Volunteer
Learning
Programs
Finca Soley is a place for you to develop, learn and explore new things. Here you will find a natural horsemanship & classical horsemanship trainings facility, a Spanish language school, a social project to support the locals, a wood workshop, loads of fruit trees, organic veggie gardens and farm animals. We are welcoming people who like to get involved into our daily farm life, have a positive impact through their journey and are interested in making new experiences and exploring new ways of life. In addition, you can learn new skills like Natural Horsemanship, classical training, gardening or building and woodwork, improve your foreign languages or even learn a new one.
make your travel meaningful
Horse
LONGTERM OPTION
Join us for an extensive stay at Finca Soley. As a long term student you can volunteer in the horse barn, at farm projects and teach English. You will receive lessons and can get involved with the things we do as you wish.
-
hoof care,
-
equine massages,
-
Natural Horsemanship training,
-
lunging,
-
classical training,
-
liberty training,
-
hike with horses,
-
seat lesson,
-
Riding with finest aids, using your energy, breath and focus.
You can help with all jobs around the horses like: mucking, feeding, grooming, hoof care and moving the herd from and to pastures, tack cleaning, arena maintenance and preparing horses for lessons. You will be assigned one or more horses to care for and help with their daily care and their training. Depending on the length of your stay and the skills you bring with you, you might get the opportunity to help with the training of a young or a rehabilitation horse.
Please consider that training will be on the ground and riding. Depending the skills participants bring more riding can be included. We highly recommend longer stays for volunteers.
You can choose to combine this program with a Spanish course OR do volunteer work during 2 afternoons with projects around the farm like: building, gardening, fruit harvest etc. or teaching the locals.
On the weekends you have time to explore the area or take a trip to the beach. Please see our Tours & Activities section to see the nature, culture and other tour options that are available.
You will be accommodated in our volunteer house Casa India in a shared room. Couple and semi private options are available.
Food is included in this program (if booked after June 2023)
Arrival is every Sunday. Minimum stay 2 weeks. For shorter stays check out our holiday options
first week 680$ US
every following week 600$ US
check out
our info pdf
for long term prices and offers
Farm
FARM & BUILDING PROGRAM
Hands on working in our veggie gardens, fruit tree care, animal care, milking a cow, making cheese, bread etc. fences, building projects, art projects....there is so much to do and we are excited to welcome people who like to get their hands dirty, like to do meaningful things and enjoy the community lifestyle at Finca Soley.
You will be working the mornings alongside Milton and learn everything about building, organic gardening, permaculture, fruit trees, composting etc.
In the afternoon you can join the Spanish course for 3x2 hr per week or take time to relax and soak in the peace of Finca Soley.
On the weekends you have time to explore the area or take a trip to the beach. Please see our Tours & Activities section to see the nature, culture and other tour options that are available.
You will be accommodated in our volunteer house Casa India in a shared room. Couple and semi private options are available.
The main food is included in this program (if booked after June 2023)
Arrival is every Sunday.
first week 310$ US
every following week 230$ US
check out
our info pdf
for long term prices and offers
![IMG_9461[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5380e4_28126bac81d142f8b7a08372267e8ea7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_490,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/5380e4_28126bac81d142f8b7a08372267e8ea7~mv2.jpg)
Finca Soley
COMBINATION PROGRAM
To enjoy a great variety of activities and immerse in all aspects of the Finca Soley programs choose our "Finca Soley" volunteer position. Activities are spread over the horse, farm and social programs.
The first week you receive a full instruction within our horse learning program. The following weeks you will be 2 days joining the horse volunteer team and the other 3 days you join a variety of activities like: teach English to the local kids, help the farm & building volunteer team and help with the sustainable projects around our farm. This program includes a weekly Spanish course and the other afternoons you have time to relax, take a tour or practice with your project horse by yourself. You can also book an intensive Spanish course additionally.
Minimum stay is 4 weeks for this program.
You will be accommodated in our volunteer house Casa India in a shared room. Couple and semi private options are available.
The main food is included in this program (if booked after June 2023)
Arrival is every Sunday.
Please download our info pdf to learn more about this program and see the prices.
4 weeks 1940$ US
every following week 470$ US
check out
our info pdf
for long term prices and offers
![IMG_9427[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5380e4_195a5800d7aa4c32b0dbff2b796d0d05~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1025,h_1030,fp_0.69_0.25,q_90/5380e4_195a5800d7aa4c32b0dbff2b796d0d05~mv2.webp)
![IMG_9455[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5380e4_3f42a12872f445869edc5c8a37d215da~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1025,h_1030,q_90/5380e4_3f42a12872f445869edc5c8a37d215da~mv2.webp)
![IMG_9443[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5380e4_ce735015e59d4151b33c3b2ae794205b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1025,h_1030,q_90/5380e4_ce735015e59d4151b33c3b2ae794205b~mv2.webp)
all levels
available!
Pick the option "Spanish Course" in the application form.
SPANISH COURSE
Our Spanish classes in small group adapt to all levels. Learn how to speak a new language does open new worlds.
130$
1 week
3x 2 hours
"I stayed almost 3 months at Isa‘s and Milton‘s farm as a volunteer and I loved it. The family is super nice and welcoming. Already after a short time I felt like a part of the farm and team - exactly what I was hoping for. You can see and feel how much love and passion the family has for their farm, animals and work. I learned a lot from them! I was already riding horses for years before I got there and Isa’s amazing partnership with the horses showed and taught me a lot of new things. I love her way of working with the horses and thinking about the horses. I’m glad I got to learn from her! You can do many things around the farm to explore a little bit more of Costa Rica but they’re also very helpful and flexible if you wanna take some time off to visit some places further away. I can only recommend with all my heart a stay at Finca Soley! Im definetely gonna visit them again eventually.
Viviane from Switzerland, Horse Volunteer Programm in 2021
Finca Soley is a paradise in the middle of the mountains of Costa Rica. I will always carry my time here deep in my heart in wonderful memories! For people and animals it is a place to feel good, relax and learn. Thank you very much for the trust and the chance I got here and I wish you all the best!!
Carla Wiener, 2023
Everyone at Finca Soley was truly amazing. Isa and Milton were wonderful hosts, and we truly learned a lot about Costa Rica, the people, the surrounding environment, and caring for the horses. Being in the mountains, away from the "rest of the world" allowed us to focus our daily tasks, and appreciate our individual and collective contributions. Overall, it's up to each person to decide what they want from their time. Our week long stay allowed us to work, relax, explore, and live new experiences every day. We would do it all again in a heart beat.
Eric & Melissa Short
Hello, Isa and Milton, I don't know if you remember me, but my name is Tony Carter and I was a student at Finca Soley in 2019. I've wanted to write to you for a long time to explain what I'm doing now after the time I spent with you there. I have searched the internet several times to determine what happened to you and the impact of COVID and your plans with the new farm. Last week I revisited your website and it motivated me to write again. I retired in December 2021 after forty years as a physical education and recreation teacher here on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and have since spent time enjoying my free time and two days volunteering with organizations that help disabled people with sailing and horse riding. Every Friday for the last 18 months I have worked with APRDA Arundel Park Riding for the Disabled, an organization that cares for 20 horses on a small farm. Every day we have to take care of and prepare the horses to ride the classes, help during the classes and make many repairs to machines, fences, etc. and more, which are always needed. I am using many of the skills I learned in my time in Costa Rica and for this I want to say a special thank you to Isa for now, your influence is impacting the lives of Australians who like to ride horses but need to help. I include here the website and the facebook page so that you can easily see the activities and routines of a day in APRDA. Once again, thank you very much for everything I learned from you. I hope the new farm is successful. From the website I can see that a lot has changed since the day we laid the footings on the octagonal house.
Finca Soley: Thank you Tony, I dont have a picture of you, but here is the house you had put the fundament down(=
Tony Carter
