Carolyn was excellent at explaining how to ride a horse. My husband and I have never been horseback riding before. The swimming on the horses back was an amazing experience! Picture package is worth it! Great photos. Highly recommend read more

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Overall my 10 year old daughter loved it. She loves horses and was excited to ride in the water on a gypsy vanner. The 2 guides we had were friendly. We went on December 5 and the air temp was about 69 and water temperature was chilly. My child's teeth were chattering in the beginning, but eventually as we got to riding her excitement overrode her cold. I would do it again, but only in the summer where cold water and air temp are not an issue. read more

This place was hard to find because we were looking for a stable. It is a trailer on the beach which, if we had known, would not have been difficult to see. The horses are all rescues and incredibly well-behaved making the cost well worth it. My husband is an expert rider, but we were traveling with my goddaughter who has little experience on horses. The guides expertly coupled riders and horses. The experience was extraordinary. I could not more highly recommend this encounter with horses and the sea. It was amazing to feel a horse beneathe you swimming in the bay. Misty 2 was a great guide and provided us with the background of both CPoinies and the horses we were riding. What an incredible group of people not only saving horses, but rehabilitating and loving them when they have been discarded. read more

Unique experience...reduced to mediocre by poor horse to rider match & poor customer relations. Try the other company. Poor management deflated an awesome family memory and celebration. Horses sent back to stalls before matching us up. Big Mistake. 4 of 5 horses were tired at 1:30 ride. Only 2 horses would even allow a male rider. "Island time" horse matched to my son after requesting a spunky horse. POOR matchup. Total group of 5 adults. First riding positions and preferred horses to given to 2 last minute signups. We scheduled in advance. When I expressed my disappointments via email I received a defensive instructional response minimizing my complaints and assuming I knew nothing about horses. Taking time to match riders to their horses prior ride and a course in positive customer relations would benefit this company. read more

My second ride in less than a year! I am a seasoned rider but anyone can do this. Better than any trail ride because your horse swims and you ride along! Nikki was our fantastic leader -we had beautiful weather, great horses and will be back for more! read more

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I recommend this company as well as the activity for young and old a like. I took my granddaughter on June 9th and she had a blast. Both Kiera and Jen were so great in explaining how to handle the horse, what to expect, but more importantly safety instructions. The trainers ride along with the group and take pictures. Regarding the pictures it is up to you if you want to purchase. We will be back again. read more

I chose a cold, cloudy day to ride- but Jenn gave us the option of riding knee deep- whew! It was cold but so much fun! The horses are well behaved- and Jenn talked about each horse and their background. We also were asked about our experience with horses- so to be matched with the appropriate horse. She was a wealth of information about sea life and was generally super nice!I loved this ride and would do it again! read more

Highly recommend this unique and fun way to enjoy a Tampa Bay. You ride out to a sandbar and then take the deep route back to the beach. Deep enough that the horses literally swim! Such a different feeling. SO MUCH FUN! If you like horses and water, this is a fun time not to be missed!!! read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Great experience ! Great cause honestly misty #2 was super nice. It was nice they gave us a background on each horse and it's amazing what they do daily !! Keep up the great work and awesome rides:) read more

My daughter and I had an amazing time. Jen was a fantastic guide, she explained what we were going to do and what to expect before we left the beach, she pointed out sea life to us and took some great pictures. We couldn't have asked for a better day, the water was clear and beautiful, and the ponies were great too. I truly think they enjoyed their morning swim as much as we did. I can't wait to go back, maybe we will do a sunset ride next time. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Unreal experience. Pay the extra to have them take pictures if you don't have your own go pro with you. It is worth the money. The horses are beautiful, the instructors greet you with a smile and make you feel right at home. You actually swim in the water with the horses after walking and getting your bearings on the sand bar. Stop to look around while out there the view is amazing. If you get the instructor Amanda- then you're really in luck! read more

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Myah was an AMAZING guide! It was my first time horseback riding and 110% recommend CPonies especially if it's your first time getting on a horse. They make you feel super comfortable and it's much less scary being out on the water. You feel like a mermaid swimming with the horses!! Thanks for the fun adventure!! read more

If I could give this 20 stars I would !!! It was an experience I will never forget.Carmen and her staff were amazing ! The ride was 100 times better then I anticipated !! Well worth the cost !!Cant say enough except if you haven't done it yet or just thinking about it Think no more Book it today trust me it's truly incredible read more

Whether your a Florida resident or a tourist traveling thru Fl, CPonies is a Must Do! Myah and Rachel are part of the team that care for these beautiful rescue horses are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about their horses. Each of the horses is so well trained. We enjoyed every minute of our ride in the ocean. Get the photo package and your guides will take numerous photos of you with your horse and with the group. The trip was such an enjoyable experience. Bring carrots for the horses and you can feed them before your ride as well. There are shirts available for purchase too. If you leave a tip, it is shared with the horses also. We will definitely be back for another ride! read more

Wow have seen these guys on the beach for years and our daughters have been taking lessons. Gave them this as a Christmas gift and they had a blast. Kim and Nikki were awesome. Our girls had a lifetime memory made. Word of advice do the photo package for $25 worth every penny. read more

It was my daughter's 18th birthday and she had wanted to ride horses on the beach. C Ponies came up in our search and the fact that they have rescue horses (a cause close to our heart) and you get to swim with the horses (a magical experience) we knew this was the one for us. Amanda was our guide and provided us with the most amazing experience we could have imagined. We walked through the water and then out to the sandbar to take a series of photos. Another stop and we got to stand in our saddle for another wonderful shot and our final spot was where the horses swim. At that point we were just along for the ride and the horses do their thing. I had Jasmine and she liked to burry her nose in the water and blow bubbles, it was hilarious! I highly recommend the photo package. It was thrilling to see the photos and videos that Amanda took for us and we got them that day. That way we could just enjoy the ride and truly be in the moment. read more

This was a really interesting experience. I recommend it if you have not ridden horses near the ocean. The crew (Caroline & Mia) is great if not slightly bossy but they certainly have their responsibilities so it's understood. Pictures taken by crew is an extra fee. You go with half dozen other people so it's not private and you never know what you're going to get so keep that in mind. Too, it's an inlet so you're not riding horses on the beach & it's not very private as it's along the main road and there are houses along the coastline. We really appreciated that the horses are treated very well, they are in excellent shape some of them have been rescued. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, it's a really enjoyable thing to do. The other plus is that it really isn't expensive when you consider the price of going out to a better dinner for two ends up being around the same but you end up w a great memory. My favorite part was when we held onto the horses mane (my girl was "Stella") while they literally swim through the water. It was exhilarating! Come check it out you'll be glad you did. read more

My wife and I saw these horses in the ocean last year and we just had to do it. We went on 11/03/16 and we're not disappointed! This is something you may only do once in a lifetime, but oh so worth it. I have only been on a horse twice before but with the instructions given by staff negotiated riding easily. The horses really loved the water and were obviously anxious to get wet. If you get the opportunity to go... DO IT! read more

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What a FUN experience our family had! If your looking for something special to do- this would be it. My kids ( ages 10 and 12) really thought it was a unique adventure. I mean, riding horses in the Ocean while swimming! Worth it! 5 starts from us! Thanks for the Christmas week activity that we will remember for a lifetime! read more

Jen and Nicki were amazing guides. Everyone in our group was a beginner except for one person and they gave great, detailed instructions on how to handle the horses. In addition, reminders and queues were given the entire time to ensure safety and horse compliance! We went for two short swims to get us used to the feeling of our horses while swimming and then we did a longer swim. The guides new the horses and what each would do in any given situation which made the ride so enjoyable and relaxing. We had so much fun and can't wait to go back!! read more

Amazing experience worth every penny!! Jen our guide was awesome! She was very knowledgeable about the marine life and the horses. She and madisen took great care of us on our ride! The horses are well taken care of and very safe! Will do this again if im ever in clearwater again! read more

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There aren't enough stars in the world to show how much we loved our experience with CPonies! From the personal responses from Carmen the owner via email...to the girls running the show on the day of our adventure. We booked this company site unseen online from Boston which is always risky but that was not the case with this! It was probably one of the best days of my life. These horses are so perfectly behaved and we felt completely comfortable being beginners. Our guide Nikki was so knowledgeable and extremely sweet and we just had such a blast! Huge fans of this excursion and I would recommend this for anyone looking for a bucket-list adventure while in this area! Loved it!!!!!!! read more

I am an equestrian and have ridden for years and found CPonies to be an out of the ordinary ride but not the crème de la crème of riding experiences. It was fun to saddle up and head into the Gulf off St. Pete Beach near the north end of the Sunshine Skyway but I felt that it was a bit overpriced for what we got. On our platinum ride, my girl, Jewel, was a bit obstinate which I'll readily admit may jade my opinion. It took major effort to get her to go. She responded more readily once I had a lead rope Carmen handed off to me during our ride. My daughter's steed, Guiness, was a much better ride and once he knew who was in charge, responded quite well to the aids my daughter gave him. It was a beautiful 85+ degree day and the water was warm and the sun shining. I loved swimming but felt that there was too little of it. The photos and videos we purchased for an additional $28.99 (the app, RE was $3.99; download of photos and video was $25) were a nice touch but the videos are jumpy & bumpy and understandably so given that we were in the Gulf and Carmen was shooting video while dismounting and trying to keep her horse nearby. Perhaps an option for the future is to have a grip or handler on hand to hold the lead horse while videos are being shot. For me it would have been a better ride had we had an opportunity to walk, trot, canter on the beach before heading into the Gulf. And had we done so, I'd say the price was fair. I think it would also have been better to have either bareback pads or go saddle-free. Dealing with stirrups and a modified English sponge-like saddle seemed to me to be a bit too cumbersome in the water. But I commend Carmen for her care, concern and treatment of these beautiful creatures. She and her grip, Briana, did a fine job in prepping and caring for each and every one of the horses. Overall it was an enjoyable ride and one I recommend to those of you wanting to enjoy the Gulf in a new and different way while on horseback. read more

This was worth every penny. What a cool experience and one you can't get anywhere else! I ride, but my 3 friends that came with me did not. The safety they felt by being surrounded by water and moving slowly through it calmed their nerves and allowed them to have an incredible time! Awesome experience for the experienced or inexperienced rider! Also worth every penny to get the photo package. Absolutely recommend it!! read more

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My husband surprised me and took me riding for my (29th haha) birthday. He knew this was something I had wanted to do for a long time. Mercedes and her staff made us feel very welcome and she explained in detail everything we were about to do. She even somehow found a way to take photos & videos (which we purchased for just $25) during the whole wonderful hour and half ride! It was a memory I will never forget - to ride AND swim with these beautiful creatures, in the most beautiful place that we call "home", was just beyond amazing! Do not think twice about doing this..you will not regret it :) Thank you CPonies! read more

This is a must do, once in a lifetime, uniquely amazing fun experience that leaves you with a memory which keeps you smiling all day long. These gentle horses are beautiful creatures that melt your heart. I was fascinated by how much the horses loved swimming in the water with us. This is the best experience ever! Still smiling when I reminisce about this. Thank you CPonies for an extraordinary ride and for all the pictures you shared with us. We fell in love with Minnow and Pearl! read more

This was an awesome experience for me and my husband! The horses are really nice and sweet!. I love my horsey her name was Pearl and she was the most fun ever!. The guides are really patient and very kind!. I recommend CPonies read more

We are locals and thought we would give this a try. GREAT FUN ! Our horses were Stella, Jemma, ahi, Kalisi and dreamer. If you enjoy the outdoors and you live locally or are visiting it is really great fun even for a non horse person. read more

CPonies - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Loved the ride!! Horses were well behaved and very well taken care of. The guides were very nice, patient and were great teachers for the less experienced riders. This is a great experience you gotta do this!!! Also get the photo package the you don't have to bring a camera they do it all for and right after ride they load it for you to your phone! read more

CPonies - Enjoying the ride!! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Loved this! I am a longtime equestrian (while my husband is not at all) and this was one of my bucket list items. He had just as much fun as I did!! We planned a trip down just to ride horses while they swam, and it did not disappoint! Great to see such healthy, happy horses and trainers that are very knowledgeable and seem to really enjoy their job. Myah was our guide and she was excellent. Really appreciate what y'all are doing for this breed! read more

As soon as we saw the horses come off the trailer we could tell how well cared for they are. Their coats with shiny and their manes and tails brushed, Every horse seemed laid-back and calm even though they had ridden in a trailer from the farm to get to the beach. Each horse was immediately given a bucket of water to drink and an umbrella to stand under to keep them cool. All these initial observations made me feel very comfortable about C Ponies And their mission to rescue horses from terrible conditions and give them a good life swimming in water!! As soon as my horse stepped into the water she wanted to blow bubbles...the water must have felt cooling on her face . The feeling of being buoyant on a saddle was truly unique, letting a horse swim with you on it's back was truly a special experience. I am so happy I got to go "swimming " with Minnow.... A lovely mare who blew the best water bubbles !!! Kudos to all the guides, trainers and the owner of course... keep on keeping horses happy , thank you for rescuing them and showing them love and kindness. read more

CPonies was a wonderful experience! There were 5 adults in our group and one child (12yrs.) , several of us had never been on a horse prior to this. The instructors, Nikki & Stephanie, made us feel very comfortable. They are right there with you too in case you need them, I loved that part. I would definitely get the picture package for keepsake purposes. read more

Did this today (June 23 2019) and definitely worth every penny! The horses are rescue horses and the money goes to operational costs and to rescue horses. Makayla was our guide and was fantastic. We had a blast and she took lots of pics (cost extra but worth it because you don't want to take a camera with you as it will get wet). The guides work for the tips as the cost of the trip goes to the rescue... so take some cash plus you can buy shirts, tanks, or sun visors. A must do!! read more

C Ponies was a great experience for my family of 3 adults and 2 children, the youngest being 10 y/o. Caroline was a fantastic instructor and the horses appear to be very well cared for. Don't hesitate, even if you have zero experience. Just follow Caroline's instructions and let the horses do the rest! They're very smart, they seem to know the routine. For an extra $25, get the photo/video package, it's worth it! And besides, there's no way you're gonna be able to capture the experience the way Caroline did. FYI, you'll be meeting the tour at their horse trailer parked along the roadside. There are no facilities. So, bring your beach stuff and take the 5 minute ride to Anna Maria Island afterwards. Plenty on beautiful beaches, facilities and bars/restaurants. read more

Had a great time celebrating my daughter's birthday. Kim was great introducing us to the techniques. Very friendly and personable. Mercedes was our guide and she coached us well while educating us on the ponies. She had great energy and enthusiasm. Both ladies were a joy to be with. read more

C-Ponies was the highlight of our trip to Florida. The horses are so well cared for and gorgeous and the guides were exceptional. My 12 year old and I had a mother/daughter pair (C-Queen and Snooky) who were lovely. Loved it and highly recommend. read more

My daughter and I have both rode horses for years. I did barrel racing and she showed hunter jumpers. We heard about C-ponies from a family member and knew we wanted to do this so planned a little trip. Booking was easy. My horse was Shamu and my daughter had Dreama. Both horses had such fun personalities!!! The horses are very well taken care of and happy.(Horses are easy to tell if they don't want to do something.). They take in to account riding experience and the instructions and thought they put in for the beginners was very good. All the horses were more then willing to go in to the water and immediately we came upon a pod of dolphins!! Nikki our guide took pictures the entire time and it is worth the small fee of $25 for the picture package.. The full swims were just amazing!!! This is a must for all horse lovers and every ride, donation just rescues another gypsy drum horse. I WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK!!!! LOVED IT!!! read more

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This is a must do for anyone in the area. It was a blast. Very memorable experience that I will always remember. Cannot wait to do this again. Very friendly, personal, professional & experienced guide and well run organization. Put this on your "to do" list. read more

One of my many bucket list items. This was an awesome experience guides were the best! Horses were beautiful and well trained can't wait to return. read more

Great experience! Our guide was Mercedes, and she was professional and nice. I am an experienced rider and went with my mother (mid sixties) who has only been on a horse three times in her life. I felt my mom was perfectly safe and she felt very comfortable on her horse, Mirena. I also felt safe and relaxed on my horse, Gypsy. Gypsy was also a lot of fun, smart, and responsive to light cues - everything you want if you are an experienced rider. The horses got nice breaks in between swims. It was such a cool experience. read more