Road riding used to be a dangerous, bumpy proposition in Ecuador, but a recent boom in road building and improvement has created many roads with wide enough shoulder for cycling…
Horseback Riding
Ecuador provides riding enthusiasts with a surprisingly rich variety of opportunities….
Top Activities Horseback Riding
Horseback Riding
Horseback Riding in Ecuador
Ecuador provides riding enthusiasts with a surprisingly rich variety of opportunities. You can ride high in the Andes through the grassy páramo plains with glaciated volcanoes as a backdrop; through lowland tropical rain forest; or even through the many unique ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands.
Ecuador’s specialty is the combined horseback riding/hacienda program. The country’s extensive hacienda system makes it possible to ride through quilted pasture land from one hacienda to another, many of which now operate as country inns and send riders out with scrumptious country picnics.
Ecuador has a number of stables which rent good horses, and if you know where to look you can find pure Peruvian Pasos, Andalusians, and Arabs. Beginner riders are advised to hire the tough, mixed-blood “Criollo” horses. Be forewarned: even healthy horses will generally look thin in the Sierra – at these altitudes the horses cannot afford to carry extra weight – so you will rarely find “bonnie”, well-padded mounts.
Golden Rules of Riding
Stable standards, ethics and horse-care policies vary tremendously in Ecuador. Stables, owners and trainers change regularly, which means that the training and care of the horses also changes. Common sense is therefore essential. When considering a horse for hire, follow the golden rules of riding:
1. If a horse appears ill, lame, or abused, REFUSE to ride it. Change horses or leave. Please let EcuadorExplorer.com know if you find inhumane conditions at any stables.
2. If you cannot control the horse or do not feel safe, it’s best to change horses or to not ride. If you are on the trails when a problem arises, do not hesitate to dismount.
3. If the tack (saddle & bridle) looks ill-fitted, old, cracked, and/or damaged, ask to have it changed, or a fall could ruin your holiday.
4. Check the tack adjustments before getting on the horse. Is the girth band tight? Are the reins and stirrup leathers in good condition? Most importantly, take the time to get your stirrups the right length. Stirrups that are too short will hurt your knees and can be dangerous.
Western tack is typically used in Ecuador, though some stables offer English saddles. Western saddles are recommended, as they are safer going up and down steep terrain and are generally more comfortable for long rides. Few stables offer riding helmets, so if you are planning on doing any serious riding bring your own helmet.
Where to Ride
The Sierra (highlands) offers the best riding in Ecuador. Imbabura province provides Kodak-worthy pastoral scenery with volcanic backdrops. Some rides showcase the area’s haciendas, as well as the Cotocachi and Mojanda ranges and the snow-capped Cayambe volcano. Cotopaxi National Park, with its wild páramo plains (above 16,000 feet) and omnipresent Cotopaxi volcano, provides a uniquely Ecuadorian landscape in which to ride.
In equatorial Ecuador you can ride year-round, although some months are better than others for certain areas. The coastal areas and semi-tropical Baños have a tendency to be muggy. In the Sierra north of Quito, the month of May can be rather wet, while during the rest of the year it typically rains only in the late afternoons; and by this time the horses are back in the stables and you are fireside enjoying a pre-dinner aperitif.
Please see our horseback riding tour operators page for a list of Ecuador’s finest tour operators.
Related Pages
Provider Spotlight
Galapagos Tour Experts – Adventure Life Specialize in luxury Galapagos cruises, and land-based Galapagos tours. Adventure Life can help you design the perfect trip to Ecuador. As seen in Outside Magazine, NatGeo, and the New York Times.
Voyager Galapagos Tours has excellent Galapagos cruise deals & last-minute offers, and land-based Galapagos tours (aka Island Hopping).
Galapagos & Ecuador Insiders use their local expertise to assist you in planning the perfect Galapagos cruise or Ecuador tour for your precise budget, needs, and interests.
Latin Trails craft customized journeys to the Galapagos Islands, the Ecuador mainland, the Amazon rainforest, and Peru. They operate the highly-rated Galapagos cruising yacht: Seaman Journey and the day tour yacht the Galapagos Hopper.
Bespoke Galapagos – Pioneers in Galapagos tourism. Two generations of sailing and shipbuilding showcase unparalleled knowledge in creating the most unique Galapagos Cruises.
Gulliver Expeditions – Learn more about our Ecuador Tours, Peru Tours, Ecuador Climbing Expeditions, Galapagos Land Tours, and Machu Picchu Tours. Gulliver Expeditions offer fantastic travel experiences since 2005.
Surtrek Galapagos Cruises – have offered exceptional custom-designed trips to the Galapagos for over 20 years. They now bring their brand of off-the-beaten-path trips to other countries in South America such as Peru’s Machu Picchu, Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats, and Chile’s Atacama Desert.
ViaNatura – provides excellent value Galapagos cruises on the Monserrat yacht, a luxury cruise experience on the Hermes yacht, and a variety of tours in Ecuador and Peru.
Exclusive Galapagos Cruises, part of the EQ Touring group – specializes in private Galapagos yacht charters. They can help your group find the perfect yacht that matches your needs at a price negotiated by a true insider that has been doing charters in the Galapagos for decades.
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