Tips for Riding a Horse on the Beach
Riding a horse on the beach, I believe, is everyone’s fantasy. It is one of the most popular and romantic places to take a ride. As we all know, a horse is a free spirit. When you ride a horse on the beach you can do it one of 3 ways. By nature a horse has 3 speeds, they are "walking, trotting and cantering.”
Walking
Most of our horses are trained to go on the beach. They like it too- although not all of them like to walk on the water. Walking with a horse on the beach will give you time to enjoy the scenery & to get to know your horse. You will learn to feel the horse relax. Once you do this, you can go on to the second step, Trotting.
Trotting
Before you do this make sure to walk the horse around to get to know him better, feel the reins and make sure to call the horse by his name and every now and then pat your horse on the neck NOT on the back. Sit tight, relax as much as you can and loosen the reigns a bit, without losing contact with the horse. We are not cantering therefore we have to hold back the reins a bit. At the beginning it will be a little pumping but a few steps and you will be fine. It is a little faster than a walk. Mostly of the tour horses are good trotting.
Cantering
We all go wild and enthusiastic riding a horse on the beach. When you gallop or canter on the beach make sure you have done the 2 previous steps. Try Cantering a few times to get the feeling of it, then let your fantasy go and gallop.
Tips for Horseback Riding in Costa Rica
1. Always make sure to listen to your guide.
2. Dress appropriately: jeans are the most friendly, don’t forget a cowboy hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.
3. Take the reins with both hands, lower your elbows and relax your shoulders. Loosen the reins without losing contact with the horse.
4. Feel the fresh breeze and the salty dew from the ocean as you gallop along with your horse through the soft brown sand, and you could even take your horse for a gallop along the crashing waves for a really exciting adventure.
5. Always stay with your group. Enjoy every moment as if it were the last, don’t rush, simply enjoy the ocean’s beauty, the subtlety of the horse’s gallop and the pleasures that Del Pacifico may give you.
6. Don’t forget to pat your horse every now and then, take pictures, and enjoy the view.