SarahThis blog post is about a sponsored experience. This has in no way influenced the way I write about it – you will always get my honest and untarnished opinion on Fernwehsarah.com! However, for the sake of transparency, I placed this disclaimer here!
Have you ever dreamed about riding a horse along a beautiful sandy beach or a rugged coastline? Well, for me this has always been on my personal bucket list! And luckily, I can now check that off thanks to Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete!
When I visited the Dominican Republic – or more specifically: Cabarete in the northern region of Puerto Plata, I did a horseback riding trip on the beach by the equestrian center of Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete. The Sea Horse Ranch is inbetween Sosua and Cabarete – and should be on everyone list of things to do in Sosua/Cabarete!
But slow, let me tell you my personal opinion about the experience and give you an honest review!
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My History with Riding and Horses
First of all, I want to to know that I have never been one of those “horse girls” when I was a kid. I liked horses, but neither did I paint them all the time nor did I have a stuffed horse.
My only riding experience has been as a two day summer vacation experienced and the horse started to gallop and tried to throw me off twice. When they tried to show me later that it normally is a nice horse and let me pet his nostrils, it bit my hand. So I was done with horses.
However, the beautiful (yet cliché) idea of riding a horse on the beach somehow stuck to my head during our nine months trip around the world. Sadly, I didn’t find a place where I liked the offer.
So when I searched for things to do in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, I was delighted to find out about Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete and decided to give it a try!
Riding a Horse on the Beach - The Experience!
Luckily, Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete was only 8km from our hotel, so it was quite easy to get there with a scooter.
At 9am on saturday, we met with Alex from the Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete staff at the stable and were warmly greeted. After having a short stroll around the stable, we signed a waiver form (the usual “we are not responsible if you die”-stuff)
We could decide if we want to wear a helmet (pleeeeeaase, do it! Safety first!) and to my biggest surprise they had a helmet that fit me! You have to know that my head is insanely small – but as there is also a lot of kids riding, this was no problem at all.
Next we met with our two guides that would take us along and went to see our horses. My horse was a beautiful 15-year old horse called “Diamante” while Markus got a brown horse (which name we sadly forgot to ask for)!
Our guides helped us into the saddle, explained how to steer the horses and adjusted the foot straps for us.
After that, we directly started riding through the area of Sea Horse Ranch and towards the beach. First I was super nervous that I would simply fall out of the saddle or that the horse would start galloping and throwing me off.
But “Diamante” was incredibly calm, gentle and used to first-timers like me. Actually I didn’t have to do anything as he always simply followed Markus horse (which followed one of the guide’s horses). The second guide was following me so that he could assist me immediately if I would need any help.
After reaching the beach five minutes later, I already felt much more relaxed and comfortable. Feeling the warm skin of the horse and seeing how experienced both the horse and our guides were calmed me down immediately.
And the view on the Cabarete beach was absolutely gorgeous! We stopped at a few places to take photos and our guides have been super supportive all the time. They even tried to find the best angle with us and helped me on and off the saddle all the time.
We rode along the coastline, along Cabarete beach, through a deserted resort and back to the beach. After around 50min we turned and went back the way we came. According to the map, we have been riding for about 3km one way – so we were almost half-way back in Cabarete!
When we came back to the Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete Stable, we had been riding for 1.5 hours. Being inexperienced riders we both definitely felt that our bodies weren’t used to this. I still don’t get how people can ride for a whole day without a sore butt 😀
Anyway, we had A LOT OF FUN and 1.5 hours was absolutely perfect for us!
The equestrian center at Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete offers private and group riding lessons as well as tours along the beach and the surrounding area from 1.5h (35$p.P.) to 3h (60$ p.P.)
About Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete
Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete is more than an equestrian center though – it is a luxury villa resort with private villas, secluded beaches, seaside pools and a tennis club. If you got the funds, you can even buy lots in this gated community and build your own carribean dream house! (Sadly, we don’t).
So, after the ride we were curious obviously and walked around the stable for a bit longer – one of the horses even just had a beautiful white foal! The stable is very big and well maintained. It is surrounded by really large meadows with lots and lots of horses – Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete has almost 100 horses!
We then decided to drive to “The Beach Club” – the small contemporary restaurant at the shore that belongs to the Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete. It is a very classy and modern restaurant with a splendid view!
We weren’t hungry yet and thus just opted for a mocktail (you remember, we came by scooter! 🙂 ). The mocktails weren’t cheap, but worth the money in my opinion! (Drinks are between 4-10$ and food starts around 8-15$).
I can only imagine how beautiful this place must be for a sundowner cocktail or a glass of wine in the evening!
Why I Choose the equestrian center of Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete over other riding operators
Is Sea Horse Ranch the only operator offering horseback riding in Cabarete? No, they aren’t. Almost for sure you will get approached by someone on Cabarete Beach, offering you all sorts of things to do in Cabarete – including horseback riding.
But as always with anything where animals are involved, you need to take extra caution to choose the right operator. We all have to make sure that the way we travel does not destroy the environment there or hurt animals (or humans!)
And after a thorough research I came to the conclusion, that I can do this experience with Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete without having to fear that the animals aren’t treated well.
Seeing the stable, experiencing the ride myself and speaking with the people working there, I feel 100% confident to vouch for them as well! Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete has a reliable equestrian center that you will feel absolutely comfortable with!
Tips to make the most of your experience
Let me finish with some quick tipps to make the most of this riding experience.
First of all: wear appropriate clothing! You are not going to enjoy your ride in hotpants and flip-flops! If you watch closely you can see I am wearing a leggings under my dress and also some solid sandals. Sneakers are probably even smarter, but the sandals worked for me.
Furthermore, bring some water along and apply sunscreen before you go. This is the Carribean and even at 9am the sun is strong and you can easily burn your skin otherwise!
And las but not least: bring some tips for your guides – they really care for you and will make your experience outstanding!
Where to stay in Cabarete
Depending on the budget you want to spend, there is a number of options available in Cabarete.
We stayed at Viva Wyndham Tangerine Cabarete as we booked a package deal this time. Viva Wyndham Cabarete is an all-inclusive resort with a pool and direct access to the splendid Cabarete beach.
While it is marketed as a four star hotel, we would classify it as a 3*** standard. The service is very friendly and the food selection also includes two à-la carte restaurants for dinner. It is a solid choice for someone looking for a beach retreat but it certainly can’t compete with the ultra-luxury villas of the Sea Horse Ranch Cabarete (if you can afford them)!
This article contains affiliate links. That means, if you choose to purchase a product I recommended, I get a small commission for that at no extra cost for you. I legally have to place this disclaimer – but I want you to understand that I will always only recommend products that I am personally convinced about. I promise to you, that I will never promote anything just for the sake of an affiliate income!
