Riding into the Sea in the Bahamas
The stable we visit is called "Ranch Resort." It is located in the southern part of New Providence Island, home to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. We are staying at a hotel there, and—as is common in many tourist regions—we simply book the excursion through the hotel reception. While it might have been possible to arrange it more cheaply elsewhere, the effort involved in booking directly likely isn't worth it. Booking through the hotel means the stable’s team picks you up directly by car; guests from various hotels are collected in a small van.
Riding experience is a secondary matter here...
The main thing is: don't be too heavy! The stable itself is a nice, small, unassuming facility that looks more like a cluster of simple cabins than the kind of place one might typically imagine a riding stable to be. But we aren't in Germany, Switzerland, or Great Britain; we are in the Bahamas, and it fits the setting perfectly. They generally offer one ride in the morning and another in the afternoon. Although the booking form asks about the rider's experience level, this has little impact on the actual ride.
Ranch Resort Bahamas
Hefty prices, wonderful scenery
To begin with, we were naturally surprised that the price for a two-hour trail ride in this setting—and mind you, this is at a walking pace, not a gallop—ranges from about $150 to $200. However, the reason for this becomes clear; it isn't simply because the service caters almost exclusively to tourists—there are other factors involved as well.
Exploring wonderful scenery at a walking pace...
Anyone hoping for stretches where they can gallop will have to keep hoping—we certainly didn't experience any. That said, the landscape is impressively beautiful. The ride starts at the stables—where the horses are rounded up and saddled amidst tropical trees—and takes you across a few streets and along some forest paths out to the ocean. The sea is undoubtedly the main attraction of the ride. Splashing through the water with the horses is great fun.
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Our Trail Ride: Promotional Photos vs. Reality
The promotional photos of the ranch are certainly authentic. However, there are some images that don't quite reflect reality—even if they are the kind of thing a horse lover might dream of. Galloping through the ocean on an unsaddled horse while wearing swimwear is something that happens only during a photoshoot, not in real life. And naturally, there are no stretches designated for galloping—neither on land nor in the water. One reason for this is simply that the horses shouldn't be subjected to that, given the widely varying (and often limited) experience levels of the riders in the saddle. Another key reason, of course, is that many tourists who come here to ride do so on a whim. They often sit in the saddle wearing jeans and sneakers or beach sandals. Under those conditions, a long gallop wouldn't make much sense—and would likely be far too dangerous.
After the forest path comes the magnificent sandy beach...
Once the group has navigated the narrow trails through the jungle-like forest, they arrive at the destination everyone was aiming for: the sea. The ride from the stables to the ocean took about 30 minutes. Naturally, we stopped there; after all, the chance to walk the horses through the water, enjoy the ocean, and feel the gentle breeze is an experience to be savored. And everyone—without exception—pulls out their smartphone or camera to capture these moments. The beach visit involves riding across the sand at first, but once we enter the water, the pace shifts to a more leisurely break. That’s when everyone tries to look their best and have their fellow riders snap the perfect photo.
There is also about 30 minutes of time for riding in the crystal-clear seawater—plenty of time to take photos and simply enjoy the moment. After the beach, the ride heads back into the woods; the group moves in single file along a narrow forest path until finally emerging onto the road and returning to the stables.
Condition of the horses: Good, though there is room for improvement...
Naturally, we also kept an eye on the condition of the horses at this stable. It is a stable much like many others in regions geared toward tourist trail riding. You have to judge it by those standards; you shouldn't compare it to a prestigious riding school in the north where one learns the fine art of equitation—that isn't the concept behind this stable. Viewed from that perspective, however, it is fair to say the horses are in good condition; they aren't overworked, and they are truly treated as part of the family at the facility—they aren't just pieces of sports equipment available for rent.
Why are riding prices in the Bahamas so high?
We wondered about this too, as the cost of such a ride isn't exactly low. On one hand, it is partly because horseback riding isn't an everyday activity for tourists in the Bahamas; it is usually a one-off experience booked during a vacation. But if you chat a bit with the stable owners, you discover there are much more practical reasons for the pricing.
Hay by plane, vets by helicopter...
Many people overlook a key fact when considering horseback riding on New Providence—an island surrounded by the ocean and situated in a tropical zone: unlike many other regions where riding is popular, there is no large-scale agriculture here capable of producing the necessary quantities of hay and feed. Feed—including hay—often has to be shipped or flown in, frequently from Florida. And if that doesn't make it clear how these factors drive up operating costs for a stable like this, the next point certainly will. If there are only two or three horse stables on an island, neither a veterinarian nor a farrier can make a living from them. Consequently, a riding facility faces sometimes exorbitant costs when it comes to flying in an equine veterinarian by helicopter from Florida.
That makes it easier to understand how the prices are calculated.
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