![]() Horseback riding at Amelia Island Plantation costs $80 per person for one hour. |
» At the Florida Carriage Museum and Resort just south of Ocala, a “bed and barn” formerly known as the Austin Horse Park checks in both humans and horses. The grounds include a museum of more than 150 carriages, as well as horse trails, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a putting green.
» More people are combining horseback riding and golf. And resorts all over the state are cashing in: Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Westgate River Ranch south of Orlando, Amelia Island Plantation and Ponte Vedra Inn & Club near Jacksonville. Prices for guided trail rides or lessons on horseback range from $30 to $100 for 30 minutes to an hour.
![]() The Grand Cypress Equestrian Center in Orlando. |
» New York company Cross Country International specializes in riding/golf vacations in international locales: Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Costa Rica and the Greek Isles. With the company’s inn-to-inn trips, one spouse can set off on a new trail ride every morning while the other plays a different course, and they meet up at a lodge for the evening, where a van has transported their luggage.
![]() Panasonic’s Core Trainer |
Virtual Horseback Riding
Panasonic’s JOBA Horse Riding Fitness Equipment, also known as the Mechanical Core Muscle Trainer, helps riders strengthen muscles in the abdomen, thighs and back by simulating a trail ride right in the home. Cost: $1,500 at Hammacher Schlemmer. A similar product, the iGallop from Brookstone, is $299.
Inquiring Minds
You’ll want to know about rates and riding trails, of course, but you also should ask the resort these questions before you go, courtesy of Horse & Rider magazine:
» Have any horses had any recent bouts of illness that could be contagious?
» How close is emergency medical assistance?
» How close are veterinary and farrier services?
» Are feed, stabling and stall-cleaning extra?
» What equipment do I need to bring for my horse and myself, and what will you provide?