This fall, Jennifer Cross joined a group of riders on our Explore Tuscany horseback riding vacation in Italy. Her week was exactly what we expect from our wonderful partners there — enjoy her story below.
Comfortable accommodations in the Tuscan countryside
We had a fabulous time on our trip! Our hosts, Donatella and Sadio, were fabulous – they were both incredibly knowledgeable about the history and culture of the region, and paid astute attention down to the tiniest detail. A member of the group jokingly lamented at our first breakfast that her friend and roommate snored, so she didn’t sleep as well as she had hoped. At lunch, Donatella supplied her with two different sets of earplugs! We all had a good laugh at that!
Our rooms were well appointed, with comfortable beds and plenty of linens; the bathrooms had ample towels and soap and shampoo were provided. The whole place was spotlessly clean, and they had an attendant come every couple days to freshen things up.
The food was nothing short of amazing! Everything was fresh and homemade wherever possible, and when not, we were provided with locally grown or made. We had traditional meals for the Tuscan region, and Donatella gave an explanation for every dish.
We had ample wine provided at both lunch and dinner, and there was a cash honor bar if we wanted a drink in the evening. A member of the party was a vegetarian, and her meals were as well thought out as ours were. One evening we even had wild boar, and we actually met the person who had hunted it on one of our rides!
No one ever went hungry even for one moment all week! I would say the trip was well worth it just on the food and accommodations alone, but then we add the horses….
Fit, well-cared-for horses
The horses were all amazing! They glowed with good care and love! They were all in good weight, and extremely fit for their jobs. I was amazed at some of the hills we climbed, and they would not even be winded at the top!
Sadio and Donatella took good care to split our rides into morning and afternoon sessions so that the horses would be resting with food and water during the hottest part of the day. On the day we had lunch at the winery, the horses were tethered in the shade, and Donatella brought them food and water, while Sadio checked all their feet for stones or loose shoes.
The horses were all very well behaved and trained. We all rode several horses, but the hosts did make an effort to make sure everyone was paired with their “favorite” by midweek. It was hard to choose a favorite, though. I rode three different horses, and I felt safe, in control, and comfortable on all three.
On our last day, my horse lost a shoe about 30 minutes into our ride, and I thought for sure I was going to have to hand walk the horse home and ruin the last ride for everyone. No worries, Sadio had tools and different sized hoof boots with him! He trimmed some rough edges of the hoof, then expertly fitted my horse with an appropriate sized boot. We continued on for about 15 minutes, when Sadio stopped the group to check to make sure my horses boot was not causing any rubs or discomfort. When we returned from our ride, Sadio impressed us with his farrier skills and fit a new shoe on my horse, Red.
Evenings exploring Tuscan towns
Our trip also included several forays into local cities and towns. We went out on four evenings, one of which included a wine tasting. On our drive to each night, our hosts explained the cultural significance of the places we were going, and made suggestions about what to see while we were there. We were given several hours to explore on our own, and our group got along so well, we often stayed together. All the suggestions our hosts offered were spot on, and we really enjoyed our evening trips. We still made it home in time for dinner, so we never had to worry about getting our own meals during the entire trip.
I had such a great time, I hope to return someday. I even told my non-horsey husband that he could come because he would be very happy exploring the farm and surrounding locations by foot or bicycle while we were riding. I am thoroughly impressed beyond expectations on every aspect of this trip!
Ready to ride in Tuscany yourself? See dates and pricing for Explore Tuscany, browse all our horseback riding vacations in Italy, or call a ride consultant at 1-800-545-0019. Traveling with someone who doesn’t ride? See our trips that are great for non-riding companions.