Description
With an exceptional getaway located less than an hours drive from the famous white sand beaches of Guanacaste, your hosts specialise in small group private tours, offering exceptional hospitality and fabulous riding opportunities. Kay is a wildlife artist with a PhD in Biology and Ecology and her husband is a Zotecnista (farm vet) born and raised in Guanacaste. They have developed their finca into one of the finest horse ranches in the area, breeding and training their own horses using Natural Horsemanship techniques.
The horses are chosen for their noble temperament and comfortable gait, the Criollo horses here are used for cattle ranching, rodeo, pleasure riding, fiestas and low-level dressage. Most of the horses were born on the ranch and they have an active breeding programme using their handsome paint stallions.
The ranch is located in an oasis of large Guanacaste trees and is surrounded by green pastures. This central location takes advantage of Guanacaste's famous tourist attractions and is a haven for wildlife, especially howler monkeys and tropical birds. Your hosts can take you to visit and play in the local seasonal fiestas and truly involve you in authentic culture. Visit the nearby national park and its resident volcano, ride along the pretty beaches and experience the traditional sabanero cowboy culture of Guanacaste! This destination is suitable for non-riders as well as riders.
Whether you stay at the ranch or the beach, you will experience a taste of Guanacaste's traditional horse culture, learn about Natural Horsemanship, and enjoy riding comfortable Spanish Criollo horses. It is possible to arrange extension trips to the Volcano of Arenal or additional beach extensions for water sports.
From the end of November to the end of July it is Fiesta time in Costa Rica. Every weekend traditional small-town fiestas feature bull riding, traditional foods and dance. Cattle farming is a major industry in Costa Rica and with this comes the standard rituals associated with every ranch and ranger, rodeos or Topes. Tope's (Rodeos) are very common in the Guanacaste region where the largest cattle farms in the country are located. Almost every small town hosts Rodeos in the summer months between February and April. Among the events are, the always popular Bull Riding Shows, calf-roping, horse manoeuvring, as well as herding and milking competitions. Here is where you will meet true Sabaneros (cowboys). You may also encounter Cimarrona bands, which are traditional country bands.
Please note that October is monsoon season in this region of Costa Rica so our hosts prefer not to run any riding trips during this period.
Besides the programmes below we can also arrange tailored packages where you can mix riding with a variety of other activities in the local area.