Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

The tack room

Anyone been on a FREE REIN riding holiday?

17 replies

ooobee · 14/01/2013 10:09

Thinking of booking one......anyone been?

OP posts:

Report

horseylady · 14/01/2013 10:56

Yes superb!!!

Report

ooobee · 14/01/2013 11:11

Great it gets really good reviews on TripAdvisor. I'm just a bit put off by the price.....

What are the horses like?

OP posts:

Report

pipsy76 · 14/01/2013 17:48

Yes for our honeymoon it was fab

Report

horseylady · 14/01/2013 18:16

Lovely. They do their job and seem to love it. They have avert strict selection criteria. Views are stunning and the rides good and the instructions very well written. Yes they are very pricey but you are given free rein of their horses!!

Report

kittykarate · 15/01/2013 16:56

Me! I went on a back to the trail course, I had a great time. Yes, it was expensive but the pony was lovely, the tack in impeccable condition and the leaders (I didn't self guide) were good.

Report

pipsy76 · 15/01/2013 20:45

I actually returned the first horse I was given, he got slower and slower during the first day and was continually head shaking. They turned up with a lovely mare in a lorry the next morning and she was fantastic as was DH horse.

I think flies or sweet itch may have been a problem for the first horse but there were no problems exchanging him.

Report

southchinasea · 28/03/2015 08:32

I've booked an onto the trail riding weekend with free rein, which is a 3 day trek with instruction as you go along. Am a returning rider, having ridden as a child, and had weekly private lessons over the last few months. Really looking forward to getting out in the Welsh countryside and to getting to look after the horse as well as ride! Can anyone tell me more about the hols and especially what to take/ wear? Many thanks.

Report

kittykarate · 30/03/2015 13:15

The big problem for me was that while I was comfy riding for an hour at a time, it definitely took it out of me riding for 4 hours or more a day. Nappy rash cream for any unfortunate chafing. Spare jodhpurs in case you get rained on and they haven't dried out overnight. Lightweight waterproof jacket, layers of clothing in case the weather gets colder. Sunblock in case you're really lucky with the weather. Comfy knickers and easy wearing clothes for the evenings.

It's a long while since I was on the holiday, but the days pretty much went breakfast, pack your belongings if you had to move hotels, go collect and groom your horse, tack up. Ride out for a couple of hours. Stop for lunch, either packup or pub. Ride some more to get to next B&B. Park your horse in the field they arranged, feed, groom, make a big fuss. Get to B&B/Hotel/Pub. Lie in bath and go aaaaaaah.

Report

southchinasea · 08/04/2015 17:14

Thank you, that's really helpful. Just packed my waterproofs and have long boots with grip that I can walk and ride in. Very excited and looking forward to meeting my horse for the weekend!

Report

toffeecrisp1980 · 09/04/2015 12:42

Southchina please report back I'd love to hear howit goes. Been thinking of booking a FreeRein holiday for ages now but keep getting put off by price....
Also think I am a bit more advanced that the holiday for people just getting back into riding but I'm not very confident....
Have fun and please report back

Report

southchinasea · 13/04/2015 20:41

Hi toffee crisp, yes it was great, I would highly recommend them. The horses were absolutely gorgeous, eager and happy to keep going all day, and really sensible too. It was lovely catching, feeding and grooming the horses in the morning and putting them out in their field at night. The riding was great, almost all through remote hillfarming countryside, occasional v quiet lanes at the end of the day. In our group we'd all done a little bit before but lacked confidence with cantering and generally riding out of an arena in a lesson. It must vary from group to group, you could have complete beginners. The guide was v relaxed and encouraging and had us doing loads more than we thought we would within the first morning. All in all really enjoyable and felt like a much longer holiday and a complete break. I'll be going back to my lessons loads more comfortable on a horse. And most of the group had booked to go again later in the year before leaving the stables!!

Report

toffeecrisp1980 · 18/04/2015 11:09

Glad you had a great time.
Really want to book, better get saving!

Report

smerlin · 17/09/2016 14:41

I know this an old post but is the most recent one I can find on Free Rein. I am going on my first trail with them soon but am not sure which boots would be appropriate. They specify boots with grip so I will have to buy some as my jodh boots are smooth soled. Am just a bit worried as they say hiking boots would be ok but surely those wouldn't fit in the stirrups?

Report

Tropicana1980 · 19/09/2016 12:24

I'm going on my first Freerein adventure in October! Can't wait!

I have long riding boots but they have soles with grip rather than smooth soles so I'll wear those. I'm not planning on buying hiking boots.

I think they just want you to wear footwear that you wouldn't slip over in, eg if you had to get off and lead your horse down a wet slippery slope. So show boots with smooth soles wouldn't be suitable but 'country boots' such as Ariat Windermere or Dubarry type boots should be fine. That's my understanding.

You could always phone them and double check.

When are you going? Which trail?

Report

smerlin · 26/02/2017 08:16

For anyone else looking at Free Rein- I did the two day guided trail and it was great- going back to do three days later this year!

Report

Spudlet · 26/02/2017 08:20

I have, it was amazing! But I second the earlier comment about getting into training. I was riding four days a week for a couple of hours so I thought I was fit enough, but I was walking like John Wayne after day one Definitely worth investing in a seat saver, and some Radox!