Horse Riding on your Vacation to Jamaica

When you think about taking a vacation in Jamaica, images of golden or white sand and clichéd crystal blue-green oceans and lagoons come to mind. You imagine yourself sun-bathing, meeting Bob Marley's relatives on the 9-Mile excursion, dancing the night away with other tourists at some kind of Americanized reggae club – but have you considered that you could just as easily be spending some of your time really immersing yourself in the Jamaican landscape, really getting back to nature? You could do this by reserving yourself a place on one of the island's horse riding tours.

Of course you could simply take a horse riding lesson, and perhaps a slow canter down to the beach – but wouldn’t you rather experience something a little deeper than that? There are specialized horse tour companies on Jamaica that offer a variety of different packages (including the simple riding lesson option!) to suit all kinds of abilities, skills and interests. You can join a group tour that lasts for only a few hours, or if you’re wanting something a little more private – perhaps as part of your honeymoon, you can hire a guide and have a tour that's just for you and your partner.

If the idea appeals but you don't think your riding skills are up to a horse trek through some rainforest terrain, don't worry – the staff at the horse tour companies won't let you go if they don't think you’re up to it. It’s not worth their credibility to allow riders who aren’t experienced enough for any particular tour take part in it. Instead, they'll advise you on what they think you can manage, making it a win-win situation all round!

So don't think that Jamaica is all about water and sand, there's a few hooves in there as well if you're ready to get up in the saddle and find them!