of Bauska and only 70km from the capital Riga. There is convenient and cheap public transport everywhere. The studio is located “middle of nowhere” so there is a sort of bubble feeling here where you need to make a certain effort to get out of the farm and start exploring the surroundings.
We do recommend to reserve some time to explore this beautiful, natural country.
Our top 3 favourites:
Kolka- where the open Baltic sea meets the bay
Kuldīga- the most beautiful, charming old town
Gauja National Park
Have a look here for more details.
Are there any dangerous animals in Latvia?
There are ticks (that carry encephalitis and lyme disease). Please always check your body (March-October) after coming in from the garden.
If lucky you may see some deer, fox, badger, moose, mice and lots of birds in the countryside.
Congratulations for making until the end to this extensive page.
Warmest wishes,
Laima & co