Horse holidays abroad · Italy
Horse Riding Holidays in Italy: Tuscany, Chianti and the Maremma
Horse riding holidays in Italy are mostly in Tuscany, as trails through the Maremma and Etruscan hills or rides from one farmhouse, on trips of 4 to 7 nights.
- Best monthsApr to Oct
- Level
Novice to experienced - Typical trip4 to 7 nights
- Price guide
Moderate to higher
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Italy involve?
- Best monthsApril to October; May and October for the Maremma cattle weeks
- Riding level
Confident at walk, trot and canter; some farm stays take beginners - Hours in the saddle2 to 7 hours a day
- Typical trip4 to 7 nights, with 3 to 6 riding days
- Weight limit88 to 100kg, depending on the ride
- Group sizeUp to 6 to 8 riders on most rides
- HorsesMaremmani, Haflingers, Appaloosas, Arabs, Quarter horses and native crosses
- TackWestern saddles on most rides; English saddles in Chianti
- AccommodationFarmhouses and agriturismo farm stays
- Price guide
Moderate to higher for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Italy like?
Horse riding in Italy is mostly in Tuscany, on a point-to-point trail between farm stays or on rides out from one farmhouse.
The Maremma
The Etruscan hills
Chianti
Central Tuscany
In the Maremma, the coastal country of southern Tuscany, you ride across uneven ground for 5 to 7 hours a day, and some weeks include days of cattle work.
The Etruscan trail runs inland from farm to farm, with 5 to 6 hours in the saddle each day, split between a long morning ride and a shorter one after lunch.
In the Chianti hills near Siena you ride out from an old farmhouse through vineyards and past castles, and the week includes wine tasting.
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Italy?
The best time to ride in Italy is spring and autumn, with most rides open from April to October and some from March to November.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
The Maremma weeks with the butteri run only in May and October. The Etruscan trail has departures from late May to September.
Your level
What riding level do you need for Italy?
You need to be confident at walk, trot and canter for the Tuscan trails, and a farm stay in central Tuscany also takes beginners.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You are happy to ride in a Western saddle
- You want food, wine and farm stays with your riding
- You want to try working cattle on horseback
It is not for you if
- You weigh more than 100kg
- You want to ride only in an English saddle
- You can only travel in July or August
The Maremma and Chianti weeks ask the most, with up to 7 hours a day and all-day rides across uneven ground. The weight limit is 100kg on the Maremma and Etruscan rides, 90kg in central Tuscany and 88kg in Chianti.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Italy?
The horses on Italian rides are a mix of Maremmani, Haflingers, Appaloosas, Arabs, Anglo Arabs and Quarter horses, chosen for sure feet on rough ground.
The Maremmano is the native horse of the Maremma, usually bay, brown, dark chestnut or black, and about 15hh to 15.3hh. It is known for being solid and for coping with bad weather and rough ground.
Most Tuscan rides use Western saddles, and in central Tuscany the horses neck rein on a loose contact. The Chianti rides use English tack, and a hard hat is compulsory.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in Italy?
You stay in farmhouses and agriturismo farm stays, mostly in double rooms, with Tuscan food and wine at the table.
On a trail you move between farm stays, and some rooms share a bathroom. In Chianti you stay in an eighteenth-century farmhouse, and in central Tuscany you can take a self-catering farm apartment.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in Italy cost?
A riding holiday in Italy is a moderate price for a short break, rising to a higher price, like most riding weeks, for a full trail week, before flights.
Central Tuscany farm break, Heart of Tuscany
Price guide
Moderate
Etruscan hills trekking trail
Price guide
Higher
Maremma cattle week with the butteri
Price guide
Higher
Maremma trail and cattle week
Price guide
Higher
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Italy?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Maremma cattle week with the butteri
Six riding days in the Maremma, working with the butteri to move cattle and foals, on Western saddles, in May and October.
Maremma trail and cattle week
A trail between a horse farm and rural farmhouses, with one day alongside the butteri, in groups of 3 to 8 riders.
Chianti castles and wine trail
All-day rides through the Chianti hills from an old farmhouse near Siena, in English tack, with wine tasting, from March to November.
Central Tuscany farm week
A farm between Florence, Siena and Pisa with Quarter horses and native crosses ridden Western, and self-catering apartments.
Only here
Can you ride with the butteri in the Maremma?
Yes, some Maremma weeks include one or more days working with the butteri, the mounted herdsmen of the region, and their Maremma cattle.
You help move cattle and foals across open grazing, riding in a Western saddle. The Maremmano is the traditional horse of the butteri, and they still carry a coiled rope at the saddle.
You need to be an intermediate to advanced rider, at ease at all three paces on uneven ground, and these weeks run only in May and October.
Common questions
Italy riding questions
Who are the butteri?
The butteri are the mounted cattle herders of the Maremma in southern Tuscany. They traditionally ride the Maremmano horse.
Do Italian riding holidays use Western saddles?
Most Tuscan rides do, including the Maremma and Etruscan trails. The Chianti rides use English tack.
What is the weight limit for riding in Italy?
Limits run from 88kg in Chianti to 100kg on the Maremma and Etruscan rides.
Can beginners go horse riding in Tuscany?
Yes, on a farm stay in central Tuscany, where short breaks take riders from beginner upwards. The trails ask for confidence at walk, trot and canter.
When do the Maremma butteri weeks run?
They run in May and October, on a small number of set dates.
How long is a riding day in Tuscany?
It runs from 2 hours on a short break to 7 hours on a Maremma week. Most trails split the day into a long morning ride and a shorter afternoon ride.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.