myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 23 February 2003

Hi, Going to Tobago in April for four days and staying, we think, around the Crown Point area. I would love to do some beach Horseriding and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks

Annette

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 23 February 2003

Hello Annette

Although we have never tried riding in Tobago, we noticed a lot of small roadside signs advertising the “Looking Out Stables” (http://www.action-tobago.com or email [email protected]). I don’t know whether they’re any good, but hopefully somebody can set us straight. However, I would strongly recommend that you contact Erica Vaughan, who with husband Fiacra, owns a very good restaurant called Indigo, about 15 minutes from the Crown Point area. Whilst dining there a few weeks ago, Erica mentioned that she had taken over ownership of a small riding stable. Jill kept horses and ran a small livery yard until a couple of years ago, so is a keen rider. She had a long chat with Erica about the subject, but regrettably recollections of all visits to Indigo seem to be clouded in an alcoholic haze. Now, I’m not saying this has anything to do with Erica and Fiacra’s Irish origins – we’ll simply put it down to their hospitality. Sadly though, it does mean that we can’t remember much specific detail and ran out of time and returned to the UK before we could take Erica up on her invitation to join her for an early-morning beach ride and examine the facilities properly. However, write to her at [email protected] for more information. I have vague recollection that all their horses had a leg in each corner. Have fun!

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 24 February 2003

Hi Steve, Thats quite the coincidence because being from Ireland myself I will definetly have to look them up. Indigo also sounds like a great place to eat judging from the review so we will have to visit them personally. Thanks for the info and will be in touch again if I hear anything.

Best regards
Annette.

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 25 February 2003

Hi Annette - Aaah, Boston in Clare, not Boston Massachusetts. You're getting even closer - Fiacra and Erica are also from somewhere along the West Coast. Again, all recollections are hazy. If you go there be sure to tell Fiacra (you won't miss him - tall, slender and follicley-challenged) that I said the food was so rubbish that you just HAD to go and try it for yourself. Friday evenings are particularly good. It's a barbeque night, but what is really interesting is that they have some really brilliant entertainment - Africa drums - but not drums as you know them. Brilliant!

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 25 February 2003

Hi Annette and Steve

Do you know of anywhere else on the island where you can ride on the beach or through the countryside?

thanks

Post Recreated: Originally posted - 27 February 2003

Hi Tracy

I can now expand on my answer of 25th February. The Looking Out Stables and the Friendship Stables are the ONLY two riding stables on Tobago. Both appear very reputable and have good reputations. Erica Vaughan of Indigo is associated with the Friendship Stables. There are no stables in the north of the island.

The Looking Out Stables are the larger, more established and better-known of the two. They have eight horses and offer morning hill rides and then evening beach rides on Turtle Beach. They have a good reputation, their horses are in good condition and their general set-up professional.

The Friendship Stables are located in the 400-acre Friendship Estate between Crown Point and the Tobago Plantations (Hilton). They have five well-schooled thoroughbreds. By their own admission, their tack is safe but not the best looking, although they are constantly improving it. The big advantage of the Friendship Stables is that being located in the middle of the 400-acre Friendship Estate, convenient for ALL the major hotels, there is absolutely NO road riding involved. Rides commence the minute you leave the stables, meaning that the stable can offer shorter trips (from 30 minutes) for beginners, right up to whole-day trips for the more experienced, without any travel on main roads.

Hope this all helps.