Sue who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. A wonderful, challenging trip riding through every changing and amazing scenery. | This ride was tremendous fun and I throughly enjoyed the challenge. Sicily has a varied landscape and as a result the riding was quite tough at times. The pace was varied, steady and sometimes fast, but I did not feel unsafe at any time. The horses are very fit and completely suited to the terrain, they are sure footed and managed the rough and rocky going, including steep ascents and descents, with confidence. Our guides, Lizzie and Alex took good care of everyone, riders and horses alike and their knowledge of the area made the experience interesting and informative. My horse, Alba was a perfect match for me, so another plus for ‘Ride Sicily’.

Kirsti who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. It was ok, I wouldn’t go back. | We asked several months ago to do more than one ride per day but we’re told that there was no availability however two couple who booked in the last 6 weeks (one via you) did get 2 lessons per day which was very frustrating.
The trail ride was pretty uninspiring and it felt like the guide was killing tome by lapping fields.
We didn’t know about the breeding program and wine tasting talks which take place on a Wednesday evening, had we have known we would have changes our dates to be there for this.
[Lois from In The Saddle replies - Monte Velho now have a strict policy that there can only be two lessons per room each day and so because you were two people sharing a room they would only permit you to each have one lesson per day. The couple from In The Saddle who booked at the last minute were one rider and one non-rider which is why the rider was able to book two lessons per day. I am sorry but this is a Monte Velho rule.
The trail rides are an opportunity to see a bit of the estate - I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it.
With regards to the breeding program and wine tasting talks - we never mention these because they are not guaranteed to happen every week and not every Wednesday. They are just a nice surprise if they can happen.]

Ursula (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) A fantastic experience! | The riding experience was adapted on a daily basis with a focus on it being a holiday rather than an ordeal. Each ride was interesting with a different focus and the horses were very well schooled and responsive.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. We're absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed your stay at Los Potreros so much].

Anne who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Excellent | Excellent

Jorunn who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Absolutely lovely riding holiday | Excellent

Mari (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Absolutely fantastic!! | Wonderful teachers - it was all just so much more than I imagined

Jessica who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous holiday | The horses were responsive, capable and fit. The varied terrain and routes taken were lovely and there were lots of opportunities for canters and gallops.

Diane who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Wonderfully remote | The riding was on willing horses who loved to have a gallop. Fab and varied scenery.
It is their style but to British riders the horses did look a bit thin.

Lisa who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Lovely horses and great terrain | Good

Suzanne who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. North Portugal Adventure | The horses were easy to ride, forward going and very comfortable.
More relaxed than a trail ride as had time to relax and do other activities.
When my first horse got a sore , was given another horse to ride .
The scenery was stunning best was the Valley of the Wolves.

Jayne (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fabulous Riding Safari Experience | Excellent

Natasha (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Very enjoyable | Excellent

Catherine who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Excellent wildlife and riding | There could have been better communication between the front and the back of the group. It was often hard to tell if we were doing a single line canter or if we could spread out. Additionally, we did a fast canter/gallop that was not really announced. I spent most of the trip towards the back as my horse was comfortable anywhere in the group and was easy to control. My horse was truly amazing and, in my opinion, the best of the group. He was incredibly well-schooled but also had plenty of speed on him. I did greatly enjoy all of the long canters.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you so much for your feedback; we are really pleased to hear that you enjoyed your safari. We will be sure to pass on your comments regarding communication to the ride operator.]

Katy who has been on 10 In The Saddle rides. To ride in the desert and sleep under the stars was an experience I will never forget. | The riding was fast paced but the canters relatively short due to the impact on the horses legs when riding on sand. We usually had about two canters in the morning and two in the afternoon. The horses have a lot of energy and a very forward walk and will often go between a forward walk and a gentle 'jog'. It can be tiring if this is your first time riding a forward Arab horse (as it was for me), but a great experience. You will need to find your seat bones quickly! The saddles were very comfortable with fleece seat savers. A long lunch break allows you to rest in the hottest part of the day.

Susie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) A wonderful Holiday Experience | Due to conditions beyond control the area was very dry, dusty and the weather very hot, which was a bit of a shame as the rivers were dried up and we had to ride early in the morning. Not a problem though.. it was still lovely and we saw a lot of animals. I felt for the organisasers.
The tack definitely needs attention. Much of the tack was very worn and held together with pretty unsafe materials - insulation tape/Elastoplast! One girl’s stirrup leather broke and ripped through three holes.
My horse was lovely - he has a buck in him. Not an issue to me, but could be to someone else.
Our guide was a nice man and was very responsible. He does have a quiet voice which meant that those not at the front were not picking up the information about animals or sites.
The guide and his helper did not say goodbye to any of our group at the airport. We were all quite affronted- we had all got on and had no issues with either of them. In fact we all liked them.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your feedback and it's great to hear you had a great safari. Thank you for letting us know about the tack and I will certainly follow this up with the ride operator.]

Sarah (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing holiday!! | Unfortunately the first horse that I was given was completely neurotic and shied violently at anything he didn’t like - which was pretty much everything!! On paper, he was my perfect match - but in reality was only suitable for people that were paid to ride him, not paying guests!! He was hugely unpredictable and even I, as an experienced rider, did not feel safe!!
However, Horseback Horizon were brilliant and swapped him for another one as soon as I voiced my concerns (on day 5), so I can’t fault them.
The riding was fantastic, plenty of long, fast canters with great game viewing opportunities in between.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: It's great to hear that you let the guides know about your horse and that you were able to swap :)]

Liz who has been on 13 In The Saddle rides. Thrilling, immersive trail ride | This ride is for those who enjoy long hours in the saddle, riding at a variety of paces and a good gallop. The horses are wonderfully suited to the terrain and a pleasure to ride, being sure-footed, easy going and knowing their job.
[Becky from In The Saddle repiles: Thank you so much for your feedback and we are really pleased you enjoyed your holiday.]

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.

Tammy who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Very good | Excellent

Sally (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Awesome | I had the most enjoyable time at the Velani. My room was spotless and beautiful, the owners, Manolis and Sabine, were very hospitable and accommodating, along with the staff, servers, guides, and the food was incredibly good.

The horses were so well behaved and the riding trails in the mountains were simply gorgeous.

I just can't say enough about what a great time I had during my stay there.

Caroline (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fabulous horse riding holiday in South Africa | The horses were beautiful, well cared for and good natured. I was given the right level of horse for my ability and the guides were constantly checking and advising. I rode eight different horses. The terrain was varied and the scenery was beautiful. There was a good balance of exhilaration and relaxation on the rides.

Georgina who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Dream Honeymoon | Our dream honeymoon in Macatoo, the most amazing experience, beautiful horses. Adventurous fun riding, we saw all sorts of game.
Abbie who helped us book, was fantastic (we were rather last minute for a honeymoon!) and she really took time to help us think about different trips.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you for your super feedback. We're thrilled that you had such an incredible time at Macatoo. It was an absolute pleasure to arrange your Honeymoon!]

Neil who has been on 23 In The Saddle rides. Excellent riding and great hosts | The riding was excellent, lots of long canters and more trot than you often get on a riding holiday.

The horses were all fit and forward-going, but still calm and sensible.

Margaret who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. Castellare Di Tonda | Riding on very well trained easy going horses I loved Reida my lovely chestnut mare - wonderful to ride through the Tuscan countryside - olive groves, fields, vineyards and woods and see the Medieval villages and chapels. We had great canters and yes some loping up the hills. Ailsa and Franco are brilliant with true passion with training the horses and their well being. Ailsa was a fantastic guide and cared for us every step of the way.

Morna who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. A wonderful week Western riding in sunny Tuscany | Before I went, I wasn't sure about Western riding but with a little tuition and a willingness to try and do as we were told, I soon found it to be relaxing and fun. I rode a wonderful horse and as the week went on the riding got better and better. It is not a fast ride, although we had some lovely canters, as there are a lot of hills, some of them very steep. Ailsa, our guide, was excellent.

Jane who has been on 17 In The Saddle rides. Girls on Top In Tuscany !! | The riding on this holiday more than met my expectations. Ailsa our guide took every care and left no stone unturned. Ailsa and Franco the horse trainer are passionate about their horses and they appreciated that we were eager to share their passion and learn their style of riding to get the best experience. I had ridden in a western saddle before but I hadn't realised how skilled and sensitive this form of riding is. I was also surprised at how comfortable I felt in the saddle all week. All four of us were perfectly matched with horses that were very well schooled, in fact some of the best schooled horses that I have experienced on a riding holiday and I have done quite a few! They could be ridden in any order. They have perfect manners. Riding in the Tuscan countryside was a joy as it is so beautiful, and our trails were interested and varied with little riding on roads necessary.
Tears were shed when we left as we had the most fantastic time and I am definitely planning to return.

Louise who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. This holiday exceeded all expectations. | Our guide Alisa was excellent and very safety conscious and very informative. Although Franco didn’t speak English - Alisa translated his words of wisdom to us. The 4 of us in our group were very well matched with our horses. Riding and scenery was very varied with some beautiful scenery.

Rosemary who has been on 41 In The Saddle rides. Relaxing and fun riding among wildlife | My third visit to Ants so knew what to expect, including one ride with Ant himself which is full-on!
Unfortunately my 'favourite' horse Xai-Xai was in quarantine after his annual AHS vaccination which was disappointing and I didn't quite fall in love again, though the other horses I rode were all good.
These must be among the happiest horses ever - as once you finish the ride and stop for your sundowner or brunch the tack comes off and the horses make their own way home, so the rhinos, buffalos and other wildlife are very used to them and vice versa. They turn up at the stables for supper or breakfast where they compete with the local warthogs for their food!!!!!

Belinda who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Best ever in every way. | Gordie and Felicia run the best camp in the best place ever. The horses were well suited for riding among giraffes, elephants and all sorts of wildlife encountered in the Masai Mara. If you have ever dreamed of Africa, love to ride, this is the ride for you. It is the best.

Wendy who has been on 18 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful and worth every £ ! | Doing a horseback safari for milestone birthdays has become a bit of thing for my friend and I and this one definitely did not disappoint! From our lovely hosts, the fantastic friendly camp crew, fab food (and bar!), great camp locations, comfy beds under canvas, the wonderful horses, and the amazing game viewing it really had it all.

We knew the pace was leisurely and this ride was all about the wildlife which was there in abundance, but the riding was still fun, the horses were loved and well looked after, and I don’t think I would have been disappointed riding any of them.

Nothing was too much trouble on this holiday, and everything was done with a genuine smile. It really was a special experience that has left me with memories I will treasure.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you so much for your fabulous feedback. We're absolutely thrilled that you had such a special time in Kenya].

Angie who has been on 24 In The Saddle rides. My 4th visit and I will be going back again and again | Lovely and varied with a fast and furious ride out with Ant.

[Abbie from ITS replied: We're thrilled that you had yet another great holiday at Ant's Lodges. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us].

Oisin who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Awesome Rides in South Africa & Botswana! | The riding was great. Starting with a quick canter and then some more.
Every ride was different and added a new experience.
The landscape was magical. The African sun - wonderful. We saw lots of animals and wild life.
The guides were excellent. We were lucky to have Shini and EJ, such a good combination!
The horses were matched very well to the riders, especially so in South Africa.
Riding was definitely for experienced riders, with pace and fun!
A surprise sun downer on top of a mountain was sublime as was the slow, careful walk back at night in the moon light.
Trying bare back riding and swimming with the horses, such great experiences!