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.]

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.]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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].

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].

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!!!!!

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!

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.

Nicole who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Amazing Yet Again | First horse I was matched with I didn’t get on with so well (just didn’t click), second horse I was paired with was perfect - had so much fun with him. Variety of riding is perfect. The horses are mostly well cared for definitely… we were told they had individual feeding plans, not ridden if lame/lost shoe, get lots of turnout/shade/shelter and a guaranteed day off each week. However, me and my friend asked to brush the horses on two occasions after the last ride of the day. Wranglers more than happy for us to do this, and wait for us. However, after our last ride we noticed my friend’s horse had a massive open sore on its back (looked like it was from the saddle). When raised to the wrangler, he did get some cream to put on it, but we were worried if the horse would be ridden again in the next few days before it had chance to heal properly (the horse was slightly underweight and also had some sores on its protruding hips, which looked like it was rub marks from the saddle/saddle cloths). Also, some of the horses in the paddocks appeared to have very long hooves/long heels on back hooves etc - I’m not an expert in this field, but looked unusual/unnatural compared to what I’m used to seeing in the U.K.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your feedback and for letting us know. We will be following this up with the ranch immediately.]

Sarah (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Incredible experience | Well schooled horses for the riding, the guides knowledge was exceptional and provided brilliant information on the wildlife.
They checked on riders and comfort with horses provided during and after every ride, nothing was to much hassle. The riding experience was fantastic.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your holiday to Ant's and thank you very much for leaving feedback.]

Barbara who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic | It certainly did - couldn't find fault anywhere - beautifully looked after and fun horses.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your feedback and it's wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your holiday to Los Alamos.]

Virginia who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Perfect in every way | We all loved our horses, enjoyed the riding and being looked after so well.

Julia who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Life changing | The riding met all my expectations and more! I loved every single second of my riding experience. I was totally overwhelmed by it in fact and how happy it made me feel. My horse Hercules looked after me and I felt confident throughout the week. At times I was out of my comfort zone which made the rides more exciting! I was surprised at myself and what I was actually able to do….

Tessa who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. A fabulous riding experience | Excellent

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

Angie who has been on 24 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous | Slower than 10 years ago with far less cantering and no gallop. Bush much thicker than I remember so meandering looking for tracks was quite painful at times.

Patricia (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Perfect Holiday | Excellent

Rosemary who has been on 41 In The Saddle rides. Enjoyable 'big five' riding safari | This is my second visit to WAL (the first was 15 years ago and was then my first 'big five' horse safari). As professional and welcoming as I remember although the riding was somewhat slower than I recall. The bush had closed in somewhat from all those years ago so tracking through the thorns was often quite a challenging experience and many clothes were shredded - tho the horses were amazing! I can remember 'bushwhacking' last time - jumping fallen trees etc - but bush much too closed in now. Fewer canters on the tracks too - obviously when tracking wildlife you are not 'charging about' all the time but it's nice to have a few good long canters where appropriate.
However, I loved my two horses, McClay and Orion - particularly Orion who was just my 'cup of tea'!

Carolle (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Perfect dressage vacations | Excellent

Mary who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Incredible Experience that Exceeded our Expectations | The horses were very well cared for - we were all questioned for some time regarding our riding experience before they matched us with our horses.
The first day was a shorter ride (2 hours) to check that we were all happy with our mounts.

Leslie who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic Ride | The ride provided a great representation of the beautiful and varied terrain of Crete.

Lise (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Excellent | Everything about horses and riding was so nice.

Vasco had a lot of experience in matching horse and rider, so the experience was that everyone in the was satisfied and thought they had got the right horse.

It was exciting to ride in the beautiful mountains. Very fun and technical climbing combined with fast canters.

Belinda who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Magical Miyak Trail | Exhilarating, beyond any expectations I could have possibly have held.