My friend and I went to Monte Velho, Portugal, through Outside the Corral. From the very first email, Laure-Anne was enthusiastic, which was a great sign for us. She patiently answered all our questions, and the fact that she had visited herself made us feel reassured. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking the first time, but Laure-Anne made everything very personal: regular emails with updates, a clear final email with the detailed program, and even a personal card in the mail! At that point, we knew we were in good hands.

On-site, everything was perfectly organized. Monte Velho is a stunning place to completely immerse yourself in your “horse bubble.” It was amazing: beautiful rooms with even more beautiful views, delicious meals three times a day, and after an intense day of riding, relaxing in the jacuzzi while overlooking the fields with the mares. The horses were incredible: well-mannered, responsive, gentle, and well cared for. During the lessons, they never put a foot wrong, even when we were trying things we had never done before; they did exactly what was asked, with or without help from the instructors. And the instructors themselves were fantastic: enthusiastic, which sometimes took a little getting used to, as their English occasionally had a Portuguese twist, haha. All in all, we had an amazing holiday and would go back in a heartbeat, maybe even as soon as next year!

Wow wow wow! I have no more words to say how fantastic I thought my trip in Portugal was: the location, the horses, the group, the instructors, the rooms, the food, the rides. Wow! Also very satisfied with the preparation of the trip: clear emails, being able to let all control go, good communication. I’m already thinking about another riding holiday with Outside the Corral!

I heard about Outside the Corral through friends, and from my very first contact with Laure-Anne, I knew I wanted to choose this organisation for my first riding holiday. Her enthusiasm, combined with the clear and thorough information she provided, immediately inspired confidence.

For my first trip, I chose Costa Brava: Coast & Hinterland, and it was clear that Outside the Corral had prepared us extremely well. We received excellent information about every aspect of the holiday. Laure-Anne was always available both before and during the trip, which was very reassuring. Even after the holiday, she took the time to listen to our feedback.

My first experience with Outside the Corral was fantastic, and I would happily recommend it to anyone. When I book my next riding holiday, it will definitely be with this organisation!

Laure-Anne from Outside the Corral paid attention to my holiday wishes from the very first moment. She took care of a proper preparation and literally took me on a journey to my holiday destination. During the entire stay in Spain, the horses and guests were well taken care of. We rode in a beautiful area with a diversity of scenery, from flat countryside, valleys to steep cliffs. We spent six to seven hours in the saddle per day and during the breaks we enjoyed delicious tapas and traditional local dishes. Lunches were lavish picnics, each day in a unique spot, in the middle of nature. Living so close to nature feels very exclusive. The experience of a Michelin restaurant can hardly compete with this. ;-) The composition of the group was amazingly good. Our group consisted of ladies, various age groups, and we interacted in a casual way. The holiday exceeded my expectations. It was truly fantastic and can highly recommend it!