From Trip Advisor:

“FANTASTIC-AMAZING-WOW WEEKEND”
sunshineaftertherain
Northants
8 Aug 2008

I was at Off Piste Riding at the end of June (Fri-Sun) with my sister and best friend and I have to say it was not long enough for us. Arrived too early on the Friday and slightly lost nearby but was rescued with super speed by Dave who reduced us to fits of laughter in seconds with his humour. Longham Farm is stunning from the minute you roll up the long drive. We all sat chatting with Dave in the wooden gazebo on the decked area where his knowledge of horses and the countryside around us poured out. Their home which they warmly welcomed us into is breathtaking, and both Dave and his lovely wife Elly made us feel so comfortable with them and their home that it was easy to enjoy such wonderful surroundings. The weather was against us on the Friday but 'Liquid Sunshine' seemed to flow by the glass full.
My friend and I were up early on the Saturday and having left our own horses at home we were keen to keep busy and Jemmima who looks after all the horses was happy to let us get hands on mucking out and in the stables with the horses, fetching them in from the field etc.

After half a days riding nearby we had lunch back at the farm and the horses were loaded into the horsebox and off we went again for a long afternoon. The ride in the horsebox next to Dave was hillarious with his creamy Somerset accent and quick quips. It's also the first time I have ever seen horses load themselves (Yes they really do) one by one into the box.

The riding is the best riding I have ever done and the horses are truly lovely with great individual characters. Last year I rode in Jamaica but this beats riding in the Carribean a thousand times over. We had a ball, we hooned around the moors over the weekend under Daves guidance, went around the reservoir, galloped everwhere up and down dale, picked our way through narrow tracks, some of us jumped some logs and Dave hunted out some stags and we galloped along with these amazing animals. Dave took us to see the wild ponies with their foals the whole riding experience was a real buzz.. I have never seen such steep hills and been so fast down one side and back up the other crossing streams as you go. Elly joined us for some riding and you feel you have known this couple forever. After fantastic and exhilarating riding you are encouraged to relax in the hot tub (They have 3) and drinks are once more forthcoming and for us they were of the alcoholic variety.

Food was excellent all weekend and Elly can make a chocolate mouse to die for! Dave looks a darling in his pinny when cooking breakfast. Even though we have our own horses and ride all the time I would go back tommorow rain or shine to ride out with Dave and Elly.

PAMMILondon
LONDON
19 Nov 2007

“Best riding holiday ever”

This was not my first riding holiday but I'll be very hard pushed to find anywhere half as good. From the warm welcome, and Dave's unique hospitality, the cooking, the hot tub, fine wines, beautiful farmhouse and surroundings to the fantastic horses, all was perfect. Anyone would feel instantly at home.

The riding was first class (and slightly terrifying) you do need a certain level of experience, this is not nose to tail trekking. We charged over the moors and, my favourite, along the beach, stopping for a picnic prepared for us by the lovely Ellen. The horses are beautiful, well mannered and fast! They are obviously well cared for and loved dearly.

I went for a weekend on my own and there were two others staying there also, we all got on like a house on fire. If like me, you love horses, great food, wine and good company, beautiful surroundings and a bit of an adventure then you will not find a better experience than staying at the Linford's farm.

Allourexperiences
Alabama
3 Sep 2007

“ABSOLUTLEY WONDERFUL!!!! Worth every penny (or pence as they say)!!!!!”

First let me say that my husband and I love horses and love riding. While he is a very experienced rider, I am an amateur (at best). However, we continuously seek out unique riding experiences whenever we travel to various countries around the world. We do not like the traditional “touristy” riding where you basically play follow-the -leader with ten other guests while you go down the same path that every horse riding company in town uses. “Off Piste” truly gave us an experience of a life-time. NONE of our riding experiences, thus far, have even come close to the wonderful experience that we had this past weekend.

I will start with the horses...While I will not go into details about each specific horse (as you can read about them yourself on their website), I do want to mention that these are the most beautiful, well behaved horses that we have ever been around. On most of our other trips we had to constantly monitor the horses to make sure that they did not get too close to one another or that we did not walk behind them, etc. because they were temperamental and unpredictable. This was not the case with Longham Farm horses. We could actually relax and enjoy the ride. Upon arrival, we immediately realized that these horses are treated like their children and as a result the horses are just a joy to be around. My horse even nuzzled my arm as I walked by so that I would not forget to stop and pet her (and feed her an apple of course).

The Experience…I honestly don’t even know where to begin. We arrived on a Friday afternoon and were immediately greeted by Dave (one of the owners) with wine and nice conversation. We then were matched with a horse (based on our riding experience and preference) and went for an hour or so ride so we could get used to the horse and make any changes if needed. Friday night we had a WONDERFUL meal cooked by Dave’s wife, Ellen, who is actually going to be on television this week for her wonderful cooking skills and I can see why after tasting the meal that she prepared. It was delicious. The next morning we had a nice (equally as tasty) breakfast and then rode for about six hours (with a mid-morning break and a lunch break). During our ride were able to see lots of wildlife (Exmore ponies being my favorite…my husband preferred the Red Deer) and some of the most breathtaking scenery that I could ever imagine. I remember specifically telling my husband that “this is the stuff you only see in movies and think that it cannot possibly be real”. Without a doubt, we could have never seen any of this by car…only by horseback and only with a guide that really knows the area. Anyway, that night we returned to a nice Hot Tub (which was a true life saver let me tell you) and another wonderful meal. Sunday, we had a great breakfast and about the same amount of time riding, but it was a totally different route than what we took the day before so it was an experience in itself.

From the time we arrived until the time we left, the Linford’s and Jemima (stable manager) made us feel like we were at home. Since we are from the southern part of the United States, I can best describe it as what we call true “Southern Hospitality”. My husband and I were sad to leave but will be making another visit in the near future.