Jaana who has been on 15 In The Saddle rides. Very relaxing ride with excellently cared for horses and tasty food | The horses were second to none. I think only the Wild Coast in South Africa, and the Pyrenees Ride in Spain have ever had equally well cared group of horses. The welfare of the horses was also important as it was unfortunately very hot (+33 or above each day, wit blue skies), so they indeed needed some extra care.
The ride was mainly in walk because of the terrain, and this was expected. We also probably walked slightly more than usual because of the hot weather. That said, it was physically demanding not only because of the hot weather but also because we did a lot of climbing up and down on a very uneven surface.
I would definitely book a different ride with Emilio and Mamen in the future, that is how satisfied I was with their overall organisation and the horses. The group size of eight riders was also perfect.

Daryl who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. The trip was just fun, beautiful and so relaxing | So the horses were clearly Emilios passion, they were happy, well cared for, well fed and I watched them being groomed and checked twice a day. This is the most important issue for me as I am a stupid animal lover and can't cope with care anyless than my level of obsessional.
The care and attention we had from Manem was also exceptional and her lunches were amazing ... so much so that I had to stop being a pig as I couldn't bend in the middle to get back on my horse!
More conversation from Emilio about what we were seeing and riding through would have helped - I kept taking photos of the tourist plaques so I could check up when we arrived back at the hotels, but think the odd stop and explanation of what we were riding through would have made the trip.I wonder if they made some short videos we could watch before we left?
Some days were very long - but I think that may be to do with my next comments over which you and Emilio have no control and I accept that.
Your guide states that this was a ride for advanced intermediate and expert riders and clearly states what this is.
We had one rider who had not ridden for 12 years, one who rode a couple of times a year and another who only rode on trail ride holidays and thought it was OK to canter past other horses on a loose rein.
I expect Emilio like me could see injuries - kicked humans and horses....I think my job makes me prepare for the worst.
I believe we had slower rides than usual and as a consequence one evening I walked into my hotel room at 20:35 for a 21:00 dinner! My partner asked me why I was talking to him on speakerphone .." I am pulling my knickers and socks on at the same time" was the reply
I must stress that this in no way detracted from my enjoyment - I loved the riding and the scenery and as I have my own horses I don't need to canter!

Gwen who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Exactly as you described, it was a fascinating and beautiful trail ride through a remote region of Extremadura. | Emilio and Mamen are an excellent team. Emilio knows the terrain and the horses really well as he has bred and trained them all, producing gentle forward going horses.
All well cared for and well groomed. The saddles are quality leather English saddles which are comfortable for the long days of riding.
Mamen looked after the riders very well with lovely lunches and tapas breaks. So cheerful and knows so much about the history of the region having grown up in the mountains before studying for a degree in Agricultural Engineering at Madrid University.
The last night staying in the Monestery at Guadalupe was a real treat.

Olwen from In The Saddle - so glad that you enjoyed this great holiday.

Yngve (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Wonderful riding in an intereseting area with fantastic host | The trail was sold in as a trail with some cantering and trots. During the trail some more cantering would have be fine, but according to the initial information it was as agreed.

Marianne who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. The horses were fantastic. Regarding riding level Red+, I expected a relatively calm ride with a lot of walk, but was pleasantly surprised by a quite fresh pace in both trot and especially canter. There was far more canters than I expected. A huge pleasure.

Carole who has been on 8 In The Saddle rides. Great week, even despite the Spanish heatwave !
Very well looked after by Mamen and Emilio. Great food all week with some lovely overnight stays.
Would recommend to anyone.

Sue who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. A really steady tour through some warm and interesting country | The riding was really slow and steady apart from the odd trot and canter but we had been advised of that in advance and given the high temperatures, was just right. Initially I thought my horse - Chile - was probably a bit quieter than I would have be suited to BUT was very sweet and had impeccable manners and I actually ended up being very appreciative of having a steady ride, who could be ridden in a very relaxed way. I very much enjoyed riding him and dealing with him. A real gent.