Heather (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Such a special holiday | The horses are really part of this lovely family. They are loved, cuddled and yes live in/ under the family home. Although calm & gentle they are forward and very enthusiastic for bursts of speed. They are very sure-footed on the mountain terrain and comfortable to ride. It did meet my expectations & the wonderful Mariana did everything to ensure we had a great time adjusted to our wishes. There are some trots & gallops where the terrain is good but even the walking in the reserve is beautiful & peaceful.

Emma Hvidtfeldt (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) It was great riding. The horses were well looked after, and I never doubted that Pedro and Mariana had the welfare of the horses as their highest priority. They could also politely correct our riding when it didn't match how they would like their horses to be ridden, and that was completely fair.
The horses were all willing and forwardgoing, but also cautious and controllable. I felt safe on the back of both Zula and Dede no matter what terrain we came through. We had to tack the the horses ourselves, and here there were no oddities to be found either, they stood perfectly still and were easy to get along with.
We rode in small groups (3-5 people incl. guide) and mostly at a walk with a few trot and canters every day. It was absolutely perfect to both enjoy the landscape and the horse, and to listen to Pedro and Mariana's vast knowledge of the area. We rode among herds of wild horses and cattle and it was amazing to be able to get so close and see natural behavior without any conflict.

Lise (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Good, strong and well-trained horses for everyone in the group. Beautiful and varied rides in all directions from the stables. No stress.

Amanda (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) The Perfect Holiday | Marianna and Pedro spent lots of time getting to know us and chatting about our riding experience and the type of horse we like to ride. We were all matched very well.
The riding was set at just the right level to make this trip feel like a holiday and not a challenging riding experience. The day lengths were varied which was great.

We were picked up from the villa at 10am each day which meant the day started in a lovely relaxed way.

We rode in beautiful and varied mountains, our guides were very knowledgable and clearly enjoyed showing us their backyard 🙂
We enjoyed seeing lots of wild herds, watching the horses in their natural environment was fascinating. [ITS replies: We are so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed your holiday. Thank you for taking the time to let us know.]

Ray who has been on 12 In The Saddle rides. Wonderfully enjoyable riding holiday in a lesser known corner of Portugal | Yes it did within the limits imposed by the route and terrain in terms of the amount of faster riding you can do but this is no criticism as we enjoyed every minute and loved our horses ( and dogs!)
We learnt a lot from Pedro and would want to compliment him, Annabel and Mariana for the tremendous hard work they put in to make it so good.
A wonderful part of the world to get the opportunity to visit.

Vikki (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing landscape and nature, enthralling and exhilarating and wonderful hosts | Pedro is one of the most experienced horseman I have met and makes sound judgement of matching riders to his horses. I was matched to Didi who is an endurance horse and was kind whilst forward going, gave me ample confidence and really felt a bond during the week.

Rosemary who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Wild landscape, well-schooled horses | The pace was generally walk due to the very beautiful but rough terrain. Canters were very speedy in contrast.

Ideally I would have more change of pace but that's no complaint, just an explanation of the score above.

Pedro kindly lent me gloves when the weather got cold. I hadn't realised I would need them. We rode in double socks that day.

The family were great hosts, especially regarding the riding and our needs / happiness with our mounts.

Ella-Louise who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. If you expect to come to a top tuned stable where everything is posh and is about prestige, then I would recommend that you choose another travel destination.
At Pedro, Anabela and Mariana, the horse's welfare is top priority, and you are matched with the horse you will ride during the week, among other things on the basis of chemistry with the individual horse.

Ed (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fantastic | OMG what a ride. The scenery and pace of the ride was perfect. Thank you Mariana for being a tremendous guide, and to Pedro for having such outstanding horses.

Liz who has been on 8 In The Saddle rides. Great trip | It was lovely to be up on the plateau with cool breezes and wonderful views.

Linda who has been on 15 In The Saddle rides. Special | Rocky ground, two canters a day

Wendy who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. Portugal-Wolves and wild horses | The pace of the ride is leisurely as it is in the mountains which gives you time to take in the beautiful and varied surroundings. We were able to canter two times each day with the canters being long ,fast and fabulous!
The horses are all schooled by Pedro and are ridden with a loose rein and a light squeeze ,no kicking needed ( or allowed ). The horses are very sensitive to the human on board but if you are confident with them they are confident with you and are a joy to ride !
We saw lots of groups of the wild garrano horses on our rides out .
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you for your great feedback and we are so pleased that you had a lovely time in Portugal.]

Katy who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. A relaxing, immersive journey into a remote and beautiful area of Portugal | The riding is relaxed and due to the nature of the terrain, there are limited opportunities for canter. It was possible to canter at least once on each day however, and sometimes twice. The scenery is stunning, particularly at the end of May, early June, when the countryside is covered with purple heather, yellow gorse and broom - a real treat to see!
There was quite a lot of free time on this holiday and the riding day starts late. For example, we were collected between 10 and 10.30 in the morning and driven to the stable, which is about 20 minutes by car. By the time you have collected your horse from the paddock, groomed and tacked up, it may be nearer to 12 by the time you set out. Be prepared for a relaxed approach with late lunches and late suppers - Portuguese style!

Amanda who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous holiday, great experience for my first in the saddle holiday! | Yes the riding more than met my expectations.

Emily who has been on 25 In The Saddle rides. Lovely riding in the Portuguese countryside. | Pedro shows great care for his horses and is an expert in horse behaviour. The scenery was stunning with plenty of sightings of the wild horses. I rode two horses and both were lovely.

Donnaldson who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Beautiful country, wild and rugged..... | I rode a really lovely young Lusitano gelding. I liked him very much. Well trained, and pretty.