Your Gateway To An Experience Of Lifetime: Costa Rica’s Gaited Horses

experienced guides lead a 3yearold grey mare through her first river crossing.
My steed for the day was also fearless. Not in the reckless way that some mountain horses have crashed through treed trails and over rocky outcroppings with zero care for my livelihood but with a sense of willing partnership that gave me the confidence to revel in the thrilling terrain of the Costa Rican jungle. Together we crossed rivers swollen with recent rains loped across lush agrarian meadows where El Lugars cattle roam and climbed steep grades through dense greeneryall with an eager and workoriented mind.
Throughout it all my horse maintained the action that is the perhaps the most recognizable characteristic of the breed. Notably their gait isnt lateral like the gait of the Peruvian Paso or the Paso Fino so my horse moves with much of the same diagonal cadence with which I am deeply familiar. The action howeverand maybe contrary to initial ideas of riding a horse with actionhas the effect of eliminating the jarring upanddown of a horse jigging his way back to the barn.
If I had to draw similarities between what its like to ride a Costa Rican Paso and anything Id already ridden the best I can offer comes from the times I rode the biggest horses the Irish Warmblood that sailed over pasture fences seemingly without effort and the 18plushand school horse appropriately named Everest who covered the length of the indoor arena in three blissful canter strides.
But the Costarricense de Paso has that bighorse power and that rockinghorse grace in a mountablefromtheground work horse package. I dont know if my horse at El Encanto would clear a paddock fence well but Ive no doubt that if asked hed try.
Discover Costa Ricas horses at El Lugar
If youre wondering how youve experienced so much of Costa Rica yet have missed hearing about horseback riding at El Lugars El Encanto the resort only began its official operations in October 2023 so the experience is awaiting your return.
Or if youve not yet had the extreme pleasure of traveling to Costa Rica perhaps riding the countrys National Horse at one of its most inviting resorts is the inspiration you need to book your flight. The resort is an easily managed 50mile drive from San Joses international airport which is equally accessible with routes from major U S. hubs like Dallas from which the flight time is just
four hours.