Galloping along a sandy shore with the sound of hoofbeats and foamy waves crashing on the surf is a dream for most equestrians. While there are many opportunities to ride rental horses at tropical vacation destinations, riding your own horse on the beach is a memory you’ll always cherish.
Planning a Beach Trip with Your Horse
Before you load up your horse and head to the nearest beach, do your research. Not all beaches allow horses, and some have limited or seasonal hours.
Ashley Hall of Winter Park, Fla., has access to several beautiful equestrian friendly beaches within trailering distance. Her list includes Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Fort Pierce and Canaveral National Seashore. Hurricane season can impact accessibility and close beaches due to storm damage, however.
Once weather is considered, look up your local beach’s hours and rules for bringing horses. Hall has ridden at Canaveral National Seashore, which keeps a strict set of rules for equestrians. Horses aren’t allowed to visit from April 15th to October 31st due to turtle nesting season, and you must make reservations beforehand. They only allow six horses at a time on the sand. A permit costs $75 and grants you a four-hour time slot in the morning or afternoon.
Skip the beach during popular holidays to avoid crowds, and always consider your parking situation beforehand. Haul with friends or bring a smaller horse trailer (if possible) when the parking lot is tight.
I reside in Los Angeles, Calif., with two riding beaches nearby. Both are primarily enjoyed by families in highly populated city areas, making winter or spring a better time to visit. At Loon Point Beach in Carpinteria, horse trailer parking is parallel to the street in one direction. I saddle up on a sidewalk to avoid the road with active traffic. This busy situation works for my easygoing mare, but not all horses are familiar with an urban environment.
The second beach at Rincon Point has a spacious parking lot, but I always pull in and immediately turn around and face outward to avoid potentially being blocked in by cars. These simple details facilitate a smooth and stress-free arrival and departure.
The First Visit
Trailering your own horse is a much different experience than riding a seasoned rental horse that rides down the beach daily. When horses see and hear the ocean for the first time, it can be overwhelming to even the most levelheaded horse.
Britt Sabbah of Agoura Hills, Calif., enjoys frequent beach trips with her three horses, including one 4-year-old. She understands a first trip to the water can be intimidating.
“I think the sound of the tide coming in and out and the waves crashing can be a little bit spooky for them,” says Sabbah. “They don’t really know what to do with that and it probably feels like the whole earth is going to just drop out beneath them.”
If you’re worried about your horse being jumpy or want to take away some stimuli, bring earplugs to help dull the roaring sound of waves.
“I think for some horses, earplugs or a soundproof bonnet helps because then they’re not listening to the sound of the waves crashing and getting spooked by the noise,” says Sabbah.
Horses are flight animals. It’s a natural reaction to try and flee when they see a large wave approaching them. The time of year, weather, and low or high tide can impact the size of the waves. For this reason, Sabbah likes to always check local tide charts before planning her trip. She advises first-time beach riders to consider this when planning a visit.
“I think it’s much easier on them for the first time (at the beach) to go at low tide,” says Sabbah. “There’s a lot more beach, and the waves aren’t crashing as much and coming as close to them.”
Riding at high tide also means you’ll be going through deeper sand. Your horse will be more susceptible to pulling a tendon or getting sore for a few days if he’s out of shape.
Splashing through the waves can be an enjoyable experience for horse and rider once you get acclimated. On my first beach trip with my mare, Fira, she wasn’t confident enough to go in the water on her own.
I dismounted, soaking my old boots and leading her into the waves. Once she realized it was safe, she began happily splashing. I’ve trailered to the beach five times, and each trip, we walk into the water with more confidence.
Sabbah’s first experience with her pony, Louie, was a fun experience, but she didn’t put pressure on him, making the trip a positive outing for both of them.
“I couldn’t get him in the water the first time, but he had a lot of fun trotting along the beach,” she says. “I didn’t have any idea what to expect that first time, and didn’t push him in any way [to get in the water].”
Hall’s trusty mount, Cowboy, handles his beach trips like a pro, but the first view of the ocean takes a lot of horses by surprise.
“You never know when you’re taking a horse for the first time how they’re going to be,” says Hall. “When they see the ocean, their head goes straight up in the air and they’re a little freaked out.”
If you have a set of older tack, consider bringing it, because you might just get soaked. I like to bring a dry pair of tennis shoes to drive home in because my jeans and boots usually get soaked.
Keep It Fun & Safe
It can be tempting to toss a bareback pad in the trailer and consider yourself packed. After all, bareback on the beach is the ultimate dream, right? Hall thought about bringing her bareback pad for her first trip with Cowboy, but opted to ride in her English saddle. She felt much safer and secure with a set of stirrups underneath her.
Horseback riding is always better with friends, and it’s great to bring along some dependable, calm equine role models. Hall’s trusty mount, Cowboy, handles his beach trips like a pro. For Hall’s first ride with Cowboy, her group had a mix of horses who had been before and first-timers.
“I think it definitely helps to go with a buddy who has a horse that is good about the water, because they really like to follow each other,” says Hall. “If they’re able to follow another horse that’s really confident into the water, that really helps them.”
Hall’s group of friends and horses spent their day taking photos, cantering alongside each other on the beach, and capturing those special horse-girl memories while everyone checked off an epic bucket list ride.
This article about riding your horse on the beach appeared in the July 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!
