Save the Las Herrerias horses.

[Anniesantiago]

Help me to save my horses!

Dear friends and pilgrims, I would like to share my story with you. I have a small business on the Camino de Santiago in the little village Las Herrerías. I’m working with my horses Carlota, Boni, Luna, Paula, Brisa and Bavi. These horses are my life, I have a strong bond with them. Everyday we...

www.paypal.com

I want to preface this with the fact that I have NO IDEA if this is legitimate or not, though personally I feel it is.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Thank you for this, Annie.

 

[Tincatinker]

An interesting appeal. I do hope it’s actually from the horse drivers of Herrerias. If so I guess it’s out there in most European languages and is reaching a wide audience

 

[dougfitz]

Thx Annie. I know this is but one of many worthy causes, but I was happy to chip in for him. It does show that social networking does sometimes sway me to the kinder side

@Tincatinker you are right, I had contemplated that it was difficult to test the authenticity of the appeal, but succumbed nonetheless.

 

[Anniesantiago]

An interesting appeal. I do hope it’s actually from the horse drivers of Herrerias. If so I guess it’s out there in most European languages and is reaching a wide audience

I hope so too.
Not sure if anyone can verify it.

 

[henrythedog]

I’m a sucker for an animal story so I’ve made a modest contribution - although I really don’t approve of horses hauling those uphill who could either dig in and do it themselves - or take up a less demanding hobby.

Still, times are hard for many right now.

 

[Kathar1na]

I hope so too. Not sure if anyone can verify it.

It is genuine. He is on Facebook, search for "Al Paso". And it is not a new account. Correct email. Correct phone number.

 

[TaraWalks]

Hi, yep this is legit.

I was one of those people hauled up the mountain on one of those horses (but hey, I've climbed up to O Cebreiro. It was a nice experience).

I have made a contribution. Victor is a nice guy and his horses are well looked after.

 

[MarkyD]

Help me to save my horses!

Dear friends and pilgrims, I would like to share my story with you. I have a small business on the Camino de Santiago in the little village Las Herrerías. I’m working with my horses Carlota, Boni, Luna, Paula, Brisa and Bavi. These horses are my life, I have a strong bond with them. Everyday we...

www.paypal.com

I want to preface this with the fact that I have NO IDEA if this is legitimate or not, though personally I feel it is.

I have a cousin who has lived almost all of his life in Villafranca del Bierzo, he knows Víctor personally and can confirm that it is legitimate. Víctor also rents bicycles from Las Herrerias - One Day Bike.
My cousin's family own the bicycle and general mechanical repair shop Motos Urbano, on the small street just before you enter the Plaza Mayor in Villafranca del Bierzo. (See photos attached)

 

[DebR]

I hope so too.
Not sure if anyone can verify it.

It was posted on Victor’s Al Paso Facebook page, along with a follow-up thank-you.
I’m not at all comfortable on a horse, but my ride up the mountain on his gentle Pauleta was one of the highlights of my five walking casinos. Happy to donate what I can in these surreal times.

https://www.facebook.com/130539220478376/posts/1287281881470765

 

[Anniesantiago]

It was posted on Victor’s Al Paso Facebook page, along with a follow-up thank-you.
I’m not at all comfortable on a horse, but my ride up the mountain on his gentle Pauleta was one of the highlights of my five walking casinos. Happy to donate what I can in these surreal times.

https://www.facebook.com/130539220478376/posts/1287281881470765

Do you have a link to his facebook page? I can't seem to find it.

 

[DebR]

Do you have a link to his facebook page? I can't seem to find it.

Hi Annie,
I can see a link attached to my post: didn’t it come through? Just go to Facebook and search for Al Paso.
Deb

 

[Cam1952]

Victor and his horses managed to take my sorry butt up to O’Cebreiro in 2017. An absolutely wonderful and memorable time.
Happy to give back in a small way.
Good luck Victor.

 

[ctay122]

I’m glad it’s legit, I also made a small contribution as I planned on taking the horses up in May only because it sounded different and a way to support the locals. I hope to make it there in the fall or next year if things are back to “normal”.

 

[Anamiri]

I hope so too.
Not sure if anyone can verify it.

Yes that's Victor and his horses, we rode up on his horses last year. Definitely him. He really loves his horses.

 

[CWBuff]

Just kicked in my humble offering (many of the above comments helped)

 

[Tessera]

I rode his horse "Boni" (Bonita, beautiful) in 2015. A Spanish father and son rode ahead of me, and VIctor walked with us the whole way. Sometimes I could see by his shadow that he was holding Boni's tail. He goes on foot up to O'Cebreiro and back with his horses sometimes twice a day.

 

[YogaAnabel]

So, a question:

This is a Camino business. People are donating money to support it. Can other Camino businesses come on this forum asking for donations?

I ask because there's a lot of them out there and they're all losing money and if one of them is allowed to do it why not all of them?

 

[Anniesantiago]

So, a question:

This is a Camino business. People are donating money to support it. Can other Camino businesses come on this forum asking for donations?

I ask because there's a lot of them out there and they're all losing money and if one of them is allowed to do it why not all of them?

Victor didn't come on this forum asking for donations.
He has a Go Fund Me page that I saw on my Facebook page and copied here.

 

[arobins]

Anyone have an update on Victor and his horses. I wasn't able to locate his FB page, but as I am planning my October 2021 trek I do want to have the experience of meeting him and riding one of his horses up the hill to O Cebreiro. I also sent a donation and hope to meet him. Thanks

 

[Robo]

Anyone have an update on Victor and his horses. I wasn't able to locate his FB page, but as I am planning my October 2021 trek I do want to have the experience of meeting him and riding one of his horses up the hill to O Cebreiro. I also sent a donation and hope to meet him. Thanks

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https :// www.facebook.com/Al-Paso-130539220478376

 

[arobins]

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https :// www.facebook.com/Al-Paso-130539220478376

thank you very much!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

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https :// www.facebook.com/Al-Paso-130539220478376

Thank you for the link @Robo but I don't have a Facebook account and the only status I could see was from last July. Is there a more up-to-date status that I can't access?

 

[rappahannock_rev]

He and his horses are alive and well. And still climbing daily up the mountainside.

 

[Former member 98118]

Yes I met two of them in Las Herrerias yesterday, they look good, and said they are appreciating all help they received from members of this forum. A friend of the owner said there are currently 6 of them and the demand for their service is growing day by day!
Photo from yesterday:

 

[arobins]

Yea! Thanks for the picture. Beautiful animals. I hope to ride one up the hill when I’m there in October

 

[Lindor]

This is one of the only firm plans I have for my September Camino. I really would love to ride one of these horses up to O'Cebreiro,and I'm happy to read that they are well taken care of.

As I child, I really wanted horse riding lessons. I never got them, due to an unfortunate case of 'not-enough-money-itis'. Horse-riding lessons were expensive, and my parents just didn't have the money.

It has always been a dream of mine to ride a horse, and hopefully I'll get to do it in September.

Do they need to be booked far in advance, or would a day or 2 before be sufficient?

 

[Anamiri]

This is one of the only firm plans I have for my September Camino. I really would love to ride one of these horses up to O'Cebreiro,and I'm happy to read that they are well taken care of.

As I child, I really wanted horse riding lessons. I never got them, due to an unfortunate case of 'not-enough-money-itis'. Horse-riding lessons were expensive, and my parents just didn't have the money.

It has always been a dream of mine to ride a horse, and hopefully I'll get to do it in September.

Do they need to be booked far in advance, or would a day or 2 before be sufficient?

We booked about 2 nights ahead, I think the guy who joined us for the horse ride booked the night before. I think he stayed in Las Herrerias the night before and saw the sign.
I'd walked before and knew they were there, and found the details on this site. We stayed about 8 kms away - he doesn't leave until about 9am, so you can do that.
We took our grandson and thought he would like the horse experience.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I seriously considered going up by horse but didn't. Still have some good memories though.

 

[Lindor]

We booked about 2 nights ahead, I think the guy who joined us for the horse ride booked the night before. I think he stayed in Las Herrerias the night before and saw the sign.
I'd walked before and knew they were there, and found the details on this site. We stayed about 8 kms away - he doesn't leave until about 9am, so you can do that.
We took our grandson and thought he would like the horse experience.

Great info, thanks. I will book when I'm within a day or 2 of Las Herrerias. Yet another thing to look forward to.

 

[arobins]

Does anyone know if a ride up the hill can be scheduled for a Sunday as I will be coming through on a Sunday. Thanks

 

[rappahannock_rev]

What do riders do about their backpacks?

 

[Tincatinker]

What do riders do about their backpacks?

A small boy from the village carries them all. Or, if he is busy, Victor arranges transport in a motor-vehicle.

 

[linkster]

What do riders do about their backpacks?

Viktor has them sent to a bar in O Cebreiro, and they are waiting for you when you arrive. We had a beer and tapa with Viktor before heading out.

 

[gloria lowe]

What do riders do about their backpacks?

He had them taken up in a cab. He had an assistant to help when I rode them up. It was one of the highlights of that Camino.

 

[Anamiri]

What do riders do about their backpacks?

We sent ours ahead with Jacotrans