Italy - Umbrian Adventure and Trails

Please Note: The opinions expressed in these reviews are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unicorn Trails Ltd. These reviews are "directly from the horses mouth" and unedited. Unicorn Trails may make additional comments for clarification clearly identified in red.

Review received from MC of Dublin 16, Ireland on 30/09/2024

There are several different riding programmes available as well as 2 exciting trails which give riders a chance to experience the best of both worlds - exploring local villages and ancient ruins further afield while enjoying the friendly riding centre and all it has to offer back 'at base'. Please advise which you would like when booking.

Programme 1 - Umbrian Adventure for Experienced Riders
This programme is available for experienced riders on set dates. These programmes showcase the very best of glorious Umbria, from its rolling hills and stunning vistas to, of course, its gastronomic cuisine. The week's itinerary starts at a leisurely pace with a half-day ride passing through chestnut groves, picturesque villages and an old chapel.
The more serious riding begins the next day with a full day trail through woodland and alpine meadows and, as the week progresses, riders will find themselves alternating between long and short rides riding in various paces according to the terrain and feel of the group.
In warmer months and at full (or nearly full) moon it may be possible to replace a full day ride with a memorable Night Ride up onto the mountain of Monte Acetella. Riders are met by the stables' jeep and served a camp-fire supper as they scan the skies for shooting stars. The return leg of the journey takes place by the light of the moon.
Lessons in flatwork or show jumping can be substituted for trail riding where one hour of lessons is equivalent to 2 hours of trail riding.

Programme 2 - Umbrian Adventure for Beginner Riders
This programme is available for beginner riders on set dates.
The week involves walking and some trotting and less time in the saddle than the experienced programme above, though it does build up to two full day rides and one that is slightly shorter.
It is suitable for guests who are relatively new to riding, including beginners, and the pace can be adapted according to ability. In warmer months at full (or nearly full) moon it may be possible to replace a full day ride with a memorable Night Ride up onto the mountain of Monte Acetella. Riders are met by the stables' jeep, and served a camp-fire supper as they scan the skies for shooting stars. The return leg of the journey takes place by the light of the moon.
Lessons can be substituted for trail riding with about one hour of lesson time being equivalent to 2 hours of trails riding.

Other activities: Fancy a half day white water rafting experience? Available on all riding holidays as an alternative to a half-day ride at an extra cost (please enquire):  The stables will transport you for a supplement to enjoy a fun descent on the beautiful River Corno. Each boat is manned by expert guides and this activity is suitable for all ages, from 5 to 75, as it is safe and relatively gentle rafting (though exciting enough to feel you have done something adventurous!). Wet suits, lifejackets and helmets are provided but bring along a towel and swimming costume.

Special day ride: In the summer months, the hosts may offer to take guests to Castelluccio di Norcia for a truly unforgettable day ride. This is a suspended mountain plateau in one of Italy’s loveliest national parks about one hour’s drive away. You will visit and ride through lakes where there are wild horses and foals, and riders can canter over the spectacular mountain plain, which is covered with wild orchids and narcissi. Horses are taken by horsebox and guests by jeep. Supplement payable locally

Night Rides: In the summer months night rides are also an option which avoids riding in the heat of the day and gives a whole different experience of Umbria!

Wine tasting: Guests who are interested will be taken to a local enoteca for a memorable session tasting Umbrian wines and sampling the excellent local olive oil on bruschetta. Supplement payable locally if guests don't have their own car.

Swimming pool: A brand new swimming pool is available to the guests, with spectacular views over the hills and valley. Hot tub area incurs a small fee.

The Bevilacqua family also run the following programmes:
Show Jumping Combo - Enjoy lessons taught by the Centre's main instructor Andrea Bevilacqua, a trained FISE instructors with years of experience teaching show jumping and dressage. In addition to the invaluable lessons you will also have the chance to ride out and explore the beautiful surrounding countryside. Beginners and novice riders can also receive lessons appropriate to their level as can children, and dressage tuition is also available.
Umbrian Short Break in the Saddle - This is a 4-night package with riding on 3 days; ideal for a quick getaway to sunny Umbria or for adding onto a trip to Rome perhaps. Experience unspoilt Umbria on beautiful horses whilst being treated as one of the family, this is such a welcoming break.

Children:
Please enquire if you have younger children who would like to ride, but please note that children under 14 are not allowed, by Italian law, to hack out on tracks. They can, however, ride on-site, with lessons and pony games.

Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

There are 65 horses of all types available at the stable. They are, without exception, in excellent condition and well schooled. Anglo-Arabs, Maremanni (a sturdy local breed), Thoroughbreds and Argentinians are the main breeds. They vary in size from 13.2-16.2 hh. All are shod and several are trained in neck reining. There is a variety of tack from English saddles, trekking saddles (large comfortable Western-style saddles), western and endurance saddles.

The temperament of the horses varies from docile schoolmasters to suit novices, to more lively rides for experienced riders. All are very sure footed in the steep terrain and, although roadwork is minimal, totally traffic proof. Horses will be prepared, saddled and cared for by the grooms and guides, but the spirit is friendly and informal and anyone wanting to help will be very welcome. Riders are provided with saddle bags for essential items such as water for en-route necessities.

A wide range of riding hats suitable for children and adults are available on site, and it is compulsory for all riders to wear one. Body protectors are compulsory for jumping lessons and for riders under 18-years-old and can be borrowed from the centre.

Riders of all levels are catered for with an appropriate mix of tuition and riding out so there is no previous experience necessary.
There are frequent opportunities to trot and canter for experienced riders as well as jumping in classes.
There is no minimum age for arena riding. There is a minimum age of 14 for the riding out programme. Please enquire if you have younger children who would like to ride, but please note that children under 14 are not allowed, by Italian law, to hack out on tracks. They can, however, ride on-site, with lessons and pony games. Not suitable for non-riders.
Maximum rider weight 100kg. Minimum rider age 14 yrs.

The weight limit for this ride is 220 lb/100 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

All accommodation is in self-contained apartments or comfortable en-suite bedrooms at the riding centre. These are attractively built in traditional Umbrian style and equipped and furnished to a high standard. Accommodation is a mix of twin and double bedrooms, all en-suite, some with living rooms (with large comfortable sofa bed and kitchen areas. Sofa beds are seldom used for guests unless it is for a family with children, OR 2 people sharing (so no single supplement), who opt to have: 1 double bedroom + 1 living room with sofa bed + 1 bathroom, accessible by both rooms. But in those cases, we always check that the guests are happy with this arrangement before they book. Rooms are not cleaned during your stay, but you may request clean towels etc within reason.

Next door to the accommodation is the club house with a dining room. From the club house there are views over the riding arenas as well as spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. The attractive outdoor patio and seating area has similarly vast views over the surrounding countryside. The swimming pool offers spectacular views over the surrounding hills and valleys.

All meals are catered by a local trattoria at the end of the road (about 700 m away from the riding centre). It is a family run trattoria with excellent home cooking, including a wood-fired pizza oven. Guests are taken there and back by car if they do not wish to walk, although many enjoy the stroll.

Vegetarian or other dietary requirements within reason can be accommodated with advance notice. Please contact Unicorn Trails with requests before booking.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documentation in place for your trip. NB: Be sure to check the COVID status of the country you plan to visit including entry procedures and requirements while travelling. Passport and Visa requirements can change from year to year depending on diplomatic relations. Please request information from the appropriate Consulate in your home country. Unicorn Trails will assist with any questions you have or supply any necessary supporting documents as required by the consulate should you need a visa. In the UK the British Foreign Office gives advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy In the US: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html In Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy

Another useful resource is Sherpa - this summarises any travel and vaccination requirements based on when you are travelling simply by entering your home country followed by your destination country: https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions

This beautiful and unspoilt corner of Umbria has something to offer all year round, though January and February can sometimes be too cold and icy for safe riding.

Spring (mid March onwards) is a lovely time, with wild asparagus on the hillsides. May and June are particularly good months, as the wild flowers are in full bloom and temperatures have not become too hot. For the same reason, September, and early October are good choices.

In July and August, unlike many other regions of Italy, the temperature is not excessive in this part of Umbria. The high altitude means the heat is never unbearable and the riding is tailored to allow longer lunch stops, avoiding the hottest part of the day.

This is a mountain setting, so in late Autumn (November/December), temperatures do fall, but this period can produce some very good riding weather with the added bonus of the roast chestnuts for which this region is famous, new wine (mid-November) and new olive oil (early December).

COVID: Be sure to check the latest COVID regulations for travelling in any country you visit.

Please refer to your country’s latest health guideline for travel in Italy and contact your own GP for up to date advice on vaccinations and prophylaxis prior to travel.

Please take along sun cream and anti-allergy medicine for possible insect bites

In Italy the supply voltage is 230V. If the appliance is a single voltage rated appliance, it will need to operate at the same voltage as the supply voltage of the country i.e. 230V. If this is not the case it should be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly.

Mobile phones, tablets and digital cameras can be charged in your accommodation. If using a GoPro please ensure you have the permission of the group to be filmed.

Pack as you usually would for a holiday, for e.g. sunglasses, toiletries and then these are your Horse Riding holiday essentials. If you are unsure, please speak with your Travel Consultant:
ESSENTIALS FOR ALL RIDING HOLIDAYS
Riding helmet – complying with current EU & British standards – (some locations, mostly in the EU, can provide them but if possible bring your own for comfort and correct fit)
Riding boots designed for riding and walking
Chaps
At least 2 pairs of riding trousers – jodhpur’s/breeches are best for anything, except western riding (Jeans)
Long sleeved shirts
Lightweight waterproof jacket
Water bottle
Mobile phone (chargers etc)
Refillable Water Bottle - it's very important to drink a lot of water when it's hot, especially when doing physical activities
Torch
Binoculars
Copy of passport
Wearing a waist pouch is a handy method for keeping items such as camera and lip-balm readily accessible.

Riding hats are compulsory.

There are daily rides from the base. Three days are day-long rides and three are a morning or afternoon ride. The programme is very flexible and can be tailor-made to suit the requirements of individual participants. Novices go on shorter trails with only walking and trotting, usually meeting the experienced riders for lunch.

A typical day-long ride takes riders through chestnut groves and open countryside, to the now uninhabited Monastery of Battiferro. This lovely ride, which passes through breathtaking scenery, involves 5-6 hours in the saddle with a break for lunch in a peaceful glade. Other rest breaks will be worked into the ride if necessary, or if weather is hot. Total distance covered around 35 kms.

For children who cannot go on the trail rides there are lessons and pony games on offer with the instructors (approx 2 hours a day). Children can then be driven to the day's lunch spot to join their parents/older siblings for lunch. The pony games form an important part of each lesson.

The terrain is varied, passing through woodland trails, and open meadows, with a small amount of roadwork on quiet country roads with little traffic. Some parts are steep and may involve riders dismounting to lead their horses for a few hundred yards. Qualified English speaking guides are always on hand to help dismount and remount. One guide to every 5-6 riders. Max number of riders in group: 10.

If you choose tuition this will take place in one of two large outdoor arenas will all necessary facilities. All instructors have Federazione Italiana Sport Equestre (FISE) qualifications. This roughly translates as the BHS instructor qualifications. Please see the Show Jumping and Dressage Combo webpage on our website.

In summer, night rides are organised, along tracks and trails lit only by the full moon, where riders are met with a supper of grilled meats and local wine, as they scan the mountain skies for shooting stars.

2025: 12 Apr; 3, 17 (Full), 31 May; 23 Aug*; 6 (Full), 20 Sept; 4 (Full) Oct
(*Denotes High Season)

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 Chickens Eat Pasta', written by Clare Pedrick the English speaking guide and host on this ride. 

A valley in Italy: confessions of a house addict - Lisa St Aubyn de Teram 

A Room With A View - E.M Forster

A Traveller in Italy - HV Morton

The Italian Tradition of Equestrian Art - Giovanni Tomassini

Privileged Horses. The Italian Renaissance Court Stable - Sarah Duncan

For the equestrian traveller who would like to see what is possible on horseback visit  www.thelongridersguild.com 

A fantastic place to acquire your equestrian travel books is www.horsetravelbooks.com

The riding stables are situated in some of the most spectacular countryside to be found anywhere in Italy.
Set up on a plateau overlooking the mountains and valleys around Spoleto, the scenery is stunning, with varied landscapes ranging from craggy rocks and peaks to soft rolling hills and cool and quiet woodland, home to porcupines, woodpeckers and wild boar.

Italy forms a peninsula in Southern Europe extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, Elba and about 70 other smaller islands. It is mostly mountainous, though between the Apennines (which form the spine of Italy) and the eastern coastline there are the fertile plains of Emilia-Romagna in the north and of Puglia in the south. The Alps in the north divide Italy from France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia.

The Roman Empire was once the most powerful in the world, covering Europe and extending into modern day Asia. Their horsemanship skills second only to the Mongols further east. The incredible sophistication of Roman culture still leaves its mark across Europe and has been the foundation for countless artistic movements, including the Renaissance, through cities such as Florence and the medieval university city of Bologna.

Italians are understandably proud of their heritage and are renowned as people of great taste and as having an eye for the aesthetic. Their architecture and fashion leave most of the world in their shadow, appearance is very important to them and the majority of Italians will never leave the house without ensuring they are impeccably and elegantly attired.

Italian food, from pizza to pasta, has been adopted by the rest of the world but you will never taste a better pizza anywhere else. As with the rest of mainland Europe meals are eaten late with plenty of wine and preferably al fresco.

Italy is one hour ahead of GMT and they use the metric weights and measures system, so kilometres and kilograms instead of miles and pounds. (There is approximately 1.6 kilometres in a mile and 2.2 pounds in a kilogram).

The international dialling code is +39.

Important information regarding rail travel:
Visitors are often caught unawares by train and transport systems requiring validation. Tickets bought in Italy for Regionale and Regionale Veloce trains are not marked for any particular time or train and become valid only when time-stamped at a validation machine. Without this validation, train operators assume the rider is trying to fare dodge, since the ticket could be reused. So validation is absolutely essential before boarding, and there are small boxes in the station or near the platform. After being time-stamped, the ticket is valid for the amount of time shown on the ticket.