Great family horseback riding in rural DR - Summary: I would definitely recommend this activity for anyone looking for an adventure that feels part of DR life and not a tourist trap. It was a highlight of our family's trip. Details: We traveled to DR from the US with our family of three teenaged kids. Everyone had been on horses a few times but no one had extensive experience. We were especially interested in an extensive horseback ride that was more fun and less restricted than the very conservative trail rides we had been on a few times in the past. We were staying at one of the major resorts in Punta Cana and also wanted to get away from the resort/tourist areas for at least a little bit. I looked at a lot of the horseback riding excursions on TripAdvisor and Viator, especially the rides along the beach. After digging into the reviews, I wasn't interested in most of them. They sounded like tourist traps where we would get little actual riding time, where the horses may not be well cared for, or where we would wind up being pushed on vendors. I almost ditched the whole idea of going horseback riding in DR, but finally came across this activity. To be honest, I was still pretty skeptical about this before the activity. It turned out to be one of our favorite memories from our entire trip. We rode with our main guide and one other gentleman who took care of the horses. The horses seemed happy and well cared for, but you need to understand these are working horses and not animals that are kept/groomed for show. The ride was was around two hours long, going up and back down a mountain through the enormous ranch property. We stopped at the top and took in incredible views of the island below. Our guide was very friendly and took care to explain things throughout the trip (without being overbearing). The overall vibe was pride in sharing a slice of life. This was exactly the type of ride we were looking for. It wasn't overly constrained where everyone was pushed into a line and the horses walked slowly nose-to-tail without you feeling like you were actually controlling the animal. You could move around in the group and we rode faster than a walk when the terrain allowed. We didn't get a lot of instruction, but that was fine for our family. We were happy to jump in and figure things out as we went. It's not always perfect....one of the horses acted up a few times nipping at a neighboring horse. This is reality with a real animal. When it happened again, the guides switched horses to make the ride more comfortable for us. We stopped for lunch a few minutes from where the ride finished. This is in a private home with a woman who is apparently known to cook for people in the area. The food was delicious and it was a refreshing break from resort food to have a home cooked meal. We were never approached by vendors pushing anything on us. There was a small store that we passed through at the same place where the ride started/ended where they had products made from cacao (cacao grows on the property). We decided to purchase a few small things, but this never felt pushy...it was there if we chose to look and fine if we did not. Overall, this was perfect for us. If you want something that feels like a real horseback ride and an authentic slice of life in the rural areas of DR, this is it. You need to be fine with the fact that this is rustic and not meant to be some picture perfect resort brochure. If that's what you're looking for, I highly recommend this activity. As I said, I was very skeptical and our family loved it.

Excellent experience - We was picked up by Darwin who was our guide for the day. We arrived and there was only us riding. We had a private ride. We rode to the top where the views were amazing and then back down. We were then taken to lunch which was amazing and then taken back to our hotel. We would highly recommend this experience.

Highly recommend! Did not disappoint. - There were 4 of us on our tour and it did not disappoint! All of us have been around large animals or had ridden prior. The horses behaved great and would be fine with a beginner! Our pickup was on time, then we had a bit of a drive from our resort. That didn’t bother us because we had a lot of questions on the Dominican beings it was our first time there! Arturo (sp) answered them all and it was great conversation both ways. The horse ride was beautiful! The swings at the top were fun and view all around was breathtaking. We did the morning ride with lunch included. I am gluten and dairy free so was a little nervous on how that would work. We stopped at an adorable home in the town nearby for lunch and she accommodated my restrictions with no problem! I had let them know ahead of time. I appreciated that so very much and oh my goodness, it was absolutely delicious!!! We all enjoyed the experience so very much!! My husband, who originally was going just for me, ranked it toward the top for highlights during our trip! I wanted to see the true scenery of the Dominican and it didn’t disappoint. Highly recommend!

Awesome - This was a great experience!!! We would totally recommend this as it totally beats horse riding on the beach. Everyone was very friendly, accommodating and welcoming ❤️ I don’t want to spoil a great experience. Try it for yourself!!!

Amazing experience! - Amazing experience! The horses were well cared for and easy to ride. Large area to ride up to a scenic mountain top. The guides let up run with the horses as we had previous riding experience which was a blast!

Unique Riding Experience - We enjoyed the adventurous ride, the beauty, and the lunch. Our guide was very nice and gracious. My son who never rode before gave it a 10/10.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE - Such a great experience, definitely recommend! Our instructor picked us up on time and showed us the beautiful lands.

Decent Tour Overall - The tour was decent. We did the evening tour. Beware - the evening tour doesn’t include lunch. We did not receive the juice or fruit platter as advertised either, just a water bottle. There wasn’t any interaction or historical overviews throughout the tour, it was a silent ride the entire time. We rode to a mountaintop and saw swings, then rode back down. We also tried cacao seeds. We had fun simply because we were doing an activity together, but aside from that, it wouldn’t be a tour I would recommend or book again. Though maybe the morning tour is more eventful.

Beautiful views but not as described. - Not as described, didn't get: x Water x Helmets x Riding among more than 300 heads of cattle, help our staff herd them through the ranch (we saw 2 cows and 6 horses just loose in the woods along the ride) x Panoramic tour of the Cathedral of our lady De La Altagracia patron of the city of Higüey. x Welcome tropical fruit drink (evening) x Fresh fruit platter (evening) x Tequila shot. x 5 hrs - Took only 45 mins to get to the Mountain Swings, spent around 5 mins there off the horses, then 1 hr to get back. Nothing else was included in the afternoon ride. The Horses were brought to us covered in little sticky spiky burs (not only their hair and fur but the blankets under the saddles), that scratched our legs badly through our pants, making for an uncomfortable ride and we have sores weeks later! The saddles were old and broken, literally held together with shoes laces. The horses were small and skinny, we are bigger riders and they were struggling to take us up the mountain but he just whipped them. They are also not auto pilot horses, you need to know how to control them as they will run at full speed when not held back. Expect a lot of trotting so a very bouncy ride that you will feel the next day. The guide was quiet as he didn't speak any English. It was just us 2, the guide and a dog. Our driver waited for us in the parking lot. However, the view from the Mountain and being able to swing on them (most are broken, only 2 still attached) was beautiful and memorable. Definitely different from your average horse ride.

Awful - We approached the ranch with no briefing on how to ride the horses and no helmets provided. The guide was rude and unresponsive when we informed him that one of the kids was autistic and would prefer to ride with his mom. Despite our prior request and assurance that this would be possible, the guide ignored the mom and insisted the boy would be fine. He even slapped the horse, causing it to take off and separate the child from his mom. The horses were in poor condition, skinny and infested with ticks. My horse had ticks on its eyelids and ears and was underweight, making me feel bad. How am I suppose to enjoy myself seeing an animal like this? My wife's horse didn't respond to commands and had a swollen leg. Again No briefing was given on how to ride, and we speak Spanish I cant imagine how bad it’ll be for those who don’t. We were there for no more than 5 minutes, we decided to leave the ranch, skipping all the inclusive activities like coffee and lunch. Upon returning home, I requested a partial refund, which seemed fair given that we didn't ride or experience anything. However, the owner, driven by greed, refused to refund any of the $543 we paid, offering only a credit for a future visit, which made no sense. This experience was a hard lesson. I would never conduct business this way, but we all have different upbringings. Avoid this place; it’s not worth it. Other horse excursions are not only cheaper but likely offer a much better experience. I regret choosing this one.