Doesn't mean we know how to ride a horse! Our first experiences riding horses with our guides Santiago and Nelson was nothing short of amazing. Winding through grasslands and forests, passing between small groups of curious calfs and foals, feeling the horse beneath you begin to float while crossing a river, climbing to the top of a Myan ruin...really, what else can I say?

My family of 5 took a horseback ride through the jungle to the ancient ruins of Xunantunich in November 2012. Santiago is the owner of the stables and does a fantastic job making sure everyone is comfortable. He planned a guide for the ruins when we got there and the guides took us to a local restaurant for lunch on the way back. I planned the ride via e-mail before we left and everything was exactly as promised. The ride was so much better than expected and really great value. If you like adventure and unique experiences this one's a 5 star!

My boyfriend and I took a half day ride with Santiago to Xunantunich and had a wonderful time! When I contacted Santiago in advance via email, he was quick to respond and answer all my questions. He assured me that he would tailor the experience to our liking and riding level. Also, the price was only $35 per person, which is a much better price than what you get through the tour companies.
On the day of our ride, Santiago picked us up from our hotel right on time and took us to the stable. The horses he matched us with were gentle, well-trained and groomed. The ride to Xunantunich was beautiful and scenic. Santiago was great company and we enjoyed chatting with him during our ride. I'm not a very experienced rider, so he always took care to make sure I didn't fall to far behind, or feel uncomfortable on my horse.
At Xunantunich we were introduced to a guide for a tour of the site (whose name I can't recall, but seemed to work directly with Santiago). He was great too! He was knowledgeable, and quick to point out all the best photo ops. On our ride back, Santiago took us a different route so we could enjoy the view along the Mopan river. We had a fabulous time, and highly recommend visiting Hanna Stables while vacationing in Belize!

We had a couple hours to kill the evening before we left Belize. We dropped in at Hanna Stables and lucked out! We woke up our 3 sleeping kids (ages 3, 5 and 9) and ended up having the most wonderful ride with Santiago and the "cowboy" (what my 3 year old dubbed our other guide). They made sure that the kids were safe and felt secure. The ride was beautiful! We travelled around the property for a couple hours and everywhere we looked we kept saying "it's so gorgeous!" Santiago was so interesting to talk with! The kids tell everyone about the amazing horseback riding we did. Thanks Santiago, you made our last evening a real treat!

Hope to see you in Tahoe next July!