Marvin came and picked us up from our hotel and drove us to his stables. From arrival you could tell the immaculate horses were part of his life not anything to do with making money.

Neither of us had experience but Marvin introduced us to his "babies" and the basics of riding his horses. The horses behaved incredibly and obviously had been trained by a real expert. My horse Darwin had incredible control and power when asked to use it.

With his capable and friendly assistant they made sure everyone was looked after from nervous beginner upwards while pushing our boundaries at the same time for a exciting ride with breathtaking views.

Without knowing much about horse riding I had the suspicion that this guy was something a bit special when it came to horses and after popping to his house to see his "special horse" that was confirmed. After reading up on this its of no surprise that Marvin is considered a world class trainer and we would have paid to see his demonstration with Gladiator, alone.

Lovely people, fantastic value and incredible talent from Marvin and his "babies". If you want to go riding anywhere in Costa Rica this must be the place to do it.

This was recommended to us by our hostel and it was a great experience! I had never ridden a horse before and I got a lot of experience from this activity. Marvin shows you the basics and then you're off, riding around the back roads of Monteverde, even trotting and galloping. If you've never ridden a horse before, just give it a shot. It's much more exciting than a gentle walk around the town.

I have very little experience horseback riding. This was my second time on a horse during my week long trip. Marvin is an excellent guide. He picked me up and dropped me off at my hotel. He was very patient and he showed me how to properly mount my horse how to get it to speed up and stop and how to turn. He gave great instruction for a beginner and it made my experience very memorable and easy. I did the four hour "In the clouds" tour which took me to the continental divide. Marvin was really good about pointing out different plants and animals and giving info about coffee plantations. We got to take a break at a cute little café where I got some juice and pastries and coffee. There were hummingbirds there and the owner of the little cafe place was very nice.

Marvin also taught me how to gallop my horse I think that was one of the best experiences. I got to gallop it several times and I'm a newbie and I was able to do it under his guide and that was very exciting. The views were amazing. I loved my horse. He was the cutest and nicest thing in very well behaved. Towards the end, though not part of the tour---but because I asked---Marvin showed me his new baby stallion and also his prized horse---a show horse that does tricks. That was so cool. Marvin also told me how he feeds and cares for his horses. Amazing experience and guide. I gave him an extra tip. Also the ride was extremely affordable. I will definitely use Horse Trek Monteverde again when I come back to Costa Rica.

While visiting Monteverde my sister, and friend decided to Extremo Zipline, and I decided that was not for me, so I opted for a horseride. It was interesting in making my booking as I had told the booking agent I wanted a ride that was for outgoing people who knew how to ride. I'd read the brochures, and this Horse Trek Monteverde looked like the best fit for me, but I had to talk the booking agent into booking it for me. He was trying to persuade me to a couple of other options, which I later found out was not for my benefit but for his pocketbooks, as the others paid higher commissions.

Anyway, I finally booked my ride. First of all Marvin, our guide (and the owner), gave great instruction on how his horses needed to be handled. You could tell right away that this wasn't just some guy trying to make a living off of trail rides. His horses followed him around like puppies. His horses were magnificent, healthy, spirited, and well loved family members to him. His horses are some of the most beautiful I've seen, and it turns out many come to him looking for horses of their own, and I can see why. I rode Maximo, and he was very spirited! The ride itself was alot of fun, and we had ample opportunity to gallop, canter, and not just be doing to single file typical ride that I've had so many times.. We saw a sloth, great views, hummingbirds, wild horses, and lots of other cool sites along with way.

Just before we got back to the stable we took a little detour into Marvins riding ring at the back of the property, and he asked if we wanted to meet one of his babies. His name is Gladiator! We had no idea what we were in for, as little did we know Marvin is a true horsewhisperer, and getting the chance to see this in action was AMAZING! These horses really love to work for Marvin, and it shows. I would very highly recommend this. Make sure you ask to see him work with his horse in the ring. He actually gets invited to do exhibitions all over Central America I later found out from a local in town. I could go on, and on but I'm sure you get my drift. :)

If you are a horselover, and you are comfortable in the saddle this is the experience for you. You will not leave disappointed. Oh, and it is VERY resonably priced!

Thanks for the great experience Marvin, and Horse Trek Monteverde!

Here's a link if you want to check out some of the ride options.
http://www.monteverdetours.com/horseback-riding-costa-rica.html