Beach rides are good for the physical and mental health of horses and humans alike

A scenic sunset horseback ride is as idyllic an activity as one could wish for.

There’s not much better than taking in views of the sea and long stretches of sand, while a magnificent horse leads you along the beach, in and out of the water.

Arabian Star Stables offers exactly that, with its ad hoc beach rides, which have been taking place throughout the summer in Umm Al Quwain.

Rasha Hina, owner of Arabian Star Stables, pictured below, says the rides are an equalizing experience, great for beginners and experienced riders alike to sit back and enjoy.

“I enjoy going with horses to the beach because I feel freedom and the clients feel the same, there are no instructions: you can ride yourself; we don’t pressure them on this trip to do good techniques, it’s a free trip,” says Hina, who rides on horseback for more than 20 years.

“Swimming with the horses gives you a good vibe and energy; you feel relaxed, you feel happy.”

She has an easy solution to any concern that UAE summer evenings might be too hot for a walk on the beach: “When you feel too hot, you can go back to the sea, give the horse some water and cool off.” “.

It’s not just about the beautiful sunset views, though. Hina says that rides on the beach have benefits for the animals, especially at Arabian Star Stables, a facility that specializes in training horses for long-distance racing.

“The benefits include improving a horse’s bone density and strengthening muscles without risking injury, because when the horse swims in the water, there is no body weight or pressure on its bones or tendons,” says Hina of horseback riding. Low impact.

“For racehorses, for example, we do a swimming schedule in a special pool, to help improve their endurance and strengthen their hearts for long-distance races.”

She says that for cyclists, the benefits include being “good for mental health as well as physical well-being.”

The stables are named after the Arabian horse, a breed known for its recognizable facial features, as well as its speed and temperament.

“They’re not that popular to ride, they’re more like beauty horses,” Hina says of the distinctive breed with a smile. “They have good bodies and pretty, soft female faces. But they’re good for short-distance sprinting, not long-distance sprinting. They are also not large or large horses, and people need horses that are more suited to their size and level.

“We have Arabian horses, but we don’t recommend them for school, to teach children or adults, because they are bossy and intelligent horses that need a good rider,” he says. “So we have mestizo, Uruguayan, Argentine or half-Arab, half-Anglo-Saxon horses, horses that are safe for children and adults.”

Away from the beach, the stables, which opened during the coronavirus pandemic in August 2020, offer tricks and lessons in the desert, full moon rides and lessons in the sand.

“We are an academy, our attractions are not just for fun,” says Hina. “In our stables, hacks and rides are like training sessions or classes. We are training the riders to be good and professional, to participate in races or to specialize in an equestrian sport.”

Lessons in the stable arena start at 100 dirhams and lessons in the desert start at 120 dirhams, but Hina says they “always have deals”.

She recommends the arena for beginners, people who have never gone riding before because “it’s much safer in a closed paddock.” She says riders then upgrade to desert sessions, which are open to “anyone intermediate to advanced, who knows how to gallop or control the horse.”

Updated: August 26, 2022, 18:02