Field Notes: Under the Tuscan Sun
A trip to Tuscany last summer opened up a world of Italian culture beyond aperitivos and pastas.
Tuscany conjures up, for this American at least, images of grand (but perhaps dilapidated) old houses set against golden rolling hills and rows of grape vines. For years there have been headlines about how you could purchase a 1-euro Italian villa as part of the country’s restoration initiative for some of its abandoned country homes—which, a little more than 1-euro and certainly with an immeasurable amount of patience later, has actually revitalized many localities.
It’s a vision that’s hard to resist. After spending a few days last summer in the Chianti region just south of Florence in an place so incredibly seeped in history and cultural pride, daydreams of summers in Italy were not far from my mind. I also don’t think I realized just how deep horse culture prevailed through the area. When we went on our first ride at the Castello del Calcione, for example, we were literally galloping on the same ground that Italian racehorses have been training on for the Palio de Siena for almost 400 years. And actually, Selvaggia, the daughter of the family who’s owned the estate since 1483, is one of the very few female jockeys who has raced in the Palio; also actually, they home-breed their own racehorses, who roam with donkeys and ponies on the castle’s very grounds.
There was nothing modern or cutting-edge or innovative about it, and thank goodness. Because isn’t the respect and desire to uphold tradition exactly the most extreme rarity these days?
I seriously considered, maybe for a full minute, calling up a realtor to go villa hunting.
Scuderia del Calcione
We didn’t plan this ride in advance at all. When I decided to tag along on my friend Alli’s Italy trip maybe a couple of weeks beforehand, I immediately emailed RSC to see what might still be possible in Tuscany. Irene hooked me up with Zoe at Calcione, and the rest is history.
(Zoe and Alex are indeed the best guide/horse whisperer duo on the planet.)
Tenuta di San Guisto
Unbeknownst to either of us when Alli first found the nondescript but incredibly idyllic B&B on booking.com, the owner/operator is no other than Francesco Mitrano—the founder of the Monte Carlo Polo Federation. But during our tour of the estate Francesco (who also gladly offers his Whatsapp! what hospitality) glosses over the one room off the pool that is dedicated to the sport—adorned with photos, trophies, and all kinds of polo gear—and focuses instead with pride on the property’s restoration and fixtures and antiques that he and Jasmine, his charming Dutch partner, sources from the very era that the Tenuta was first built. The pride in country and culture is exquisitely palpable.
Il Paretaio
As every jumper (like me) knows but may not admit, foundational dressage training is extremely useful for anyone who spends time on horseback, and I would love to return for another few days with Natalie and Pietro at their school/B&B. Their horses are incredible schoolmasters, and also never cease their training. It was a really beautiful experience to witness such high standards of horsemanship for the sheer love and respect of it, as opposed to competitive demands. You can tell that the love for horses runs generations deep, from Pietro’s father and mother Cristina who started the school, to now Nat and Pietro who run the horse management side of the business, and their two young children. And it’s not letting up anytime soon.
Italy is an incredibly rich country, perhaps not by certain economic standards but certainly in the way the Italians live. The passion, the soul, and dedication to doing things with deep pride—and with their horses, it’s the same. What a beautiful way to live on this earth.
Ciao for now,
