??? St. Maarten Horseback Riding and Butterfly Farm tour?

[cookielulu]

I have several questions about Horseback Riding and/or Butterfly tour -

1. Has anyone done the Horseback riding at Bayside Stables? I visited their website and have emailed them but if anyone could give me first hand info - I would appreciate it -

2. Has anyone done the Butterfly tour on their own and not via Disney? How much will the taxi cost and are they safe? My DH and I did the Butterfly tour 4 years ago and now our DD13 wants to go.

3. Has anyone done both of these things together on their own? Did you do Butterfly in the a.m and then the Horseback in the afternoon or visa versa?

I look forward to hearing from you -

Thanks in advance -

 

[brack]

We did the butterfly farm though Disney and it is great. The farm is located a good ways away from the dock and it might be a bit pricey by cab.

http://photos.yahoo.com/brackjr

 

[jdm]

We are doing this next week on our own. Bayside has a few different options for the ride. We are doing the one hour from 11am to 12noon. The other option was from 4pm to 5pm. These are one hour ride times. There is also the 2 hour ride which is different time frames (see their web site). The 2 hour ends up with you swimming with the horse. Although DD12 is an experienced rider DMom is not!! Also, sounded a little high risk to me in being so far from home. One of us usually ends up in the emergency room when we travel so I'm trying to keep the risks down !!

Anyway, our plan is to do the butterfly farm either right before or after the ride (depending how early a start we get). Suppose to be less than and hour to go through. Then do the ride and then off to Orient Beach for the afternoon. I think the taxi's are about $6 a person from the ship to the butterfly farm and then Bayside is right next door, walking distance.

We decided not to do any formal excursions. We like to dance to our own tune so to speak and come and go when we want. If you go to www.cruisecritic.com ports board there is a lot of info on this from people who have done it.

I'll also post a trip report to let you know how it goes.

Jenn

 

[cookielulu]

Hi Jenn! You sound just like me! Our DD13 has been riding for 6 years and we own a TB - she rides Dressage and has been doing shows for 3 years. My husband and I do not ride at all - I'm the stylist and he's the money man -

She would love to do the "swim" with the horses - she says it sounds exciting! It sounds scary to me

I would love to hear your report when you get back. Thanks for that website - I had seen it before but I didn't mark it in my favorites but I will now.

Have a safe and fabulous trip and ride -

Jean

 

[chasbos]

FYI - Cab rides in St. Maarten are not pricey. Just work out a price before you leave and you are all set! From Front Street to the Maho we were charged $2/person. And from the Maho to Marigot we had a van take 10 of us return for $30. The island is very small and nothing is very far away from anything.

We rode the horses with Lucky Stables and swam with the horses - they do get very jumpy after being in the water (DH did anyway and kicked him off!) He was rode before as had all of my kids (12, 10, 8, & 5 at the time) I had not - I hate horses. Some of the ride was a little scary for me but it was an amazing experience and the views you get are unforgettable and cannot be done any other way.

Go and enjoy!

 

[dwkwootton]

Cookie, can give you an almost yes to all your questions. Instead of Bayside Stables tho, we used Lucky Stables. Just wanted to do something on each the Dutch and French sides. The horseback riding (afternoon) was the highlight of our trip, an absolute "MasterCard priceless commercial" and will be happy to answer your specific questions about Lucky Stables if you'd like. We loved our trip to The Butterfly Farm (morning), we were our own adult group, but our observation was that the children there were having a wonderful time too. We found St. Maarten to be a pleasure to tour on our own and to be very reasonable in cost.

 

[jdm]

I will definitely post when I return. I just watched a very interesting public presentation (4H) on Dressage the other night. My DD is a Western Gamer. I do love horses and have been thinking about lessons to really share this with her. We are lucky enough to live 5 minutes away from a horse farm where she can volunteer, lease, and ride but I do see us owning a horse in our future so I should probably know more

We decided to go with Bayside over Lucky because I had read some very negative reviews over on Cruise Critic about Lucky.
While I understand everyone's experience hasn't been bad, there was enough there for me to choose Bayside. Also, wanted to be closer to the Butterfly farm.

Jenn

 

[dthogue]

The horseback riding sounds like fun - can someone post a link to Bayside and Lucky stables.

Thanks,

 

[Skallywag]

We stayed on this lovely Island for two weeks a year ago and would recommend the little zoo on the outskirts of Philipsburg. It is very clean and entertaining and small enough not to take up too much time.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Hi Jenn! You sound just like me! Our DD13 has been riding for 6 years and we own a TB - she rides Dressage and has been doing shows for 3 years. My husband and I do not ride at all - I'm the stylist and he's the money man -

She would love to do the "swim" with the horses - she says it sounds exciting! It sounds scary to me

I would love to hear your report when you get back. Thanks for that website - I had seen it before but I didn't mark it in my favorites but I will now.

Have a safe and fabulous trip and ride -

Jean

Cookielu - we go to ST. Maarten every year for 2 weeks, dd age 12 also rides, has a 17 year old TB and shows, 3 foot jumpers Charles Owen classes, etc. She was bored to tears the last time she did Bayside!!! The year before, we set it up and advised the director that she rides, they had a blast, allowed her a "test ride" then let her loose on the beach. the last time, it was more of a pony ride!!! Awsome sights and fun for those that don't ride, but for those that do, boring!!! I think Lucky Stables does more of a "water ride" that may be the way to go. Not as pretty, but fun in the water, I did that one years ago, maybe 14 years!! Of course I fell off, but it was fun in the water, the horses were trying to jump the waves!

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

Although we have horses and can ride everyday....We don't get to ride on the beach!!!

We may have to check this out!!

Thanks for the info.

 

[cookielulu]

Thanks for all the replies to my OP. Even though we own a horse and my daughter is good rider - it is the idea of going swimming with the horses that is the exciting part for her. She knows they will walk along at a snail's pace - which will be fine for me and DH -

She really wants to canter along the beach - but that tour is later in the day and my dh and I would definately not do that!

She is also curious about what "island" horses are like and the enviroment that they are in - feed, tack etc.. She just loves being around horses -

Jenn- I look forward to your report when you return. We held off for many years before we bought her a horse. We have had Millie - the TB - a little over a year. That's great that you live so close to the stables and your daughter can lease and work at the barn - it saves some $$$$.

Have a safe a GREAT trip-
Jean

 

[coconut tree]

We re cruising in August of this year. I don't know about the horse back riding. Me and the kids really want to do thi, but frankly I'm a little bit scared. I can not swin. If the horse knocks you off into the water, how deep is the water. I have checked out Lucky Stables , but not Bayside yet. I need help in deciding. HELP

And also, which stable is closer to where the Royal Carribean docks?

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

From the pictures you are just standing in the Sea with the horses. You probably only go as far as you like.

We used to swim with our horses in a lake all the time! It was so fun!

I got an e-mail back from Lucky Stables and for the 3 of us too do a one hour ride with a swim will be $120. I don't think that is too bad.

They are on the Dutch side and so is Dawn Beach! I think we will go there after the ride.

I can't wait!

 

[chasbos]

The water is deeper than you are tall likely. When we went swimming with the horses, the horses were doing just that - swimming! You do not go out real far - maybe 20 feet off shore.

We did the 2 hour ride for experienced riders (my girls have 9 horses of their own) but there is a ride that stays on firmer, less steep ground!

I went and I hate horses! Things we do for our kids!

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

The only catch was it was double the price!! I don't want to pay that much when I can ride a horse everyday of my life...LOL...

So we will probably just do the one hour and be happy walking with the rest of the group.

Plus the 2 hour ride starts at 8:00 am and our ship does not dock till then.


I will love the swim,but I bet if your scared you don't have too....

Good luck whatever you choose.

I could not find a website for the other stable??? Only Lucky stables and they were very nice and prompt with their e-mail to me.