Freerein Riding Holidays

My wife and I had a great 6 day self guided ride with Freerein. We had an amazing time. Our horses were Alfie and Ziggy, they were well behaved, willing and a joy to ride. The ride was well set up, directions were clear and the accommodations were lovely. We hope to go back again soon.

We went on the Border to Coast Mountain Trail in September 2018. It was a wet, windy, week. Would we recommend it? Yes. Absolutely. Is this holiday for you? One of us was a fairly accomplished rider. The other had been on two, one week riding holidays with perhaps five riding lessons in addition. Both of us had a fantastic holiday. You should be able to canter confidently over rough grassy terrain and trot up and down hills on a variety of terrains or you will not be able to enjoy this trip. But in our opinion, you need no more than this. Free-rein have gained a reputation as one of the best companies for this sort of holiday in the UK. The organisation is super-slick. Don't be late for anything. Free-rein will be there, organised and waiting. Spot on time. All horses were superb. All in excellent condition and selected to do their job perfectly. Time and attention was put into matching riders and horses. Don't worry about them. They are honest and hard working and will not disappoint. They are well looked after and you can tell the love and appreciation of these animals from the first moment on the yard. All tack and other necessary equipment was of the finest quality. The saddles were high quality and fairly new. The saddle bags and luggage for our trip were custom made for Free-rein, which says a lot! Our guide (Katie) was the best we could hope for. She tailored the riding to suit all the group and she had a real appreciation of the route and potential problems. Inevitably, on a week long tour, things happen. In our case, rivers were too full to cross. Our guide realized this and adapted the route to reduce the risk, navigating a difficult alternative route. We were so impressed. Despite a range of riding abilities, all were catered for and the whole of our group left having had the holiday of a lifetime. Subsequently, I have learnt that considerable money and time goes into selection and training of the guides. This really matters and we were impressed by the outdoor skills shown. The way Free-rein arrange their holidays, accommodation is in inns and guest-houses along the way. It is fair to say that the quality of these varied. This is little to do with Free-rein and more to do with the remote country which you have the privilege to ride through. Much of the accommodation and catering is excellent. That which isn't is hardly down to Free-rein and can be approached with a sense of humour and all will be well. It's all better than camping! If you like horse riding and can canter confidently, book this holiday now! Free-rein is a first class organisation and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Lovely holiday, did a self guided three day trail which was brilliant fun. Well organised with lovely horses

Very unorganised. Overpriced branded equipment they used wasn't great the bags for carrying water and food for the hack were small considering you're on 6 hours hacks. One of the women there wasn't very nice in particular. Won't be coming back.

I cannot recommend this experience enough. We've just returned from our 3 day self-guided trail and I loved it so much. The horses were perfectly matched to each of us and the views were breathtaking. I was riding Penny who I am missing a lot now I am home, she was an absolute gem. Everywhere we stayed was lovely, friendly and clean. We really felt looked after and we will definitely be back! We were five very experienced riders and it was perfect for us. Thank you Freerein!

Absolutely incredible few days we spent on a self guided tour round the Black Mountains. Definitely one of the most memorable holidays we've had for a very long time. The horses are all gorgeous, forward going, happy and very well cared for, loved (and loving!) beasts.
Not for the faint hearted, though! This is serious riding and if you're self guided, you will need to be pretty good at orienteering! If you don't want to do the latter, take one of their wonderful, friendly guides :)
The countryside is glorious. Both the Roast Ox Inn and the Old Mill Guest House were amazing, and the food at the Felin Fach Griffin superb.
We are already looking at dates for our next holiday with Free Rein. Thank you!!!

This was one of the best holidays of my life. The guide was amazing: experienced, welcoming, made us feel safe throughout. The admin team did a great job at organising the trip: everything went smoothly and they catered brilliantly for my dietary requirements. We stayed at lovely local B&Bs with fabulous hosts.
The horses are fantastic: they know the trail and are very well behaved.
The scenery is awe-inspiring and relaxing. I came back home feeling whole!
Whether you are an experienced rider or thinking of starting, this is the place to go.

I have been riding with Freerein for several years and the experience is always wonderful. The organisation is meticulous and friendly, the horses the perfect combination of safe and forward going and the trails spectacularly beautiful. The accommodation on the trails is welcoming.