Bridget who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Would have been better if I hadn't broken my leg but I did so my summary is more about that | Well on the morning of my day 3 I broke my leg but all I can say is that owing to this I was feeling very, very, very sorry for myself but .... that happened and what happened next with the rest of the holiday is that I was really well looked after, kept busy within my ability to walk and beautifully consoled as I felt bereaved - which seems a little melodramatic and probably is but ... I was with such a fantastic group of people that time flew by too quickly with so much support and laughter and all too soon we were on our way home.

The two days riding I did achieve were wonderful, exhilarating, relaxing and everything I would have wanted - should I have lasted the distance.

One thing I would suggest is that prior to fording rivers is that all riders are encouraged to take their feet out of their stirrups on crossing - none of us did - my accident was nobody's fault (but my own - as I do know better and I didn't act on my [pony club] knowledge).
[In The Saddle - we were so sorry to hear of your accident early in the week and so glad that you well on the way to recovery].

Ann who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Goes without saying the best way to experience the breath-taking landscapes of this unique country is from the back of a horse. | Epic adventure, fabulous athletic horses, very skilled guides, well rehearsed routine for guests and horses… for their welfare and your safety… it works… just go with the flow… I was the oldest rider at 60, twice the age of a lot of the guests but if you can ride well, and are fit and healthy, have a sense of humour and aren’t daunted by long hours in the saddle age is just a number… my knees killed me to be fair after 40km or more in the saddle each day but as soon as I was off the horse I recovered in minutes ready for another day. Don’t be fooled by the frequently used term LSD (aka long slow distance) it’s not slow! But cantering or galloping fast for 5-10 minutes at a time on fit horses that lope along without getting out of breath is heavenly and doesn’t hurt your knees! Bring it on!

[In The Saddle replies: We're thrilled that you enjoyed your adventure in the beautiful Namibian desert. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your trip].

Helen (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Mountain tracks and Olive Groves | My hosts catered for my request to mix longer and shorter rides which meant I was able to enjoy my holiday without getting too sore.

Sandra who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic experience. A very high standard of accommodation, food, activities, staff and guides. Well cared for horses with excellent temperaments. | Amazing experience!
We were riding for five to six hours a day and made comfortable by staff making sure the saddle was a correct fitting for each of us. Every day we rode a different trail, which combined meandering through the bush with plenty of exciting canters along sandy tracks. On all the rides we were accompanied by two friendly and expert guides (one in front and one behind), who were very knowledgeable about flora and fauna, and were always able to find the wild animals. They were very accommodating and made sure we got good photos opportunities. We were well matched with our horses and we were able to change to a different one if we felt like a change. It was obvious that the horses were well cared for and well trained for this environment. There were opportunities to do non riding activities such as the Night time Sky safari, with Dr Philip, which was truly inspiring. All staff at both Nest and Hill lodge were fantastic. We had the most exceptional stay and we are already planning our return.

Sarah who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous! | The riding was amazing - lots of lovely canters, and the gallops on the beach were brilliant. I loved both horses I rode - they were both really sweet and liked to go fast!

Lisa (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Really enjoyed this holiday - never done anything like this before. Thought the whole holiday was well thought through and the hotels / restaurants etc were a nice mix, mostly with great local food. Really good mix of riding and having some 'down time'.

Only a few very minor thoughts about how to improve: maybe the first ride could have been one of the loops (the last one?) - just to help people readjust to riding who hadn't done so for a while and also adjust to heat - first day was pretty gruelling but understand we needed to get to where we were going early on - this may not be possible because of how it affects other things I'm not sure?

[In The Saddle replies: Many thanks for your great feedback on this ride. We're really pleased you enjoyed the Bottlenose Trail - it's certainly one you need to be riding fit for.]

Vivien who has been on 41 In The Saddle rides. Great, as always | Another lovely week at Los Alamos - really nice group of guests. Riding down to the beach with a full moon to guide our way was very special, in order to get to the beach at sunrise for the low tide and empty sands for the best gallops.

Phoebe who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Amazing Experience | The riding was great- the horses are obviously well loved and were all very curious and sweet. The riding was a mix of all paces, allowing us to take in the scenery during the slower parts but also had lots of fast canters and gallops to keep it interesting.

Linnea who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Excellent | Fantastic ride. Well-behaved horses.

Bev who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Breathtaking and a wonderful pace of life | We had a wonderful time. Loved learning how to tack up Western Style. Rode a super horse called Jackson who I fell in love with. Good connection and trust. Loved being able to groom him etc.

Riding is either walk or canter through forests, on ridges above the river so views are breakthaking! Some open places. Few incidents with wasps, but was just unfortunate.
Horses hated them.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thanks so much for your lovely feedback. We're so pleased you enjoyed your adventure in beautiful BC].

Jayne who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Exhilarating & Exceptional | The variety of riding is limited to pine forest and mountain pathways in general, together with some riding opportunities closer to the Chilko rivers edge. Whilst not necessarily varied, the riding provides for some stunning views and incredible landscapes which are breathtaking. My horse, Copper, was exactly what I had requested and suited me for a week of riding with some extended hours in the saddle as the week progressed and some long and winding canters on pathways called “ the rollercoaster” and “the ridge”. You need to be match fit and at intermediate level at least for the riding as the guidance from ITS suggests.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Many thanks for your lovely feedback. It's great to hear that you had such a wonderful in beautiful BC].

Sarah who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. Brilliant riding through beautiful countryside | Well behaved horses that were a pleasure to ride and who were very fit and well looked after.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your feedback, we are so pleased you enjoyed the riding.]

Karen (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) nice place with nice people and horses, good trips into the beautiful mountains and surroundings. Great flexibility and friendliness.

Chiara (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Unforgettable experience! | Great variety of riding, nice long canters, loved jumping the logs and racing which were optional activities.
The horses were fantastic - I trusted my horse Prisma 100%

Cathy who has been on 49 In The Saddle rides. A Safari Adventure with many close encounters | These horses are really well cared for, soft in the mouth and a joy to ride. Keen and ready to go but easily controlled. Over the years I've ridden 15 horses here and there is not one that I wouldn't be happy to ride again. Gerti and her team regularly ride them so they remain soft mouthed and they are always sporty rides.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you so much for your feedback. We're so happy that you had another special experience with Gerti, Philip and their team.]

Jane (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Truly incredible. | The horses at Camp Davidson were ill matched for me, I had 4 in three days and it was not until Carole couldn't ride back from Savannah Lodge to Bellview was I given Caroles horse who was much better. The ranger saddles really rubbed the inside of my knees terribly and with no option of an English saddle I did suffer. The horses were well matched to everyone else so it was probably just me, however I was also concerned slightly about their wellbeing. Unhappy yard staff means unhappy horses, of which they certainly were and we had to insist on them being washed off after returning hot and sweaty rather than just being thrown out in the "paddock" area.
Upon arrival at Two Mashatu, Carmen changed all that, super little horse, Albion Saddle and the horses were happy and very well cared for.
I am not being critical in any way really, everything was terrific, the staff, guides, cooks and all help were amazing and could not do enough for us. The absolute privilege of being able to experience so many activities throughout the 5 days was unforgettable in so many ways. The younger members of our super group are editing their terrific video and camera action which I am waiting for, I shall then forward it to you. I cannot wait to see it either. Thamba and Pelloco (sorry don't know how to spell their names!) were both fantastic and so knowledgeable and proud of their country and the flora and fauna, the information we were provided with was immense.
One thing I did think of is that a basic " I Spy" booklet could be provided to give some background info on the animals we may see, fascinating. I shall be back, especially in Botswana.
Thank you SO MUCH.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: I'm so sorry to hear about your knees - that can be so painful when they rub on the saddle. We will certainly follow up with the stables in South Africa but I'm so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the riding up in Botswana and found a horse that you loved.]

Alison who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful horses, brilliant people, amazing experiences | Asked in advance as to what type of horse we would like, given a "briefing" on the horses' personality before going on a ride and asked for feedback after rides to make sure we all matched our horses.
The horses are well loved and very well cared for, with individual plans for feeding etc even though there is a large herd.

Deborah (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing holiday, lovely forward horses and all at camp worked hard to make the holiday flow | It exceeded expectations. The horses were very forward going and well cared for. They are mainly warm bloods and no slow 'riding school' cob to be seen. Each horse was very willing and usually you were given a horse for the evening ride, then had that horse the next day for the long ride. The horse was changed for the evening ride. I rode 3 different horses over the week, each one very enjoyable. Each ride we had a very experienced guide leading and another following us at the rear. The 'Splashy canters' were amazing, although the delta had not flooded as much as expected due to low rainfall in Angola, but it didn't spoil the holiday or riding. The guides were happy to take our phones and film us/film the animals. I also took a seat saver which really helped. Behind the scenes I am sure it is hard work but for us it seemed to flow effortlessly, all staff very professional and approachable. The evenings were very relaxed and Katie who runs Macatoo, would seat us so that we didn't all end up in little groups but mixed with everyone. I liked the fact you could arrive/depart from Macatoo when you wanted, so it wasn't a case of having to book flights for a specific day or for us all to arrive together. It was nice when a new person turned up, sad when I had to leave. I was there during high season when the delta is flooded, and am tempted to try a few days at a different time of year. If you didn't want to ride for one of the rides then they would happily arrange for you to have a jeep tour of the bush and animals.

I also decided to stay for one night in Maun, so that I had time to rest after the long overnight flight to Johannesburg, I would recommend that, a chance to shower, eat and rest before catching the small Cessena plane to the camp. As when you arrive then you have your briefing and depending on the time, you ride in the evening.

Aline (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Great riding trek in Morocco | The riding was great, horses were well behaved and well cared, good match with my riding level, the landscape was amazing and the itinerary really nice and interesting with good breaks for the horses to rest.

Nicole who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Exceeded expectations! | Lots of fun fast riding
The horses had great stamina
Varied terrain river crossings. We rode 5 to 7 hours most days
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you for your lovely feedback, we are so pleased you enjoyed the ride.]

Kim (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Wonderful excursion on a lovely island | Most of the horses at Quinta da Terca are rescue horses and behave remarkably well and are well cared for.

Lowri who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Great Portuguese experience | The horses were excellently trained and cared for. The instructors were patient and animated and I feel that I maanged to improve my riding whilst having fun.

[ITS Replies: Thank you for your feedback. It is great to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Quinta do Rol].

Gaynor who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. A different riding experience | The riding and the horses were good. I found on some horses I was bumpy and bouncy as not sure if they were tolting or trotting, the saddles were comfortable.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your feedback. It's great to hear that you enjoyed the riding but I'm sorry to hear that a few of the horses weren't that comfortable.]

Michelle who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic horses and people but be prepared for basic | So different to what used to but got in to it eventually. Great variety of routes although a lot were road side but I guess nothing can be done about that to get to where we needed to get to

Sadie who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. The most wonderful holiday! | Fast fun riding on super fit horses, made sure everyone was safe and happy. Opportunity to ride different horses. The guides were fantastic with my son having assessed his ability allowed him to ride on all the fast rides!

Georgia (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Dream riding holiday at Tyslos in the Chilko River | The riding was incredible, we had an amazing guide Femke who made our days riding fun, enjoyable and varied throughout the week. We had plenty of opportunities for fun, long canters and when we weren’t cantering we were spoilt with insane views of lakes and mountains etc. The horses were a delight to ride, sure footed, hard working, kind natured and happy in their herd. We were all well matched and horses were swapped out when needed but otherwise we were given the whole week to make a bond and have a great time with our horse.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: We are so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed your holiday.]

Edwin who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Horses are well kept and in extreem good Shake. The guides take the wishes en capabilties of the guests in consideration. The guiding is 5 stars and the riding even more. But as informed by the organisation you should be a confident rider. because the counterings are realy waw

Sally (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Magical experience | I loved this holiday because the horses care and well being was priority, we got teamed up with our horse (perfect matches for everybody) and we were responsible for grooming, checking and tacking up our horses which I loved as you form such a close bond with your horse, by the end of the ride we were all lying down in the field with our sleeping horses, it was fantastic. The horses were very well trained but didn't just follow in line like riding school horses, they each had very individual characters which shone through showing that the horses are content and happy.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: I'm so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed the riding and the horses - they are wonderful aren't they.]

Rosa who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Nothing else like it!! | This is the second time I have ridden with Andrew and was again brilliant! If you like fast long hours in the saddle then this is for you. It is for experienced riders only, take this seriously. We had one rider (not booked through IntheSaddle) who had to leave after the first day as she found the pace and style of riding too much. You must be well-balanced, able to hold a light seat, have light hands, be comfortable with loose horses nipping in front of you and ‘wacky races’. If happy with all of this then it will be one of the best horsey holidays you will have ever been on. The horses are true athletes and very well taken care of- only do 3 or so Safari’s across the year and off for the rest making for some very happy horses.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thanks so much for your feedback. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your return visit to Namibia.]

Mia who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. So far, this is the ride where I think the horses have been taken care of the best, and that makes me extremely happy.
The saddlebags weren't the best though. Small and so worn that there were holes and straps that broke etc.
I had the 3rd fastest horse, but unfortunately I was not allowed to feel her full speed as we were not allowed to break the order in which we rode and there was no possibility of a race, due to the ground being too dry and hard. But it sounded like it would have been an option otherwise?

Susan who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous from start to finish! | The horses were fantastic. I felt humbled by their grace and willingness. I'm quite novice in dressage riding and don't have my own horse or compete at home. I learnt more at Quinta do Rol in 4 days then I have in a year at home - the horses really helped me develop my feel for lateral work and my riding generally.

The instructors were brilliant. Absolutely passionate about the lesson and making sure you improve but have fun along the way. I really felt they believed in me and gave me a lot of confidence, with honest feedback. I wish I could bring them (& the horses of course) back to the UK with me!

The facilities are the best I have ever seen. The indoor school is stunning with a really comfortable riders lounge over looking the arena. It was difficult to choose between the indoor and the enormous outdoor school surrounded by glorious farm countryside. The horses have better facilities than a lot of hotels for humans! All the staff I saw treated the horses with great care, respect and a lot of love which created a wonderful calm ambiance.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Many thanks for your contructive feedback. We're so pleased you enjoyed your time at Quinta do Rol].

Barak who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Perfect! | Everything was perfect - the scenic location, the clean and elegant rooms, the gourmet meals by the amazing chef Manolis, and of course - the rides, which were suited to our preferences, with beautiful views and fun canters with good-natured and forward-going horses!

Even more, I would like to thank the people that made this vacation so enjoyable: starting from the professional organisation and detailed communication by Louis, through Sabine at Velani, who did her best to answer every need and fit the rides (and the horses) to our desires, kind Nikko at the gourmet restaurant of Manolis, and finally - dear Andrea, my and my daughter's guide at all the rides, who was extremely kind and professional, and led us safely to rides that were exciting and fun!
My daughter and I are already checking the calendar to book the next vacation with In the Saddle!