This programme is designed for curious, nature-loving hand-on volunteers who want to experience the "real Spain" while lending a hand where it’s needed most. We are a small association aiming for self-sufficiency, working in harmony with our herd of horses, dogs, cats, and small animals.
What You Will Be Doing
Project 1:
Work alongside skilled carpenters, engineers and animal experts to help build 14 horse feeders this summer.
Project 2:
Improving ground quality with groundwater & soil erosion control using Vetiver Grass and native species, increasing stability through plant & root matter.
Program Overview
This project is part of our Permaculture & Equicentral program.
The program aims to improve the ground quality for the Sanctuary by planting Vetiver Grass and other Native Species to control groundwater and soil erosion, and increasing ground stability and safety through plant matter and root systems underfoot.
Vetiver Grass is a hardy and tough grass that grows impressively dense and long root systems up to three, or even four meters in length. These root systems are an incredibly effective system to counter soil erosion and to control water flow through the construction of sustainable Swale systems.
This grass is suitable for the application with its incredible soil and water control abilities, its toughness against animal grazing and walking once mature, and its incredible drought resistance abilities of up to one year without water. These features make it a suitable fit for the harsh Spanish environments; the long hot season, and the short but aggressive wet season.
Ground preparation
Identifying the most effective locations for the Swales and plotting out contour lines and drainage incline.
Constructing a Pig and Horse fence.
When the plant is young, it has not had the time to develop into a tough grass and will be desirable to both horses and pigs as a source of nutrition. The fence will prevent animals from grazing on the newly planted grass, horses from walking on it while its root systems have not developed, and pigs from digging it up.
This fence will consist of a lower Pig Fence, and a higher Horse Fence. It will likely be a low-cost and temporary electric fence as it is intended to be removed when the plants reach maturity, giving the area back to the horses.
For machine-dug Swale and filtration rocks.
A machine will dig out a trench/swale, which will be filled with rocks to assist the filtration and movement of water. The addition of filling the swale back up with rocks will allow for animals to walk over the surface once the plants have fully developed, and the fencing can be removed, allowing the horses to regain the ground lost.
Planting:
The plants will be transplanted into the ground when they are developed enough. The Vetiver will be planted strategically to act as a water barrier, reduce soil erosion into the constructed Swale, reduce the erosion of the Swale itself, and prevent water from flowing past the Swale.
The grass will be interlaced with other Native, and Horse-resistant plants, such as Rosemary and Lavender, which are chosen as ideal-for-purpose plants. These plants are hardy, undesirable to animals, drought-resistant, significant root structures, and will increase soil structure and biodiversity.
Aside from the Swale constructions, these plants will also be planted throughout the terrain in strategic locations to normalise the edible-by-horses-but-once-mature-not-all-that-desirable plant; this will distract the horses from grazing too heavily on those plants that make up the crucial water-control systems.
Future-Proof:
Planting the grass for future cultivation and sustainable production in the Gardens for future ground improvements.
This is just the beginning of a larger project that aims to revitalise the heavily used ground of the Sanctuary to a more stable and biodiverse version of itself.
The introduction of these Swales will involve fencing off strips of the ground, limiting the horses' ground; therefore, only so much can be done at one time. As the Swales fully mature and become stable on their own, the fencing will be removed, and the area of ground will be given back to the horses in a much more structurally sound design. The process can then be repeated again in other sections of the terrain, creating more swales for water control and introducing more plant matter for ground stability for both soil erosion and horse-human traction in the wet season.
About the Sanctuary
A Cultural & Language Exchange
You will be living in a friendly, traditional mountain village of just 150 people. Even if you don’t speak any Spanish, you will be welcomed with open arms. We are an English-Spanish family, and you are invited to join us and experience a fusion of cultures and languages. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice Spanish with the locals in the streets or at the village bar, while our day-to-day operations at the sanctuary are conducted in English.
As a sanctuary volunteer, you aren't just a visitor; you are a vital part of our daily rhythm. This role is perfect for those who enjoy a variety of tasks—from fixing a fence or painting a shed to helping in the vegetable garden or walking the dogs. It is a cultural exchange at its heart, focusing on community contribution rather than a fixed educational curriculum.
Please Note Before Applying:
Living Sustainably
Beyond individual family life, we aim to live as sustainably as possible. We do not buy items containing palm oil, meat, or fish, and we avoid processed food. We provide a healthy, vegetarian grocery list each week. No smoking is permitted on the project site due to fire risk, and we use a natural compost toilet system on the land to protect our environment.
The Sanctuary Mission
Time and Space Equine Education Sanctuary is a registered association. Our goal is to work with nature to fulfil human and horse needs, using innovative designs to meld together beauty, practicality, and sustainability. Your help is vital to keeping this project thriving.
