Loyola University Chicago

Outside Rome on Horseback

Just outside of Rome, in the hills, students can spend an afternoon horseback riding Italian style. Last semester 11 Rome Center students went riding at Centro Ippico, a family-run stable one hour by bus outside the city in Fiano Romano. Students are accompanied by guides who communicate with the horses through whistles and clicks of the tongue. Even without any experience one can relax because the horses are well trained and taught to follow the lead of the guides.

Cheri Blatter, a Rome Center student who had never ridden before, found herself paired with a chestnut-colored horse. She said, "I was scared at first, but by the end of the ride, little Kiko and I were buddies." On the other hand, Katie Lillevand, Rome Center student and seasoned rider, was able to test her skills and break away from the group with a guide. "We rode and rode until we came to a meadow. I had a 360-degree view all around me," Lillevand said.

One group of students set out on their horses in the morning for a two-hour ride. They rode on trails, through vineyards, meadows and fields, and stopped to chat with a family working in their garden. Blatter recalls how funny it was to hear the guide talking to her horse Kiko in Italian to urge her chestnut-colored friend over a downed fence and up a hill.

Laura Barney, part of the second group who went out in the afternoon, was disappointed that they were able to ride only on the gravel trails. She thought this was probably due to the fact that they had a large group of mostly beginners. She said, "It was fun and I would definitely go back with a smaller group who rode at my same level." Overall, students seemed to enjoy the relaxed, family atmosphere, especially the glass of iced tea in the snack bar afterwards.

Those interested in riding should know that traveling to the stables takes at least an hour and includes three different bus rides with the last ticket costing 2,300 lire. There are opportunities for longer overnight and two- to three-day trips, which are recommended for the more experienced riders.