Guests John and Lydia accompany their daughter Safron on her morning riding lesson
Here at Barking Horse Farm there are a variety of options for folks with all levels of experience and interests in horses. If you are a family with varying levels of riding expertise we have something for every one.
- We have all levels and lengths of trails to ride out on.
- We can match you to a horse that is just right for your level of riding skill.
- Lessons are offered in the ring by Establo San Rafael.
- Child care is available if you want to ride out on a more advanced trail with out the kids
Meet the Farmers
3 hours, Easy
Price: US$ 50
Ride out through the beautiful farmland of Puriscal with a stop at a working farm. This farm produces milk, eggs, honey and they also have chickens, pigs, oxen, and more. You will be shown around the farm and told about traditional farming techniques. During the visit, meet the friendly family, and try some of their local, in-season products.
Trapiche Tour
6 hours, Easy/Moderate
Price: US$ 75
Of all our destinations, this one is the most popular. Ride to a panoramic view-point and then tour a traditional sugar mill called a trapiche. During the tour all aspects of small-industry sugar-making will be shown and explained. Have a drink of fresh sugar cane juice. The local workers will make us some special trapiche-treats like sugar-cane toffee with coconut shavings. On the way home we stop for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. Please note: this tour happens only on Friday.
Cattle herding
5 hours, Easy/Moderate
Price: US$ 65
Have fun herding cattle with a neighboring farmer, while you learn about the difficulties of running a cattle ranch in Costa Rica. Our local guide will show you everything they do differently in his country. You will assist (or just watch) locals as they herd their cattle on the green slopes of Puriscal County. At the end of the day, you are invited to a big “farmer’s lunch”… the Costa Rican way.
Puente de Hierro
6 hours, Moderate
Price: US$ 75
Enjoy a guided horseback ride to Puente de Hierro (iron bridge) on the Rio Negro for a swim in the cool waters. You will ride out between small farms with spectacular views of the rainforest habitat, then down into a valley where rapids and waterfalls decorate the bends of the Rio Negro. A healthy, organic-food picnic finds you ready for another swim in the river, after which you will return fresh and fit.
Tabarcia de Mora
7 hours, Moderate
Price: US$ 75
Climb to a ridge with a 360 degree view, cross rivers as you descend into a valley to have lunch at the local restaurant in a quaint village. Check out local plantations and patches of rainforest. The terrain is rugged, and the trails are difficult. You cover a considerable distance with a lot of trotting and cantering, while riding your horse over a suspension bridge on the way home.
The Forest Ride
2 hrs, easy
Price, US$ 45
Ride out along a ridge to a view point with a 360 view with sweeing panormaic 360 degree view. Then return along trails that wind through teak and pine forests.
2 hrs, easy
Price US$ 45
Price: $1500 per person
Our ultimate offer, the real equestrian adventure is the week-long trek to the Pacific beach of Costa Rica, through farmland, untamed wilderness, national parks and virgin rainforest. Along the way you will be sleeping with local families and at eco-lodges and eating the best farmland cuisine the area has to offer. With comfortable, 6-hour riding days and plenty of extra time for exploring the sights, we offer this trip to anyone with a love for horses and adventure! Easy: no previous riding experience required, after a few instructions you are free to try the easiest trails on our best-trained horses. Rides are never more than 3 hours long in total.
Moderate: basic riding skills are required, with some experience at trail riding. All moderate trips are a day long at most, meaning 2-4 hours in the saddle. A perfect challenge for the apprentice trail rider!
Difficult: good riding skills and adequate physical fitness is important in this category. The rides are all multi-day, sometimes with longer distances covered.
