Chukka Horseback Ride n' Swim - Jamaica

[shauncruises]

We are booking this excursion becasue it is my daugther's dream to ride a horse on the beach. Has anyone done this excursion? Was it as great as the write-up makes it sound? We are booking it through the ship, seems the easiest. How much time is spent actually riding the horse. There are a few of us that are not exactly experienced riders.

[penny3333]

I have not done that particular excursion, but did ride my own horse on the beach quite a few times. I also worked at a riding stable that took out groups. They will match your experience to the horses that they have. You will be with at least one trail guide, if not two. We took our trails out for an hour, you will probably be out longer. It's a lot of fun to ride on the beach. I hope they feed their horses well.

[spoheat]

We did a horseback ride on the beach at Ocho Rios. The organization was called Hooves. We booked them through shoretrips.com but you can book direct for less $$. We did shoretrips as they provided transportation to and from the ship and I am not confident being on my own in Jamaica.

Our whole family (and only the 15 year old is a "horse person"--the rest of us to could take of leave them) counts this as one the the top excursions we have done. We rode through the sugar plantation we started at--saw all the different trees, abandoned buildings that were purposed for when it was a working plantation, etc. Then we stopped on the beach and had a break while the horses got "water tack" where they gave us fried plantains and lime juice. There was a native market but NO ONE approached us--if you didn't go to it they left you alone (unusual for Jamaica). Then we rode in the water. The horses seemed to love it and we surely did. The ride back to the plantation followed the beach for quite a ways rather than back through the "jungle". It was amazing. Just our family of 4 and a guide. We got great pictures. The horses all have a story. This is an animal rescue operation and most of the animals had been part of horseracing before their new life as trail horses. Time of our lives.

[shauncruises]

I appreciate the info thus far. My daughter is living for this experience. It is good to get some input and perspective!