Any recent riders - Bayside Riding Club or Lucky Stables

[hookedup]

Anyone been horse riding in last 6 months to give me an overview of experience with either of the above companies. Your thoughs appreciated.

[jazzyjudy]

I haven't used them but I'm considering using Bayside Riding Club, I think the difference is that Bayside's website says that you ride on the beach w/a swim with the horse I don't think Lucky Stables is a beach ride nor do you swim w/ the horse. I'd be interested in any other answers. We are going to book this in October? When were you thinking on doing it? Thanks Judy

[piercetc4]

hey hookedup- read several pages here to see what was said about riding either lucky stables or bayside- lucky stables is a hilly ride and is $25 per person per hour- bayside is a ride on beach and in ocean 2 hours is $60 per person- will call to get more info and post- tried earlier to call and could not get through? which sounds best to you guys? p.s. we are on the aos with you guys in sept.

[hookedup]

We are there 14th September. Hopefully someone will post a reply about their experience soon.

[hookedup]

I think the beach ride is what we are looking for, we can ride horses anywhere else and not experience swimming them through the Caribbean waters - so I think Bayside may be the best. Let me know your findings. I emailed them - no reply as yet. It looks like they do a 2-4pm ride (which should be able to get us back in time). Figured we could go to Orient Beach for an hour or so first then the ride!

[suezcruise]

Hay Hookedup:

 

We rode with Lucky Stables this past March. It was not our first choice. Bayside was already booked for the entire day that we were in port.

 

Lucky Stables is near Phillipsburg on the Dutch side, so the taxi fare is reasonable. However it is located in the heart of downtown (don't know the name of the town). The stable is surrounded by buildings, not so picturesque.

The ride begins walking through the streets with traffic, then goes through an industrial refinery, finally bringing you out to a beautiful nature preserve that winds up and around the hills and cliffs overlooking the water. You can even see the ships in port at Phillipsburg. Then you go to a small beach area where they let you "swim" with your horse.

 

Most horses rolled in the sand, one horse got its foot caught in the stirrup while in the surf. The rider received minor scratches to her leg, and the horse was okay, but very scary to watch. After that no one else wanted to try the "swim". My daughter and I had switched horses during the ride, and the group leader said that mine did not swim, he offered my his 17 hand thoroughbred. Since I am a rider, and paid to swim with the horse, I got up on that horse and really did swim into the ocean. It is a very weird feeling, but I was glad I tried it. Fun and got an awsome photo.

 

One of the riders had ridden with Bayside last year and liked it better. She said that her horse had trouble trying to "swim" at Bayside too!

 

My vote would be to ride with Bayside, and book early. Hope this helps.

 

Happy trails!

 

Sue Z.

[wulicny]

In August of last year, my wife and I arrived in St. Maarten on the Celebrity Century. I had pre-arranged a two-hour morning ride with Lucky Stables - leaving at 10 am, and returning at noon. It was to include time with the horses on the beach/in the water.

 

How was the ride? I couldn't tell you. We procured a taxi in Phillipsburg, near the water taxi dock, at 9:15 am. After taking us to the wrong stables (the taxi driver got confused and took us to a private stable up the hill from Lucky Stables), the driver got us to Lucky Stables. Upon arriving, the driver went to the person working the desk/concession stand, and told her that Mr. & Mrs. so-and-so were here for their 10 am ride. The person looked somewhat confused. The driver asked what the problem was, and the person said that ta ride had already left half an hour ago, and all the horses were on that ride.

 

We were very disappointed, but given the look of the neighborhood, I figured we would be better off getting back to the tourist area rather than pressing the issue too much. The taxi driver felt bad for us. He offered to take us anywhere else on the island - even to another stable. But, we thought we would cut our losses and head back to Phillipsburg.

 

We spent the remainder of the morning and afternoon on the beach. We had lunch at a nice hotel, swam in the clear blue waters, and enjoyed ourselves in the hot sun anyway.

 

I would NOT recommend Lucky Stables in St. Maarten.

 

Bill

Costa Carla "C" - 1979

RCCL Rhapsody OTS - 1999

Century - August 23, 2003 - E. Caribbean

Queen Mary 2 - November 26, 2004

waiting ... and waiting ...

[piercetc4]

Hookedup- i saw several other post on the reg. rci board about NOT using lucky stables- if we cannot get on with bayside, then maybe we could look into riding on barbados- otherwise, if you are ever in montego bay- go on the chukka blue riding excursion- the ride through the "island" was hot and no big deal- many guides on horseback to make sure all is well with riders safety wise- at the end you get to swim in the ocean on horseback- the most amazing thing you'll ever do on a horse- what a rush-

[lyndasilk]

Does anyone have a link to Bayside Stables? Or an email address?

 

Thanks!

 

Lynda

 

Disney Magic, Oct 04

Enchantment of the Seas,Apr 04

Disney Wonder, Oct 02

Disney Wonder, Jan 02

 

 

[hookedup]

baysideridingclub.com (email address etc on second page) I have emailed twice and had no reply though.

[lyndasilk]

Thanks hookedup for the website address! I'll send them an email too; I'll let you know if I hear back from them!

 

Lynda

 

Disney Magic, Oct 04

Enchantment of the Seas,Apr 04

Disney Wonder, Oct 02

Disney Wonder, Jan 02

 

 

[hookedup]

Hi Lynda & others. Have had a reply from Bayside Riding Club. (email : tracie@baysideridingclub.com) Advised cost is $60, they request credit card as guarantee but you can chose how to pay on the day. They are located right next to the Butterfly Farm and Orient Beach. Finishing ride at 4pm , advised should have no troubles getting back to ship on time. Hope this helps.

[fantasticfran]

Does anyone know what stables that Princess line uses on St. Martin for their Trail and Horseback Ride? Our daughter and husband are thinking about this for Nov. off of the Caribbean Princess. Since this is quite expensive($99) I don't want them to be disappointed as this is their first cruise.:confused: If anyone has done this would like to know how they liked it. Thanks' Fran

[gtaylor]

Does anyone know what stables that Princess line uses on St. Martin for their Trail and Horseback Ride? Our daughter and husband are thinking about this for Nov. off of the Caribbean Princess. Since this is quite expensive($99) I don't want them to be disappointed as this is their first cruise.:confused: If anyone has done this would like to know how they liked it. Thanks' Fran

I strongly suggest that you read this previous thread about the stables.

[texasgirl]

Once I finally got Bayside to email me back, we conversed back and forth quite nicely. However, our plans got glitched when we found out that Bayside does not offer rides on Sunday. Hopefully your plans are for another day! We decided to forget horseback riding on St Martin and do beaches instead. Now I'm trying to get the same type of ride set up for Tortola.

[nesheiml]

:) Didn't read this comments before I was travelling, but sure now good to share what my experiences were. I had the greatest time riding by Lucky Stables. They are moved to a new location, and at first passing that downtown area, I was surprised to find such a nice place right behind it! The horses are really sweet and we went on a fantastic trail right trough a nature area with beautifull lookouts. Made the greatest picture with our ship in the background, that as far south as the trails go, you can look out all the way to Philipsburg. The ride is at moments a little steap, but the horses are so easy going and those views, wow!

The ride ended on a small beach where the horses go into the water, and then I mean into the water, my horse actually took a swim with me, it was amazing! Got some great pictures there too, right now my screensaver! The prices are fair, the guides cute :p and not too far from port, so we had plenty of time to shop till we dropped in Philipsburg, got some great things there. I have to say that despite the descriptions above, I totally would recommend Lucky Stables, that horsebackriding was the highlight of my trip!

 

there website isn't working and I'm trying to find recent information for our cruise in Dec.

[Breezie68]

How would either of these rides be for an experienced rider?

I own horses, and am a professional rider, but would love to ride while on vacation. Are these rides just the usual horses's nose on the horses tail in front of it walking trail rides, or would someone who is a regular rider enjoy it too?

Thanks in advance.

[nesheiml]

are pretty much nose to tail. I arrived late for the 9:00am group ride at Bayside (the ship said it docked at 8:00am but it was 9:00am local time since the ship didn't switch it's clocks) and a guide took me out alone. we walked most of the time, but trotted and cantered along the beach. you'd probably be bored with the group rides, but they do private rides and the horses were eager to go.

[sendtodb]

OK, I have some in our group booked for a 1.5 hr ride @ 2pm @ Bayside Stables. Based on what I've read, my watch (with ship time) will still read 1pm? So I should have enough time to get back to the ship for a 5:30 departure? I'm thinking this because the ride gets over somewhere around 3:30, and that means boat time is 2:30 (which is 3 hrs before departure). Am I off base?