Had such a fun time celebrating our anniversary with Monterey Bay Equestrian Center! Charlie was great in teaching us how to ride safely since we were both first-timers, and he was kind and super easy to talk to as he guided us through our 1h15min ride along the trail and on the beach. We booked for the 12pm ride and the weather was great -- the fog cleared up and the sun came out but stayed nice and cool. I rode Torino and my boyfriend rode Ben, and they were both great! This was such a great and relaxing experience for the both of us -- we'd definitely come back and recommend this place (and Charlie!) to anyone interested in a horseback riding experience! They also give you a voucher at the end for a free appetizer at Old Fisherman's Grotto on the wharf and The Fish Hopper at Cannery Row! read more

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Charlie was such a down to earth tour guide. He was calm, relaxed and made our entire experience the best. I found this place thru Chat GPT when looking for horse back riding on the beach. This place is a hidden gem. $175 to ride for 1 hour and 15 minutes was totally worth it. Ocean front. Will def book again! read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

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DANGEROUS! STAY AWAY. They put my wife on a horse with behavioral issues. The horse was very erratic and my wife (luckily) insisted on asking for a helmet. After an erratic ride, they had her dismount on the CONCRETE of the parking lot. The owner did not have control of the horse and my wife fell onto the concrete after the horse took off during dismount. My wife has ridden horses for 30 years so it wasn't inexperience that caused the accident. She spent 5 hours in the ER and was told by the Hospital she was "very lucky". However we are waiting for a MRI to determine why her shoulder still hurts almost a month later. When I called this organization the day after the accident I told them the LEAST they could do was refund the rides ($350 - my wife and son) and pay our $550.00 deductible from ER. After being told they would take care of it, they aren't answering my calls or returning my messages. Shameful. Stay away or risk what happened to my wife happening to one of your loved ones. read more

I decided to book this as a Valentine's Day activity, it was a really awesome experience! Our guide this Sunday morning was also really amazing and had a lot of cool different facts to share about the area! read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

How can I describe this? It was such a beautiful and amazing ride. I have been to other trail rides with other companies, and this was by far the best! Our guide was absolutely wonderful! She was so passionate about horses, considerate to all of us, enthusiastic about the ride and sharing her knowledge about horses, the bay, and just animals and conservation in general! The ride was not only scenic and peaceful, but we also learned a lot as well! My friend and I are already planning on booking a private ride for next time! read more

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Mike, brought out his two Clydesdale horses, Peyton and Eli and a carriage and made our wedding day, the most unforgettable ceremony ending in history. Right when they were announced to have the bride and groom kiss, the click of the horses started approaching our venue for our guest to see in the distance and helped whisk away me and my husband from the cocktail hour of our wedding. Mike, is so genuine, kind, friendly, and agreeable, and pulled off one of the most intense terms he has ever made in his career to be able to get us in and out of our venue. We are so thankful for Mike, and all that he's done to help support and make our day the most magical day of our lives. read more

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Beautiful view and amazing way to experience horseback riding. Our guide, Mike, was a very people oriented guy who made the experience very good. It also is a very laid back and to the point trip, show up and get going, no bs. If your girl wants a beach horseback ride, This is the one. They also give you a ticket for a free appetizer and 2 select restaurants which is awesome. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Beach view - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

Very friendly and accommodating staff. Very nice beach ride. Would definitely recommend read more

I booked a last minute horseback ride for today, 11.12.2022, with Monterey Bay Equestrian Center. I spoke to Madeline who was friendly, helpful and provided me meet up instructions, took my payment, answered my questions, and gave me very clear directions.. Michael our guide arrived with the horses at the designated time and location at Moss Beach. He was prepared, he greeted and welcomed us, we completed our waivers, the horses were tacked up, he assigned us horses, tightened the cinches, got us mounted up, adjusted the stirrups, gave us clear instructions and off we rode. From meet up to getting started was super efficient. Ride was along the Monterey Bay Coast, Moss Beach along the shoreline. Lots of pelicans, California gulls. On the way back we walked along a marshy, wet land area saw sea otters, several kinds of shore birds and then came back out along the beach. Michael chatted with our group of three, very personable, took photos and videos of all of us. He represents his business well. The ride was about 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes to complete paperwork, get mounted, etc, not included or deducted from our riding time). Horses are quality mounts, good saddle horses, tack is well maintained, his truck and trailer, horses and entire start to finish booking, payment, ride to end was professional and top level. Be sure to tip your guide Michael, he deserves it. Thanks for a great ride and an overall great experience. Madeline and Michael, you guys rock! read more

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We took the family for a ride and can't wait to do it again next time we are here! The meet up was simple, straightforward, and on time. We rode Ranger, Elvis, Annie, and Boone. They were so amazing and well trained we could not have had a better ride! Our guide Bridget was the best! Thank you so much for this family memory! read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

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LOVED this! Highly highly recommend! If you love horses and love horse back riding (or ever wanted to try), you will love this experience! You are in good hands with Monterey Bay Equestrian Center. And it is absolutely amazing to ride on the beach. A truly unforgettable experience. My bf and I had Nicki as our guide and she was absolutely wonderful!!! An amazing guide! She went above and beyond with helping us and making us feel comfortable and confident on our horses, answering any questions we had, and took lots of pics of us, which I loved! Lol. Nicki is the best! I rode Torino and my bf rode Ranger, which are both great horses to ride! We are definitely planning to come back again to Monterey and ride with Nicki! Thank you so much for an incredible experience! :))) We can't wait to come back!! read more

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Had an absolute blast on the coastal riding excursion with Michael. It was peaceful and Michael even took photos and videos of us on our horses. I'll definitely be back in the future! read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Beautiful horses! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

As someone who has ridden for years and owned multiple horses for both pleasure and showing, this ride was just ok. I'm very glad the put my spouse on a solid horse, and my riding experience made the horse I had a fun ride. But before even leaving the parking lot, one of the other riders' horses turned its butt and kicked out towards my spouses horse and kept trying to get closer to him to nip him. My spouse has enough experience he was able to move away... the fourth person had said they had riding experience and was out on a very new and inexperienced horse which the tour guide disclosed. The horse freaked out a few times-- just didn't think that was the wisest horse to bring on a ride with people who had no experience. All in all, it was fine. Cared for horses, professional enough guide-- she was kind--and beautiful ride... but definitely not the safety standards i've seen elsewhere and not the most solid horses i've seen for these kinds of rides. read more

The location, scenery, and quality of the horses were great! Shout out to our guide, Nicky J., for giving my friend and me a great experience. It was our first time riding here at Monterey. We had ridden before at other beach locations, however, Nicky was very intimate with us and helped us bond with our horses and had a much better ride with them. She comes highly recommended for a great experience. We got very lucky and the day we picked was beautiful weather. Tips to remember: Check the local weather for the day of the ride. Bring a light wind jacket, you'll need it. Bring sunblock. Don't let the overcast weather trick you into thinking you'll be ok. No. That's when it has the highest UV rays. Wear comfortable clothes, not a dress, shorts or a skirt. Wear comfortable tennis shoes or boots. Bring a hat that doesn't fly off while riding. Hand wipes for cleaning your hands after post-riding. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

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My husband and I went horseback riding on the beach and had an absolutely amazing experience. Liza was our guide and did a great job matching horses to the 6 riders. Our horses were Sonny and Annie and they were so sweet. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Sonny & Annie - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

What an amazing company that provided me with a great experience. Carlos was my guide, and he was just spot on! A little of my story, so you can realize this ride was a VERY big deal to me. I used to LOVE Horseback Riding. Then life happened, had kids, gained weight and ultimately was too heavy to ride for 27 years. In the last year, I have lost 89 pounds, and finally am where I will keep a horse safe if I ride. So, for a celebration, we called MB Equestrian and they fit me in that day, private ride on the beach, and I cannot say enough about how perfect this beautiful experience with Carlos was. He was safety conscience, clearly loved his job and loved these animals. I'm a spiritual person and there were so many moments where I felt God's grace was on this ride with me! Thank for healthy safe horses, and the care that I can tell you and the staff take of them, and thank you for Ranger. He was such a gift to me that day. I have so much gratitude for such a great experience and highly recommend this Equestrian Center. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

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My daughters and I had a great time, it was our first time horseback riding and our guide Charlie was amazing! He was patient with us and made sure we had a great time. If you are ever in Monterey please go see them, we will be back for sure. read more

Horses were great listeners! Nicki, our guide, was very energetic and brought excitement to a new experience. Please show up on time and be patient! They work with many groups and most importantly HORSES. Takes a lot of coordinating to get this together. Our ride was right around an hour and 10 minutes, which was great. My horse was Sunny. He was awesome :) read more

Made a last min trip for my husband's birthday the weekend after thanksgiving. The guys at the Monterey equestrian center made our reservations so easy and quick. This trail we took was about 1.5 hours, with half of it right on the beach!! Our guide Mike was knowledgeable, friendly, and so kind. 2 adults, 2 kids 10/11 y olds. So grateful we found this place, the perfect ending to our stay in Monterey. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Riding on the beach! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

We booked our beach ride in last min with MBEC. Front office was easy to work with even though I called back and forth due to our unstable schedule. Mike, our guide, is professional, fun and patience. He arrived on time and well prepared. Mike chatted with us the whole ride and made the ride more interesting. Mike was so kind to offer taking photos for us, we appreciate it!! I have been to different horseback riding but this is the most fun and enjoyable. Horses are calm and look like they are well taken care off. My horse, Torino (not sure if I spell correctly), he is gentle and easy to handle for beginners. Highly recommended and definitely will go again! read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - After the ride, Mike was preparing water for the horses. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

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Can't thank Bridget enough! Sunday was our daughters 18th birthday and we called Monday evening Bridget let us know she had 3 horses available... perfect we will take it Sunday morning we surprise our daughter and the afternoon couldn't have been better Bridget was a great guide and the horses were beautiful and well taken care of Thank you Monterey Bay equestrian and Thank you Bridget for the perfect 18th birthday gift read more

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January 1, 2024. I cannot think of a more wonderful way of spending the day. Nicky our guide was fabulous and managed all of the horses and the people brilliantly. This was so fabulous. I rode with my two daughters and a European couple and with Sunny, Annie, and Boon! Nicky also took fabulous pictures of all of us riding and got to enjoy the amazing dunes and the beginning of sunset! I recommend this amazing experience to anyone who's looking to ride with fun and experienced horses! read more

We had such a great time yesterday! The horses were great and the views were spectacular. It was fun to ride and be in the beauty of the dunes and ocean. read more

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My daughter, sister, and I went on the beach trail ride today and it was nothing short of AMAZING! Lisa, our guide was helpful, patient, knowledgeable, and provided a fun and safe experience for us and the other riders. The views are spectacular, the horses are great and very friendly. Lisa did a great job matching us on horses that based on our skill and experience. We've done other trail rides and this was far and way a better experience all around. Thank you Lisa, we'll definitely be back! read more

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I don't even know where to begin-- we loved the mobile petting zoo much! It was such a big hit at my daughters 2nd birthday party! I didn't get the lady & her sweet helpers names but they were the sweetest and so professional! I loved them & the animals! Thank you all so much! If I could rate 100+ stars I would! So satisfied with the service definitely would recommend. read more

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Bridget was an awesome guide. She arrived at the staging entrance early and had the horses all ready to go. She gave a clear, concise, instructional and off we went. She was a great conversationalist and let us ride to our ability. The horses were very well mannered and easy to control. Would definitely recommend . Thank you for a great birthday! read more

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We went on a trail ride with Nicki and she was amazing!! From the start she taught us how to brush and clean the horses, and she taught us everything we need to know! This was three of our first times and it was the best experience ever! She was professional, so kind, and fun! I recommend her so much and I will definitely come back! Alyssa, Natalie, Anaya, and Abby, Thank you so much Nicki, for making this so much fun read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

RIDE AGAIN: Yes! Nicki did a great job and we had a wonderful time with our family. Hopefully, next time the beach ride will be open provided the State of California allows the rides. read more

We enjoyed a wonderful ride with Nicki on the first of January 2024! We were a small group, my boyfriend and I were accompanied by a super kind mom and her two lovely daughters :) Nicki knew what she was talking about - she was very supportive and took us on a wonderful ride along the beach. We had a beautiful first day of the year! read more

We absolutely loved riding with our guide Nicki of Monterey Bay Equestrian Center. She was very knowledgable, bubbly and patient with our group of five riders. She gave us each of the information we needed to have the best experience possible while staying safe, calm and having fun. 10/10, I would highly recommend doing an ocean horseback ride with them! read more

What an incredible experience. Athena and Connie were wonderful. Horses were perfectly trained and everybody had a wonderful time.

My one year old has been learning about the animals and I really wanted to introduce him to horses. Many places I called around Aptos didn't wanna let me just stop by for 15 mins to let my son look at the horses without riding them. When I called equestrian center, the lady in the phone was nice and informed me that we can see and say hi to the horses on the beach. We stopped by the beach in the afternoon and there were 2 beautiful horses (I forgot their names). Their handlers let us say hi, pet and even give treats to the horses. My 1 yo was confused by the horses at first but then smiled when they gobbled the treats. What a nice experience to meet horses for the very first time! Thank you so much for your kindness today and letting us say hi and introduce our little one to ur majestic horses! read more

If I could give it zero stars I would. The absolute worst experience I've ever had at a business. We saw red flags at the start but wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. My boyfriend and I both paid to ride and were with two strangers and the guide. For starters the guide seemed irritated right off the bat, and it felt like she was treating us like we were stupid. Not only that but she was unnecessarily aggressive with the horses, and I saw open wounds on at least one of them. I strongly suspect these horses are being severely neglected, and probably abused. The guide paired me with a horse called Little Dude, and told me I was in for a fun ride. This horse had his ears pinned more so than not, and if you have common sense, you know this means they're unhappy. Not only was he consistently upset and shaking his head around, pinning his ears, but he he tried taking off running with me on him four separate times. They should be trained not to do that. It was terrifying. I tried telling the guide I wanted off but she tried fear-mongering me into staying on and refused to help me. Almost all of the horses in the group were agitated and two of them got aggressive and nipping & charging at each other but she still wouldn't help me. I started crying and just jumped off by myself. I walked two fucking miles in the sand to get back to the car and was worried about my boyfriend the entire time. We got back to the parking lot and the owner was waiting, I spoke respectfully to him about my concerns and he made excuses for every single one, refusing to acknowledge anything I was saying. They gave us half of a refund. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - The horses we were riding, and the guide on the left. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

Excellent, knowledgeable instructor and well-trained horses on a gorgeous oceanside ride made this a wonderful experience.

Mike our tour guide was super nice and the horses were cute and well behaved. The beach ride was pretty nice and fun. I would recommend this place to my friends and family and we can't wait to do it again!!! Nova and Olivia.C read more

Still in awe....such a phenomenal time! My niece and I took Salinas River State Beach tour. My horse "Elvis" and my niece's horse "Little Dude" both were very well mannered and followed the direction of the lead horse rode by our guide, Nicki. Nicki was a spectacular guide, she gave us direction and made us feel completely safe and comfortable the whole time! While riding down the beach we got to see an assortment of wildlife; long billed curlews, turkey vultures, sand pipers, pelicans, sea lions, sea otters and even a humpback whale breaching! Absolutely amazing, would recommend to anyone, especially those who love the outdoors and wildlife!!! read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

It was so much fun. The horses were beautiful and well-behaved. Our guide was very friendly. We were able to spend extra time with the horses before our ride. I would do it again. read more

Monterey Bay Equestrian Center - Horseback Riding Near Me - Castroville, California

The best horse riding experience! It was our first time doing horse riding and Nikki was super fun, professional and a great guide. The horses were really sweet and was overall a great experience! read more

Great ride, great time! Better than advertised. You learn so much about the Monterey Bay Area and the beach views are incredible.

Really disappointed in the customer service here. Not only did this company not show up for my sons first birthday party, they were extremely rude when I called to see what happened. The owner barely apologized after no showing to our party! She blamed me for not contacting her even though she had our address, the date and time, plus our credit card number! I spoke with her the next day and we ended the call amicably and I said I'd still try to book in the future. She called me back two minutes later and yelled at me! I am appalled and would not recommend this company at all. Such a disappointment for my sons first birthday party! read more