Santa Marilha Horse Excursions offers rides through salt flats and along the beach with a firm focus on horse welfare. Well-cared-for horses, attentive guides and clear rules. It works brilliantly if you accept limits; it may frustrate you if you expect total flexibility or low prices.
Where the beach is travelled at a different speed
In Santa Maria, when the sun drops a little and the beach loses its noise, the horses appear. Not as a tourist postcard, but as part of the landscape. If you see parallel hoofprints by the shoreline and a group moving without rush, they’ve probably come from Santa Marilha Horse Excursions.
Here, you don’t hurry to “fit the schedule”. You move at the pace that allows proper care for the one carrying you.
What it really is
This isn’t a quick attraction or a box-ticking experience. It’s a horse excursion operator with a very clear focus on animal welfare. That shapes everything: who can ride, how long the tours last, what hours they run, and how many outings each horse does.
Who it works for:
– Beginners who want to feel safe and properly guided.
– Experienced riders who value well-kept horses and longer routes.
– Anyone who understands the main character isn’t only the scenery.
Who it may not suit:
– People who won’t accept weight limits or clear restrictions.
– Those looking for a cheap, fast ride with no rules.
– Anyone who mistakes “tourist activity” for “anything goes”.
There are rules here. And they’re not negotiable.
What usually happens on the ride
The pattern in reviews repeats a lot: calm horses, attentive guides and varied routes. Salt flats, dunes, desert, and then the beach. On the longer tours, the moment most people wait for usually comes when the group splits by level and some riders can canter or gallop along the shoreline.
Guides ask first, watch closely, and adjust as they go. If you’re inexperienced, you’re supported. If you’re experienced, you get more freedom. And if you’re unsure, they’ll ask again.
One detail that stands out: they weigh riders and limit the number of rides per horse. Some people are surprised. Others find it reassuring.
You’re not coming here to “ride a horse”. You’re coming to be carried by one.
Pace, service and atmosphere
The atmosphere is friendly and carefully managed. Pick-up from your accommodation, clear explanations, lockers for valuables, and on some tours a photographer following the group. Photos can be purchased later and, in some cases, they’re given as a souvenir.
The pace is calm, even when there are faster moments. Neither the horses nor the group are pushed. That’s why many people describe feeling comfortable, safe and well looked after, even when riding alone or for the first time.
When it doesn’t work
Negative reviews rarely point to poor treatment or chaotic organisation. They’re usually about personal frustration with clear limits.
The 90 kg weight limit can feel disappointing if someone didn’t expect it — even if it’s stated. Others find the price high for a two-hour ride. And there are occasional cases where a horse didn’t enjoy the gallop, which is a reminder that this isn’t a machine, but a living animal.
Santa Marilha doesn’t try to please everyone. They protect their model, even if it means losing customers.
Practical tips so you don’t book the wrong expectation
– Read the conditions carefully before booking, especially the weight limit.
– If you’re experienced and want to gallop, say it from the start.
– If you’re nervous around horses, this is a good place to begin.
– Don’t compare prices with other islands: here, the cost includes real horse care.
Once you accept the rules, the experience changes
Santa Marilha Horse Excursions isn’t neutral. It has a clear stance: horse welfare comes first. For many people, that’s exactly what makes it special. For others, it becomes a disappointment.
The difference is how you frame the activity.
If you just want a quick photo, it may not be your place.
If you want an honest experience, it probably is.
