How to choose an ethical horseback tour (and spot a bad one)

A horseback ride is only as good as the horse carrying you. Most travelers care about that, but it is hard to judge from a booking page, and harder still once you are standing at the stables with a group waiting. This guide explains what an ethical horseback riding tour looks like, the questions worth asking before you pay, and the signs that should make you think twice, wherever you ride.

What makes a horseback tour "ethical"?

There is no official label for it in Mexico, so the word on a website doesn't guarantee much. In practice, an ethical ride comes down to a few simple things:

• The horses are healthy, fed and rested, and they are not worked beyond what they can comfortably do.
• The workload fits the conditions: the heat, the terrain, the length of the ride and the weight being carried.
• The people handling the horses know them and treat them calmly, without hitting, yanking or shouting.
• The operator is willing to say no: to a rider who is too heavy, to a gallop a beginner asks for, or to a ride on a day the conditions aren't right.

That last point matters more than it sounds. A tour that never turns anyone away is usually putting the booking ahead of the horse.

What a healthy horse looks like

You don't need to be a vet to notice the basics. Take a minute to look at the horses before you set off:

• Body condition. A working horse is lean, not bony. You might see the outline of the last rib or two on a fit horse, but sharp hip bones, a visible spine or a row of ribs are a bad sign.
• Skin and coat. Look where the saddle and the girth sit, and at the corners of the mouth. Open sores, raw patches or bald, rubbed spots mean the tack doesn't fit or the horse is overworked.
• How it moves. A sound horse walks evenly. Limping, nodding the head with each step or reluctance to put weight on a leg means it shouldn't be working that day.
• Attitude. A relaxed horse stands quietly, ears moving, interested in what's going on. A horse that flinches when someone raises a hand, or stands head-down and dull in the sun, is telling you something.
• Hooves and feet. Badly cracked, overgrown or broken hooves are a sign of neglect.

Questions to ask before you book

A good operator answers these easily, without getting vague or defensive. Ask by message before you pay:

1. Is there a weight limit? There should be. A clear limit, stated up front, is one of the best signs that someone is thinking about the horse.
2. What pace is the ride? For a mixed group of beginners, the honest answer is "mostly walking". A beach ride sold on galloping for anyone who turns up is a ride sold on the horse's back.
3. What time of day does it run? On the Oaxacan coast the middle of the day is hot for people and horses. Early-morning and late-afternoon rides are kinder.
4. How long is the ride, and how much of it is on sand? Soft sand is hard work for a horse. Long stretches of it in full sun, ride after ride, add up.
5. Who owns and looks after the horses? Horses that belong to the people guiding them, kept where they live, are usually better known and better looked after than animals rented by the hour.
6. Is a helmet included? This is about your safety rather than the horse's, but operators who take one seriously tend to take the other seriously too.

Red flags: when to walk away

Some warning signs are visible from the beach or the stables. If you see these, it is fine to change your mind, even if you have already paid a deposit:

• Horses tied up in full sun with no shade or water, waiting for the next customer.
• Visible wounds, saddle sores or a limping horse being saddled anyway.
• A guide who whips, kicks or jerks the horses to get them moving.
• No questions asked about your weight, experience or health.
• Galloping offered to beginners, or horses run hard on hot sand so riders can get a photo.
• The same horses going out again and again through the hottest hours.
• A price far below everyone else's. Feeding, shoeing and caring for horses costs money, and that has to come from somewhere.

If something bothers you during a ride, say so to the guide. Asking to slow down, or pointing out that a horse seems to be limping, is never rude.

How we run our rides

We would rather show you than ask you to trust a label. Both of our rides start in San José Manialtepec, a farming village about 30 minutes from Puerto Escondido, where you meet the horses and their owner. Here is how they are set up:

• A weight limit of around 100 kg (220 lbs), stated before you book, because four hours through a river, up a jungle trail and along the beach is real work for a horse.
• A relaxed pace, mostly at a walk, on a trail the horses know well. This is a guided trail ride for mixed groups, not a gallop.
• Afternoon timing on the shared ride, which sets off around 4:00 PM and reaches the beach for sunset, after the worst of the heat. The private ride offers an 8:00 AM departure too.
• A horse matched to your level, a short briefing before you ride and a helmet for every rider.
• A bilingual guide with the group the whole way, who sets the pace and has the final word on what is safe that day.

Look at the horses yourself when you arrive. That is exactly what we would want you to do.

Your part as a rider

Ethical riding isn't only up to the operator. Be honest about your weight and experience when you book, so the guide can choose the right horse. Listen to the briefing, keep a light hand on the reins rather than pulling, and don't kick harder to make a horse go faster than the group. If you have never ridden, our tips for your first ride cover how to sit and steer without fighting the horse.

And if you still have questions about weight, age or health, our horseback riding FAQ answers the ones we hear most before people book.