horse back riding

[chrisd596]

Any reviews on the horse back riding.
Prices and expericence. I think I remember someone mentioning it's ok. My daughter is 15 and would love to do it..... even if it's just a slow kind of gallop.

Thanks
chris

 

[D&R love Disney]

It's a walking trail ride. We did it when I was about 8 years old. It's great if you don't ride but for experienced horseman it's a bore.

 

[Rneighh]

I have 30 years of horse expericene so I always feel compelled to answer these questions.

A trail ride is a time to slow down and relax and enjoy the sights and smells of nature. Feel the movement of the horse, hear the birds....................you get the picture.

Most people think they are far better rides then they really are. Riding a few times a year does not make you an experienced rider.

If you go with the mind set you are going to be a "cowboy" you are not going to have a good time. Go and enjoy the ride for what it is a peaceful journey.

Renee

 

[DNBois]

From what I remember, it was $32 (including tax) for a 45 minute gallop around FW.

 

[goofy4tink]

We did the trail ride last August. One of our favorite memories but probably not due to the ride itself. We were myself, some riding as a kid, dh with no experience other than the merry-go-round and dd,age 10, who had ridden ponies around in circles. So, they put dd on the last horse in line, the biggest horse there. Zeus his name was. Evidently a very mild mannered giant. He was wonderful. dh was in front of dd and then me, third from the end in a line of about 11 total with 3 or 4 attendents. Well, about 15 minutes into the ride I asked the lady attendent what would happen if there were a thunder storm. We had had one the day before and it was a doozey. She said they had checked the radar before we left the stable and all looked okay. She looked at the sky and said maybe she'd check in again!!! Well, the skies opened!!! thank heaven no thunder but the rain was incredible. So, they decided to cut the ride short (we only had 20 minutes left). They had us turn the horses around and go back the way we came. that had to be the funniest thing I've ever seen. Have you ever watched a novice driver try to do a 3-point turn? Well, that's what it looked like!!! No one in front of me could figure out how to turn their horse. Hysterical. Anyway, the the time we got back to the stable, about 10 minutes later, I was soaked in places I haven't been wet in, while clothed since I was a baby!!! We made a mad dash into the kennel area where they gave up towels to dry off and told us they were giving us all a complete refund!!!

But as to the type of ride...very slow, nose to tail type ride. It was fine for dh and dd. I could have gone a tad faster but weren't allowed. It would have been really nice if we could have seen some of the wildlife but it was raining so hard we could barely see the horse in front of ours. BTW...the horses were terrific in the rain. Of couse, at the start of the ride my horse kept walking around the puddles. I asked the attendent why. she told me he doesn't like to be wet. Oh terrific. He doesn't like to be wet and it's torrential out here!! But he was very well mannered.

 

[disneyholic family]

no galloping....just walking on a trail....
but we did enjoy it very much nevertheless...
if you want to 'really' ride i suggest the riding stables at the villas of grand cypress (the hyatt grand cypress)....they have unbelievable riding facilities....

 

[chrisd596]

The Villias of Grand Cypress sound pretty close....about 3 miles SW.

Do you remember the appoximate cost of riding.

Thanks
Chris

 

[disneyholic family]

chrisd596 --
the WDW trail ride was pretty inexpensive from what i remember, but i don't remember how much it was...

as for the grand cypress, i remember it being "reasonable" for riding....(which is of course, never all that reasonable)...
at the time we were there, they had two different stables in different parts of the property....on one side, English stables...
and on the other, western stables...

i suggest you call them and ask about prices, what's available, etc.

and they're less than 3 miles from WDW....they're actually just outside of WDW....if you go out the road that goes past saratoga springs, sort of out the back way, you dead end into a road, the other side of which is the villas of grand cypress property....
it's really the closest property to WDW, but the entrance to WDW on that side is an unmarked one, that only employees use....

anyway, go to this website to learn all about the riding at the villas of grand cypress
http://www.grandcypress.com/equestrian_center/equestrian_vacations/

 

[diswedwish]

goofy4tink, your story reminded me of the first time we convinced my dad to try going on a trail ride (also his last) We went in Yellowstone, and a storm blew up suddenly. Some woman demanded that we stop so she could put on a poncho (hadn't started raining yet). Well, stop we did, right in the middle of a field about 50 feet away from more woods. Then it started to hail..... Every horse in the line turned his back to the wind and refused to budge an inch. So there we stood until it passed. I don't think her poncho helped her much