Reviews

Sicily 2019 

I thought the ride was wonderful.  Alex and Lizzie are great guides and the horses, accommodations and food and wine were great.   I really enjoyed the opportunity to cross Sicily on horseback, which allowed us to access areas we could not otherwise have seen.  I  was very happy with my horse, Apollo, whom I gather is the favorite of many riders.  I’d recommend this ride to others looking for a unique experience.”
                                                                                     R. Brown, USA 
Sicily 2019 
Having just returned from riding the Sicily Coast to Coast Ride I can highly vouch for the horses,tack,accommodation , food and the fabulous owner/guides Alex and Lizzie. I’d go again if I wasn’t riding with Susan in Morocco in January/February next year  
                                                                                    R. Bremner, NZ 

Morocco 2018

I am not sure I can accurately put the experience into words! The entire trip not only exceeded my expectations but blew them out of the water! Being my first time out of the US, I was quite nervous. However the plans and information that Imagine Riding provided allowed me to put my fears aside and embrace the journey. Every step of the way was thought and planned and I was able to travel around feeling assured, confident, and free to relax!

Once in Morocco, Abdel, Abdul, Mohammad and Zachary all made the trip enjoyable. There was not a moment that I was not smiling or laughing. The horses were all well behaved, cared for and happy to be doing their job and will always have a place in my heart and a reserved sugar cube in my pocket. The scenery was breathtaking, and changed every day. The food was wonderful and so comforting after a long day in the saddle. I have since craved the beautifully prepared tea and snacks and can not wait for the time I can return. This trip hit the notes on all levels, engaged all senses, and was a major highlight of my life. The memories will last a lifetime, but I cannot wait to return!                                                                                     A. Borgert, USA
Morocco 2017:

What a ride!Most excellent, FUN, well-kept und sturdy horses, with an unflinching spirit and an exquisite level of confidence and, for lack of a better word, professionalism. Great canters and gallops!
The route was well chosen and (if one expects the desert to be monotonous and not much else beyond sandy) covered a surprising amount of varying terrain, the stops in the oases and the food we got to enjoy were replenishing and delicious, and the whole experience of riding, camping, eating, sleeping and laughing truly was food for the soul. Thank you a million times to Abdel and his lovely crew (who did a drum-and-dance in celebration of one of our riders’ birthday!), I couldn’t have dreamt up a better or more satisfying experience riding in the Moroccan desert. And thanks to Susan for picking this outfitter and making this trip happen!

                                                                             I. Lass, Germany

It was such a delight to ride with you. You brought so much good cheer to the group. It was such a special experience for everyone, I think. These spectacular horses and this strange and and  beautiful landscape will occupy my mind for a long time to come. 
Already I am fantasizing on doing the beach ride in December!

                                                                                J. Stewart, UK 

I want to say thank you for this wonderful ride in Morocco, for the great organisation, the beautiful horses, the delicious food, the very competent guide and last but not least, Susan, who has made this all possible! Hope we have many more adventures together riding experience. 

                                                                           W. Gierden, Germany

It was so wonderful Susan. Thank you so much for organising such an incredible trip! Everything was perfect. Missing the company, horses and desert so much! Looking forward to our next adventure.

                                                                                  I. Broadley, UK

Thank you Susan for organizing this awesome group of riders and generally being fairy godmother of horsey adventures!!I too find myself day dreaming about galloping across the desert, sigh!
                                                                                    B. Nelson, USA

Montenegro 2017:

It was great riding with you and the group.  Hopefully I’ll be able to ride in Transylvania next year. 
                                                                                       M. Maul, USA

Thank you again for the nice ride and everything you did for us. I enjoyed the time in Montenegro to the max.                                                                                     U. Voelz,Germany

thank you all for such an utterly glorious week. everything was perfection. amazing landscape, a truly great gang, and the safest equipment imaginable to keep this rare rider confident. and adorable, 
sweet Toby…                         
                                                                                    C. Finkel, Turkey

Transylvania 2018

I had such a fabulous time. I learned so much more about the culture and history than I had expected, and that added a very special dimension to the riding, which also was fabulous! I loved the expansive open landscape, the miles of meadows, the cathedral-like beech forests, with the beautiful vignettes of a forgotten pastoral life sprinkled around the valleys. Mihai was such an engaging host, on so many levels — it was fantastic to be able to meet a new generation of enthusiastic Romanians and hear their visions of the future. The lodgings were very comfortable, the food excellent, the James Herriott-style barnyard charming. “
                                                                                    U. Ekman, USA

Nature just like it should be. Huge, healthy mixed forests, also the paths through the meadows and forest soft and with a sound ground. Not overfarmed and compressed like the grassland, fields and dirt roads we have it nowadays in most of the areas in Europe where big farming is a big business…
What else to say? The rides are providing different impressions of the beautiful landscape, big forests, rolling hills beautiful meadows, you are not getting tired with watching and enjoying. 
Interesting, old and small villages where the buildings having their own charm, history and stories. So you become somehow for a little time part of it while getting intresting information about the history, culture and background.
The rooms are basic but charming and comfortable. Meals are fresh and tasty. 
The horses are well trained, well cared, lovely and in good shape.
Mihai is a great host, supported by a great team. His open and friendly way taking care about his guests makes you feeling welcome from the beginning, treated as a friend and not just like a “number” and giving you the impression like when leaving you are leaving as a friend.
To sum it up: It was my first time there but I am sure it won’t be my last 

                                                                             D. Asmus. Germany

Transylvania 2017:

We had a wonderful time with Mihai and Roxanna and everyone at Villa Abbatis, thank you.  On the last day Mihai and Alexander went off for a fast ride and I went with Roxanna and another lady, plus Caesar and carriage for Ro and Ben, for a more sedate pace; then we all went to Altina to see Stef and Eugen’s museum and a delicious lunch.  And later Roxanna gave me a lesson in the arena which was hugely helpful but it was a shame that I could not then benefit from it on a trail.  She is totally brilliant as a rider and teacher and I have no idea how she manages all those horses with such a small team – she and the others work incredibly hard.

Mihai is wonderful too of course and as well as all the delicious lunches he laid on with interesting people at such interesting places, he organised a party one evening with several of his friends, and the writer, William Blacker, and a couple of amazing musicians playing folk music, reciting poetry and telling jokes – in Romanian but also with much translation for our benefit.  All of them spoke good English and so we had a lot of interesting and enlightening conversations. It was a very special occasion.  The Copsa Mare / Breite plateau /Biertan expedition also worked very well, enabling us to see more of the countryside on foot and benefit from Cosmin’s extraordinary and enthusiastic knowledge of the natural history.

The breakfasts and dinners at Apos cooked by the two smiley ladies were also delicious, with local dishes and produce for us to sample. 

We were sad to leave and to be back on the Transylvanian tourist conveyer belt, despite all the interesting things we did and saw afterwards.  We had been beginning to feel part of the ‘family’ !  The week was a fantastic and memorable experience, made particularly special by the charm and enthusiasm of both Mihai and Roxanna.

                                       Alexander, Briony, Ben and Rosemary, UK