Quinta do Rol - Portugal

Susan who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous from start to finish! | The horses were fantastic. I felt humbled by their grace and willingness. I'm quite novice in dressage riding and don't have my own horse or compete at home. I learnt more at Quinta do Rol in 4 days then I have in a year at home - the horses really helped me develop my feel for lateral work and my riding generally.

The instructors were brilliant. Absolutely passionate about the lesson and making sure you improve but have fun along the way. I really felt they believed in me and gave me a lot of confidence, with honest feedback. I wish I could bring them (& the horses of course) back to the UK with me!

The facilities are the best I have ever seen. The indoor school is stunning with a really comfortable riders lounge over looking the arena. It was difficult to choose between the indoor and the enormous outdoor school surrounded by glorious farm countryside. The horses have better facilities than a lot of hotels for humans! All the staff I saw treated the horses with great care, respect and a lot of love which created a wonderful calm ambiance.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Many thanks for your contructive feedback. We're so pleased you enjoyed your time at Quinta do Rol].

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

Such a relaxing environment to be in. I had a little cottage all to myself and absolutely loved it. The accommodation was traditional Portuguese with shutters to keep the sun out but let the lovely breeze through. I enjoyed walking around some of the estate, taking in the eucalyptus, vines and orchards.

The food was delicious; simple but so tasty. Everyone at Quinta do Rol could not be more accommodating - they wanted you to be comfortable and couldn't do enough for you. There was always plenty of water available to keep you hydrated.

The wifi signal was fairly weak in my cottage but really strong in the rider's lounge. This was fine for me traveling on my own, but would currently mean my husband wouldn't be able to join me (as he is self employed so needs be able to work from the accommodation), as I will certainly be returning to Quinta do Rol!

How could we improve the quality of pre-holiday information that we send?

It was all excellent! I think the brochure indicates a guest washing machine is available. I did have one in my cottage but I believe the other ITS guest (Joanna) didn't have one, so used mine and you do need to bring your own washing powder.

How could we improve the way we handled your booking and payment?

All great thank you.

I am happy to provide photos if you want to use for marketing.

Do you have any other feedback for us?

Thank you again! I had a brilliant time at Quinta do Rol and can't recommend it highly enough.

For future longevity - I think being aware of the changes on the horizon for horse riding in the UK would be beneficial for riding venues appealing to UK riders. I attended a BHS Social Licence to Operate webinar which illustrated that attitudes are changing (eg, Adam Cromarty has predicted the use of whips and spurs will be banned in the UK within 10 years). The horses in Portugal are often ridden in spurs and double bridles, so it would be good to see this use starting to diminish.