Enjoyed the most

The ability to ride such well trained and beautiful horses - Maria, Flor and Naranjero - under the guidance of Fernando and Vivi. The combination of lessons and touring the area was perfect! Making new friends and feeling like we had known them forever by the end of the week. The trail ride on the beach - fantastic! Maria, Flor and Naranjero. All the delicious food and friendly dogs was an added bonus. Time spent in the beautiful cities of Carmona and Seville - icing on the cake!

Bothered you

Having to go home!

Comments

I have done three trips through Hidden Trails and have been very happy with all of them!

Enjoyed the most

The meals are fabulous. Our hostess prepared specialties from various regions of Spain so we had a true taste of Spain.

Bothered you

If you're a relatively experienced trail rider, I suggest that you opt for the intensive training (two lessons per day) rather than the trail and train.

Comments

Through friends and I've taken many trips already with HIdden Trails

Enjoyed the most

I enjoyed the variety of things to do that was offered by this ride: training classes, trail rides, a visit to the Spanish Riding School, a professional flamenco show, etc. Our host (Fernando) and his wife (Jane) made us feel like we were visiting with a family, rather than just spending time at a riding camp. Our hosts and the staff were not only interesting, but extremely nice and very helpful to all of us.

Bothered you

The heat was pretty bad! We picked a week of unseasonably warm weather in Spain for our riding trip. Thank goodness, the entire hacienda is air conditioned, AND there is a fabulous pool! So, despite my whining about it, the heat was bearable.

Enjoyed the most
The riding lessons.

Bothered you
I ended up being the only person on the tour. Although I had a good time, if I had know in advance I would have changed the dates. It is more fun when there are new people to meet.

Comments
There were no other riders - but the hosts and the tour was excellent.

Enjoyed the most
The side trips since the riding was pretty much the same.

Bothered you
Not having any other riders to share the experience

My wife and I were the only two riders.  So that was good and bad.
Nothing quite meets your expectations and the best new experiences are always the most unexpected.

Enjoyed the most: The rides were great, the hacienda was incredible. I had a great time!

Bothered you: Wish the meals would have had more salads. Also there was lots of wine but no other options. After a hot day riding, bottles of red wine weren't exactly our first choice.

Comments: Loved Epona!!

Enjoyed the most: I enjoyed every day of the trip, from the morning trail rides to the afternoon dressage lessons,the ride on the beach, and the excursions to the Jerez riding center and flamenco. I suppose what I loved most was that I did not have to think at all. I had a fabulous day planned for me every day and I simply needed to dress, show up and enjoy it! Was also fun to meet Rafael Soto, silver medalist in Athens, and watch him teach.

Bothered you: I don't really have any complaints. One suggestion though would be to extend the lesson in the afternoon. I don't think an hour was really enough time. As soon as I started to grasp a concept, we were done. Would be good to have another 30 mins there.

Comments: I had a fabulous time.  The horses were wonderful--well maintained and well behaved, and suited most any level. The pace was relaxing--very welcome after several difficult months at work. Fernando and his family were also extremely kind and welcoming, and immediately made me feel at home. It is obvious that they love what they do, and that makes such a difference.  I had heard good things about the riding centre through a friend, and was not disappointed. The description on your website was 100% accurate.  They delivered on all aspects of the trip, from quality of horses to accommodation.  I ride hunters normally, so the dressage bent of the trip was completely new for me, but very helpful in improving my seat and balance. Something that I can apply in any style of riding. I also appreciate even more the control/finesse of the dressage rider--it's not as easy as it looks!

Enjoyed the most: The quality of the lessons was superb, as was the general atmosphere.

Bothered you: I had expected a daily lesson and was disappointed to have to pay for a fifth lesson. Not that the price was exorbitant, but I would have preferred to have known the exact schedule.

Comments: The riding centre entre is a lovely place. All of the staff worked efficiently to make everything go smoothly. I've never had any kind of holiday with less stress. A lovely week with a pleasant group of people. Had the people not been good company, I would have found some of the non-riding events a distraction from the true focus of the holiday.

Enjoyed the most: The peace of being there, away from everything. Very cozy and welcoming - relaxing. The horses were incredibly kept and the staff was fantastic. Enjoyed every minute. Everything was described accurately.

Bothered you: Leaving

Comments: Thank you Ryan, a great recommendation for our first experience. Fernando & Jane are absolutely amazing, thank you.

Enjoyed the most: The atmosphere of the riding centre.

Bothered you: Nothing. We would not have changed a thing.

Comments: Thank you for helping us plan a wonderful 25th anniversary trip.  It went beyond our expectations.  We had a wonderful time.  Jane and Fernando were wonderful hosts.  The facilities, food, and accommodations were great.  Many places may make it sound wonderful and not live up to those expectations but this went beyond our expectations and was more than we could have hoped for.

Comments: Everything worked out fine. We had a good experience in both trail and the arena. I also took a spanish lesson from one of the instructors at the farm. She was an excellent teacher both patient and knowledgable. The meals were a special treat: served with a comment by the chef about the origin of the food and the history of the dish. A special suprise treat.

Enjoyed the most: The hacienda was beautiful beyond words and our host family was excellent. Very gracious! My suitcase was not available to me for 3 days and the Garcias' even lent me some clothes to ride in! Would do it again in a minute!!

Bothered you: Europeans eat very late meals in the evenings, and I gained 5 pounds because I couldn't refuse any of it! But, I wouldn't say that really bothered me...