The rides I scope are just the places that I want to go, so in the purest way they are all my curation. When I go I get a feel of the booking office communication, the transfers, the pace of the riding, the feel of the accommodation. Any friction in the booking process or anything that shows me that they’re not really paying attention kills my drive to ride with them. As an agent I’m willing to wear a bit of dysfunction behind the scenes if the ride warrants it but the best rides have excellent offices too - Macatoo have a fantastic booking office, as do Castle Leslie and Jakotango. They have taught me what best practice looks like.
You want to be with people that have their shit together, that create a team of incredible people around them, and that don’t put up with bullshit and ineptitude in their team.
I’ve had bizarre things happen with bookings. One time I was waiting two days to get a reply on an urgent email question on a booking. I followed up again. The reservations person finally replies to the follow up email with half the answer. They then go back to my original email and say “I’ve already answered you on this”. Yeah, 30 seconds ago, when I emailed two days ago. I had been booked onto the ride myself, I pulled out. There had been other muddled energy around the ride too. The booking agent must drive the guide nuts as well, yet they haven’t corrected this behaviour. I figured the safari might be a bit chaotic as well and I don’t want that energy around me.
If the booking agent has their eyes half shut this is when problematic people are booked onto the ride. Sociopaths, narcissists, beginner riders.. all people I actively vet out of Black Saddle groups but depending on the quality of the booking agent, might be let onto set departures. It kills the vibe. I always feel so sorry for the guide who is out there working their ass off, having to manage these people because their booking agent was maliciously complying with the requirements of their job. In my head I can think of two or three glaring examples but I shall keep my mouth shut.
On one scoping ride in the Azores I went with one other person to trial a ride. The owner seemed a bit burnt out. If you speak with someone for long enough they reveal their insecurities. Usually within the first hour. He told me he doesn’t ride anymore. Bit of a red flag, I thought. It’s just a job for him now.
We stayed in a new room in twin beds. It was lovely with an incredible view but we only had a thin duvet each with no cover and it was 18 degrees. The next day at lunch we asked for an extra blanket. ‘Why do you want that? 18 degrees is warm enough’ he said. I joked that I didn’t have someone to cuddle with for warmth as he did. He looked annoyed. ‘Take the covers off these chairs then.’
We were sitting in the lobby on chairs with throws over them. I’m sure they’d never been washed. In that moment I knew I would never send anyone here, no matter how spectacular the riding was. Where is the care?
There was an overall feeling that money was tight. He asked me to pay full price ahead of time, though I was there as an agent. Usually at the minimum the agent’s margin is taken off and I pay the nett price. He said we would take the cost off of any future bookings if we decided to partner. Fair enough, I thought. But the entire ride had an overall misery feel. At the end I had eaten a packet of pringles from the mini bar. As we were checking out I told him and went to pay, he blew me off and said it was ok. A nice spot of generosity at the end I thought. But then, I checked the google reviews two weeks later and two girls that were in our room after us gave them a 2* rating and complained they’d been charged for pringles they never ate.
Two months later he sent me a proposal for a Black Saddle ride there. He priced it three times higher than his public pricing. I asked him what his thought process was when the accommodation, horses, meals and trails were identical to his usual offering. He said it had alcohol all inclusive. Please.
I got really excited about one ride recently, old school, adventurous and owner guided, a lot of history, and superb guides. Seemed like a sure-fire winner! I reached out and spoke to both guides on the phone and met one in person while they were in London. But, when I asked for a price list one time, two times, three times, it never came. I was disappointed. Then they asked to meet in person again. To what end though? When I can’t get a straight answer out of someone and they want to speak in person or on the phone it means they want to control the conversation and they consider themselves a better talker than they are an email writer. I didn’t meet that person a second time. I still wonder what their prices are! They just weren’t ready for an agent, it was still a hobby business.
Interestingly the only guests that want to speak on the phone these days are those that aren’t a good enough rider and they want me to talk them into it. I never do. If they ask to speak on the phone now I know immediately what they’re going to ask. Either that or they want to adjust the itinerary. I don’t allow that either, you’re either in or out, because the additional mental load on the guide to adapt and arrange transport for one guest is not worth the commission and we can find someone that will stick it out for the whole thing. You’re either in or you’re out.
My old business coach told me that people don’t remember what you do for them, they only remember how you make them feel.
It’s so true.
So, when I’m on scoping rides, it’s a vibe download more than anything else. The safaris are never going to be perfect, and all your best stories come from the blow outs really, but how the guide / owner makes you feel will frame the entire experience.
These three examples are pretty mild and were little red flags that stopped things progressing. The absolute worst ride I’ve ever been on was in Egypt. Not for the place itself, that was phenomenal, but the organisation was so painful that I rehired the career coach the bank used to pay for me in my old life to deal with the owner and then set up some internal protocols so I never work with someone like that again. That was a real mess which I don’t think I’ll ever put into words online but if you ride with me I’ll tell you in person.
So, Black Saddle is a lifestyle facilitator, I get to go on my dream rides, and if they work out, I share the experience with loads of amazing people. What a dream!!