Wolves and Wild Horses - Portugal

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.

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

Lovely home-cooked food every day, which Anabella and Mariana took it in turns to make, and it was fantastic to have lunch outdoors on the long riding days. The food was typically local, and there was plenty for all meals. Plenty of options to get both vegetarian and vegan, if that was the case. I really liked the informality of us all eating together, and it was a nice way to get to know the other guests a bit.
We stayed in the very nice guest house, and I had been given my own room, as it was not fully booked the week I was away. The room was really nice, with its own bathroom and toilet. Good wardrobe space and nice bed. One day there were suddenly ants in my room, but that was taken care of immediately.
At the guest house there were also both dogs and cats, several of them were talkative and all were friendly. An added plus if you ask me were the playful kittens who entertained at breakfast and in the afternoon.

How could we improve the quality of pre-holiday information that we send?

I honestly felt super well informed, the only suggestion I have is that it might be an advantage to bring riding boots (or hiking boots) with non-slip soles, as the terrain can be a bit challenging and you sometimes have to pull the horse. I myself wore short riding boots and had no problems, but maybe it can be an advantage for others.

Do you have any other feedback for us?

An absolutely fantastic trip, I am very tempted to go again soon! I really appreciated being in a small group, and riding the same horse (almost) all week was also a huge plus.
The alternative activities in the afternoon on the short riding days fit in really well, and gave a very rounded impression of the area and nature.
We didn't try the wine tasting, which was otherwise in the program, but that didn't matter to me 🙂