Horseback Riding Lesson with Vista Paraiso's Horseback Riding School

“So how many times have you ridden a horse?” Pablo Braunschweig, the owner of the Horseback Riding School at Vista Paraiso asked me. “I don’t know. Maybe four or five times,” I replied. “Ahh, so you can count,” he teased in response, instantly making me feel comfortable with his friendly banter, and easygoing, witty personality. We were in Higuera Blanca, just a short drive from Sayulita, on Vista Paraiso’s beautiful and spacious ranch, and Pablo was sizing me up for my horseback riding lesson. I warned him that while I’ve been horseback riding before, I’m an inexperienced rider, and don’t feel very comfortable on a horse. Even so, I was excited to take my first horseback riding lesson ever.

There was a nice breeze in the air, blowing the palm leaves, and the evening was warm and sunny. Roosters, chickens, turkeys, and even a large, colorful parrot with vibrant colors of red, green, blue, and orange, roamed about. A man-made pond could be seen from where I sat, and in the distance, I could see the mountains. The location could not be any more perfect to experience a horseback riding lesson in a peaceful and tranquil setting.

I opted for a lesson in a group setting, and watched as three young girls, who regularly take lessons with Pablo, tacked up the horses. Pablo, who has been teaching horseback riding lessons for approximately 30 years and is skilled at teaching children, explained the importance of familiarizing the girls with the horses and vice versa. As the horses were tacked up, I was fitted with chaps and a helmet, in preparation for my lesson.

I climbed atop my horse, Doc, a gentle, beautiful, majestic, brown, horse, and got situated in the English saddle. Pablo told me to sit back and simply move with the horse, that I should feel the movement in my sit bones. His calm demeanor and confident teaching skills added to my level of comfort as we headed out for a trail ride.

He instructed me to use my body to move Doc in the direction that I wanted to go and to pull back on the reins to slow him down.  Sensing I wasn’t completely relaxed, he encouraged me to let go of the reins a bit, and feel my body move up and down with the movement of the horse. As I became more comfortable, we did a short trot, and Pablo taught me how to ride without using my legs for support. I was impressed with Pablo’s patience and his ability to read my comfort level throughout the lesson, and as the lesson came to an end, I wasn’t quite ready for it to be over.

Following the horseback riding lesson, I stuck around to watch a teenage girl’s show jumping lesson. I was impressed as the girl and her horse jumped the obstacle under the guidance of Pablo, who clearly is passionate about teaching inexperienced and experienced riders his vast knowledge and skills.

If you would like to experience a horseback riding lesson for yourself, contact Pablo at the Horseback Riding School at Vista Paraiso.