This isn't just a beach ride--it's a beautiful, ethical experience with rescue horses who truly love what they do. We had an absolutely incredible experience with C Ponies, and I can't recommend them enough--especially if you're looking for something unique, meaningful, and truly unforgettable. What makes this experience so special goes far beyond just "riding horses on the beach." These are rescue horses--many of them coming from difficult or neglectful situations--and C Ponies has created something really beautiful by giving them a second chance at life. You can feel how deeply loved and well cared for these horses are. They are healthy, happy, and genuinely seem to enjoy their work. One of the most fascinating parts was learning that the water is actually healing for them. Being in the ocean supports their joints and overall wellness, so this experience isn't just fun for us--it's beneficial for them, too. That alignment made the entire experience feel even more special and ethical. Our guide, Raina, was fantastic. She had the perfect mix of humor (yes, some delightfully corny jokes), warmth, and knowledge. More importantly, you could tell she truly loves these horses and what she does. She made everyone feel comfortable, safe, and engaged the entire time. Walking the horses into the water--and even getting to experience them swimming--was surreal. Each horse had its own personality, which made it even more fun. You could tell they were relaxed, confident, and happy to be there. It didn't feel forced or transactional--it felt like a partnership between humans and animals. Living in Sarasota, it also meant a lot to support a business that is doing such meaningful work in our own SW Florida community. C Ponies is not only creating unforgettable experiences, but they are actively rescuing, rehabilitating, and giving these horses a life filled with purpose and care. If you're on the fence--book it. It's one of those rare experiences that stays with you long after it's over. read more

Absolutely exceeded our expectations! Raina was an amazing guide, full of tons of information about the bay, history of the ponies and nuances of each pony to better assist each rider. Would highly recommend! This is an experience you'll never forget. Thanks to Raina, Coral, Dori and Snooki. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

Outstanding! Great outdoor family activity. These guys truly know how to accommodate everyone. Horses are well behaved and you can tell they are well tended and loved. C Ponies was the highlight of our granddaughter's holiday. Highly recommend. read more

My husband and I did the CPonies tour yesterday afternoon. I give 5 stars to our tour and 5 stars for the care and love they show for their horses. 10 stars for rescuing these animals and working with them to give them beautiful lives. I believe pricing is very fair knowing that you are paying for the rehabilitation and care for these animals along with your guide. This was our first time swimming with horse and it was so fun. They offer a photo package for an additional $25 and send you all the photos via email that afternoon. We did about 3 swims with the horses and gave them little breaks in between. The horses seemed to enjoy it and were absolutely beautiful. Throughout our tour we learned about the rescue and how the water is therapy for the horses, how they came from horrible conditions, and are now thriving. read more

See all

Amanda and her team were amazing. We booked for my best friends birthday and absolutely fell in the with horses and experience overall. This will now be a birthday tradition . I am taking my title of the first rider to find Jewels happy itch spot with pride. Never had a horse fall asleep because of scratches and then not wanna go. It was hilarious! All of us girls had a wonderful time, the weather was prefect, the horses were amazing and the overall experience was 10/10. I never thought of riding horseback in the ocean! It was freeing to say the least. If youre thinking of it, Just do it. You wont regret it! Thank you, Officially Jewels Favorite Rider Desiree read more

Such a memorable experience! This has been our favorite horse riding activity to date. C Ponies is an hour long water horseback ride in the bay. The horses are rescue horses that are now living their best lives. The horses love the 5 they even race race each other. Mayah was our tour guide and she was fantastic. You get to ride the horses and hear about their rescue stories. The photo package was definitely worth it! We got sooooo many cool pictures. I don't recommend taking personal items as you need BOTH hands to hold on to the horses when they start swimming full speed! It was so much fun, we loved it. Oh yeah, there are restrooms just down the road and don't forget to bring your horses carrots. You get to feed the horses before the ride. read more

See all

Amazing experience! Never knew this needed to be on my bucket list! Great staff & well cared for horses! Definitely an experience me & my daughters will never forget. read more

If you are looking for something to put on your bucket list we highly suggest swim riding on these gentle gypsy draft horses at Cponies in Bradenton. It was my friends first ride and she love love loved it. So novice and seasoned riders all agree that this adventure is worth the drive. The gals running it adore their rescued from assorted misery lives horses ( which they tell you upon request or not) while doing the stand in the water part so the horses can relax after three (I counted them) swims. Bring carrots and apples so you can reward your pony again. They actually love the swim too. Footwear is optional and shorts are fine. Please remember to bring tip money for the ride guide team as they are truly rescuing an extraordinary breed of horses and horses are not cheap to keep so healthy. read more

See all

This was hands down the best experience my wife the cowgirl has had. She has been a horse owner for 45 years, experienced at every part, this was a new experience for her, the folks at C ponies were exceptional, handled everything with friendliness and professionalism, we have been on trail ridding ventures, even owning our own horses going with them is a challenge, having well trained and mannered horses were you are going is great. Cponies had beautiful horses, the surprise was it was a swim ride not a trail ride. If the people of Anna Maria island discontinued this attraction we will not be back. We spent Thousands and on room board and all kinds of things, that revenue would be lost. read more

See all

Overall experience was okay, the tour guide (Raina) was great and did a good job with everything. The good: - basically as advertised aquatic horseback riding/swimming - supports rescued horses - fairly priced for the per person cost* (the bad) The bad: - communication Was told to arrive 30 mins early so we could go over safety and other stuff but we got there 30 mins early and sat there till our start time which was indicated at 6:45 but that's not when the ride occurred it was when the safety meeting started which isn't how it was written or communicated. This wouldn't have been an issue except for the fact we couldn't go back to get money for the pictures because we had to park further away because of the holiday and weren't told we had to decide on pictures before we started until we had begun and couldn't go get cash because nothing was said until the start time (we had 30 minutes we could've been told this information). Overall confusing and I think they could update their website better or just take pictures of everyone and let them pay after (it wasn't that hard and would've taken about the same amount of time as they were already doing it) - zero time outside water - sunset ride Paid for the sunset ride but the sun didn't start setting until it was nearly over which is surprising when this is mostly set up as a glorified photo op. - Price* Price is for the ride only, pictures are extra. I'm not sure why you can't just pay for pictures in the ticket price/as an add on during checkout (it should be included for what they're charging) - Tips Wanted to tip the tour guide but there was no option for Venmo (they gave us her card with her name) and didn't trust the person running it to give them cash after we couldn't pay for pics. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

This experience is Unique & somethings out of my dreams. The moment that my wife mention the idea I was onboard. It was magical & on many levels read more

We just went today for my daughter's 26th birthday. It takes a bit of time for everyone to check in, get the training session done and get everyone in the water, but once there...it's fanastic. The employees were friendly, fun and informative telling us stories of their rescue horses. The horses looked very happy and healthy, like they couldn't wait to get out and swim and you can tell the employees absolutely love them and the "job" they do...if you can call it a job. The first half of the excursion we waded in bay and then we did 3 swims back to beach were we left from. It was a truly wonderful and fun experience that I now want to do in the Carribean. Thanks C-Ponies. read more

CPonies - Riding on swimming horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

I have been wanting to do this for years while living in Florida. Lifelong equestrian and ocean lover. Finally made this a priority on my vacation, after moving away. Such a wonderful experience. Beautiful horses, our guide was terrific, and love that it helps support the horses that they rescue. Loved every minute. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

Hands down this was the best horseback riding experience I've ever had, and I've had many! I loved how calm and loving the horses were while we were swimming in the bay on them. It amazes me that 90% of them were abused in some way and now they are loving, kind, gentle creatures - all thanks to C Ponies rescuing them! I will definitely do this excursion again many times over. read more

See all

This was an amazing experience! Mark was an amazing guide. This is an experience that my kids continue to talk about weeks later! We def will do this again! read more

Accommodating owner; very knowledgeable, caring, personable staff; very well-trained, gentle calm horses considering their abuse-rescue histories! No riding experience needed in this quiet calm ocean bay environment. NOTE: Location meetup signage hard to spot since local rules prohibit obvious sign boards near the fast-paced two-lane island/bridge-entry road that grimaces tricky U-turns if you pass it. Shade is scarce so bring at least a hat and some drinking water. If you opt out of paid photos, be prepared to spend some time waiting on the side atop your mount for the guide to multi-photograph multi-family-generation groups in various poses. Then additional wait time listening to (needed) instructions, followed by individual horse histories. Staying atop your horse is very easy since the horse is doing all the swimming and you glide along for the cool ride. Ocean bay horseback swimming is not a common nationwide visitor activity so try it while you have the opportunity. After your experience, you may better appreciate those Western films where cowboys, bandits and the like swam their horses across the Rio Grande and other waterways fast in pursuit (or escape)! And yes, there will be occasional horse water-poop (it's chewed-up grass). Don't whinny about it. read more

Misty #2 was an amazing guide! I rode Minnow who likes to blow bubbles in the water...what a sweet girl!! I learned that all of their horses are rescues and all of the money the company makes goes back into rescuing more horses and their care...the guides even give back a large chunk of their tips as well!! What a great way to spend some time in nature!! read more

See all

My wife and I had an amazing experience with Lorie and our delightful horses Uni and Bahama The work that C Ponies does is incredible, rescuing these beautiful animals and allowing them to provide this great experience. The swimming in the bay was such a great experience, would recommend it to anyone in the area! read more

CPonies - Lorie leading the horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

This is just one marketing session after another. Get on the horses, 10 minutes to tell us about them. Get out into water, stop horses so guide can take some really bad pictures of everyone ( 20 minutes wasted). Move horses in the water but no swimming actually occurs. Stop horses again so guide can promote humanitarian efforts by owner for saving these horses. Some abused, some starved. The only good thing about this extremely pricey horse ride was that the horses looked well cared for. I was glad my money was being used to help save more horses. Next a little more movement. Stop to talk about picture package. $25 and out of 200 bad pictures taken I was in five of them. My horse never swam. A joke! Don't do it! Now we must Tip the guide. $$$ so sorry, I thought it would be fun. read more

Excellent way to spend a morning on Anna Maria Island! What gorgeous horses. ALL horses are rescued and seem to be living beautiful lives. The gals rescuing these beautiful animals treat them just like family! Myah was our guide and was fabulous! Ask to ride Dory!!!.... She's a lover and a robust swimmer!!! I have a doggie named Dory and it was purely coincidence that Dory was assigned for me to ride. As awkward as I am with coordination I had NO problems. The gals are always right there to help!Please don't hesitate to book this excursion!!! I'll be back for sure! read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

Absolutely incredible experience. Misty #2 was our guide. Witty, pretty, and giddy all at once. Incredible horsemanship was displayed by her and absolute comfort was provided to ALL riders...novice to advanced. The MISSION of these young ladies and their rescue ranch is tremendous and incredibly noble. Additionally, the "return to the cause" of monies provided is just incredible. I would recommend this activity for ANYONE who wants to experience something unique, and support a VERY NOBLE cause, to make reservations with C Ponies. There is a reason that they are booked so far in advance...they are simply the best operation out there that we found. And we drove 2 hour to get there. WORTH EVERY DOLLAR THAT WAS SPENT AT THE PUMP. And that is saying a LOT right now. Book with C-Ponies, it will be an experience of a lifetime. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

This was the most unique and beautiful experience I've ever had! My husband and I went and we were so impressed with the ride. The staff is extremely kind and knowledgeable. The horses are in great shape and very well trained. The horses loved being in the water just like us! Laurie was amazing and so reassuring and fun! My husband has no riding experience and felt so comfortable. Thank You Cponies for making this such a wonderful time. We will go again! read more

CPonies - Riding into the bay! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

We were WOWED by our experience at CPonies! The care that they give to the guests and to the horses really set them apart. We had no idea we would be swimming in the bay with them - we thought it was a beach ride - but it was an incredible experience!!! The horses were beautiful and also all are rescues so we got to hear their inspiring stories of being rehabilitated. Our guide Rachel took care to tell us about their personalities to also keep them happy and calm as apparently they don't always get along! I rode Bahama and she was a magnificent mare. We were out just over an hour and it was really a cool experience. If a friend hadn't insisted on trying this out I'm not sure I would've gone but trust me - this is a do not miss experience. Well worth the money, highly recommend! read more

CPonies - My horse Bahama - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

The experience was great and so were the instructors. You feel like you are swimming with the ponies under water. There were few things that I did not like , but that cannot be controlled by the instructors or the business since the ponies are the ones that do that. I like how they are rescue animals for the most part and seem like a family. Hopefully I can come back one day and experience this again. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Great overall experience! Flew down to Florida with my kids for an extended weekend getaway. I have always wanted to ride horses on the beach and in the water and was able to cross this off my bucket list. Our guide was Myah and Raine, great instructors and all our horses were females. Myah let us know the female horses like there hair pulled and to be smacked around a little to get them going. So your saying your horses are freaky? Well yeeeee haaaaw lol. We brought carrots to feed them prior to the ride, everything went well great day for a ride. I purchased the picture package, which isn't bad since I wanted to enjoy the experience instead of taking pics of my kids. Unfortunately if you are not riding the first horse right behind the guide with the camera you won't get too many great "action" shots. The pics you pose for came out great. So definitely some value but if u want "action" shots bring a go pro or a water proof cover for your smartphone (amazon $10). The water was a little murky and the horses in front of you drop "dolphin" bait . Unfortunately we didn't get to see any manatees or dolphins on our ride, but again it was a great experience. The ride itself was about an hour long with about 3 rounds of horse ride swimming breaks in between which go by pretty quickly. 1st round your getting over the initial fear/shock and finding your bearings. 2nd rd your getting better but still adjusting. By the 3rd rd your slapping your girl and pulling her hair/mane like she likes it, but then its all over and u have to leave. My kids enjoyed it, the only complaint they had was they had to wear a helmet, other than that they loved it. read more

CPonies - Previous group in water - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

This was a surprise for my wife for our 36th anniversary. She was so happy. The guise Misty was awesome. The horses were so amazing and you can see by the way the crew is with them that they are very much loved. Thank you to C Ponies for an amazing adventure! read more

We had an awesome time. Horses were great and well behaved. Instructors were very informative and made for a fun experience. We were also happy to support a good rescue service. They do an amazing job with their horses! read more

We had a WONDERFUL ride with Rachael. Perfect weather and perfect horse. Highly recommended! Proceeds go toward helping the rescue horse to which we loved!! read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

You meet at the causeway before you enter Anna Maria Island. Well run and organized business. They take excellent care of their rescue horses. A 50 minute ride "completely" in the water. You get wet up to your belly button. They offer you the option to stand on the horse for pictures. Pictures cost $25 extra, bit they're absolutely worth read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

We had an awesome time. Our guide Nikki paired us with the perfect horse to ride. She explained what we were going to do and what to expect during our ride. We would recommend this to anyone who is unfamiliar with horses. read more

CPonies - Skittles loves to swim. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

What an amazing experience! This activity is great for riders of all abilities. These horses know what they are doing. They are extremely calm and it's easy to relax and have fun. I definitely recommend this to all visitors in the area. The owner of these horses takes amazing care of them and provides a once in a lifetime opportunity. read more

I wanted to take my Goddaughter to experience something new for her 14th birthday and found C Ponies. The guide Mercedes was wonderful and the horses so beautiful and just so kind to us. It was unforgettable. I loved hearing the stories about the horses and where they were rescued from. Also seeing each of the horses' personalities. My horse, Menó (not sure if I spelled right), was adorable--blew bubbles during breaks and was so great with the whole swimming adventure. Thank you to the entire C Ponies team including the horses. So recommended! read more

CPonies - With this beauty of a horse . - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Took a few of my friends to celebrate a birthday. I was nervous at first. Our guide Mia was the best. All the horses were well taken care of I loved my horse Stella. It was a great time. I recommend the picture package. I'm going to go back and do the sunset ride soon. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Amazing! We were on vacation on Anna Maria island so it was only about a 10 mins drive. My husband and my sister and her husband all went together. We had Ambra as our tour guide and she definitely made the tour more fun! You are in the water the entire time with horses walking and then towards the end they swim a couple times. Experience was amazing and worth every penny. read more

CPonies - Can see horses swimming - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all

Amazing experience, unforgettable fun, incredible humanity! This ride was part of the birthday present to a great anniversary of my mom. She was riding a horse first time in her life and both of us were swimming with the horses of course first time in our lives. During the small stop in the middle of the bay our amazing guide Alex told us the story of survival of all our horses, all rescued and brought back to enjoying life. I can highly recommended this attraction (we did it in Bradenton on Manatee street passing through the bay) to probably all ages from 7 to 100! Super safe, super comfortable. Great and knowledgeable guides. Most of the money you pay for this attraction are spent on rescuing other beautiful Gypsy Horses and taking care of already the saved ones. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

My wife and I had a great time riding horses through the bay on this Equestrian Aquatic Adventure. My wife Amy is a very experienced rider and her new husband (me) has never been on a horse. There were about 8 total people in our group and everyone seemed to have a fun day. Nikki was our leader and it was evident that she took the time to match up the horses with the riders. As a Novice rider, Nikki never made me feel stupid as she is so pleasant in all our interactions with the group. The cost is roughly $140.00 to $150.00 a person based on the time of day. They do provide a picture package for $25.00 as most people may not want to take their phones or cameras into the water. I will later place our pictures on this review. Nikki took lots of shots for all of us to help us remember this special day. I did take a few pictures with my horse after the ride. Personally this experience was a great first step to riding horses with my wife next time without a water safety net! Besides the wonderful experience, knowing most of these horses have been rescued, makes me want to tell others to get out there, have a blast knowing you are also supporting a great cause. It was fun learning the history and even the personalities of the horses. I am now a little smarter about the horse world. Thanks again Nikki, Alexia and crew for a day we will always remember. At no extra cost, on this day while riding in this bay, there were fish jumping out of the water and many dolphin sightings. What a day! read more

See all

Wonderful bucket list birthday experience for me. I rode Moana and she was incredible! Our guide Misty 2 was great. She was careful with safety, as well as focusing on having an amazing experience. I liked that we were able to hear each horse's story and recovery as we rode. read more

CPonies - Thank you Moana for such a wonderful ride. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

My boyfriend took me for my birthday - it was so much fun!! My bf is a beginner rider and I've been riding for a decade. You don't need to be an experienced rider for this, and it's a blast for all levels of riding. The horses all seem to be in amazing shape and loved being in the water as well. read more

CPonies - Bahama was a sweetheart :) - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

We were searching for something new and came upon CPonies advertisement online. Spots fill up quick so do not delay reservations. My hubby has never ridden. What better way to learn than surrounded by water. This was it! The horses were big enough to easily handle my 6'2" Hubby, no experience too. Niki was our guide, Alexis and Lorie were on hand to assist. A good safety orientation and you and your ride are in the water. Bonus were two pods of dolphins that swam with us on our ride. It was an amazing day. All in all, we highly recommend CPonies. You must experience swimming with this great team! This is a must do in the Tampa/Bradenton/St Pete area. read more

See all

An experience of a lifetime!!!! This was a must, given that my 10 yr old daughter is HORSE CRAZY and has been riding horses for half her life. I, on the other hand, have very little riding experience. Jenn and Belle (in-training) were excellent guides and accommodated both my confident daughter and my apprehensive self. The horses are beautiful, well trained and VERY well cared for. We enjoyed listening to Jenn give us the back story of the horses, most of which are rescues. During our ride we saw bonnet head sharks, a string ray and manatees in the distance. The experience lasted over an hour and included water walking and swimming. Our tour left about 40 minutes before another companies but they returned to the beach around the same time. They also didn't appear to do any actual swimming, which is a HUGE part of the experience. I recommend taking cash for photos and video- so worth it! And cash to tip the guides. They work extremely hard, are knowledgeable, helpful and diligent in ensuring the horses and humans are safe and comfortable. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

See all