Dalmatian Hinterland

Horses & Riding

Tack

English

Horses

Mixed breeds inc. Thoroughbred, Lippizaner, Croatian Warmblood, Arab and Holsteiner as well as some crosses. Many of the horses are rescues that are rehabilitated for the trails.

Riding

There is 1 itinerary:

• Zagora Explorer is a based ride

Ages

16+ (riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult of 18 or over).

Health

Good health and fitness recommended.

Weight

90kg / 198lbs / 14 stone 2 lbs

Food & Accommodation

Food

All meals are included in the programmes and much of the produce is homegrown with a focus on Dalmatian specialities. Many of the fruits and vegetables come from their own garden and meat is locally-sourced, plus they produce their own wine. Your host's mother does a lot of the cooking and guests are welcome to see how the traditional meals are prepared.

Breakfast at the ranch usually includes fresh bread, eggs, cheese, ham/salami, jam, seasonal fruit, tea and coffee. Lunch may be eaten in the countryside during your riding day and is generally a traditional Dalmatian dish (fish or meat and vegetables) or perhaps cooked on a fire. Dinner is eaten back at the ranch and is another authentic Croatian meal.

One drink is included with each meal (juice, wine, beer, tea, coffee, milk or water). Different diets such as vegetarian and gluten-free can be catered for with prior notice - please inform us.

Accommodation

Accommodation is in five guest rooms on the ranch - there is one room with a double bed, one room with one double bed and a single bed, two rooms which have two separate single beds (ie. they are twin rooms) and one room which has only a single bed - this last room is available to solo travellers at no extra cost. All rooms have an en-suite shower room.

The ranch has an above ground swimming pool for use in the summer months and there is also free WiFi.

Please note: you will find that the locals and other guests smoke heavily in Croatia, even inside.

Itineraries

Zagora Explorer Standard accommodation.

Other Activities

The surrounding area is quite interesting for those who like history. Split itself features many nice sightseeing opportunities, such as Diocletian's Palace which is one of the world's most amazing Roman ruins. Trogir is also a beautiful place to visit, under UNESCO protection.

Travel

Split airport transfers can be organised for you through a private taxi company, at an additional cost. Taxis are available for up to 4 passengers with moderate amounts of luggage. If you are more than 4 people or have extra luggage to carry, then 2 cars may be needed.

Group pick-up will be as follows;
On arrival day all guests will be collected after 2 pm (later transfers can be organised if needed).
On departure, you can expect to be back at Split airport by 10 am (unless you have an early departing flight).

Those with very late flights may prefer to head into Split city or spend some time in Trogir (roughly 20 minutes from the airport). We can provide details about public transport options and ideas for things to see and do while you wait.

Testimonials

Lorraine G., Oct. 18, 2023

Fantastic in everything. The hospitality, the silence, the views...

Laurien B., Oct. 17, 2023

Liked it, lovely horses, friendly atmosphere. Long and fast canters, big smile on my face!! Yes, both accommodation and food were basic but nice and good enough for me. Drinks were all offered. Very friendly.

Niki D., July 12, 2022

I loved every moment and wouldn’t have changed a thing. I found it to be exciting each day, The nature was incredible, the horses were wonderful, the team were wonderful in every way. I feel like I have made friends for life. It was a delight to experience traditional Croatian food each day and to enjoy it with such warm and welcoming people. The accommodation was clear, quiet, comfortable and offered all that I needed during my stay. All of the horses that I rode were very well behaved, they had great
personalities and they were very well looked after. The tack was all perfectly adequate and I was a huge fan of the saddle packs - super handy for taking out bottles of water etc.

Celia, June 29, 2022

Fantastic riding - fast and engaging - wonderful hospitality and beautiful countryside & scenery. A really enjoyable trip! The food was some of the best I've had anywhere in the world and the accommodation was great too.

Ali, June 29, 2022

Fantastic riding in unspoilt countryside. Exhilarating canters and gallops on lovely forward-going horses. Food is amazing. Stipe's mum is a very good cook. Stipe looked after us well, nothing was too much trouble. Really lovely place to go.

Lauren P., Oct. 5, 2021

Great riding in a beautiful part of the world, with an almost ‘undiscovered’ feeling as it receives much less tourism than Split. Really lovely horses who are forward but sensible, a very relaxing week and a great first riding holiday as the riding is not too challenging.

Alexandria S., May 1, 2019

Absolutely brilliant riding; long mornings in the saddle getting up some speed and exploring areas of untouched Dalmatia (true Croatian country-life), with steadier afternoons as the shadows draw out and the sun gets low. Nothing was too much trouble for our kind host and his family who took care of guests with such fondness and ensured we felt part of the family.

Agata & Matt, Sept. 8, 2018

We just wanted to touch base with you regarding our stay with Stipe at the Dalmatian Hinterland ranch. Basically it was fantastic! The stay was by far the highlight of our European holiday. The country side was stunning the horses and animals at the farm were all beautiful and the hospitality was incredible. Stipe himself was an absolute legend and accommodated our every need, not only that, we actually found a great and hilarious friend in him! His mother and father cooked the best food, we just ate and laughed nonstop, hung out with animals and went riding. We also stayed with Stipes family friends, the Lesckuris who were beyond friendly, we tasted their home made honey, truffles, grappa and every other food item they grow themselves. Fascinating people! At night we even went out to see a concert of traditional folklore dancing from Croatia and surrounding countries. Horse riding was always great, there’s a horse to accommodate every kind of rider and each trail is as breathtaking as the next. Gallop, canter, walk, what ever we wanted every day. Our only regret was the state of our fitness level, Matt and I still can’t feel our legs a week later, haha! Still, we can’t wait to return!!!

Alison B., July 3, 2018

The holiday was very good. The riding was so good as such a good mix of paces, lovely horses and amazing countryside. The food was the best I've had on a riding holiday. The food was extremely fresh, the cherries amazing, very good. The rooms were lovely too. I had a gentle horse, she did everything I asked and she cantered/galloped just like my pony. We were both happy and the tack was comfortable. Stipe was very good, knew his rides.

Glayne S., July 13, 2017

It was great! horses were fantastic, the weather was great, accommodation lovely. (favourite memory?) Galloping through the flowers then coming back and showering my horse. (Were you happy with your horse?) Very much so! (Accommodation and food?) Yes - excellent!

Diana H., May 16, 2017

Fantastic holiday - the only fault was that I'd booked just the one week, not two! Stipe is a great host and an excellent guide. He really loves this part of Croatia and it shows. He also has a great sense of humour! And he takes very good care of his horses. My horse was Lana, a grey mare with a lovely, kind temperament who seemed to really enjoy her work. My room was spotless, airy and very comfortable. Stipe's mother cooked all the meals and what a superb cook she is! Everything she made was delicious.