Caroline who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. An outstanding trip, and a genuinely fascinating introduction to Macedonia. | Lovely horses very, very well cared for. Safety highly prioritised.The route was unendingly beautiful and as it was May, the wild flowers exceptional. The horses were responsive and very kind to each other- no kicking or barging. They were very well behaved and seemed happy to ride whichever position they were in the trail. Vasko and Ramadan were extremely helpful and the staff on the ground always had a welcoming smile. Macedonia is a wonderful country to visit and we hope to return next year to ride the other trail.

Debs who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. BRILLIANT - EXCEEDED ALL MY EXECTATIONS ! | The riding was, for me, the perfect combination of :-
Distance per day - enough riding without being overtired - and not feeling like "oh, I wish we could have gone further......"
Terrain - Varied and truly beautiful. We rode to the top of mountains to take in the stunning vistas and along remote tracks through many vineyards. The profusion of yellow flowers & red poppies growing between the rows of vines was a 'kaleidoscope' of colour. Skylarks sang in the air above our heads and other birdsong followed us where-ever we went. You could stop, breathe-in these peaceful moments and truly feel alive. The rush of modern-day life ebbed away.
HORSES - were the star-of-the-show. Sure footed, gentle spirited with a strong work ethic. Their unique fast walk, covered great distances with speed and in a smooth gait. They were fit, hardly ever broke a sweat and always ready for some exhilarating canters. Some of these were very fast. But I never felt unsafe as the guides had a great way of balancing great fun and safety.

I was very sad it was all coming to an end on our last day. I WOULD DO THIS RIDE AGAIN !

Jackie who has been on 14 In The Saddle rides. Great for lovers of fine wines and food along with excellent riding | Plenty of variety from climbing hills to faster paces along tracks lower down around the vineyards.
Horses were all well mannered.

Tine Anette who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Got help to correct the gel pad with 2 lambskin so my "sit nodes" were fine.
It's a bit hard on the knees to just walk or canter. A little trot in between would "exercise" the knees a bit more.
Super cute horses that are very easy to ride.
A bit annoying that the back up guide found it necessary to bring a speaker on the horse ... I like to enjoy the peace and nature when I'm on horseback
Impressed by their focus on safety... thank you for that

Mette who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. I think we were all challenged - in a good way.
There are a lot of walking and then some good fresh canters.

Louise who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. A trail ride to remember - Dionysus Trail | Horses were exceptionally well cared for and were in excellent condition and very fit for the level required for the trail. My pony was quite small but certainly coped with with the speed and terrain.

Ellen (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Beautiful country, excellent food | Every day the terrain was different and beautiful. I was able to ride the same horse every day which gave me a lot of consistency and confidence by the end of the ride.

Cathy who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful | The horses were in very good condition and live a very natural, herd life. They are hardy and fit. The terrain was quite varied, some hills, mostly through vineyards and villages.

Laura (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fantastic food, wine and scenery, generous hosts, fit horses | The scenery is beautiful and very varied. The ride has been well-planned to incorporate a range of terrain, paces and activities. We rode through mountain scenery, vineyards, pine forests and small villages, with wonderful views throughout. The horses were remarkably fit - full of energy throughout the day - and there were opportunities for short, fast canters when the weather and terrain allowed.
A lot is packed into the week beyond the riding, including winery tours and a Macedonian pie-making workshop, which gives a nice insight into Macedonian culture.

Adam (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fantastic Riding Holiday | Strong, well mannered horses that handled the terrain well.

Philip who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous horses, food and wine | I asked for a forward-going horse that I could control and I got just that. My horse was a sure-footed mountain horse who was fast but easily controllable. The horses were full of energy all day, from the start of the week until the very end. There were a few canter opportunities each day, but they tended to be fairly short. Mostly the riding was at a fast walk.

Jules who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Marvellous Vineyard & Winery Tour on fantastic horses with tasty food | Having previously ridden the Miyak Tribe Trail in 2019 and having the time of my life I was delighted to visit Vasko and his team in North Macedonia again this year.

The horses were fit and well cared for. We were all well matched to our rides. Tack was comfy with a gel pad and sheepskin over the top. Saddle bags were more than adequate for our daily needs such as waterproofs, water bottle and jumper. Air jackets are available if you want to borrow one.

We rode through fabulous landscape which is unfenced with acres of vineyards, mountains and wonderful views. The trail was well thought out to provide variety. On this ride we visited some family wineries and also some very large commercial ventures. The bee visit was really interesting and the two cooking workshops fun and tasty.

Vasko and his team are hardworking, excellent guides and lots of fun. Our chef travelled with us and produced really fabulous fresh, local food on a small camp stove. Every day food was different and showcased local recipes. In Macedonia most food is seasonal and fresh. Gluten Free was well catered for!

Emma who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. North Macedonia | Both horses I got to ride were fantastic, albeit very different. First I got Erdo, a small (~135 cm) Balkan mountain horse, and then Jafar, a somewhat larger (~165 cm) more sporty type. They were both well-trained and responsive and fantastic fit.

The riding itself was demanding, and the guide Vasko could well say that now we should ride our horses little more, and not just let our horses follow each other's tails. In addition, the route included both a lot of riding uphill, and just as much downhill, which was a bit hard on my knees.

You ride in western saddles, and that requires a slightly different riding style than I'm used to.

However, the route is beautiful, the landscape is very varied, the biodiversity is high and there is the opportunity for some fantastic, long canters on horses that always felt in control (and it makes you completely forgetting about your sore knees).

Zazi who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Like a God in Macedonia ~ The Dionysus trail as it's meant to be | Excellent

Carolina who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Amazing week! | Excellent

Bregje who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic week with delicious food and great wines! | Second trail with Vasko and his amazing team! The horses were fantastic. All so forward, fit, well behaved and fast! When there is a possibility for fast riding, you go fast. Beautiful nature, if you want it to be really green, choose April or May.

Charles-Emmanuel who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Amazing trip in the Macedonian Vineyards | Excellent

Emily who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Loved it | This was my first ever trail ride and I was a little nervous beforehand. However, Vasko and his team looked after us so incredibly well and the trip felt seamless. There were miles and miles of open space and we had many wonderful long canters. The wine was fantastic and I learned a lot about the wine making process. The food was just as good. Would recommend for anyone.