Just in the process of finalizing winter family trip to Aruba and have gotten permission to go horseback riding while the rest of the family scuba dives and plays golfs. I was just curious to see if anyone had any recommendations/experiences on riding opportunities in Aruba. Thanks in advance!
I have been with Rancho daimairi and Notorious over the years. Preferred the former…horses looked in good condition, happy. Got to gallop on the beach since we were proficient. Paso finos.
With Notorious my horse was trained to stand on a rock like a trick horse and I got to test that out. Both were fun!
I rode there many years ago. I can’t remember the name of the outfitter. Paso Finos (and one mule). We rode to a swimming hole, swam, had lunch, then rode to the beach, you could gallop if you wanted to, then rode back. It was a neat way to see the other side of the island.
I’ll second Rancho Daimairi.
They even gave me the chance to ride English instead of Western and that horse had been well trained at some point in his life.
We rode at Rancho de Ponderosa and had a good time. Rode Paso Finos. They did listen to our experience levels and gave us horses who fit us. We only had one wrangler and I felt for the less experience riders 2 would have been better. I use to do trail rides and I kept an eye on one of the riders that was fearful and didn’t leave her when the rest took off.
With a caveat that I was there 18 years ago, we did a private ride with Rancho Notorious and a t was very good. Horses were on the thin side of normal but not alarmingly so. Stalls were clean and stables were in good condition. My dh (who had never been on a horse before) and I were both appropriately mounted. Our guide was knowledgeable and handled her young horse tactfully. The ride took us through the desert landscape and down to the beach, with the opportunity to gallop on a nice long grassy stretch.
I just went to Aruba in June and rode with the Gold Mine Ranch. They had 2 guides and gave some good instructions demonstrating on a very well trained Paso Fino mare that I ended up riding as I was the only rider in the group. All the horses were well fed and looked to be in good shape.
We rode to the Gold Mine ruins, along the beach, to a Natural Bridge, the guides were very friendly, considerate of the riders and horses, explained about the island, etc. We rode for 2 hours and one guide took me off for several extended gallops. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would ride with them again if I returned to Aruba. They have nice vans to pick you up at your hotel/resort, etc
