Costa Rica due in part to negative press on the subject, not all of it unfounded. The reason to be weary is that some people only see short-term profit and to them a horse is just a means to make money. The more tours the horse does the more money they make. This practice by some has given a bad reputation to the horse industry of Costa Rica. There were cases of horses collapsing from exhaustion and people riding trails covered in mud that were not in a condition to ride upon. These neglects tainted the image of horseback rides.
Now that you have been forewarned let us tell you that this does not mean you should not go for a ride on your visit. There are many responsible horseback tour operators in Costa Rica. Some of the ways you can decide if a company caring properly for it’s horses as well as its customers is to visit their stables. You do not have to be a vet to see if the horses look healthy. You can tell a lot about how people treat their horses by seeing where they live and eat.
Other things to look for:
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Can they provide veterinarian records?
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Is there any method of rotating the horses so they are not overworked?
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How is the condition of the tack and are the horses shoed?
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Are you offered horses to your level of experience - does anyone even ask?
The positive side of the issue is that many companies have improved the condition of the horses and improved the quality of their tours. Hopefully people will inquire into the well being of the horses before booking a tour. It is not too difficult to ascertain and by doing so you are going to have a much better experience. To read an article on the pros and cons of different trails between Monteverde and Arenal follow this link, "To ride or not to ride?"
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