Chris Ashton visits brothers Robin and Kevin Begg, who specialise in trail-riding and ‘country' polo at their Argentine estancia, Los Potreros . An hour's drive out of Cordoba (Argentina's second city and itself an hour's flight inland from Buenos Aires) stands Estancia Los Potreros . More than 1,000 metres above sea level, the 2,500 hectare estancia nestles in the Sierra Chicas - the foothills of the Andean Cordillera.The country around the estancia is steep and open - a landscape of granite outcrops and grassland supporting 1,000 Aberdeen Angus cattle and 140 horses variously engaged in breeding, cattle work, recreational trail-riding and beginners' polo. The Spanish word ' potrero ' translates as 'a field intended expressly for grazing horses.'

As part of a huge estate (four times its current size) under Spanish rule in the 16th century, colonists first settled in this area to breed mules for work in the silver mines of Peru. A century ago, Estancia Los Potreros was purchased by the Begg family, Anglo-Argentines of Scottish descent, to raise cattle. Five years ago their descendants, brothers Robin and Kevin Begg elected to diversify into other enterprises, opening a guest lodge specialising in trail-riding and, more recently , 'country' polo.

The very heart of the estancia is a 19th century farmhouse and adjacent cottages converted into guest accommodation, featuring all the creature comforts we take for granted - including en-suite bathrooms and wood-burning stoves in each of the seven twin-bedded guestrooms, a drawing-room with a log fire where guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks and after-dinner coffee and a dining-room seating everyone at one table. This leads in turn to a kitchen with all modern amenities.

The ambience at Los Potreros is evocative of an English country house party, hosting up to 14 visitors on-site with accommodation elsewhere for larger parties. Furnishings, fittings and artwork (far from signalling urban sophistication) rightly celebrate the rustic origins of the farmhouse. From time to time estancia staff and their families stage impromptu evening concerts of folkloric singing and dancing. Estancia Los Potreros was named in the 2006 Tatler-Condé Nast survey of the world's top 101 hotels.

Elsewhere in Argentina, estancias converted to guest lodges employ managers to host clients. At Los Potreros , Robin and Kevin Begg and their English-born wives Teleri and Luisa make a point of joining their guests - whether at mealtimes, on riding excursions or for polo. With culinary skills honed by a Cordon Bleu course, Teleri Begg supervises the kitchen staff and devises recipes harnessing fresh local produce.

Ten minutes' drive from the house itself are two polo fields. Polo is an optional extra at Los Potreros , with one or two days per week assigned to teaching and playing. Lightweight mallets and helmets are supplied, together with quiet horses accustomed to novice players. Robin or Kevin Begg (both low goal players) introduce the game, demonstrating how to hit a polo ball without doing injury to one's horse, to oneself or to other players whilst impressing the importance of the ball's right of way. Students then practice strokes at the walk before progressing to slow practice chukkas.

Responding to growing interest among guests, the Beggs have now allocated two consecutive weeks in early December to a daily polo school for beginners. A 4 goal Argentine player has been hired from the nearby polo centre , Ascochinga , and polo-playing neighbours are recruited to make up the numbers for practice chukkas. A second two-week polo school is scheduled for the second half of April 2007 - just before the start of the English polo season.

On the first weekend after Easter this year, Estancia Los Potreros hosted its annual low goal round robin tournament, composed of three blended teams of men and women, boys and girls - ranging from 10 to 50 years old! Several of the children put the adults to shame! A trophy presentation, colour -coded and numbered team shirts, a timekeeper ringing a bell to signal chukkas and an umpire in the traditional black-and-white striped shirt enhanced the sense of contesting an authentic tournament.

At the very core of Estancia Los Potreros is the idea of visitors from abroad immersing themselves in a fully operational cattle estancia which runs alongside trail-riding, hiking, picnics, bird watching, swimming in rock pools and 'country' polo. Most Argentine estancias located on the pampas offer trekking along roads as flat as ironing boards. With half or full-day excursions with a picnic lunch or (by prior arrangement) overnight camping, Estancia Los Potreros offers trail-riding of a very different type.

At a brisk walking pace you journey up hill and down dale, over streams and onto plateaus with wide-screen views of plains below and shimmering mountain ranges beyond. Dense stands of woodland are home to elusive small deer and wild boar, foxes, hares, skunks and ' viscacha ' (the South American cousin of the badger) together with the Argentine wild cat, the puma - the emblem of the national rugby team, nocturnal by habit and very rarely seen. Bird life ranges from the soaring condor and the eagle to the humming-bird.

Rotated between cattle work and trekking, the horses are placid, sure-footed and responsive to the slightest neck-rein signals. Much attention is given to providing comfortable saddles - leather overlaid with sheepskin. First aid kits are carried on each outing and guests are always accompanied by an English-speaking member of staff.

Should you wish to venture beyond the estancia, taxis can be hired to take you to one of the three local golf courses (each within an hour's drive) or to Cordoba (population 1.3 million) for its shopping and architectural treasures - conspicuous among them its 17th century cathedral and churches, built by the Jesuit and Franciscan Orders, a legacy of Spanish Imperial rule.