Portugal is ideal for horse riding with year round temperate climate, open land, forest tracks and an increasingly competitive low cost lifestyle compared to Spain.

Golf has already taken off in Portugal and contributes about 5% of GDP to the Portuguese economy, if equestrian tourism could provide a similar return and giving its popularity it is not entirely unlikely, then this would give a timely boost to the tourism trade as a whole.

Indeed substantial investments are being made in this area and the amount of enquiries in the central Portugal area for land suitable for equestrian centres is on the increase. Without doubt the husbandry of horses is a different challenge in Portugal, when compared to the lush green pastures of Britain. But is nothing like the arid lands of southern Spain especially when you get up above the Alentejo. You can see the difference as you travel north the land getting gradually greener, rivers and lakes also become more prevalent.

Not that there is anything wrong with the Alentejo indeed there are a lot of centres in the region and more investment is being pumped in.

Property for equestrian centres is not easy to find and is at a premium but there are still opportunities out there and if you are willing to put your trust in a company it is always possible to buy several adjoining plots of land if something big enough is not available.