In the Saddle
In the Saddle is a UK-based travel agency founded in 1995 that curates and books personally inspected horse riding holidays worldwide across 33+ countries, serving individual equestrian travelers from beginners to Olympic-level riders through a commission-based sales-led model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersCleobury Mortimer, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What In the Saddle does
In the Saddle is a privately held UK-based travel agency founded in 1995, headquartered in Cleobury Mortimer, with 11-50 employees. The company specializes in curating and booking horse riding holidays worldwide, operating as a sales-led marketplace that connects individual riders with personally inspected riding holiday operators across 33 or more countries spanning Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America. Its core product is a booking platform offering eight holiday types (beach riding, centre-based, family, horseback safaris, instructional, expeditions, trail rides, and western/ranch rides) alongside individual ride products at specific destinations such as Kujwana Camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta, the Nile Explorer in Uganda, and Horizon Lodge in South Africa.
The business model is commission-based: In the Saddle earns revenue by booking customers with its network of vetted partner operators, with holiday packages priced from approximately £1,157 to £8,330 per person for 7 nights depending on destination and season. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the company website, phone (01299 272 997), and email ([email protected]), supplemented by overseas agents in Belgium, Denmark, Italy, and Norway. Marketing relies on content-driven channels including a blog, ride reports, customer reviews, SEO, and organic social media on Facebook and Instagram. The technology stack is conventional: a WordPress-based website with booking forms, no proprietary platform, no public API, and no third-party integrations.
The customer base is highly fragmented, comprised of individual equestrian travelers ranging from beginners to Olympic-level riders, with specific segments including families, solo travelers (approximately one third of clients), and luxury/experienced riders. Notable patrons include Olympic eventers Mary King, Lucinda Green, Mark Todd, and Tina Cook. The company differentiates through personal inspection of all properties, horse welfare standards, ability-matched horse-and-rider pairing, and ABTA-backed financial protection. Two-thirds of clients do not own their own horse, and one in five are over 60 years old, indicating a hobbyist rather than professional-rider core demographic.
In the Saddle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- In the Saddle
- Website
- https://inthesaddle.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- In the Saddle is a UK-based travel agency founded in 1995 that curates and books personally inspected horse riding holidays worldwide across 33+ countries, serving individual equestrian travelers from beginners to Olympic-level riders through a commission-based sales-led model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
In the Saddle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Equestrian Adventure Travel
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Equestrian & Horse Trekking Centers (THAAAKAL)
Keywords
Where In the Saddle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleobury Mortimer
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
In the Saddle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Holiday Package Bookings: The company acts as a travel agency, earning commissions by booking riding holidays with partner operators worldwide. Customers pay for complete holiday packages that include accommodation, meals, riding, and activities. Revenue is generated through markups or commissions on bookings made with their network of inspected riding holiday operators globally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Safari riding holidays in Africa |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | European riding holidays |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Americas and global destinations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
In the Saddle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
In The Saddle is a sales-led travel agency that curates and books horse riding holidays with partner operators worldwide. The company personally inspects every riding holiday before offering it, then sells complete holiday packages including accommodation, full board, riding, and activities to individual riders across 33+ countries spanning Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America. Revenue is earned through commissions/markups on bookings made with their vetted network of global operators.
Product overview
In The Saddle operates a travel booking marketplace for horse riding holidays worldwide. The core product is a booking platform that curates and sells riding holidays across multiple destinations (Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia, North America) and holiday types (Beach Riding, Centre Based, Family, Horseback Safaris, Instructional, Riding Expeditions, Trail Rides, Western Riding). Individual ride products include specific destinations like Kujwana Camp (Botswana), Nile Explorer (Uganda), Horizon Lodge (South Africa), and Wild Coast (South Africa). The platform provides booking services, itinerary planning, and customer support but does not appear to offer API access or third-party integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Riding Holidays Booking Platform A travel booking service that connects riders with personally inspected horse riding holidays worldwide, offering curated rides across Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America with booking, itinerary planning, and customer support.
- Horseback Safaris Safari experiences on horseback, primarily in African destinations, combining wildlife viewing with riding for adventure travelers seeking wildlife encounters.
- Beach Riding Holidays Riding holidays focused on beach destinations, allowing riders to explore coastal areas on horseback across global shoreline locations.
- Centre Based Rides Stay-at-one-location riding holidays where guests ride from a fixed base with daily trail options, suitable for riders preferring a single accommodation.
- Family Riding Holidays Riding holidays designed for families with activities and accommodations suitable for all ages and mixed riding abilities.
- Instructional Riding Holidays Riding holidays with formal instruction, suitable for riders wanting to improve their horsemanship and riding skills.
- Riding Expeditions Multi-day expedition rides through remote and unexplored regions with camping or lodge accommodations for experienced adventure riders.
- Trail Rides Guided trail riding experiences along scenic routes and countryside paths across global destinations.
- Western Riding Holidays & Ranches American-style western riding experiences at working ranches, primarily in the USA (Arizona, Montana).
- Kujwana Camp A riding safari camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta, offering 7-night safari experiences with tented accommodations, fly camp options, and rides through papyrus-lined waterways and woodland.
- Nile Explorer A 7-night riding safari in Uganda exploring the banks of the Nile, rural Ugandan villages, forests, sugar and tea plantations with lodge accommodations.
- Horizon Lodge A 7-night riding holiday at Triple B Ranch in South Africa's Waterberg region, offering game viewing, polocrosse, and rides through savannah with plains game.
- Wild Coast Beach riding holidays along South Africa's Wild Coast, including the Wild Coast Adventure Trail, Wild Coast Meander, and Kei River Mini Trail options.
Quantifiable outcome
- One in five clients are over 60 years old
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use In the Saddle
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
In the Saddle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
In the Saddle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Belgian AgentminorLocal sales agent representing In The Saddle in Belgium, handling bookings and enquiries from Belgian customers.
- Danish AgentminorLocal sales agent representing In The Saddle in Denmark, handling bookings and enquiries from Danish customers.
- Italian AgentminorLocal sales agent representing In The Saddle in Italy, handling bookings and enquiries from Italian customers.
- Norwegian AgentminorLocal sales agent representing In The Saddle in Norway, handling bookings and enquiries from Norwegian customers.
- Riding Holiday Operators WorldwidecoreNetwork of inspected riding holiday operators and destinations worldwide. In The Saddle acts as a reseller, earning commission on bookings. Operators include Kujwana Camp (Botswana), Nile Horseback Safaris (Uganda), Horizon Lodge (South Africa), and many others across Africa, Europe, Americas, and Asia. All operators are personally inspected before being offered.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
In the Saddle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Riding Holidays Ltd: Long-running UK equestrian travel agency offering riding holidays across a broad portfolio of destinations. Direct competitor in the inspected-rides marketplace.
- Discovery Riding: Equestrian travel specialist focused on African horseback safaris and worldwide riding trips. Direct competitor with similar curated, high-end safari offerings.
- RIDE Worldwide: UK-based equestrian travel agency curating riding holidays worldwide. Direct competitor in the same niche of inspected, vetted riding-holiday bookings for enthusiast riders.
- Hidden Trails: Equestrian travel agency specialising in trail riding and ranch holidays across multiple continents. Direct competitor in the curated riding-holiday marketplace.
- Equus Journeys: France-based equestrian travel specialist offering riding holidays across Europe and beyond. Direct competitor with a similar curated-portfolio and ability-matched model.
- Africa Horseback Safaris: South Africa-based operator of horseback safari holidays. Both competitor and supplier: a prime example of an operator that In The Saddle resells but that could also disintermediate via direct bookings.
- Unbridled Riding Holidays: UK-based equestrian holiday specialist booking riding trips in Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Direct competitor serving a similar enthusiast rider segment.
Broad incumbents
- Cox & Kings: Heritage UK tour operator offering experiential and adventure-focused holidays including riding tours. Broad incumbent operating across multiple travel niches rather than specialising in equestrian travel.
- Abercrombie & Kent: Global luxury travel company offering high-end safaris and experiential trips, including riding components. Broad incumbent whose portfolio partially overlaps with In The Saddle's premium safaris and expeditions.
- Responsible Travel: UK-based marketplace for small-operator, ethical holidays including riding and horsemanship trips. Broad incumbent competing for the same ethically-minded experiential-travel customer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
In the Saddle social profiles
Digital presenceIn the Saddle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
In the Saddle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
In the Saddle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
In the Saddle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about In the Saddle
What does In the Saddle do?
In The Saddle is a sales-led travel agency that curates and books horse riding holidays with partner operators worldwide. The company personally inspects every riding holiday before offering it, then sells complete holiday packages including accommodation, full board, riding, and activities to individual riders across 33+ countries spanning Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America. Revenue is earned through commissions/markups on bookings made with their vetted network of global operators.
Is In the Saddle a public or private company?
In the Saddle is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was In the Saddle founded?
In the Saddle was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is In the Saddle based?
In the Saddle is headquartered in Cleobury Mortimer, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does In the Saddle make money?
One revenue line is on record: holiday Package Bookings.
Who are In the Saddle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Riding Holidays Ltd, Discovery Riding, RIDE Worldwide, Hidden Trails, Equus Journeys, Africa Horseback Safaris and Unbridled Riding Holidays. Broad incumbents are Cox & Kings, Abercrombie & Kent and Responsible Travel.
Does In the Saddle have an API?
No public API is recorded for In the Saddle.
What industry is In the Saddle in?
In the Saddle's product category is Equestrian Adventure Travel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAKAL, Equestrian & Horse Trekking Centers. Its NAICS code is 56152 and its SIC code is 7900.