Maria (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) We were very happy with the lessons from Joao, he was good at getting to know us as riders and was a very pleasant person.
The stable was beautiful, the horses were well looked after, and their sweet grooms did a great job, the horses were always shiny with freshly polished hooves.
We had a single ride in nature - it was a really lovely experience, Joao was the guide and the horses were nice.
I myself had 4 dressage lessons. I wasn't particularly happy with the first two. The first ride I was taught by another Portuguese instructor, who didn't bring out the best in either me or the horse. The horse was nice, but could barely canter. My second ride was on a stiff horse, who most of all felt like a half-good riding club pony, who could do some exercises for Medium & Advanced Medium level at most. The next two lessons I got some lovely 6-year-old horses and some super good rides and was actually very satisfied, but I have to admit that I didn't get to do most of the exercises I had written on my wish list.
My mother had 3 dressage lessons. The first ride was also with the other Portuguese instructor, who wasn't particularly inspiring to ride with. The horse was super nice at trot, but had a hard time cantering, and generally lacked the desire to walk. For the next two rides, she got the same horse and was able to do the exercises she wanted while feeling safe and secure. She was very impressed with how quickly the horse had adapted to her after the first ride. So those were two super good rides at Joao.

Carol who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Dressage indulgence! | The first lesson was a get to know you session, assess riding ability but also find out what kind of things I wanted to work on and a first try at some of those movements. We built on that in the following lessons with different horses who excelled at different things. Don’t be afraid to ask if there’s something you would like to try - e.g we worked on trot half pass and I asked to try canter half pass

Cathy who has been on 54 In The Saddle rides. Dancing with Horses | The stables were immaculate as were the horses for every lesson. In 9 lessons I rode 8 different horses. What a joy they were to ride, soft mouthed, bendable, sensitive to the rider's aids. I was pushed to achieve in the lessons which is what I had asked for, my thanks to João and Joanna. As a non horse owner who rides once a week at a riding school to be able to work on collection and extension, to achieve Shoulder in and out, Halfpass, Passage, and (with help) Piaffe, this was a real treat and such a privilege. You have the same saddle throughout your stay, it was very comfy and fitted all the horses well. I learnt to ride in spurs and mostly with double reins. The indoor school is large and has mirrors, the outdoor has a roof to keep the sun off. The rider's lounge is a pleasant way to watch the other riders.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay at Quinta do Rol. It sounds as though you made fabulous progress!].

Simone (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Good | Lik the people and horse

Arisa (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Very enjoyable | I was very satisfied with my lessons and the horses I was assigned to ride. The trainers were very helpful and good at instructing.

Karoline who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Good | Excellent

Frida (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing! | I had an amazing time! Loved the teachers and horses and i learned a lot of new things!

Siân who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous | Excellent instruction delivered in a personable manner. Each horse truly had a different character and were exceptionally well cared for.

Toshie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) It exceeded my expectations | More than expected?
The calm horses, the skilled instructors, and the staff who did their jobs perfectly - everything was wonderful, and I was able to enjoy horseback riding with peace of mind.
I fell in love with the amazing Lusitano horses.

Mayu who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Comfortable holiday | This was my second time using Quinta do Rol. Once again, the lessons were tailored to my goals. It was a five-lesson course, and I'm grateful that they continued to guide me toward improvement each time.

Tine (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) My daughter and I had a fantastic holiday and wonderful riding experiences. Best recommendations from us.

Stewart (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fabulous riding holiday | Faultless really, fantastic staff in every department and super horses for a variety of abilities.

Agnieszka who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Riding, Relaxation, and Real Improvement | It was an incredible experience from start to finish. The horses were exceptionally well trained—true teachers—and I felt like I improved with every ride.

My trainer, João, focused on correcting exactly the things that have always bothered me about my riding. Thanks to his guidance, I made far more progress than I ever expected in such a short time.

Linda (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Absolutely stellar experience - 10/10 no notes | This trip didn't merely meet my expectations, it far surpassed them! The horses were absolutely outstanding: so well cared for, well trained and exceptionally good natured. And there were horses to match the experience level of every rider, whether just learning to advanced riders. I found that as my riding developed and improved over the course of the week, I was put onto different horses who were able to challenge me in new ways and consequently I learned even more. The facilities are excellent and exceedingly well maintained.

I must specially mention the trainers Joao and Joana, who were amazing and so much fun to work with - they took the time to hone in on each rider's individual needs, and conducted lessons in a manner that improved and fine tuned skills, as well as teaching new ones. They were kind and patient, but also didn't hesitate to push me to work harder and focus when necessary. Truly among the best trainers I've ever worked with.

Rachael (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Very Good

Jo (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) A dream holiday | Quinta Do Rol has exceeded all expectations- set in the most picturesque setting, nestled amidst the vineyard and orchards, the most beautiful lusitano horses and kindest most welcoming team await. I rode movements, such as the piaffe and pirouette, which I had only ever before dreamed of! The horses are so kind and generous and love their work. Having lost a lot of confidence due to bad falls, I was anxious before hand but immediately the team put me at ease and despite the forwardness of the horses, I always felt safe. A bonus was watching my friend (and new friends) ride whilst sitting in the gallery drinking the estate’s beautiful wine selection!

Louise (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Memorable experience with kind people | The riding exceeded my expectations. The horses were wonderfully cared for and turned out, experienced and responsive. The riding team were kind and provided the right level of feedback per riding ability.

[ITS replies: Thank you for your lovely review. We are really happy that you enjoyed your stay at Quinta do Rol].

Lorraine (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Wondering riding holiday in a gorgeous estate | Well-trained horses that caters to various levels. As a novice rider, I learnt a great deal while having a lot of fun. Instructor João was excellent - encouraging, provides precise cues while keeping me relaxed. He knows the horses well and started me off with a gentle calm horse, and subsequently picking the right horse who each taught me different skills. Within just a week, not only did I improve my lateral movement, canter transitions, contact and suppleness, I tried many new movements for the first time - piaffe, passage, half-pass, spanish walk etc.

Gorgeous and well-maintained stables, both indoor and semi-outdoor. Lovely room with glass window for watching the actions even when you are not riding.

who has been on In The Saddle rides. Sublime dressage training in beautiful property | Excellent

Jenny (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) A brilliant holiday learnt a lot | The horses were really well cared for, and very highly schooled.
The instructors knew how to get the best from the horses and taught accordingly
I was pushed to achieve the things that I had asked to cover during my lessons but was also pushed further as the horses were very capable.

Linda who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Amazing experience! | The horses were all of amazing quality and good character. They were very well trained and even beginner riders can do difficult dressage exercises with them.

Rebecca (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing bucket list experience!!! | Fantastic to ride a number of different Lusitano horses - all incredibly well schooled, with different strengths. And to have the opportunity to perform advanced movements like piaffe and passage was just amazing. The instructors were excellent, and showed real interest and care in each rider’s experience.

Jackie who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Dressage training experience exceeded expectations | Amazing highly trained Lusitanos with very good instructors. A variety of horses that you can ride different ones or request the same horse if you prefer.
Immaculately turned out and everything done for you so you just concentrate on riding and enjoying the facilities.
Fortunately an indoor school with good viewing facilities so it didn’t matter that it rained.

Ira who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Brilliant all round | Excellent instructors and very well schooled and well looked after horses. Couldn’t have asked for more.

Nicola (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fabulous | Knowledgeable instructors Friendly, patient and good fun. Learnt a lot and did some moves I'd never done before. The horses were amazing, safe, responsive, well trained and very well cared for. Stables were spotless, and had very calm atmosphere. The schools were lovely, great surfaces.

I think the riding exceeded expectations.

Sue who has been on 16 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic dressage riding | 5 Star. Riding the beautiful and exceptionally well trained and safe Lusitano horses was a privilege. The instructors were very good at giving the right amount instruction, encouragement and praise to get the best out of me. I rode all the movements and improved as the week went on. Exactly what i wanted. The horses are extremely well cared for and the rooms, grounds, yard and arena are beautiful and spotless. Rita the owner went out of her way to ensure I was taken care of. I will be back, hopefully this year but definitely next year and will recommend this to all my friends.

Mandy (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Horse heaven! | They went above and beyond the trainers all 3 of them. They start you off on a sensible quieter Lutsatana (who knew all the high class work) to assess your riding ability. They can cater for beginners to advanced. They give you more and more sensitive horses each day, they are willing supple and each one taught me something else. I was lucky enough to have the most most stunning 7 yr old Neron (grey Lutsatana) who I fell in love with they kindly let me ride him 3 times in my 6 lessons. I was lucky enough to watch them training the youngsters, they love all there horse they are immaculately turned out and tacked up for you (gorgeous saddle and interesting plastic Pelham bits with one or two reins). I have already been transferring what was taught to my own advanced dressage horse, it worked rather well this morning riding him. I thoroughly recommend this holiday.

Sue who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. My first visit to Quinta do Rol, and definitely not my last! | Fabulous horses, great instructors. The horses are (almost too) easy to ride, very well behaved, very responsive, and offer the more advanced movements willingly. All 3 instructors were cheerful, helpful, informative, and helped me make huge progress.

Tina Arlette (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) The first day I got two horses that were not me at all. Then I asked for horses that were more forwardgoing, then I got steady horses. I like fresh horses, don't want to have to push forward all the time. So I got two 6-year-old, lovely horses, sensitive and forwardgoing - it was great!

Freda (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Loved it 🙂 | Different horse every lesson - so listening to the instructor was paramount. Both instructors were excellent

Jo (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Out of this world experience | The riding far exceeded our expectations. The horses were immaculately presented and are clearly very loved. My 16 year old daughter, Lucie, rode 5 different horses throughout the week and was primarily taught by Jòao whom, like all the instructors, was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable, instilling such confidence and belief in Lucie to ride more advanced movements eg, piaffe, passage, half passs and one time changes. Nothing was a bother, the instructors and grooms constantly striving to give Lucie the best experience ever in a really fun way. She has learnt so much in a week.
We also had a lovely hack out around the estate - this was arranged once we had gotten there and discussed with instructors. [In The Saddle replies: thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are so pleased that your whole family enjoyed Quinta do Rol.]

Kathryn who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Amazing | Instructors are all excellent.

[Abbie from ITS replies: We are so happy that you enjoyed your return visit to Quinta do Rol. Thank you for sharing your feedback.]