Horse Riding at Agriturismo Villa Stabbia

Villa Stabbia is also the home for six horses - all good natured, calm and well trained:
Pippo - Zazu - Dukakis - Zurina - Pioggia - Barizja. They are available for rides, trips in the country-side and of course lessons. 

Whether you are new to the horse-world or an old hand - you will surely enjoy their company and definitely riding them.

For smaller children we can offer a ride around the grounds of Villa Stabbia. The trip takes between 15 and 20 min and costs 7 Euro.

Riding lessons are always available upon request – and if your dream has always been to try riding – this is a great opportunity to try it out! A lot of people have been in the saddle for the first time here. The horses are patient, calm and used to the trials and errors of beginners.

On the other hand, if you are a more experienced rider and would like some fresh eyes to guide your riding – plus try out some new horses – we are also available for this.

30 min lesson – 10 Euro (for young children only)
1 hour lesson – 20 Euro

For experienced riders above 14 years of age, we are pleased to offer tours in the area.  

Our five horses are all well trained, nicely behaved and calm, however the hilly area around Villa Stabbia is not for beginners unfortunately. 

For 2008 - the prices are 
Short trek (around 1 ½ hour) – 25 Euro
Longer trek (around 2 ½ hour) – 35 Euro
For longer rides – please contact us for further information

Please note - insurance is either 2.50 Euro per day or 3.50 Euro per week. Villa Stabbia Riding center is an ENGEA riding center, and hence ENGEA members are already insured - please bring membership card along.

Pippo – the Appaloosa

He was our first horse and most definitely the one with the strongest character. 

Pippo is an extremely well trained western horse, a particularly experienced trekking horse and can be mounted by adults as well as children. He has a very smooth gait, very easy to control and is therefore also suitable for small children.

Pippo is extremely playful and needs constant mental stimulation, hence he has by now a rather large selection of his own toys, which he has taught Zazu to use as well. His absolute favourite is a strong green sack filled with coke-cans and plastic bottles. It makes a wonderful noise when smacked into the behind of the other horses and when finally Zazu gets involved in the game – the sack just gets torn to pieces. Great Fun!

Pippo is the group’s male leader, which means his responsibility is security.

Pippo was born in 1998, is bay-coloured with a blanket of white spots over loin and hips. He has a star and 3 white socks.

Zazu – the Anglo-Arab

Although bought after Pippo, Zazu arrived together with him in July 2004 and they quickly formed a strong friendship. 

Zazu comes from the stables around Sienna, where they breed Anglo-Arabs for the Palio race, however he did not have the right temperament for it and was trained western (very well trained actually) and used for mainly treks. 

So when arriving here we started re-training him for dressage and today he is our most versatile horse. A very experienced and reliable trekking horse, loves jumping, good for western and does dressage as well. He is not too keen on playing the “push-button” pony for kids, but does it for a while when asked nicely. 

He is by nature very serene, gentle and LOVES a good cuddle. He was for a long time the “husband” of Zurina, though lately their relationship has undergone some ups and downs, since she now shows more interest in his friend Dukakis. 

Zazu was born in 1999 and is dark bay-coloured with only one marking, a white star.

Dukakis - the Arab

An elder gentleman and the latest arrival in the group. Dukakis has a strong but ever so sweet and gentle character. He stands his ground against the others in the group, despite being quite a bit shorter and weighing a LOT less.

He is a true dressage horse, but loves a good jump as well. Not afraid of anything on treks, just steady and reliable.

Dukakis was at first accepted by all except Zurina. She refused to have him in the group, however after working his charm on her for a week - she allowed him to stay and in fact - they have become more than just good friends......

Dukakis was born in 1989 and is chest-nut coloured with a long white blaze and a white sock.

Zurina – the little Andalusian

A true lady, who demands respect and gets it. Zurina (from white in Spanish) was born and trained in Spain and did not arrive here in Italy until February 2006. Actually the very next day we bought her …. She was just so cute that she immediately stole our hearts.


With the intent to be used for mainly children, but still strong enough to carry an adult, she quickly showed us that the children part would have to wait for a while, as she had just too much energy. 


On treks she will be in front rushing ahead or right behind the guide-horse, constantly pushing him/her to go faster; though today she has slowed down considerably and has become the perfect horse for children as well as adults. 


She is the leading female of the group and keeps the others under control plus constant supervision. If especially Pioggia misbehaves, Zurina will quickly tell her off. 


Zurina was born in 1998 and is flea-bitten light-grey (grey with tiny spots of black, brown or red hair), with a dark grey/black mane and tail.

Pioggia – the long-legged Andalusian

A very long-legged Spanish lady – Pioggia means rain in Italian.

Although her story is unknown, it has been possible to piece together some bits and pieces of information and most likely she worked with bulls in Spain for quite some years. As she has sign of a baddish injury on her hind legs, she may have been wounded and then sold off, as she most definitely went through a very rough period thereafter, changing owners frequently.

When she was bought, she was extremely skinny and her hooves shoved that she had been malnourished for at least 6 months. In addition she has scars showing bad treatment. 

It took Pioggia a couple of weeks to realise that she was going to stay here at Villa Stabbia - but then she bloomed – and became our lovely playful and happy teenager. Miss Ever-Happy. Piogga is always in a wonderful mood and charms everyone with her warm, gentle and kind nature.

Due to her previous work, she is very well schooled for dressage, but loves a good long trek. Especially if it involves some fast galloping! 

Pioggia and Pippo quickly formed a couple - quite a funny one. She is constantly nagging him (little bites, pushes, crossing his paths, ears back...) and he totally ignores her!!! 

Pioggia was born in 1999 and is dark dapple-grey with a white head.

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Agriturismo Villa Stabbia, Via Casorino 3, 51010 Massa e Cozzile, Toscana, Italia
+39 0572 74975       -        info@VillaStabbia.it       -       P.IVA 01483210470