Terrible experience - would not recommend at all, could have been injured badly, unhealthy horses and poor organization
I am an experienced rider and booked a 90-minute “sunset romantic ride” for two persons on Boavista’s official tourism website, relying on the positive reviews I saw on TripAdvisor and photos of healthy horses (which I later realized were likely from another company). The ride was advertised as beginner-friendly.
When we arrived at the meeting point (Morabeza beach bar), we saw two skinny, unhealthy-looking horses (see the picture). The guide, who didn’t speak English as advertised, handed me his boss Rafael over the phone, who informed us the ride would start 30 minutes late. Meanwhile, the horses stood waiting in the full sun. We should have left then, and we deeply regret that we didn’t.
The ride began on the beach without any safety briefing, despite the guide being told that my boyfriend was a complete beginner. The guide followed walking behind, frequently whipping the horses to make them go faster. At one point, the horses suddenly galloped due to the whipping - luckily we managed to stop them quickly (my boyfriend didn’t know how to galop and there were people in front of us). The guide was loud, distracted, and even took phone calls during the ride. Communication was really bad since he didn’t understand us.
Later, we stopped for the included sparkling wine break. Tourists gave the guide fresh bread for the horses (which is dangerous for them, they can’t digest it), and before I could stop him, he gave it to one of them. We noticed at this time that the horses were lacking a lot of teeth.
When we resumed, I did a short gallop on my own, which went fine. The guide then proposed galloping together. We walked a bit, then suddenly, without warning, he took off at full speed, whipping his horse, despite people still walking on the beach. My horse followed and ended up tripping in the sand. He did not manage to catch up in its forelegs - likely due to its poor condition - and fell backward, legs in the air. I was thrown into the ocean but miraculously didn’t end up under the horse and was not hurt. My boyfriend recorded it all from the beach (see the video).
I caught my horse, which was now limping badly. The guide returned, saw the limp, but still rode the horse until I told him that it would be better to dismount. He then offered me to ride the other horse, even though my boyfriend and I were still shaken and completely soaked. Back at the starting point, our guide handed me his boss Rafael again. I explained what happened, emphasizing the horse’s bad condition and the danger of the situation. Rafael laughed and hung up. After a second call, and pointing out we rode for less than an hour (excluding the wine break), he reluctantly offered a 10€ discount - completely inappropriate given what happened - with no apologies.
What’s most concerning is the total lack of transparency and communication: we don’t know where the stables are located, who runs this operation, or whether it’s even legal and insured. If I had been injured, it could have turned into a far more serious situation. Our guide said that the horse would be given a massage and would see a vet but I suspect that he will go on other rides shortly.
If you see this review, please don’t book a ride through Boavista’s official...
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