Randi's Happy Horses in Mazatlan?

[longfamily]

Hi Jaycee,
We also booked Randi's for horseback riding. Your DS will definitely want his own horse. He'll have a blast! You know you got me hooked on the disboards. Are you going to get your DD's hair braided on the trip?

Karen

 

[cotomom]

No bug spray needed for when we were there.

Just a word of warning with shorts or capris, you 'could' have some chaffing issues, even with the towels. My Dad rubbed his leg raw while on the ride.

I think that all horses have towels, that mainly cover the saddle. You still should consider the stirrup and lower leg area.

And bring your own towel if you are going in the ocean afterwards. You'll have a nice break after riding to swim if you please...

 

[AnnaS]

thanks Susie - maybe will wear pants for an hour - don't want to take a chance.

 

[rsjj]

No bug spray needed for when we were there.

Just a word of warning with shorts or capris, you 'could' have some chaffing issues, even with the towels. My Dad rubbed his leg raw while on the ride.

I think that all horses have towels, that mainly cover the saddle. You still should consider the stirrup and lower leg area.

And bring your own towel if you are going in the ocean afterwards. You'll have a nice break after riding to swim if you please...

what's "chaffing"? please explain? is that like "rubbing" against the horse? if it is, it could get that bad where it'd be raw? ouch!

 

[cotomom]

Yes, I meant just the rubbing from skin to the stirrups, rubbed his skin raw.

Ouch is right!

I wore denim capris and a tank top. Got a little sun on my shoulders, but my legs were protected.

 

[rsjj]

would this be a concern for children as well? since they have shorter legs? maybe their legs don't reach the stirrups? (they are those things that you stick your feet in, right?) sorry for such ignorance! but i honestly don't know much about horse riding...again, thank you!

 

[SandraLee]

That is interesting you mentioned the lack of stirrups for the kids. My DD6 did not have a problem without stirrups, but she only weighs 50 pounds. My DS9 (tall and weighs 75 pounds) did find it difficult. He had no way to relieve the pressure of sitting for that long a time. And, yes, the towel had bunched up under the saddle. It was tough for him. Next time, I'll have them raise the stirrups so he will be able to use them.

 

[JayCee32]

Karen I am so happy to read your name on the board.
I wish we were sailing together with or DD's. You know they
have been best friends since they were two. I'll call you later.

Hi Jaycee,
We also booked Randi's for horseback riding. Your DS will definitely want his own horse. He'll have a blast! You know you got me hooked on the disboards. Are you going to get your DD's hair braided on the trip?

Karen

 

[rsjj]

Karen I am so happy to read your name on the board.
I wish we were sailing together with or DD's. You know they
have been best friends since they were two. I'll call you later.

what about me, JayCee32? ha ha! can't wait to meet you & your family! 2 more months!!

 

[CSNYDER]

That is interesting you mentioned the lack of stirrups for the kids. My DD6 did not have a problem without stirrups, but she only weighs 50 pounds. My DS9 (tall and weighs 75 pounds) did find it difficult. He had no way to relieve the pressure of sitting for that long a time. And, yes, the towel had bunched up under the saddle. It was tough for him. Next time, I'll have them raise the stirrups so he will be able to use them.

We had several small children riding with us and they couldn't reach the stirrups at all (and it would have been impossible to adjust them to make it work). It didn't appear to be a problem for them. If you ask, they'll have someone lead their horse for them, it's certainly safer that way. They didn't attempt to adjust the stirrups for anyone that I saw, but they would probably do so if asked.

 

[SandraLee]

It really wasn't a safety issue about the stirrups. My DS surely didn't need to be let, nor would that have alleviated his problem. I know I used the stirrups to lift my body off the saddle and sort of 'stand up' and rest my bottom! That is what he was looking to do.

My DD6 is definetly small and didn't have this problem.

 

[TADsMommy]

Our family rode horses with Randi on the May Repo 14day and we all had a wonderful time. They really work hard to meet everyone's needs.

My DS9 was not particularly looking forward to this excursion, but now says it was his favorite part of the trip (and that's saying something due to the endless thrills of the 14day cruise!).

My DDs 10 and 12 had extremely high expectations and these were even exceeded.

We did run into jellyfish troubles with my DD10 getting welts around her arm due to one really attaching, but Randi was there with the medicine, and after a short rest in a swinging hammock (what a life!) the pinata and other activities took her mind off the sting. I highly recommend this excursion to everyone, all ages and all levels of horse riding experience (or non-experience).

Randi is so fun to sit and chat with. FYI ... She really appreciates surprises of chocolate (we brought jumbo Toblerones) and Cracker Barrel cheeses. She misses her favorites from the states.

Karen

 

[cotomom]

Hi Karen!

Miss seeing you around! We need to get together. After Kelsey's chicken pox disappear though!

Randi riders: She also gets a kick out of Taco Bell taco seasoning and Extra rye bread... And the cracker barrel was extra sharp cheddar - something she can't get there...

 

[newfamilyman]

Here are excerpts from an e-mail exchange I had with Randi before obviously deciding not to confirm our booking:

Good Morning Curt,
You are making things way to difficult. We have to take a taxi to the water taxi as do the Disney folks. If you are uncomfortable with that then I suggest that you take the Disney Stone Island excursion.
Thay may use a bus to get you to the water taxi intead of a taxi but the boat trip to the Island is about the same and yes, we have to take a tractor to the horses. You are going back in time about 40 years. That just is the way it is.
Can't do anything about it.
Let me know,
Randi

You can do whatever you would like to do. It's a beach and there is water and lots of things to do. Or you and your son can just hang out at Victor's.
Your choice.
As I said before, I would guess that you would be better off taking one of the Disney sponsered excersions. They are much more timed and not spontanious. I'm guessing that you are not either.
I think that would suit you much better.
Randi

I didn't say anything to her to justify these borderline hostile comments. I may be in the minority here, but I think that people considering booking with this particular operator should know that she does not always deserve the glowing praise with which she is usually described in these boards.

 

[Itinkso]

Here are excerpts from an e-mail exchange I had with Randi before obviously deciding not to confirm our booking:

I didn't say anything to her to justify these borderline hostile comments. I may be in the minority here, but I think that people considering booking with this particular operator should know that she does not always deserve the glowing praise with which she is usually described in these boards.

newfamilyman: We are on the same cruise as you and just wanted to share I also had e-mail exchanges with Randi and she was extremely informative and pleasant. I also want to share that whenever we traveled with our DDs when they still needed to be in carseats, we always made sure to rent them either from the car rental business or from a rental business. I hope you find something enjoyable and safe to do in Mazatlan! I can let you know how Randi's works out for us!

 

[AlexandNessa]

newfamilyman, I think if you met Randi, you'd realize that she was just wanting to make sure you'd be comfortable with how rustic the tour can be. For some reason, she got the impression that you wouldn't be (and I can't be sure why, as you said you only included an excerpt). She is a "tell it like it is" type of person, but I loved talking to her at lunch.

Basically, she will meet you off the boat, then you will sit in the back of an open truck to go to the water taxi, which is in an area where they do fish cleaning. Sometimes, she said, the smell can be overwhelming, but we didn't really smell it when we were there. The water taxi then takes you to another truck, which will bring you to the horse farm. She said the same thing about taking us back 40 years -- I can't remember any paved roads, they deliver fresh tortilla chips on bikes, the houses are very simple, etc.

That said, Randi's was one of the best shore excursions I have been on. It was just me, DF, and FSIL (we were on a HAL ship, which tends to be an older crowd, and Randi had mentioned that she was surprised at how young we were to be on a HAL ship!). Tony was an excellent guide (Randi does not take the riders out), and he and the staff selected perfect horses for each of us. Now, DF and FSIL did get chaffed, but for some reason I didn't. I was a little sore the next day, but absolutely nothing to write home about. We rode the horses along the beach and I remember having one of those cheesy, "I'm luck to be alive moments."

Lunch at Victor's was also very good. The only thing I could've done without was all the peddling that went on while there. It is outdoors, and the peddlers were tiresome. Perhaps this is because we were 3 adults with Randi, and maybe they stay their distance if there are children present?

Anyway, we got a nice hug from Randi when she dropped us back at the Pier, and I would ride with her again in a heartbeat.

Don't forget to buy a Randi's shirt for a whole $5 at the end of the tour!

 

[cotomom]

newfamilyman:

Her comment about a DCL excursion being much more timed is totally accurate.

Although I highly enjoyed myself on Randi's, it is a VERY relaxed, laid back atmosphere on her tour. It's a slower paced, when it happens it happens, kind of feel. No worries mon, type of attitude.

Coming from Orange County (and LA), that is NOT what we're accustomed to and a bit hard for some to relax and enjoy. My Dad was chomping at the bit to get back to the ship and out of there. Not because there were any issues, he's just not a sit around kind of guy...

Perhaps she was having a bad day. Or maybe she interpreted what you wrote to her (which we haven't seen) as an unsuitable match so to speak. Not sure, but just wanted to share my .02 in the matter.