St Croix: Horseback Riding Tour in Rainforest & Pastures

4.98

(132 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to be nervous about getting on a horse in St Croix — but I was. The saddle felt higher than I remembered from when I was a kid, and the air had that thick, green smell you only get in the Caribbean after rain. Our guide, Carla, just grinned and handed me a helmet (I’d asked ahead — safety first, even if it looks dorky). She gave us this quick crash course, nothing fancy, just enough so we wouldn’t embarrass ourselves or the horses. My horse’s name was Mango. He seemed unimpressed by my attempts at small talk.

The trail started out under these massive trees where everything felt quieter somehow — except for the crunch of hooves and Carla’s voice drifting back with little facts about the land. She pointed out some wild guava growing right off the path. We actually stopped to taste one; it was tart and sweet at once, kind of sticky on my fingers. There were cows too — not like any I’d seen before, apparently a local breed. They stared at us like we were the weird ones. At one point we passed a couple of rescue dogs lounging in the shade; one wagged his tail but didn’t bother to get up.

We rode past open pastureland where you could see all the way down to where the green met sky. Carla told us about how some of these horses had been rescued or raised here — she knew every name and story. Honestly, I kept messing up Mango’s left from right (he forgave me). The sun came out halfway through and everything smelled warm and earthy again. It wasn’t rushed; we just went at whatever pace felt right for everyone.

I still think about that view over the valley when we stopped for water — all quiet except for birds somewhere off in the trees. If you’re thinking about doing a horseback riding experience in St Croix, don’t worry if you’re new or rusty; they really do look out for you here. And yeah, my legs were wobbly getting down, but it was worth it.