I am planning a trip to Italy with my family. My two daughters and I love to horseback ride. Any suggestions regarding how to find places, coordinate riding times, any thing we should know to ask/clarify (or not ask)? I am heading to Northern Italy, but I know another person from a different dialog is looking for the Tuscany area. My husband does not ride horses. In the US, he goes golfing while we go riding so any Northern Italy golfing suggestions are also welcome. He probably wouldn't bring his clubs - can you rent clubs in Italy?
Posted by
Denver
787 posts
Several years, I took a horseback riding vacation, through a U.S. company, to a place called Il Poggio, in southern Tuscany. We rode 4-5 hours over four days.
You can, I'm quite sure, go riding at Il Poggio without going through an American tour operator. I wanted to go that route (first and only time I've ever done a "tour") because I'm not a very experienced rider and wanted to make sure I was with a good stable that had horses for my level of ability, and felt the U.S. operator would have done that research. (My husband went too, though he doesn't ride; he drove to vineyards each day.)
Il Poggio was gorgeous, though not real centrally located. I assume you ride English - that's by far the most common type there.
For your research, start googling. Also, you can use U.S. horseback tour operators' websites for ideas of the stables they operate from/through.
Enjoy!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16232 posts
You will find horseback riding and golf with stunning scenery as a bonus in the Dolomites. Just Googled "Dolomites golf" and found, for example, in Val Gardena, the Pozzamanigoni riding school in Selva Val Gardena which provides private lessons, rides and trekking: phone number +39 0471 794138.
In the same village (Selva di Gardena), the Hotel Alpenroyal has a 9-hole golf course, 9-hole putting green, and equipment hire. There were lots more. You can also ride Haflinger horses up on the Alpe di Siusi---I can't imagine a more beautiful place for a ride. Golf would be available near the village of Castelrotto, 30 minutes away.