Want to ride?
By: Elisabeth Ashe; Photos by Margaret Reid*
For many people, vacations in a tropical paradise like Zihuatanejo conjure visions of all-inclusive stays at luxurious resorts. Whether you lie on the beach or by the pool all day, drink in hand and soaking up glorious rays, or hover over the buffet table, chances are that after a few days of excess, you may find yourself looking for something to do to wear off all that food and drink.
Horseback riding has become one of the preferred methods of combining, fun, sun, and exercise! And you get to connect with nature.
There are three beaches in the Ixtapa Zihuatanejo area that offer horseback riding – Playa Larga, Barra de Potosi, and Troncones. I chose Playa Larga Ranch Risquel, a family run business that has a full complement of horses to choose from 7 days a week, either early morning or sunset rides.
After picking the horse best suited for your ability, from the raw beginner to the more experienced, a typical ride starts on the beach and along the surf. If you’re lucky, sometimes you will see dolphins or whales, depending on the time of year.
The tour will then head inland, past a beautiful lagoon filled with white cranes and perhaps a crocodile or two, where your guide will take your picture against the lush green backdrop.
Then it’s into the coconut groves and through the jungle, before returning via the beach towards the stables.
Usually, you will be able to book a ride by showing up at the stables, or you can arrange for transportation and rides through the tour operator in your hotel.
It’s sure to be one of the best aspects of your vacation!
* About the Author and Photographer: Both of these women are Canadian.
Elisabeth Ashe has been coming to Zihuatanejo since 1995. “Zihuatanejo inspires me,” she says. “It is here where I come to write, as no other place gets my creative juices flowing the way Z does.”
Margaret Reid is a retired Canadian military photographer who now spends half her year in Zihuatanejo and the other in Victoria, BC. She loves to capture the beauty of BC and the culture and the children in Mexico and to share the photos with others to enjoy.