Unfortunately, our horseback riding experience was extremely disappointing and did not meet the expectations set by the Viator booking. One of our biggest concerns was the lack of clear information and safety preparation before and upon arrival. The Viator listing did not provide clear instructions regarding what to expect, what to bring, or appropriate clothing and footwear. In fact, I had to contact Viator customer service beforehand simply to confirm what type of shoes we should wear because this information was not clearly provided. When we arrived, we were not asked to sign any waivers or liability/safety forms, and we received very limited instructions before getting on the horses. We were essentially shown how to navigate the horses and then sent out on the trail. There was also a significant communication barrier because our instructor did not speak English, which became particularly concerning once safety issues arose. The trail itself was another major problem. We were taken through an area with large, overgrown bushes and branches that repeatedly hit and scratched us. The branches hit our faces, arms, and legs. I was wearing shorts and a shirt that left my arms exposed, and we had not been warned that the trail involved substantial overgrowth or that we should wear protective clothing. I have photos of the scratches. The situation became particularly frightening when my sister’s horse began backing up and spinning around, causing her to become extremely scared. The instructor was ahead of us, and I repeatedly tried to alert her that my sister needed help. Because of the language barrier, it took approximately 30 seconds to a minute for the instructor to respond. My sister was repeatedly asking for help while struggling to control the horse. When the instructor finally realized what was happening, her response appeared frustrated or annoyed rather than reassuring or supportive. My sister also lost her glasses in the overgrown bushes when the branches pulled them from her face. She was so frightened by the behavior of her horse that she did not feel comfortable asking the instructor to stop at the time. After the ride, we went back ourselves to try to locate the glasses, but we were not provided assistance and ultimately could not find them. I also experienced difficulty controlling my own horse. At one point, the horse began trotting ahead despite my attempts to use the reins to slow or stop him. This added to the overall feeling that we had not been adequately prepared to handle the horses or the trail conditions. There was also a significant discrepancy regarding the duration and price of the experience. We paid approximately $130 for what we understood to be a one-hour ride, but the actual ride was substantially shorter than an hour—less than 45 minutes based on our start and finish times. Additionally, the booking information we received indicated a 45-minute experience for $100, which did not match the $130 one-hour experience we believed we had purchased. Because we paid for an hour-long experience and did not receive the full hour, we will be reaching out to Viator customer service to request appropriate compensation for the shortened ride and to address the discrepancy between the advertised duration and pricing. Furthermore, given the safety concerns, lack of adequate instruction, communication difficulties, trail conditions, and overall experience, we would appreciate having someone from Viator Customer Service contact us directly so that we can further discuss what occurred. Overall, we felt that the experience lacked adequate safety preparation, clear communication, appropriate trail maintenance, sufficient instruction, and the level of service we expected for the price we paid. Horseback riding can involve inherent risks, but those risks should be clearly communicated to customers, particularly when inexperienced riders are involved. We should have been informed about the trail conditions, recommended protective clothing, and potential hazards before beginning the ride. There also should have been a clear safety briefing and a reliable way to communicate with the instructor in the event of an emergency. Unfortunately, this was not an enjoyable or reassuring experience for any of us. We would not return to this location and cannot recommend this experience based on our visit. We hope Viator takes this feedback seriously and contacts us to discuss the situation and appropriate compensation.











