Emily who has been on 25 In The Saddle rides. Wild Coast Adventure Trail | Lovely long canters along the beach.

Roger who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful ride on The Wild Coast | Having ridden the wild coast adventure trail before we knew what to expect in terms of terrain, distance and hours in the saddle. I rode Phantom for the trail, a large Fresian x Percheron and therefore slower on the faster canters and gallops, slower than I woud have liked and slower than I am used to.

Tertia was our guide with Jess and Alice as backup guides and Debs as driver ferrying luggage etc from one stop to the next. We rode with Tertia on our last trail, all three were great fun to ride with.

We stayed for three additonal days during which time I rode Taitum who was keen, forward going and fast.

Love the riding on the wild coast and will definitely go back for more.

[ITS replies: Many thanks for your feedback, it is much appreciated. We're so pleased you enjoyed your return visit to the Wild Coast].

Amanda who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Wild time on Wild Coast Adventure Horse Trail | Since this was our second time on this trail, we knew what to expect. However, due to high winds forecast the the itinerary was adjusted and we started the trail on the day of arrival after lunch. Everything was well organised and the horses were waiting for us at the Guest Lodge. This did mean we didn't have an introductory ride, but this didn't bother us as we're used to riding different horses and it was exciting to make a dash for the ferry before the weather closed in.

The scenery was breathtaking as before and it's excellent to ride across such a variety of terrain - the beaches are my favourite! I rode Percy (Persuasion) on the trail which was great fun and speedy!

We were in very safe, experienced hands with Tertia as lead guide, Jess and Alice as back up guides and Debs as driver. All were great fun to ride and spend time with.

We stayed 3 additional days so we got to experience some of the local routes and I got to ride 3 other horses -Tuwayisan especially was fantastic. This is such a beautiful part of the world and we will definitely return!

[ITS replies: Many thanks for your super feedback. We're so pleased you enjoyed your return visit to the Wild Coast].

Linda who has been on 21 In The Saddle rides. Another amazing week of riding on the Wild Coast of South Africa | All expectations met. Our 4th trip to the Wild Coast and our 3rd time on the 7 day Adventure trail. Our group of 5 were joined by 3 other competent, friendly riders and we had a blast! An exciting trail partly because of the very wet weather the week before. Due to this several of the rivers were high and unnavigable on horseback on the beaches so we had to detour inland resulting in some much longer days than usual. Particularly, the river at Wavecrest was impossible to cross so we couldn't do the "Wavecrest Gallop". Our guide Tertia wasn't going to let us go home without a "you know what" and she led us at speed along another fantastic beach. The week was exciting, fun, fast on the beaches and lots of canters inland too. Guides Tertia and Jess coped very well with whatever they were met with, always looking after ours and the horses welfare. My husband rode a Percheron cross called Andy and I had a gorgeous little Arab called Poppet, we both loved them. I recommend that you are as fit as you can be to do this trip as there can be unforeseen circumstances that make days longer and more strenuous than usual. The massage at Wavecrest was very welcome! We loved it all and would consider going for a fifth time if we weren't quite so old (74 & 71)!!

[Abbie from In The Saddle replies: Thank you so much for your fabulous feedback. We're so pleased that you enjoyed your return visit to the magical Wild Coast].

Lynn (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Terrific Trail Ride | The Wild Coast hosts and guides were very pleasant and welcoming. The guides knew the area, our abilities and structured the trail around what we were looking for.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you very much for your super feedback].

David who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Amazing riding and coastline | I had a wonderful week, shared with other friendly riders who were all very capable, and amazing guides who had our welfare, and that of the horses, as top priority.
It was easy to see why the Wild Coast is named such, as all along the beaches, powerful waves come crashing in, slamming against rocky outcrops.
Cantering, and occasionally galloping along deserted beaches was an experience to well be remembered, and the inland riding, with its river crossings was also memorable.
Drinks before dinner was always very enjoyable, and the standard of meals and accommodation was just what I expected.
For those riders who like many hours in the saddle daily, and periods of long sustained canters, I couldn't recommend this ride more heartily.

[Abbie from ITS replies: We're so pleased you enjoyed your long awaited riding holiday along the Wild Coast. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about it].

Bridget who has been on 15 In The Saddle rides. Just as good as the 2 previous visits | Excellent

Julia who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic horses and beaches - perfect combination | Obviously the itinerary was rather impacted by the accident, and it was very disappointing that we didn't just continue up the coast on the next day, but had a 'quiet' ride inland. Also the pace was slower than we are generally used to. I know we can't gallop all the time on trail rides, but the biggest disappointment for me was not to have The Gallop on The Beach, and really see what our horses could do. I know that this was also due to geography, and for the safety of horses and riders!
That said, the horses, guides and location were stunning, and we did have lots of fast canters along amazing beaches and inland, and were extremely lucky with the weather.
I was perfectly matched with my horse Eclipse, who was exactly what was requested. Fast, forward and more importantly, fun! The guides were excellent, friendly and couldn't done more for us all.
Overall I would still say this was an excellent holiday and I would certainly recommend it!

[In The Saddle: Yours was a private group and the guides did their utmost best to make sure everyone was safe and had a good time. The river at Wavecrest was particularly high and so it wasn't safe to go across for the gallop to Mazeppa. We are pleased that overall you had a good time.]

Roger who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Wild Coast Adventure Trail - The best beach ride in the world. | Not only was it great riding, the area is really interesting and like nowhere else I have ever visited and I have been on lots of riding holidays. I think your literature should make more of this aspect. The Transkei is totally undeveloped and the local tribes people were both fascinating and friendly.

This ride is only suitable for good, fit riders. Those who are not will not stay the course and will hold up the rest of group. You can get all aspects of terrain in one day and often at pace and it is not possible to get the lunch stop and say "you can't carry on". This area is remote and there are no roads to get you out. This is what makes it so special.

As you know one of our riders came off and was badly hurt and concussed. I must commend Tertia our guide and Jess our back rider, for their professionalism in taking command of the situation, mobilising our group and getting outside assistance. I also know Julie-Anne did a lot of organising and provided support to the injured rider as we all carried on with our holiday. Most impressed.

The nearest hospital is in East London, some two hours drive away and we were able to get the injured rider off the beach with the help of a local who managed to get his flat bed truck over the sand dunes. Most of the beaches would have required a helicopter. Makes you realise the importance of good riding insurance.

[In The Saddle - as all know, unfortunately anyone can fall off a horse at any time. We were fortunate that this accident happened relatively close to a hotel - but it must be remembered that this is a remote part of South Africa and medical support will not be as quick as we are used to in the UK.]

Katrine who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Varying pace with some good canters along the beach. Riding in hills and over small rivers made it both fun and exciting.

Astrid who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. At Wild Coast Riding Adventures, they are very good at finding the right horse for the rider. On the day of our arrival, we were given the opportunity to test the allocated horses, so we were sure that we had got the right ones.

Sue who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. So much to see! | On day one, I was not quite convinced I had the right horse. We had a short ride on the beach and Eclipse was a bit naughty. But from Day 2 onwards we settled well into the longer day rides. He was a bit quirky and not unlike my horse at home so I was very happy with him. A good size, forward going, keen and with character.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: It's great to hear that you got on well with your horse once he settled on the longer ride :-)]

Louisa who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Everything a riding holiday should be! | Endless canters along empty beaches, crossing tidal inlets, forward going and fit horses, super-comfy saddles and one of the best trail horses I have ever had the pleasure of riding - what's not to love!

Judith who has been on 13 In The Saddle rides. Worth the second trip | Due to very wet weather we had to adapt the trail and therefore did not get to do the long beach gallop. This was an expected amendment but obviously disappointing.
[In The Saddle - you were very unlucky with the weather on your visit to the Wild Coast. I'm glad that overally you enjoyed your adventure. Olwen]

Linda who has been on 21 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic week of riding - fast paced at times along the beaches | All expectations exceeded. Our third visit to The Wild Coast - back with more friends this time. Postponed twice because of Covid. Horses are amazing, sure footed, keen to run on the endless deserted sandy beaches but with brakes. Also foot-sure negotiating rocky rivers and gorges. They are a pleasure to ride and are clearly well loved and cared for. Fantastic to ride along the beaches and cliffs while spotting whales and dolphins. One of our top 3 riding holidays (and we have been on many). Julie-Anne and her team are doing a fantastic job. Mel and Tertia are brilliant guides and dealt with some challenging situations in a professional, caring and friendly way. We laughed a lot!

[Abbie from In The Saddle replies: We are so pleased that you enjoyed your return visit to the Wild Coast. Many thanks for taking the time to tell us about your trip].

Mary who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous Experiences, Not to be missed | I did three rides on this trip which was quite a challenge for my fitness, but it was well worth it. I started off with Ants, I then went to the Wild Coast (Transkei). This is fabulous beach riding at its best and again the horses were fantastic. It is a bit of a step back in time with the accom, but so beautiful place and I highly recommend it. Food was also wholesome but totally acceptable. On all the rides, we have a great group of people. Everyone contributed and will remember these holidays!

Philip who has been on 8 In The Saddle rides. Qolora Trail Wild Coast South Africa - Cantering along the beaches of the wild coast in South Africa | I have been awaiting two years for this holiday and although at first I was hesitant of the horse that I was given due to his size, thinking that he would be a plodding horse, but I was happily surprised by the way that the horse went and would be more than happy to have a ride on him any day. I can only say that everything has been worth waiting for and nothing could have been any better. The horses, the varied terrain, location, food, guides and other guests.

Paddy who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. A week of adventure into an unspoilt and stunning part of South Africa with fast paced riding. | The ride exceeded our expectations on many levels.
The scenery was stunning with long sandy beaches, rocky foreshores with grassy headlands set against a backdrop of the roar of the Ocean waves. It was all breathtaking and when you thought you couldn't better the view another spectacular scene appeared.
The sure footed nature of the well trained and responsive very fit horses ensured us an excellent riding holiday. They never seemed to tire despite the long hours with many beach long canters. Julie Anne, our host and ride organiser, runs a very slick operation. Our riding guide, Tertia, was excellent taking great care over our safety at all times and in particular on the many river crossings. However she also ensured that a fast pace was maintained with numerous fast long canters during each day. A huge thanks to Julie Anne and her team.

Donna who has been on 37 In The Saddle rides. Fab riding in the sunshine | This was our third visit, which says it all!
Following unprecedented rainfall, we weren't able to fully follow the planned route and instead transferred to the Kob Inn by car and rode the Kob Inn ponies for 2 days whilst our horses remained at Wavecrest. Had a fantastic couple of days riding from KCob Inn which hadn't been expected!
I rode 3 of Julie Anne's horses in addition, which was great to have some variety whilst Phil's horse just loved the water, heading into the waves every time he hit the beach.
All our horses were sure footed and fit.

Jackie who has been on 13 In The Saddle rides. Exhilarating | Yes, our leader, Mel, did a great job of keeping us moving at suitable speeds to match the terrain and keep us safe

Cheryl (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Stunning location good horses | Excellent

Vicki who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Incredible beaches, great horses and a wonderful holiday | The riding was varied and at times quite fast paced. Given the size of the group (9 riders plus two guides) and bad weather at times, the guides did incredibly well to keep within everyone's limits while keeping things interesting for those of us who like to push ourselves a bit more.

The horses were lovely - forward going but manageable and reliable - and were obviously very well looked after.

Linda who has been on 21 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic week-long trail ride along the stunning Wild Coast of South Africa | Expectations fully met. Our second visit to the Wild Coast - a longer trail this time. Julie Ann's horses are amazing, clearly very well loved and cared for, sure footed, fast when you want them to be, with brakes, and with the stamina to go for 30 - 40 kms a day and still be up for fast canters or gallops . The riding is varied and interesting (who knew horses could climb rocks?), fun and fast on the endless beaches, challenging at times when negotiating rivers and steep inclines inland and up and down to the beaches, relaxing to meander through the villages. I love the Leon Liversage trail saddles that are used - comfortable and secure. Troy is one of the best trail horses I have ever ridden. Guides Mel and Tertia worked extremely hard to look after all of us and made sure that everyone's needs were catered for. All done with a smile even on the day that rain peed down on us for 6 hours!! They were also very good hosts at meal times. Michelle provided great back up and was also a fun, cheerful companion at meal times.

Sue who has been on 14 In The Saddle rides. Surely one of the best trail rides in the world! | My mare Tatum was perfect for me...kind, forward going and polite - a real credit to the training given by the Wild Coast team. All the group seemed really happy with the horses they were matched with. These horses are fit and clearly love their job.
The riding, whether on pristine beaches, crossinf rivers, through the hills and valleys or in villages, was perfectly paced with plenty of long fast canters and loads of photo opps. The tack was comfortable and in good condition. Our guides Mel and Tertia, plus Chelle in support, couldn't have been better - safety conscious, caring of the horses and super fun.
Julie-Anne spent time with us at meals on the first and last days which was lovely. She is deservedly proud of her operation. I've done many rides all over the globe and this is one of the very best!

(Claire from In The Saddle comments: We are so delighted that you had such a great riding holiday.)

Kate who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Lots of canters on deserted beaches | The saddles were uncomfortable, very wide and put a lot of pressure on the inner thigh. I ride every day and am riding fit, but the saddles caused a fair bit of discomfort. They were good for the horses which is paramount, but it did impact quite strongly on the riding pleasure. Claire from In The Saddle writes – the ride operator uses good quality South African trail saddles with sheepskin covers so we are very sorry to read that you were not comfortable. We do recommend that if you are in any discomfort that you raise this with the guide because sometimes buckles from the stirrup leathers or girth can be moved to relieve pressure.