John who has been on 14 In The Saddle rides. The best riding holiday we have ever had! | This was a very special trip for us, based on approximately 30 years of trips with InTheSaddle, this one will be long remembered for the quality of the ride, food, people, the country and fellow riders. If you are an experienced rider and enjoy long days in the saddle with great variety in terrains, this is the ride for you! Great horses, tack and comfortable saddles. Lots of hill work, combined with fast canters and fantastic scenery.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We're thrilled that you had such a special time in North Macedonia.]

Sara who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. A wonderful and unique experience! | The riding was mostly at walk as the terrain is very varied encompassing woodland trails, mountain paths, meadows and Steppe-like rolling hills and plateaux, however there were lots of opportunities for quite long canters from gentle canters on woodland paths to exhilarating gallops across expanses of Steppe!
The leader, Vasco and guide Ramadan were well organised and provided clear direction, and the horses were well trained and very well taken care of with equipment checked frequently to avoid chafing and other issues. I was matched with a very small Macedonian mountain horse initially, but I began to find his very short stride uncomfortable on my lower back and hips by the end of the second day, as we completed a long, steep descent of a mountain trail. Vasco the leader suggested I swap onto the guide's horse, a young Arab cross called Vranec, which was taller with a longer stride, I was very grateful as he was an absolute dream, sweet and responsive and a complete pleasure to be partnered with, this is no criticism of the other horse who was a fantastic little guy, lots of fun to ride but just rather short strided.

Karin (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Myak Tribe Trail North Macedonia | It was amazing! Great horses, fantastic organisation. All above expectation

Anne-Marie who has been on 31 In The Saddle rides. Great time | I rarely go back to the same destination but I enjoyed this so much last year I made a swift return. I was delighted when Vasko remembered who had ridden last year and instantly offered me the same horse ( the very lovely Jafar), and it was an honour and a privilege to have him again. All riders seemed very happy with their matches. At times very fast but always safe and changes of pace were well telegraphed. I went at the same time as last year, but it was much warmer this year with no rain so the water bottles were much needed. It does help to be fit as these are long days, one of the clients struggled a little due to health issues and her own individual programme was adapted to suit

Graham who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. A full-on experience | Pretty fast at times but I was expecting this.
Useful to be offered a lightweight inflatable body protector (which I accepted).

Donna (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) ABSOLUTELY THE BEST IN ALL WAYS | High degree of safety management teamed with high energy, exciting riding.

Sally (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) There is some fast galloping on this ride. However the majority of this ride is at walk, due to the terrain.
Some of the cantering is on dirt tracks/roads which you need your glasses on for as you cannot see where your going with the dust. However the horses are extremely sure footed and know their job.

Hannah (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing Holiday | This was the most amazing experience I've ever had. In The Saddle don't so this trip justice. The horses are fantastic and very well cared for. Vasko has so much knowledge and he, Laura and Ramadan take a lot of time to match you with your horse. This is essential because the terrain is tricky in places and the "canters" are more like gallops and you need to know you're on the right horse to feel safe. The photos do not do this place justice. Macedonia is an absolutely beautiful country and it was an honour to be able to enjoy it on horse back

Sally (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Absolutely Magical | More than met the expectations.
The booklet you sent out and marketing In the saddle do, does not do this ride justice

Gail who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Absolutely fantastic - one of the best I’ve done | The brochure or itinerary doesn’t do this holiday justice. They both definitely need updating! The whole trail was brilliant. The food was amazing. We had a private chef follow us around cooking up delicious local food! The riding was outstanding, guided brilliant, local culture was never ending!

Berit who has been on 15 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic | My first horse was changed due to leg-condition, very good that health of the horse was priority no. 1! The second horse's condition was some lower than the rest and ended in the back in all canters..... and struggled to keep pace on the last mountain ( a bit stressful in the fog..).

Elisabeth who has been on 22 In The Saddle rides. Amazing Adventure | Excellent

Grethe who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous! | Wonderful horses, huge focus on safety/HESQ, we were well prepared/informed prior to canters etc - if we were to ride in a line or ok to spread out. Everything very organized in a good manner!

Lorraine who has been on 20 In The Saddle rides. Enjoyed every step of this journey | Vasko and his team take exceptionally good care of the horses, they live freely in a wonderful environment.
Riding through the forests and mountains, constantly surrounded by beauty, nature and constantly learning about the history of the Miyak Tribe - amazing!
Unfortunately, I was not matched with a horse reflecting my riding ability which was surprising since Vasko appeared to take such care with the matching process, including discussion at the initial briefing and having an albeit short, ridden 'assessment'.
By day 4 I was both emotionally and physically exhausted (and it probably showed) trying to keep my horse up with the others! Always being at the back, on the slowest horse, never being able to partake in any races was deflating and not quite what I expected.
I did ask both Laura and Vasko if I was the problem, only to be reassured that it had nothing to do with my riding, I needed to be clear with my aids, and that my horse 'didn't want to do it'.
On day 4 Vasko called me aside and offered to change my horse, I think he realised by then that I may have liked a more forward-going horse (as per my details), whilst telling me that women my age were usually happy to be at the back!! Although I'm reasonably certain he didn't mean to offend me, to say I was somewhat surprised at this ageist comment would be an understatement.
After much reflection and soul searching I declined the offer for many reasons including that after 4 days I did have a bond with my horse Alta, I felt safe (which of course is of utmost importance), I didn't know the horse I would be changing to and knowing the last two days would be some of the more challenging and fast riding without the benefit of the slower days 1 & 2 to get used to a new ride I wanted to be sensible. And probably most of all the words of Vasko at our first briefing were that 'we don't always get the horse we want but the horse we need', maybe I had something to learn.

Svenja who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. One week is too short | Very nice riding, we were perfectly matched with a 3-step matching process (review of what we had requested through ITS, interview during the briefing, and very short assessment in saddle to confirm matches before the trail started).
There was loads of walking, some technical parts, lots of climbing, no trotting, more short gallops and canters, longest was about 2 minutes. Canters in line, 2x2, or racing.
3 hand walking passages, 2 of them about 30 minutes, steep downhill/ rocky paths.
Did meet our expectations regarding long hours in the saddle and speedy gallops.

Horses were groomed and tacked for us.

3 guides even for a small group of 8. Very competent horsemen and -woman.

Katerina who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Exceeded all expectations | Excellent

Deborah who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. More than just a riding holiday | The riding was great on forward going horses with lots of fast canters (from day 3 onwards), day 1 and 2 are more reserved with is less cantering which I hadnt realised.

who has been on In The Saddle rides. Unique | Excellent riding experience, I stayed for two Miyak trail rides one after the other just because I enjoyed it so much, overall approx 400km. Scenery, food, horses, people all fantastic.

[ITS replies: Many thanks for your lovely feedback on the Miyak Tribe Trail. We are really pleased that you enjoyed your return visit].

Bregje who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. PERFECT | I’ve been on many, many trails…….but these horses were fantastic! Loved my one, but they were all great! All very fast walking pace, easy to control, forward, gentle, comfortable. Unique!

AL who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Excellent | I thoroughly enjoyed my riding adventure in Macedonia, despite the colder and wetter weather than expected. Vasko and his team were incredibly helpful, making every effort to ensure we had a fantastic week despite the challenges.

The horses were wonderful, and Laura and Vasko did an excellent job matching us to the right mounts based on our preferences and needs. What truly set this ride apart from others I’ve experienced was the pride and passion Vasko and his team have for their work. They were not only informative but also fun, making the learning about Macedonia and the Miyak Tribe incredibly engaging.

Vasko, in particular, is the heart of this operation. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more enthusiastic, informative, and fun riding host. I loved how he trusted us to ride in open order at various paces whenever the terrain allowed.

That said, to fully enjoy this experience, it’s essential to be physically fit and an experienced rider. Some sections require walking over rocky terrain for at least 15 minutes, which can be quite challenging, especially considering the altitude.

Be sure to come with a sense of adventure. Riding in the dark to catch the sunrise was a unique and thrilling experience that added an unforgettable touch to our journey.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Many thanks for your comprehensive feedback. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your adventure in North Macedonia].

Pam who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Fascinating but foggy! | Very mountainous, steep ups and downs. Fast cantering (running as Vasko liked to call it, to include some galloping) including races when terrain allowed. Fit and sure footed horses - forward going, responsive and sensible - knew their job well. Well cared for by the team.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Many thanks for taking the time to send us your feedback. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your adventure in North Macedonia].

Belinda who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Magical Miyak. So good I did it twice: and I’m not done. Surefooted and fast. Mountain goat meet Maserati. | The horses are incredible. Vasko’s leadership and logistics are impeccable. I would follow him and his Team to the edge of the world. A friendly, fun, professional and inspiring Team. Chef, support drivers, horse handlers, support guides give their all to ensure the ride and experience of a lifetime. Has to be experienced to be believed. Pure magic.

Brigitte (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Enjoyable holiday with excellent horses, tour guide and introduction into miyak culture | Excellent

Dru who has been on 10 In The Saddle rides. A fantastic holiday in the Northern Macedonian Mountains | The horses were very well looked after and were fun to ride at all speeds. My horse was sure-footed over often rocky terrain and easy to mount and dis-mount from. The guides were very competent and helpful and it was a luxury not having to tack up or groom the horses yourself. The western-style saddles were very comfortable over long distances and the saddle bags were easy to use and didn't slide around when cantering. The long canters across the grassy plains were great fun and we mostly didn't have to stay in a line, meaning we had the freedom to go at our own pace and not worry about overtaking the guide! The whole trip was very well organised.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your lovely feedback, it's great to hear how much you enjoyed the riding.]

Rose (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) The best riding holiday I have been on | Exhilarating riding on fit, forward going horses. Vasko took the time to listen to our previous experience and what kind of horses we enjoy riding and perfectly matched us all with our horses. [Caron from In the Saddle replies: Thank you for your lovely feedback, it is great to hear that you were so well matched with your horse.]

Carolina who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. It's a life changing experience! | Excellent

Leah who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Miyak Tribe Trail | Excellent

Anne-Marie who has been on 31 In The Saddle rides. Great fun | Riders were well matched with horses following an in-depth discussion and a very short ridden assessment in the paddock. My horse, Jafar, was very controllable but also had a great turn of speed that meant that as I grew in confidence with him I was happily able to go flat out and even win a race! He was very sure footed and incredibly comfortable which was good as these are long days. Safety was also prioritised, air jackets were available to those who wanted them and I took advantage of this, and a couple of day trippers who were supposed to join in an afternoon ride were told that their riding was not of sufficient standard to do this.The scenery is beautiful and we were blessed with great riding weather, with only a couple of very brief showers.
[Olwen from In The Saddle replies - we are so glad you enjoyed this great riding adventure.]

Stephanie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing and memorable! | Macedonia is the most beautiful place I have ever visited. Being able to ride through the amazing national park was an utter treat.
Amazing horses, super sure footed, beautifully forward going.
Very good guiding and safety
Warm and welcoming team. Nothing was too much trouble. The team were super in creating a cohesive group spirit.

Nina who has been on 12 In The Saddle rides. Incredible scenery and fast riding | The riding was very fast and intense. The scenery was incredible and jaw dropping, and so even though I struggled physically at times with all the uphill and downhill (there I a lot of it) and the long hours is the saddle, it was absolutely worth it. The food at every meal was superb and you eat a lot here. The team look after our needs perfectly and are all wonderful people.

The ceremony at the end is the icing on the cake and it was one of my favourite parts of the trip. Vasko had so many wonderful surprises for us up his sleeve.

It is worth mentioning that there is a lot of racing on this trip at full gallop and on uneven ground and long grass in some places, with Grand National type starts. I did love the racing and the speed but I wasn't happy to gallop downhill. ITS 'the riding' description says 'to avoid racing the canters will be in single file'. This is only true in some spots such as the forests, but out in the open you are encouraged to race and overtake. If you love lots of fast riding and racing and can cope with uneven ground then this trip is for you (if not, you may struggle). Its such an adventure and the incredible scenery plus the warm hospitality will blow you away.
[In The Saddle - We are so pleased that you enjoyed visiting this incredible country. It is the case that the riding is fast in places and that, where the terrain permits, riders are encouraged to spread out and take their own line. Some of the horses do know where these fast sections are and of course can get a bit excited about the forthcoming gallop].

Jessica (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Unforgettable adventure | Excellent riding on forward going and sure footed horses who seemed to have enjoyed the ride too. Lots of fast canters in magnificent landscape. The horses were very well looked after by Vasko and his amazing team. Long days in the saddle and every minute a single pleasure.

Bree (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) An epic week of riding in a stunning national park setting | Vasko and team provided super fit, well-educated horses who knew their job. The horses were very well cared for and extremely sure-footed on the rocky mountain terrain. Much of the tack was brand new this year (saddles, bridles and saddle bags) and the team made sure to stop and check several times a day for any rubbing or chafing. The riding scenery was beautiful and varied, from forests to meadows, lakesides to mountains. I would have appreciated more pace in the first two days, however toward the end of the week we had many more canters. I absolutely loved the 'rock and roll' races and only wish they were longer!