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The Nevis Equestrian Centre has been providing this opportunity to visitors since 1996. Hundreds of people, including such celebrities as Four Seasons Resort guests, - Tracey Ullman, Soni with Hootie & The Blowfish, NFL player Dan Marino, NBA player Charles Smith plus many more have all gone home with this experience “riding high” on their list of the “ultimate adventure”
Our most popular ride, beach and trail, begins with a walk past Ft. Ashby, the first fort on the island built in 1650, leading us to one of the many secluded beaches on Nevis. Along the way, we pass Nelson’s Spring, a beautiful lagoon where clipper ships once filled up with fresh drinking water.
We continue through Calhoun Estate where we see Brahma cattle and in the distance, St. Thomas’ Anglican Church, the oldest active Anglican Church in the Caribbean (1643 ). We turn east and slowly climb the mountain slope to Paradise Estate where we see ruins of a sugar mill and then ride through ‘ Cotton Ground’ which derives its name from the production of cotton in years past. The people of this village are warm and friendly and you don’t want to forget the name of your horse because the young children, who know the horses, will question you as to which one you are riding.
We return to the beach where we stop to take pictures and observe the local fishermen bring in their catch of the day, ending our ride with a cool walk through a coconut grove. Upon returning to the stable, we enjoy a refreshing tropical drink, sit and watch the horses take a cooling bath. Just another wonderful day in paradise!!
Manager, Erika Guilbert and parents, John & Ali Guilbert raised Arabian show horses for twenty-five years in Norco, California, USA before moving to Nevis in 1994. Erika, who began riding at the age of five, is a trained hunter-jumper rider who gives riding lessons and holds holiday/summer camps. She also conducts therapeutic riding, as a community service, for students with special needs. Two of her students, which she and another volunteer coached, brought home three gold and one silver medal from the Special Olympics held in North Carolina, USA in 1999. She coached three athletes for the Special Olympics World Games in Ireland in June 2003 winning one silver, two bronze medals and two fourths… now it is on to China in 2007. Erika applies this same dedication and commitment to the management of her trail horses and guides.
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