FAQ

What To Take On A Riding Holiday

Our holidays are in wild and remote locations where the weather can be volatile - even in summer. Pack for all weather. Layering is key to staying comfortable.

EXAMPLE PACK LIST

Pack everything in a soft duffle bag. Leave the Samsonite at home.

How Do I Rate My Riding Ability?

Our rides are selected for experienced riders that are comfortable at all paces and can control a forward horse cantering in open country in a group of other horses. If you can’t canter in open country our rides are simply not for you.

A ‘beginner’ rider has seen a horse from afar and could identify one in a line up with other farm animals. A beginner is a rider from never having mounted a horse right up to being able to post to the trot and learning to canter.

Our rides are not usually for beginners. We recommend Los Potreros or Ants Collection for newbies or mixed groups.

A ‘novice’ rider has ridden up to to 30 times and has cantered but is unsteady and might be nervous to do so. Novice riders might need to hold a neck strap for balance while cantering and will sometimes lose their stirrups when cantering. A novice rider is comfortable cantering in an arena but might have minimal experience controlling a cantering in the open.

An ‘intermediate’ rider is secure, well balanced and in control on a well schooled horse at all paces from a walk to fast canter in open country and over varied terrain. You will also be confident of riding for several hours at a time. You can ride almost any of our rides at this level.

An ‘advanced’ rider is very well balanced and has many years experience in the saddle. You are fit and capable of remaining in soft seat for extended canters. You have soft hands and you are capable of handling a spirited horse in open country. Advanced riders will enjoy Namibia and Offbeat.

A ‘legendary’ rider will be given an unbroken horse for the extra challenge ;)

Disclaimer

Our rides are for experienced riders and though we do our best to filter out those that are beginner riders, sometimes people do slip through our controls because experience is self-disclosed. Please think of the other riders when filling in your rider form. Our rides are sporty and usually quite fast. If you aren’t comfortable cantering you will affect the vibe of the trip and the other riders won’t thank you for slowing the group down! You might even be refused to ride and will need to make your own arrangements if unable to ride to the required standard to keep up with the group safely.

Can I volunteer for you?

No, we are a travel agency and don’t run the safaris ourselves. We suggest you do your research and pick a safari you like then contact them directly with all the information they will need to start a conversation with you. This would include your CV, a video of you riding, and your availablity.

The safari industry is competitive to get into and you must have an excellent work ethic, be independent, willing to get your hands dirty, great with guests and able to demonstrate excellent horsemanship skills.

Can I travel alone?

Yes! More than 50% of our riders travel solo, it’s so normal! You will meet like minded people on your trip. Travelling alone opens your mind to connect with the locals, guides and your travelling companions.

We create a WhatsApp group for all of our Black Saddle groups so you get the chance to get to know the other riders before you arrive. We also have a ‘Black Saddle Travel Club’ Facebook group that any experienced rider planning a holiday is welcome to join. Get to know like minded people and get advice from people who have done the trip before.

You will likely need to share accommodation though a single occupancy supplement may be available for an additional cost. This varies by ride so do check with us in advance to see if this is an option.

What insurance do I need?

You need travel medical insurance that covers horse riding accidents and we highly recommend you take out a policy that will cover you in case of cancellation.

While our safari operators have 3rd party insurance you are responsible for taking out your own insurance should you get injured on your safari. You insurance policy must cover horse-riding. Read the small print carefully because you may be required to wear a helmet for the policy to be valid. A policy to cover your holiday should cost between £30 and £120 depending on which country you are resident.

We also recommend you take out travel cancellation insurance as many of the safaris have a no-refund deposit policy. We do try to return your deposit less bank fees if we can replace you, but if we cant, you can get your money back from your insurance provider less an excess payment.

Here you can read our full guide to travel insurance for riding holidays.

When should I book my safari?

As our rides are usually owner-guided there are limited departures as there is only one of them! For this reason rides tend to sell out between 6 months to a year before departure date. For rides like Jakotango they can sell out up to two years before departure!

To have the best chance of getting on the ride you want we suggest enquiring at least a 6 months before you want to travel. Even if a ride a sold out you can still fill in a rider form and we will let you know of any cancellations.

How Do I Pay For My Riding Holiday?

All safaris are secured with a deposit of up to 50% of the ride cost with the balance due 60 days before departure date.

Safaris are usually paid for by bank transfer in the currency the safari operator uses. We recommend using Wise, an international currency exchange bank, as they have the lowest fees in the industry.

Sign up to Wise with this link to get your first £500 transfer for free.

You can pay by card too though there may be an additional charge to cover the bank fee of between 3.25% and 5%.

You cannot pay with cash on arrival day. All rides must be prepaid.

We will email you a guide on how to make a bank transfer when sharing your deposit details.