My horse riding holiday at the horse riding centre Il Paretaio, in Tuscany

I already miss Il Paretaio!!!!!

Posted by Jaruwan Taylor on Sunday 04 January 2015 in Guestbook

Where do I begin?:-) I learned about Il Paretaio through Trip Advisor. So many happy returning riders! During my first visit to Italy, I wanted to ride in Tuscany. So I signed up for a weeklong visit in late November of 2014. My visit was amazing! I made fast friends with two lovely women from Nova Scotia. After enlightening morning lessons, I tagged along with them on driving adventures to San Gimignano, Siena, and Volterra. Other afternoons were spent learning something new in a lesson or on a lunge line. I never heard of Merens ponies until I came here. I had the good fortune of having one horse exclusively - the lovely Ivoir. He was the best teacher, in addition to my instructors, Emily and Natalie. All of the horses are extremely well cared for and many are super affectionate. Bette loves to cuddle and she enjoys massages. I heard Shiraz was a grump, but we got along. She even posed for me! I could go on and on about the horses, but I just say - pay them a visit! You certainly will not regret your time here! I haven\'t even mentioned the food! The dinners are unbelievable - so much yummy goodness. There are several courses. My warning to you - pace yourself because you will be stuffed by the end of the evening! Cristina\'s 86 year old mother made handmade lasagna for us one evening. She used the same pasta machine her father used in the 1900s I believe. As a foodie, I am forever spoiled by the food here! I\'ve been traveling all over Italy; and I\'ve been to Madrid, Paris, and Bruges. Hands down - Il Paretaio has the BEST food. Lunch and breakfast aren\'t bad either. And the desserts are so yummy! Well I missed Il Paretaio so much that I came back on January 1st, 2015 - exactly one month from leaving after my first visit! Everyone here is awesome. The positive energy at this magical place is something else. I can\'t describe the feeling really. Good people, wonderful instruction, loved horses, fantastic food and so forth! I\'m already planning a reunion in the fall with one of the Nova Scotia women. ;-)