Hernando
Rivas is the proprietor of Ridingcolumbia,
a sensational spot to go horseback riding while enjoying the beautiful
landscape of Columbia, South America. Situated in the lovely Bogotá region, the
capital of Columbia, Hernando takes visitors on an equestrian trip of a
lifetime...
Welcome Hernando!
What was your first
experience with a horse?
I grow up
in the city. In my vacations all my family went to the farm. During my
childhood, we had horses. I start to ride at 5 years old. My brothers and I
took many years of classes in equestrian academies. My brothers were first in
the jump equestrian ranking.
What is your favorite
breed of horse?
The Colombian
horses are called Colombian Criollos.
They are very similar to the gaited horses. The Colombian horses have a gait
called Trocha. It is very
smooth. I like the gait because is very nice for long trail rides. This horse is used to
riding on difficult trails without getting hurt.
What will I experience
when I come to Ridingcolumbia?
We offer
a completely tourism experience, tailored to the interests, horseback riding
experience, physical fitness, and budget. You will see a very nice landscape
and it changes depending upon where you go. Some places have exuberant vegetation.
Others have a combination of different colors and texture. The Colombian
people are very friendly and we offer our clients a unique opportunity to
ride on horseback through the interesting, and sometimes amazing Colombian
countryside that the typical tourist will never see. Our guests experience the
real environment and culture of the regions we visit, getting the local flavor
of the people of this country.
Another
important difference is the speed of the ride and the difficulty of the trails
where we ride. From our experiences in horseback riding in South America, Europe
and the United States, we have concluded that we can offer greater adventure
for riders who know how to ride a horse. The Colombian horses are used to
traveling through these difficult trails without generating any problem for the
horse. During
the ride or the tour, we will tell you about the history, culture and
vegetation of the places we visit.
What is the terrain like
there?
In
general we are in a mountain region. Depending on your interest we can ride on
easy trail as a road. Also if you want adventure we can ride on a very difficult
and steep trail.
How many horses do you
stable?
We do not
have horses. We are generating a positive social impact (responsible
tourism) to the provinces we visit; because we contract local horses companies
and other selected services with local providers, with whom we have an
established business relationship for years. Our company is constantly traveling
and visiting horse riding rental businesses in different towns in order to test
their quality in every way. Subsequently, our company chooses businesses that
offer horses of sufficient quality and compliance with schedules and standards
we require. Therefore, these procedures generates significant added value for
our customers. We have ridden their horses, also we have traveled
several times the trails and roads in the region and therefore, we can offer
reliable plans with beautiful landscape and safety environment.
Where is your favorite
trail to ride?
The Ride to Raquira Region is two days or
more. It is my favorite because it has the best landscape. In a ride of five
hours you can see very different landscapes. You can start riding along a
brook, then inside a forest; go through a dessert area to finish riding to the
top of a mountain through a very steep trail. In these
places, we can organize the most adventurous ride for advanced riders. I enjoy
the adventure rides. For a
tour of three days or more we can include in the plan to visit tourist small
towns and relaxing hikes.
Do you have suggestions
for new tourists planning a trip to Ridingcolumbia?
We
specialize in tailored plans and our trail rides are designed for people who are used to riding horses on a trail for more than two hours. We can design rides
for beginners, but I think will be expensive for them because we have to reduce
the time of the ride but we can not reduce the price.
What has been your best
equine experience?
I took
jump and dressage classes for many years. Also I have done trail horse riding for
many years. I do not have any doubt I prefer to ride a horse on a trail with a
beautiful landscape than a dressage class or competition. In jumping and
dressage sport, you depend on the quality of the horse and your ability to
manage the horse. In my opinion, in trail horse ride, the quality of the horse
is important, but the landscape, the talk with the other riders and country
people and the environment are also important. So, you can have a nice day with
activities around the horse without need to have a great horse.
Follow Hernando....
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