Jenny (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) A once in a life time family holiday | Philip, Gerti and team were outstanding, so professional warm and welcoming.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you so much for a wonderful feedback and we are so pleased to hear that you had such a great time.]

Sue who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Living the dream | All the horses were superb. Well trained, well looked after, well mannered, relaxed and happy . we all bonded quickly and easily with our individual mounts and were heart broken to say good bye at the end of the trip. The riding was very varied and exceptionally stimulating at all times . Firsts for me were swimming on the horses, riding at night and covering such long distances (without even realising how far and how long we were in the saddle)
Any problems with individual horses were swiftly and efficiently solved and if a replacement was required another appeared without affecting the days agenda .
The guides were friendly ,very knowledgeable and extremely helpful at all times. We will miss them too

Cynthia who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Excellent horses and Instructors | The horses and instructors were absolutely fantastic. It was so great to get to do dressage moves that I cannot (yet!) do on my own horse. It was really inspiring to take my own schooling at home up a notch.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thanks so much for your feedback. We're really pleased that you enjoyed your time at Quinta do Rol and returned home feeling inspired].

Rosalind who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Amazing in every aspect | It was an absolutely incredible riding holiday. I loved everything about Macatoo. Great to do a couple of afternoons in the Toyota land cruiser to see the lions close up and the rare wild dogs and finish the day with sundowners. We saw more animals than expected. Guides were very informative. My two horses were lovely and I felt very safe. Seriously loved every minute. My only complaint it went too fast.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback.]

Aisling who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Just lovely in every way | I loved every minute of the riding, and the group the hosting and food was excellent.

Janet who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Trip of a lifetime | This riding holiday certainly exceeded my expectations and what a trip!! Not for the faint hearted, we rode through mountains and forests and there were long hours in the saddle. The countryside beautiful and unspoilt. We learnt all about the countryside, history and the people who live in this amazing part of North Macedonia. Huge thanks to Vasco and his team! Hope to see you all again soon.

Cecilia who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Awsome. | Yes, it did.

Graham who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. A really great holiday | I arrived quite late due to delays but the owner was there to greet me and a dinner was also waiting for me.
The horses are lovely and instruction is really good, I liked the one to one as I'm used to that at home.
I have learnt a lot. The horses are well trained and consequently have more "Buttons" to press.
I found my leg position had to be more precise to get the correct movements, which was good to know and take home with me.
I rode one lesson through storm Babet in the huge covered outdoor school & although the rain was monsoon we stayed dry, the horse was totally unfazed by the wind and rain.
I rode five horses & loved them all each one a little different. The horses are well looked after and tack is very good . Each instructor brought something new to the lessons.
My fellow guest were all friendly & I enjoyed watching & talking about our lessons with them.
I had a lovely time and would definitely recommend Quinta do Rol.

Graham

Cynthia who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. A good experience | The guides and horses were very nice - super helpful and willing. The horses are totally bomb-proof. The island has natural beauty for sure. Overall, the guides made the rides fun, kept the pace perfect for all riders, and were incredibly informative on local flora.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.]

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

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 :)]

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

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.]

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.]

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.

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

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.

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.