Horseback Riding
Coral Stone Stables. Leisurely 90-minute horseback rides take in the white-sand beaches at Barkers and inland trails at Savannah; photos are included. Your guide is Noland Stewart, whose ranch contains 20 horses, chickens, and "randy" roosters. Noland offers a nonstop narrative on flora, fauna, and history. He's an entertaining, endless font of local information, some of it unprintable. Rides are $75; swim rides cost $135. There's a $5 surcharge when paying by credit card. They can also do weddings. Conch Point Rd., West Bay, Grand Cayman, KY1-1008. 345/916–4799; www.coralstonestables.ky.
Horseback in Paradise. Gregarious Nicki Eldemire loves telling stories about horse training and life on Cayman. She leads guided tours through Barkers National Park on the West End: an unspoiled peninsular area filled with enthralling plant and animal life along the beaches and wetlands. The steeper price (starting at $90) includes transportation, but it's a private, exclusive experience with no more than four riders per group. And the mounts—mostly Arabians, Paints, and Quarter Horses are magnificent. Barkers National Park, Conch Point, West Bay, Grand Cayman, KY1-1301. 345/945–5839; 345/916–3530; www.caymanhorseriding.com.
Mary's Stables and Equestrian Center. The top-notch training facility for the Cayman national equestrian team offers classic English riding lessons (dressage and jumping are options) in three arenas and allows you to help groom the exotic horses. Half Way Pond, George Town, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104. 345/949–7360; 345/516–1751; www.equestriancenter.ky.
Pampered Ponies. Offering "the ultimate tanning machine"—horses walking, trotting, and cantering along the beach—the stable leads private tours and guided trips, including sunset, moonlight, and bareback swim rides along the uninhabited beach from Conch Point to Morgan's Harbour on the north tip beyond West Bay. The charge is US$130 per person for the bareback swim, and US$115 for the basic trek. 355 Conch Point Rd., West Bay, Grand Cayman, KY1-1303. 345/945–2262; 345/916–2540; www.ponies.ky.
