Verne who has been on 29 In The Saddle rides. Hi Olwen
Just completed the feedback
Happy to discuss
It was fantastic too manyz’ pinch yourselfz’ moments!
Best wishes
Like being in a wonderful dream | This was a wonderful game viewing experience
Felt safe at all times, guides read the animals’ intentions very well and instructed the group clearly so that no incidents occurred
Pace tended to be leisurely but this allowed everyone to savour the privilege of being around animals in their natural habitat
Faster paces were on suitable terrain and all the horses were very well behaved
After an afternoon siesta the afternoon rides were laid back

Crossing the Mara river (twice) was a great experience

We had a couple of night game drives and a daytime one on the horse’s well deserved day off. We got very close to lions and elephants on the day time drive.

Abigail who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Living my cowgirl dreams! | Rocking Z Ranch was everything I hoped for in a ranch holiday. Zack and Patty and their family have created a wonderful experience that made us feel like we were welcomed into a family, rather than guests at the lodge.

The wranglers and interns were amazing- so knowledgeable about the horses and they worked really hard to care for them and make sure we all got to experience the things we wanted from our holidays.

The horses (and gorgeous Lizzie the mule) were beautifully trained and there were options for all levels of riders. The trail rides into the surrounding countryside were stunning and the options at the ranch- from cow work to liberty and many more gave us a really varied and interesting experience. The Friday night trip to the rodeo was a fantastic bonus and a great night out!

I would highly recommend this trip and am already making plans to return next year.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. We're thrilled that you had such a great time at Rocking Z!].

Ruth who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Amazing | The riding was excellent fast and forward but with time taken to enjoy the surroundings.
The ride leader Jose made it fun but with the safety of horses and riders always in mind.

Elise who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful | Excellent riding - Rachel matches her horses to your riding ability. All are forward going horses and are well mannered. The riding is at all paces with some exciting canters and gallops. The ride leaders are brilliant - they look after every rider and are very safety conscious and make sure you are happy with your horse. This is the first time I have been in the summer in July and it was very hot so the ride is taken out early - from 6.45am onwards so it is cooler. We were back by lunchtime 12.30pm so riding in the forest in the morning is lovely - quiet and cool. Getting to the beach as the sun is rising is magical

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.

Lynne who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Amazing experience | Very different between South Africa and Botswana. South African was a lot more “controlled” and Botswana a little freer, and very exciting

Ashley who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Incredible Luxury On Another Level! | Beyond expectation - this holiday is for the equestrian who loves luxury and riding beautifully trained horses with top quality tuition - there was nothing that I could fault in this entire holiday experience - apart from the fact it was too short - I could have stayed for eternity!

Sharon (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Well organised | I knew the ride would be mainly taken at a walk due to the terrain. This was not a problem. The scenery was outstanding and the horses very well cared for. Delicious lunches too. It was a shame that the heat was such that my enjoyment was reduced. I would have liked to go out earlier in the day but understand that this was not necessarily possible.

Yvonne who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Brilliant! | Great riding and opportunities to tolt and canter were there whenever the terrain allowed

Robert who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. A fantastic riding experience | Exceeded expectations - a combination of walking through beautiful forests combined with fast (and prolonged) riding across the steppes.
A fantastic riding experience - some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever experienced with great guides and sensible forward going horses that never put a foot wrong - just get used to standing up for all paces! The In The Saddle team couldn't have been more helpful and I recommend following their packing suggestions very closely including the fours seasons sleeping bag! Should also mention that the food was very good which came as a pleasant surprise as Mongolian cuisine was billed as one of the less strong points of the country. The Naadam Games were great with displays of archery, wrestling and, of course, riding.

Vivien who has been on 41 In The Saddle rides. Wonderful | This holiday more than met expectations. Natalie and TJ are some of the best hosts I have met on all the riding holidays I have been on. They are super nice people, have lots of interesting stories of their adventures and how they came to move to Uganda, have superb horses and really care about their welfare (not easy in the tropics). I rode Hunters Gold who had the smoothest paces I've experienced, a really nice horse. All the horses were in great health without a mark on them. They also have a great team of local people working for them. Moses and Erasmus did a great job of looking after us and the horses on the rides. We did lots of fast riding, at the group's request, and rode through villages, countryside, tropical jungles and along the river Nile. It was so different from the many southern Africa riding holidays I've been on and so interesting. Uganda is an amazing, complicated country, and so worth visiting. Stunningly beautiful as well. You get to see the real Africa on this holiday.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you so much for your super feedback. We’re thrilled that you had such a wonderful time in Uganda.]

Mary who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Off the Beaten Track | Natalie and TJ are true horse people who really care for their horses. The horses are bomb proof (no falls on our ride). They also gallop very fast. I rode a pony called Bullrush and he was perfect for me.
The rides along the Nile and through the villages was an amazing experience and we had a great break for lunch along the way. The scenery was beautiful so much green and the ride through the forest seeing monkeys was a unique.
Staying at Wild Waters topped off a fabulous week. I would also recommend doing the rafting as the crew are really professional and kept to their word that my boat would not flip.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you very much for your lovely feedback. We're so pleased that you enjoyed the Nile Explorer Ride].

Adrian who has been on 23 In The Saddle rides. Incredible rural riding mountain trail | Horses are fabulous - Arabs and Arab crosses- fast , sure footed and lots of stamina .

Esther who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Most amazing riding experience | This is not an easy ride with long hours in the saddle, demanding terrain and at times unpredictable weather. But it is truly worth it. There are very few opportunities out there to really let go, to gallop across plains, up mountains on safe, exciting, sure footed horses. It was an exhilarating experience.

Elaine who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Amazing to ride fit, well cared for horses in a unique environment | The riding more than met my expectations, riding through plantations, villages (where everyone would come out to wave) and the Mabira forest. The scenery is stunning, very lush and green along the banks of the Nile. I rode Southern Comfort who was just perfect for me, he liked a bit of space (better for photo opportunities) plus he was very responsive and took everything in his stride. He really knew his job and took good care of me. Lots of opportunities for long canters which Moses and Erasmus expertly handled, looking out for us all. Nat and TJ clearly love their horses and give them 5* care which is reflected in the horses who are enjoying the best life.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Many thanks for your feedback on your adventure in Uganda. We're so pleased that you enjoyed the Nile Explorer).

Lynn (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Terrific Trail Ride | The Wild Coast hosts and guides were very pleasant and welcoming. The guides knew the area, our abilities and structured the trail around what we were looking for.

[Abbie from ITS replies: Thank you very much for your super feedback].

David who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Amazing riding and coastline | I had a wonderful week, shared with other friendly riders who were all very capable, and amazing guides who had our welfare, and that of the horses, as top priority.
It was easy to see why the Wild Coast is named such, as all along the beaches, powerful waves come crashing in, slamming against rocky outcrops.
Cantering, and occasionally galloping along deserted beaches was an experience to well be remembered, and the inland riding, with its river crossings was also memorable.
Drinks before dinner was always very enjoyable, and the standard of meals and accommodation was just what I expected.
For those riders who like many hours in the saddle daily, and periods of long sustained canters, I couldn't recommend this ride more heartily.

[Abbie from ITS replies: We're so pleased you enjoyed your long awaited riding holiday along the Wild Coast. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about it].

Jane who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Great fun | Ailsa was brilliant and took great care of us. She matched both Simon and me with suitable horses and we had a lovely time. We asked Ailsa to confirm to you what she thought Simon's riding level was so that we have an independent view on it for our next holiday. She said to us she thought it was Intermediate plus which is a great achievement for him.

Fi who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. The most wonderful experience! | Can not begin to describe what a wonderful week we had with Mamen, Emilio, Barras the collie dog and their beautifully trained and cared for horses.

It was heaven to spend all day riding through the beautiful Gredos mountains, with the gorgeous smiley Mamen to meet us with tapas late morning, the then again later for a delicious home cooked lunch (the paella and Local Avila beef entrecote was epic!). Lunch stops were always by a beautiful river (and the waters really are"crystalline"), so after lunch we'd have a refreshing swim, then siesta in the sunshine before mounting up to ride for a few more hours.

The scenery is stunning; we felt so well looked after and safe, guided by Emilio's wonderful horsemanship. Emilio matched me with a gorgeous forward-going PRExArab mare and she was a delight! I know some previous visitors have mentioned the amount of walking you do, however I felt the scenery was so amazing I was more than happy with our steady pace to just relax and enjoy my surroundings.

I'm already planning a return visit...enough said! 🙂 x

Rachael who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic - it has re-inspired me | This trip exceeded expectations. The instructors were all very knowledgeable and the horses beautifully trained. We worked on my weak areas, improved on the basics and tried out some of the fun flashy movements.
The holiday has given me motivation to take what i have learnt back home to try and apply on my own horse. I feel totally re-inspired now i can see my weaknesses and know how to correct them, and i can now also feel and understand the correct way to ask for things as the horses are so well trained and sensitive to commands.

[Abbie from ITS replies: What super feedback - thank you! We're delighted that you feel inspired by your stay at Quinta do Rol}.

Linda who has been on 21 In The Saddle rides. Another amazing week of riding on the Wild Coast of South Africa | All expectations met. Our 4th trip to the Wild Coast and our 3rd time on the 7 day Adventure trail. Our group of 5 were joined by 3 other competent, friendly riders and we had a blast! An exciting trail partly because of the very wet weather the week before. Due to this several of the rivers were high and unnavigable on horseback on the beaches so we had to detour inland resulting in some much longer days than usual. Particularly, the river at Wavecrest was impossible to cross so we couldn't do the "Wavecrest Gallop". Our guide Tertia wasn't going to let us go home without a "you know what" and she led us at speed along another fantastic beach. The week was exciting, fun, fast on the beaches and lots of canters inland too. Guides Tertia and Jess coped very well with whatever they were met with, always looking after ours and the horses welfare. My husband rode a Percheron cross called Andy and I had a gorgeous little Arab called Poppet, we both loved them. I recommend that you are as fit as you can be to do this trip as there can be unforeseen circumstances that make days longer and more strenuous than usual. The massage at Wavecrest was very welcome! We loved it all and would consider going for a fifth time if we weren't quite so old (74 & 71)!!

[Abbie from In The Saddle replies: Thank you so much for your fabulous feedback. We're so pleased that you enjoyed your return visit to the magical Wild Coast].

Janet who has been on 15 In The Saddle rides. Azores | Sometimes when you go back somewhere it's not the same.This was just as good second time around. The landscape and vegetation are stunning, food fantastic and Christina made sure that in our non riding time we went to a whole lot of different places around the island....for such a small place there is a surprising amount to see and do.

The horses are wonderfully cared for and willing, the riding is appropriate for the terrain with plenty of changes of pace.

Everyone makes you so welcome, Cristina and Claude as hosts and the guides Bruno,Tomas, Manuel, Anka and Riccardo.....not forgetting Rui and the backstage staff! Thank you all for creating a wonderful holiday.

Domini who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Perfect | I loved my holiday sooooo much I am going back for more.

Ellie who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Fantastic! | Excellent

Jenn who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. 10/10 | Surpassed expectations, can't wait to go back.

Julia (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) An excellent holiday in a wonderful place. | The horses were all well trained, clean and well fed. The owners made sure that they were not overworked so we had to alternate horses on different days to give the others a rest.

The riding was amazing. Even though I canter and jump 4 times a week I was afraid to gallop but this experience increased my confidence and I ended up absolutely loving it.

Bob who has been on 16 In The Saddle rides. One of the Best | I rode 9 different ponies during the course of the holiday and whilst obviously I liked some more than others they were all enjoyable/challenging in their own ways, and they were clearly very well cared for.

Louise who has been on 18 In The Saddle rides. Splendid Riding /Horses/Guides | We felt that the welfare of the horses was high priority which was heart warming
The guides were great as were all the staff to be honest

Fiona who has been on 6 In The Saddle rides. Heavenly Horizon | I love Horizon, because they love their horses and seem to look after their staff too.
Will definitely be back.
Always meets expectations.

One small suggestion - not everyone is familiar with these saddles and would be good to give people a bit of info about them, e.g. getting on and off, letting them know that buckles can be adjusted if they are rubbing / causing soreness. One of the other ladies was struggling quite a lot and had no idea her issues could be sorted our very simply and quickly - it just came up in conversation at dinner one evening and I advised her what to do but I don't think she'd have raised it otherwise.

Angela who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. A lovely holiday, one of the best so far ,well fed, great horses and excellent care from owners and staff. | The riding was very scenic with pleasant rides , the days were filled with plenty of activity , never a dull moment.

Jill who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Incredible! | The horses are forward-going and absolutely bombproof.

[Abbie from ITS replies: We're so pleased that you enjoyed your stay at Horizon. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review].

Maria who has been on 7 In The Saddle rides. Beautiful trail ride | Excellent