How's the horseback riding in and around Panama?
Lourdes Townshend
The equestrian industry in Panamá is widely represented by several clubs in the country. There is one in Panamá City, another in Coronado, and one more in David (Chiriquí). All of them offer horseback riding classes, stables and important international competitions. In addition, there are many private ranches that own prime quality "Peruvian" , Arabian, race horses and other types of horses. Very often these...
The equestrian industry in Panamá is widely represented by several clubs in the country. There is one in Panamá City, another in Coronado, and one more in David (Chiriquí). All of them offer horseback riding classes, stables and important international competitions. In addition, there are many private ranches that own prime quality "Peruvian" , Arabian, race horses and other types of horses. Very often these horses participate in important parades in different towns and cities. Panamanian jockeys have also been very distinguished worldwide, with many first prize winners at the Kentucky Derby and all the other important races in the world.
As for regular or private horseback riding on particular occasions, there are always local people, especially at the beaches or El Valle de Antón who rent their horses for $10/hr for a short ride. Locals are very friendly, and if you ask, they would accept a tip to use their horses, as this is their means of transportation, especially for the ones who live in the country or the mountains.
Posted August 5, 2013
Marla Diaz
There are several horseback riding facilities throughout Panama. However, my favorite is the Equestrian Club in Coronado because from there, you can ride your horse down to the beach and enjoy the sunset or sunrise. I live right on the beach and often see rider and horse both enjoying beautiful carefree moments galloping along the shores and playing as the waves roll onto the sand.
The Equestrian Club of Coronado also has a field for...
There are several horseback riding facilities throughout Panama. However, my favorite is the Equestrian Club in Coronado because from there, you can ride your horse down to the beach and enjoy the sunset or sunrise. I live right on the beach and often see rider and horse both enjoying beautiful carefree moments galloping along the shores and playing as the waves roll onto the sand.
The Equestrian Club of Coronado also has a field for polo and kids can go there on weekends for pony or horse rides. We take our 4-year-old daughter there all the time. She loves walking through the stables after her ride to meet and feed all the horses!
Posted April 24, 2014
Tom Fitzgerald and Nicke Barefoot
Hi all,
My wife and I love horseback riding, especially in Panama, because the views are spectacular. And the people are GREAT!
Here is a video we shot during our ride in Volcan, in Chiriqui Province.
Hi all,
My wife and I love horseback riding, especially in Panama, because the views are spectacular. And the people are GREAT!
Here is a video we shot during our ride in Volcan, in Chiriqui Province.
Posted June 24, 2014
Joshua Haarbrink - Caribbean Panama Network
Horseback riding is certainly one of my all time 
favorite activities and there are quite a few options for everyone in Panama ranging from the first-time rider to those seeking a true adventure.
favorite activities and there are quite a few options for everyone in Panama ranging from the first-time rider to those seeking a true adventure. As some folks have mentioned, there are some riding clubs and equestrian centers in Panama City as well as other regions, no need to repeat what others have already listed. Here are a few that I have had the opportunity to experience myself:
...
Horseback riding is certainly one of my all time favorite activities and there are quite a few options for everyone in Panama ranging from the first-time rider to those seeking a true adventure.
favorite activities and there are quite a few options for everyone in Panama ranging from the first-time rider to those seeking a true adventure. As some folks have mentioned, there are some riding clubs and equestrian centers in Panama City as well as other regions, no need to repeat what others have already listed. Here are a few that I have had the opportunity to experience myself:
For the more adventurous folks, my favorite riding has been on the Caribbean coast of Panama in the Costa Arriba (Upper Coast) of Colon Province. Panama Outdoor Adventures offers a gentle and shorter ride through the jungle, across a river and through an indigenous Embera village. They also offer a more advanced all-day adventure that includes horseback and hiking to reach a beautiful area with waterfalls and deep pools for swimming. This adventure is not for the faint of heart, as our friend shares in this entertaining story about her experience:
In the tropical islands of Bocas del Toro, you will find of the best equipped and highest-quality horseback riding operations called Panama Horseback, which is operated by an expat with years of experience. They are currently in transition and these tours will very soon be offered on Isla Bastimentos through the Red Frog Beach Resort. The island and conservation area is beautiful and the experience is unforgettable! 
On the Pacific coast in Pedasi I believe there are a few options for horseback riding. We booked ours through Casa Lajagua, a beautiful little B&B at the entrance to town. If you're looking for an early morning picturesque ride along the beach, this is the way to do it! Posted June 28, 2014
Anne Gordon de Barrigón - Whale Watching Panama/Emberá Village Tours
There are a few places that as a tourist, you can go to for horseback riding. There are a some facilities for horseback riding in Portobello in Colon and El Valle de Anton. Boquete also has trail riding with guides. Having said that, as a consumer, you have to be very careful and make sure that the horse you are riding is healthy and is cared for and that it can hold you, because a lot of the horses here are much smaller. They are just naturally a smaller breed and...
There are a few places that as a tourist, you can go to for horseback riding. There are a some facilities for horseback riding in Portobello in Colon and El Valle de Anton. Boquete also has trail riding with guides. Having said that, as a consumer, you have to be very careful and make sure that the horse you are riding is healthy and is cared for and that it can hold you, because a lot of the horses here are much smaller. They are just naturally a smaller breed and some of them are so skinny that you would not want to put a full-sized American adult on.
Also, trust your instincts because if something goes wrong with a horse, it could go bad really fast. Panama is not a country where if you rent a horse from a guy on the street, you have recourse if something goes wrong. So if you are going horseback riding, make sure that it is through an established, responsible tour company that has insurance and where you can feel comfortable that the horses are well cared for and are really stable for you to ride.
Posted December 11, 2014
Maria Amelia Pezzotti
We have a lot of horses here in Panama and you can go horseback riding almost anywhere. You can go horseback riding on the beaches, in the hills, etc. We have lots of horses in Chitré, where I live (about two and a half hours from Panama City), so horseback riding is one of the hobbies of the people here. People in Chitré even go horseback riding to the supermarket. In the small towns, people have horses in their backyards so they...
We have a lot of horses here in Panama and you can go horseback riding almost anywhere. You can go horseback riding on the beaches, in the hills, etc. We have lots of horses in Chitré, where I live (about two and a half hours from Panama City), so horseback riding is one of the hobbies of the people here. People in Chitré even go horseback riding to the supermarket. In the small towns, people have horses in their backyards so they don’t have to buy lawn mowers because the horses eat grass. They could have only one horse and that does the job. This only happens in the provinces. You won’t see a horse in Panama City.
Panama has a long history of riding horses. If you go to the provinces like in Azuero, you would see lots of people still riding their horses anywhere. Here in Chitré, there is a man who has only one leg and his mode of transportation is his horse-drawn carriage. He goes to the river with the horse. He takes black dirt from the rivers and sells them to people who have gardens, because black dirt is the best kind dirt that you could use for planting flowers and making gardens. He sells black dirt all over Chitré using his horse-drawn carriage.
(Horse being shod on the main street of town in Santa Catalina, Panama, pictured.)
Posted May 9, 2016
David Bayliss - KW PACIFICA
The horseback riding here in Panama is not nearly as organized as it is in the United States. The people in Coronado love horses. There are 200 stables in Coronado where you can keep your horse. You can take horseback riding lessons. They’ve also started playing polo. They have Arabian-style horses. Two hours from Coronado going to the Azuero Peninsula is where the rodeo world starts. In that area, you would think that you’re in Texas. They...
The horseback riding here in Panama is not nearly as organized as it is in the United States. The people in Coronado love horses. There are 200 stables in Coronado where you can keep your horse. You can take horseback riding lessons. They’ve also started playing polo. They have Arabian-style horses. Two hours from Coronado going to the Azuero Peninsula is where the rodeo world starts. In that area, you would think that you’re in Texas. They have horse festivals and horses with braided manes. They have rodeo, bull riding, roping, etc. You’re just not going to see as may organized trail rides because the tourism part is smaller here in Coronado compared to other places but it is all starting. There is a place now that is about 5 miles from me where I can go on an organized trail ride. This type of thing didn’t exist 6 months ago.
(Horseback rider lassoing a calf, Panama, pictured.)
Posted June 15, 2016
Lourdes Townshend
There is a recent video from the Panamá Tourist Bureau that shows a girl in shorts, horseback riding through the city. There is nothing more far from the truth. If you look at the video, it is all about Enrique Iglesias, and nothing about Panamá. The Indian there looks like he is from Australia, and so on.Real people in Panamá have common sense and do not have their horses around the city. Panamá is a very modern cosmopolitan...
There is a recent video from the Panamá Tourist Bureau that shows a girl in shorts, horseback riding through the city. There is nothing more far from the truth. If you look at the video, it is all about Enrique Iglesias, and nothing about Panamá. The Indian there looks like he is from Australia, and so on.Real people in Panamá have common sense and do not have their horses around the city. Panamá is a very modern cosmopolitan city that left behind old customs, like when the gold was carried in horses from South
América into Panamá, on their way to Spain and other countries in Europe.
But Panamá is unique regarding horses and horseback riding. We do have excellent equestrian clubs, with the most sophisticated horses, and during the year, some of them have international shows, as well as participating in local parades.
But talking about the ordinary visitor, or local riding horses, there is a peculiar situation. Almost every small country house, mainly in the “interior” (which is the countryside), has a horse either as means of transportation or for fun. Some bigger farms use their horses for the family when they go for vacation.
And the bottom line is, if a local or visitor wants to ride a horse just for an hour, with the children, or in group, they have available gentle horses that locals have just for that purpose, or for their personal use, that they will let you ride for free. That´s the way they are… warm and friendly people, who are not suspicious at all that you would do something with the horse. They just want you to enjoy.
Sometimes they rent it by the hour, or half hour for maybe $2, $3 or $5, depending how long you want to go. And most of the time, the owner (a farmer) will go with the child by their side, taking care of them. The thing is very different if you want to ride a horse at one of the clubs. But if you are like me, an adult… I suggest you do like I do…. let the owner go by me. No doubt about it.
Posted June 22, 2016