Someone once said "in riding a horse we borrow freedom"....this trip really brought that to life. Where do I start? Amazing horses: this was their last week of the season and not one of them was sour: happy to wander along at a walk and game to pick up the speed for wonderful canters and gallops. Would have brought mine home if I'd had the means! Miguel (our guide) was tremendous: knowledgeable, personable and great fun, and Alex took great care of us too, from great picnics every day to safe transfers and good company. Accomodation was much better than expected as was the food.

Bothered you: That I couldn't bring these wonderful horses home!!!

Enjoyed the most: The company of Miguel, Alex, Eimert and Lissa! I couldn't have picked nicer people to ride with and we were spoiled rotten by our hosts. The food (especially lunches on the trail) was fabulous and the view from my balcony at the poussada breathtaking.

Bothered you: I found it difficult to find internet access in Portugal. As this was how I was communicating with home (I had been gone for 3 weeks) that was the only frustrating part of the trip. It is not the fault of the operators, especially as Miguel did find an internet cafe for me, but perhaps the hotels can be encouraged to offer this service for their guests.

The riding was great but, to my surprise, I enjoyed the social aspect as much as the riding. My daughers (16-13) and I were the only native English speakers and it was great to get to know 5-6 Europeans through the daily routine fo meals, riding, swimming and caring for the horses. We had great fun comparing notes about horse care as well as cultural differences.

Enjoyed the most: Great horse back riding. Interesting group of folks, from several different countries. Also, the fact that being an English speaker was all you needed to join in.

Bothered you: FLIES = bothered me the most. And, MOSQUITOS

Wonderful trip!

Our guide made the trip, which was wonderful in its own right. He was totally focused on making sure the trip was a success.

Bothered you: There was really nothing to bother us at all. The only weak point would have to be the accomadations in the furnished apartments on the coast. The Pousada was wonderful.

I cannot say enough positive things about the trip and its leader Miguel as well as his assistant and family.

Enjoyed the most: The trail rides, especially along the coastline -- a beautiful country and a beautiful way to see it. The horses were fantastic and the canters delightful.

There are so many wonderful memories of beautiful horses, new friends made, exciting conversations, and visual overload that it is very difficult to describe this extremely satisfying experience except to say WOW!

Enjoyed the most: Riding in beautiful nature, different every day. Good horses, good service and guides.

Bothered you: Nothing really

Enjoyed the most: Hard to say - it was the perfect combination of great horses, amazing food & wine, and good company. The outfitter did an excellent job of picking horses, itinerary, pace, and menus! If Miguel and Alexander ever leave...I don't think the trip would be as good!

Enjoyed the most: The smooth gaits of the Lusitanos and our wonderful guide Miguel.

Bothered you: The amount of time lost due to waiting for other people's flights, and the requirement of a 5am wake up for the departure transfer (one transfer for everyone) 

Enjoyed the most: mThe wonderful Lusitanos and the speed of the ride.

Bothered you: Lunches could have been better.

Enjoyed the most: the Poussada atmosphere, the gallops, the picnic lunches & the congenial ride guides- Miguel & Alex

Bothered you: So much walking & no trotting

Enjoyed the most: The horses and the people. We had a really great group and made some special friends.

Bothered you: Can't think of anything.

Enjoyed the most: the horses and our guide

Bothered you: The food was just ok.

Enjoyed the most:

The horses, the social aspect and the various places that we had the opportunity to see. The Beach ride was the ultimate:) Miguel, our Guide, communicated well with us, was helpful and very personable. He made the trip what it was!

Bothered you:

Not much... at the end of the trip we learned that if we booked a return flight prior to noon, there was no transfer back to the Airport, which we had paid for and we were aware of this. The cost was an extra $150 for that transfer. Otherwise it was an outstanding trip!!

Comments:

This was a fabulous ride... and I would do it all over again... but want to try new places.  The experience, people, accommodations and meals were amazing.

The expectations were exceeded.  The only thing I would recommend, even though this was an intermediate trip, was to inform the riders on some basics... i.e. I have always been trained to "sit the canter", had a great deal of practice prior to going and I didn't realize that riding with a "half-seat" would make such a difference on this ride.  Once taught... the canters were awesome.

Enjoyed the most

Riding every day, walk, trot, canter as promised, in this beautiful part of Portugal - it was all well planned and executed.

Bothered you

I understand these are trail string horses... I just would've wanted a little better.

Comments

I would give 4.5 on trip documentation if I could. I would've wanted to know rubber soled boots would work best with the tack. It was a wonderful trip, from our host and assistant to the food, accommodations and riding.

Enjoyed the most

Riding through cork orchards, watching the workers harvest cork from the trees. The scenery was beautiful, pine trees and wild ferns.

Bothered you

On the first day the horses were bothered by biting flies. It was humid and I wished I had brought fly repellent for horses.

Comments

Went on a previous trip through Hidden Trails to Ireland and loved it so much we decided to go to Portugal.

I highly recommend Hidden Trails for anyone who loves riding horses and loves long trail rides. We rode 6 hours a day, which improved my riding skills immensely. The guide was professional and spoke perfect English, along with several other languages. Lunch on the trail was wonderfully prepared, picnic style with barbequed meat and other items. Horses were great.

Comments

I would recommend hotels with a hot tub. And would have appreciated a three step for mounting.

Enjoyed the most

Accommodation and socializing.

Bothered you

Saddles did not always fit the horses.

Comments

It is easy to be critical of the way the horses are managed and maintained in a different country, but I try to remind myself that the standards of management expected in Portugal may not be the same as the US. Our guide was very knowledgeable and very personable. He did a great job with our large and somewhat demanding group!

Enjoyed the most

Riding on long, sandy trials and forest roads without vehicles of any sort.

Bothered you

nothing bothered us at all really but a second support rider would have been helpful with such a big group. Even though we were a group of friends (and friends of friends) we soon discovered quite large differences in actual riding ability and willingness. at times being able to split the group would have helped.

Comments

4/5 for the horses is a GOOD score, it is just that as always some riders did not find their horse totally to their liking. On the other hand I found mine to be more than I could hope for and perfect for the job in hand! Maybe a more inquisitive questionnaire on riding experience and preferences might reveal more of a rider's ability and preferences - is being "on the bit" of critical importance, is the rider used to cantering in forward seat for 10-15 minutes or not? are examples. 4 stars is still a very good recommendation in my book so does not imply anything negative or to be wary of.

Bothered you

Not riding on the beach more.

Enjoyed the most

All of the trip is superb.  I have and will continue to tell others about Hidden Trails.

Bothered you

Nothing

Comments

I have and will continue to tell others about Hidden Trails.

Enjoyed the most

The early morning beach ride was a hoot. The accommodations at Herdade das Barradas de Serra were lovely.

Bothered you

Nothing

Comments

A great ride on super fit horses. Our group really wanted to go fast, so we did. Lots of very long canters and a couple of gallops. Picnics were excellent. The host is charming and funny, he really cares about the horses which was good to see.

Enjoyed the most

Green grass and flowers in March

Bothered you

A horse was not well (colicing) and was not replaced

Comments

Thank you for all. Looking forward to more adventures in the future!

Enjoyed the most
It's hard to pick what I enjoyed the most because everything was great! Our guide Miguel was very professional and always concerned about how we were enjoying our trip. The food was excellent and the people that we met were from the Netherlands and are still in touch with us to this day. We plan someday to do another ride with them. Accomadations were also great. To sum it up...the trip could not have been better in anyway.

Bothered you
There wasn't anything at all that bothered me.

Enjoyed the most
The horses, the rides which covered such varied terrain in a relatively short distance. Spending all day with interesting people and a great horse. Learning about Portugal, not from a guide book or tourist info, but from a citizen. 
This was the event of a lifetime! The horses were great and Miguel matched all the riders very well to the mounts. Love the saddles!!! Staff went out of their way to ensure that I had something other than fish for meals (which I very much appreciated). Miguel extremely knowledgeable about region.  Well planned and executed. The lunches were a treat!

Bothered you
Only two things - the first of which is not under control by anyone. I was the only native English speaker on the trip and fortunately 2 people spoke English (everyone else spoke only French, I speak basic Spanish). The conversations were all in French and while Miguel tried very hard to translate, there was a lot I was left out of or found out about after the fact, which was not always fun. However, everyone was very nice and we did a lot of laughing sign language and I learned some French. The other issue was that I didn't prepare well enough to cover the distance and times in saddle -- there were a few days I felt like my saddle was made of concrete with nails!
Hotels nice (internet lousy/unavailable/for pay at most hotels).

Comments
I was injured in a horse accident 6 years ago, about the time I found out about this opportunity. It was the promise of going on the trip that made me work through the injury and being scared to ride fast. It took five years but I made it! My Lusitano horse was so wonderfully dependable and surefooted that I was able to focus just on me and relaxing while galloping or on concrete. My personal horse is going to be surprised at the changes in me!!!

Enjoyed the most
Long canters, a great horse, never riding in the same place twice. Beautiful and varied country side.

Bothered you
Too bad the tide was high on the beach day. We did not get to canter much on the beach so it was a little disappointing but understandable.
Wonderful package, Kudos to Miguel.   Should consider trying to make a visit to a tack shop or at least letting folks know where there are good tack options -I think if the Host would offer a few tack items for sale it may be a way to make a little extra money.

Enjoyed the most: Lunches on the ride: amazingly wonderful food.
WONDERFUL trip--fabulous guide and helper. We'd do this ride again in an instant and have recommended it to others.

Enjoyed the most
loved the horses and the food. the people were great. also the accomodations

.... to tell the truth i dont remember how we got connected to hidden trails but we have booked at least 3 rides through them

Enjoyed the most
Nothing in particular, just all of it!

Bothered you
Alarming heat wave and mosquitos in one of the hotels.

Comments
Extremely well organised set up.. Miguel, the guide, is very good and prompt in his timekeeping. I do feel 10 is 4 too many riders as those riding at the back of the ride seldom had the opportunity to talk to Miguel because he was guiding.

Enjoyed the most
Riding through varied terrain on a nicely cared for horse with great company. This was a wonderful ride.

Bothered you
Lack of screens and air conditioning for 2 nights. It was incredibly hot and there weren't screens on the windows of an inn located near rice paddies. So it was either be eaten alive by mosquitos or bake in a closed room. Fortunately, I had bug spray, but come on- screens are cheap!