Cheap Horse Riding in Tuscany

Do you ever dream about going on a horse riding holiday in Tuscany ? Cantering across open fields, stopping to sample the ware of a local vineyard, olive groves and cypress trees stretching as far as the eye can see, passing through untouched medieval towns....The dream is one shared by many, but alas only enjoyed by the lucky few. Italy is an expensive country, horse riding an expensive sport. Such horse riding holidays cost in the region of ___1200 for a 5 night half board break! Not inlcuding your flights or transfers.

I myself had the same, expensive dream. I have a passion for horses and for the amazing countryside of Tuscany. If you want to ride horses in Tuscany, and want to save some money on the traditional methods of taking one of these holidays, read on and I'll explain some of the ways you too can ride your horse riding holiday dream without it costing you the earth.

Ok, the most obvious way is of course to either go to a specialist horse riding holiday centre in Tuscany 'out of season' or grab a last minute bargain. However, the truth is this will still set you back around ___800 for about 5 nights accommodation half board. They are also usually in the midde of nowhere (of course!) and so you will also need to hire a car to get there and to go exploring further afield. Winters in Tuscany are cold and wet, so there is a good chance that unless the riding centre has an indoor school (which most don't due to the building regulation laws) you will either be riding out in the rain, or in severe weather your riding will be cancelled altogether. You are not usually offered a refund for any missed rides due to the weather, but of course individual riding holiday centres have their own policies so check first. Plus one of the joys of Tuscany - riding through all that greenery with the sun beating down, will not be available to you.

Then, there are many agriturismi in Tuscany that usually offer self catering or bed and breakfast style holiday accommodation. Depending on the area and the facilities offered the price of these range tremendously. Agriturismi were once working farms that have since received government funding to transform into holiday accommodation for the tourist trade. Many will either have their own horses or be close to horse riding centres where you can pay for lessons, ride outs, or even possibly just hire a horse and go out riding yourself. If you shop around,this option can certainly reduce some of the costs, but again you will need to hire a car to get around, plus it takes a little organising. The owners of these small establishments may not speak English very well, so it's best of you learn a little Italian first incase of any misunderstandings!

You could also stay in one of Tuscany's many beautiful and amazing cities, such as Florence, Siena or Pisa. By far the most popular of these is Florence and as such you can easily grab yourself some bargain holiday accommodation. With prices in Florence ranging from less than ___10 per night per person for a bed in a hostel, to a few hundred for a nice apartment for the week, there is something to suit everybody. Once there, just pop to the tourist information centre where they will have phone numbers of horse riding centres that do ride outs and lessons for tourists. Or go online and see what is available. You will usually have to arrange your own transportation there, but in Florence there is a car hire company that rents by the hour, or it maybe cheaper to take a taxi. Make sure if you take a taxi you arrange the return price before you set off!

There are also many hotels, B&B's, guesthouses and such in Florence that will gladly arrange horse riding activities for you while you're holidaying with them. Sometimes they will take a commission from the company, so be sure what they're offering you is what you really want before you sign up. Again, you may have to arrange your own transportation.

Lastly, you could just do what I did and take a job in Tuscany riding horses! Ok, so the hours are long, the scorching summers horrific to work in and the pay low, but at least you're getting paid to do something that other people only ever dream about!

That's all for now, and if you can find a cheaper way to ride horses in Tuscany, let me know! Buon viaggio!