Ruth who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Outstanding in every way! | I felt there was a great deal of thought in pairing horses and riders, and I was matched with a horse who absolutely ticked all of my boxes. Loved riding her and wanted to take her home! The horses were clearly well loved and cared for and enjoyed their jobs.

Riding was as stated - mostly at walk, but opportunities for trot / canters where possible. There was game everywhere so walking pace was ideal for taking it all in.

Kate and Sarah who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Epic Horse Riding Adventure | The horses were amazing. Really responsive, well behaved, foward going, fast walking and sure footed on the mountainous terrain. They all had their own characters and Vasco and the team matched them well to the riders. We were really happy with our two mountain horses (Stavre and Arap). They may have been a different style to what we were used to at home but were an absolute delight to ride all week. We were amazed by the horses capacity to ride up and down mountains and gallop across the pastures with great enthusiasm. The riding exceeded our expectations. Really varied. We enjoyed the technical element of the mountainous ascents and descents and the opportunity to gallop freely was incredibly exhilarating. Getting up and riding the horses to see the sunrise at the top of the mountain was a huge hight and end tothe week.
The Sherpa riding team were fantastic. Vasco gave briefings before every ride and made sure everyone was confident and happy with the riding as the the challenge and speed increased.

Jo who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Massive Highs | The trip was incredible. the mountain scenery, the cultural experience, the camping were fantastic . They took the safety of the ride very seriously. Sadly There was a nasty fall and one of the riders was hospitalised . I couldn't fault the care and rapid response of the team with this though.

Charlotte who has been on 12 In The Saddle rides. A real delight | The riding was as expected - lots of walking looking for game interspersed with some nice canters. The horses were beautifully schooled, knew their job well and were very responsive. The bush was thicker than any I had experienced before and given the number of thorns I was glad that I hadn’t brought my best breeches! The tack well maintained and the saddles very comfortable. The care of the horses was exemplary and a real credit to Clare and her team.

Ian who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. The riding was superb. The horses were forward going, reliable and a joy to ride. The majority of the horses being rescue horses the amount of work that has been put into them must be immense. Our guide Bruno was engaging and fun. He endeavored to make every ride memorable. There were so many canters during every ride on this beautiful island.

Liz who has been on 24 In The Saddle rides. Due to a (non-riding) injury we weren't able to ride as much as we'd planned, but the landscape is wonderful, plenty of variety with plains, rolling hills, forests, picturesque valleys. The grass plains can be uneven, so we took things quietly, but other riders on the holiday were having plenty of canters and gallops. We had our own personal guides so could do pretty much what we wanted! Plenty of game sightings and magnificent sunsets. And lots to do if you're not riding.

Quency (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Couldn't Be Better! | Both trail ride leaders I had during the 6 days there were excellent. A lot of fun and long canter and it was pretty everywhere we went.

Katie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Wonderful holiday | I loved my horse who was steady and a gentleman but also responsive and swift when it was called upon. He really looked after me and was great fun

Caroline who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful | The whole holiday was wonderful. Fantastic horses and amazing wildlife. Really knowledgeable and fun guides. A great place for non riders too. Walk rides were offered as well as bush walks and mountain biking.

Marianne (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Exhilarating riding, far exceeded my wildest dreams | Far exceeded!
Fast and thrilling, the horses responsive and well schooled.
The terrain makes for long, fast canters with numerous wide sandy tracks.
The guides were considerate, very informative and knowledgeable and great fun.

Simon (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) did not disappoint | I could have preferred a more "lively" horse but the terrain and ride were well matched.

Aline (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Life changing experience! | The horses were such great temperaments and easy to feel comfortable with from the first instance. The riding throughout the trial was diverse involving a great mix of chill walking to technical leading and footwork. The horses worked hard. There was a lot of walking, but given the distance and terrain it was likely done on purpose to not strain the horses to early on. However, a few more trots and canters/gallops would have been fabulous as there were areas where this would have been possible. The free horse (spare) was a bit of a nuisance in that he would stop and snack which meant that we couldn't easily build up momentum and keep it if he kept making trouble. But overall, the riding was hard physically but so worth it! This ride is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Laura who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic trip for experienced riders | We spent 4-6 hours daily in the saddle. We averaged 4-5 miles per hour with a lot of trotting and cantering.

Clare (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fabulous experience! | Absolutely fantastic holiday. Horses were clearly loved and well cared for. Responsive but sensible. Good variety of riding and pace.

Kate who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Excellent horse, guide, food and accommodation | Wonderful riding and horses and Miguel ran a very smooth experience. Great food and pleasure of a lovely group. Heatwave taken into account and one day riding thankfully amended to avoid hottest day.

Kirstie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Unforgettable experience | The riding goes over steep and rocky terrain, we enjoyed the variety and the wonderful views. The riding intensity built up gradually over the week, we were reasonably riding fit and were fine. The riding guides were great, helped me lift my saddle as I had a shoulder injury. The horses were quality and forward going but safe.

We would recommend to riding friends as long as they were not scared of heights! You do canter along the top of the ridge - don’t look down!

We enjoyed watching some young horses working in the round pen and had a go which was fun. Watching the horses swim the river back home on our last day while we followed in the boats was a highlight.

Sue who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Mongolian Adventure | Mongolia exceeded all my expectations, the holiday provided me with an amazing adventure. The riding was incredible, long canters and gallops in wide open, unfenced countryside, there were no boundaries in the forest steep area, just vast areas of grassland and forested mountains. The horses though small by English standards are tough, sure footed and resilient. Being semi-feral requires a different mindset when considering how they are kept and handled but this did not detract from the experience. Our horse guide matched the three of us perfectly to our mounts, he was well aware of any potential problems and any queries or issues were sorted swiftly sorted with no complaint. In spite of the challenging terrain, marmot holes, steep hill climbs and descents through dense larch woods, we felt entirely safe at all times, even when a bear print was spotted in the National Park. The saddles were surprisingly comfortable with seat savers and the tall pommel was an asset when standing up to do the fast paces. One tip that I would recommend is that old style, thick jodhpurs keep the flies from biting. (ITS comment: We are so delighted to read that you enjoyed your Mongolian adventure. Claire from ITS)

Kim who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Miguel and his team did a fantastic job, he read the group so he knew we could all ride well- he gave us amazing trails well cared for horses with spunk! Provided great picnics, took great care of us!

Paola (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Absolutely amazing | The riding was really good! Our lead guide Ugne was absolutely amazing. She was super fun, knowledgeable and did her job flawlessly. The horses were really well taken care of and all had their own personalities.
The views were breathtaking!!
The only thing I missed was full galloping and a little race but I understand why the don’t do that anymore.

Joanne who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Brilliant! | The riding was tailored for all guests, with shorter rides for those that didn’t want to ride as long, with additional loops for the riders that wanted to be out longer. We never rode the same route twice. The terrain is not suitable for fast riding, although those that wanted had the opportunity for short canters. The horses were all sure footed and well cared for, and we were paired up well for our riding ability. The scenery was amazing!

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your much anticipated ranch adventure!]

Lucy who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Real western experience | We were delighted with the whole experience at Zach and Pattie’s ranch. There was such a range riding, horsemanship, moving cattle, cattle work. I absolutely loved the barrel racing! There was nothing they wouldn’t do to make the stay personalised and special .They arranged fishing on the creek and also firing a handgun at targets.
The horses were exceptional, so well looked after and all the members of staff, the wranglers were such fun enabling us tohave the best time. Accommodation was great there was an even an on-site saloon. We went with another couple. I wasn’t sure how the husbands would deal with it, but they definitely want to go back there. This is my fourth holiday with in the saddle and it was as outstanding as the others.

Sally (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Truly Unforgettable | The riding has been wonderful. We received excellent tuition matched to our ability level and given with patience and encouragement. We preferred the outdoor rides as the indoor school is quite small, but every ride was a joy helping us to grow in confidence and develop our skills.

Maria (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Pedro and Mariana are truly great hosts who are in control of their horses and put their well-being above all else. There was great respect for the horses and their hard work, and they were truly caring in their dealings with them.
They took us on the most wonderful rides in the surrounding countryside, and Pedro was a truly great and knowledgeable host who enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm and love for the area with us.
I got a really lovely horse that suited my riding skills well. I experienced great responsiveness from Pedro and Mariana to my needs and limitations, and they were very understanding and flexible. I felt in really good hands.
The horses were beautiful, and they were really looked after and cared for. The tack was top notch. Everything was as it should be.

Emma (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Great family and amazing horses | All the horses were well looked after and so obviously cared for, and beautifully trained. All seemed very fit, heathy and easily managed the rides. We were all matched perfectly with opportunities to ride other horses. I really felt listened to. The opportunities for fast riding were fun and you felt very safe. A great holiday for experienced riders.

Mariia (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Horseback safari in Namibia | I had a good time riding 2 times a day. Highly recommend to ask as for your horse safari guide name of Anna, or Jana / Rebekka.

Luan who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Amazing food & mountain riding | Amazing mountain riding through forests, open plains, sheep trails and rocky paths. If you love long days in the saddle and adventure riding this trip is for you!

Justine who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Believe the hype - this is a fabulous trail! | The riding is well paced. Much of the 200km is at walk due to the terrain, but the landscapes change every day and it is never dull. The canters build up over the first three days from in line, to side by side and then 'rock'n'roll'... it is a lot of fun to let the horses really go where the ground allows. The horses are a mix and I was matched well with Jafar, who was steady in walk (we were happy at the back) but had some moves on the plains! The saddles are comfortable and despite the long hours riding I did not have any stiffness - maybe as so much is at walk and the varied terrain meaning you are shifting position so much. It is a truly stunning landscape - breath-taking on some days.

Christine who has been on 8 In The Saddle rides. Hugely pleasurable enjoyable experience, in gorgeous surroundings on very well schooled horses | Having been on this holiday a few times before, you worry whether it is going to meet your expectations.

If did the holiday is run very smoothly with guests catered for every step of the way.

the riding was very enjoyable and the speed and variation just right

Alice (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Unforgettable and way above expectations! | The riding was very varied, each day was different. Most of the time is spent walking, but the horses are so forward going this is not tedious. The scenery is so breathtaking that there is plenty to look at, and there are some technical areas where the sure-footedness of the horses is really tested. The first couple of days were a bit more steady, but this gave us time to get used to the horses and their way of going. There were loads of opportunities for a good canter or gallop, and the horses were fantastic and really obedient.

The riding is not for the faint hearted, and it is fast over varied terrain. You need to be comfortable and competent to get the most out of it!

Claire (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) The most amazing adventure that somehow far exceeded expectations! | I can't find the words to properly describe how utterly amazing our experience at Rocking Z was. The location, the people, the horses; all of it far exceeded expectations. There was a herd of 100 horses (with one born the morning we arrived!) all of which were known inside out by everyone at Rocking Z and were provided with 5* care. We were amazed at how they chose horses to suit each of us so well, some that intentionally looked after and gave confidence to riders, others that challenged our riding skills in a really positive way. Everything went at a pace we were comfortable with for our riding abilities. The trails were plentiful with breathtaking views and opportunities to 'lope' regularly if you wanted to and a couple of really good gallops on the all day ride which ordinarily would scare the life out of me but on an wide open track and finishing on a mountain top it was literally and metaphorically a being on top of the world moment! We had a go at barrel racing and on one day we got to be real cowboys and helped drive the herd of 60 cattle across the mountain and river to a holding pasture. Although I knew there would be more than just trail riding (although you could just trail ride if you wanted), I was absolutely blown away by the additional activities. Anna's knowledge of the workings of both horse and human bodies and the effect on riding is next level, I really enjoyed the bio-mechanics session she led. Equally Maria's 'Ride to My Focus' and Justi's 'Liberty training' were so interesting and we got to try these methods for ourselves with the RTMF being slightly emotional for several of us! (which sounds crazy but if you're horsey you'll get it!). I didn't expect to learn so much and in the words of Bridget who has worked on the ranch for 8 years, I've added some new tools to my horsey toolbox. Overall this really was the ultimate horse riding holiday.

Vivien who has been on 46 In The Saddle rides. Stunning scenery | This is the third Namibia horse safari I have completed so knew what to expect. There were many long, frequent canters that were wonderful to do, especially when the terrain opened up during the second half of the ride. We also had some super canters on the beach on the last day as the tide was out (lucky timing).

[Abbie from ITS replies: We are so pleased that you enjoyed your return visit to Namibia - this time to explore stunning Damaraland. Thank you for your lovely review.]

Penny who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. 4 days riding and 4 in Vic falls | First safari of the season but fantastic all the same