The horses we use are handpicked to match with your experience. The criolla (meaning locally born and breed) bred horses are born and raised in the local area, if not on La Margarita then on our neighbour’s estancia. We put them to the test to make sure they are responsive and calm before we offer them to guests to ride. Of course we never forget they are living beings and can be affected by, for instance, strong winds etc., but in the main they are very responsive horses and are perfect for horse riding in the pampas. Many of the horses will be used to working on estancias in the area so are not easily startled by bolting hares or other animals.

Tapalque is right in the middle of gaucho country and it is very likely that you will see other gauchos working when you are out riding. Since we are in a traditional gaucho area we use gaucho saddles (have a look at the photos). They differ from western saddles in that they are made of lambs’ wool with protection underneath. If you are an experienced rider you may find them little strange at first but you will soon get used to them and will almost certainly find them more comfortable than western style saddles. If you feel that you really want to use a western style saddle we do have a couple and we are happy for you to use them if you wish. Please make sure you pack a pair of stout shoes. Trainers are ok but tend to be very big and many are too big to fit well in to the stirrups. As with many other riding estancias we don’t supply riding helmets. If you want to wear a helmet we suggest that you pack one and bring it with you to use. If it’s winter please make sure you have a warm comfortable coat and jeans or riding jodhpurs that are not too tight. Apart from these things you need nothing more but yourselves.

Whether you are experienced or have never been on a horse before I am pretty sure that your horse riding experience on La Margarita will be unforgettable. The area where La Margarita is located is a very strong cattle raising area and there has a strong tradition of the famous Argentine gauchos. You will be riding the same lands that the gauchos have done for hundreds of years and still do – and you will be riding with real gauchos. Riding under huge empty skies on the famous Argentina pampas which seem to go on forever is a wonderful experience you will want do again and again. On and around La Margarita the land is flat and therefore ideal if you have the experience to canter or gallop. If you haven’t ridden recently or are a novice rider our land is also ideal since there are no tricky hills to negotiate or narrow foot paths – just wide open spaces. And if you are at all nervous, don’t worry, we have horses that are especially suitable for beginners and someone will accompany you on some nice gentle introductory rides. Usually those of you who have no experience will at least get up to a canter before you leave La Margarita.

Riding is done in the mornings and early evening generally. In the summer months we usually take you out around 9 - 9.30 a.m., since by midday the sun can be really hot. In the evening we usually take you out around 7 - 7.30 p.m. which is a perfect time to ride as it’s cooler and you can enjoy the beauty of the sun setting in la pampas as you canter with your horse. In the winter months we take you out in the morning at around 10 a.m. and in the evening around 4 - 6 p.m .

Ride 1

We offer two types of rides. The price quoted for your intended stay on La Margarita includes two rides per day which usually last around an hour each. You will be accompanied by a guide who will be one of the gauchos who work on La Margarita (normally Lalo or Carlos). During these rides you will have the opportunity to canter or gallop if you wish or simply to walk slow and enjoy the wild beauty of la pampas. During your ride your guide will point our wild animals and birds that live in la pampas (don’t worry there are no dangerous ones) and give you tips on riding. If you wish our gauchos will teach you how to saddle up your horse, give you tips on riding and also will invite you wash them down after your ride – if you don’t want to do it it’s not a problem.

Ride 2

For those of who want more than one hour’s riding we offer rides of two-three hours depending on your energy. These rides take you deep into la pampas and trails as you cross our and our neighbours’ land. On these rides you can canter or gallop to your heart’s content. We recommend these rides to experienced riders since if you are inexperienced riding for three hours can take its toll. We make a charge for these longer rides of 100 pesos per ride and we normally need a minimum of two riders. If you could give us an indication that you may be interested on theses longer rides before you come to visit it would be very helpful. We very much look forward to seeing you soon.

Below are some comments that our guests have written in our comments book about their horse riding experience on La Margarita.

"Thanks for these wonderfully relaxing days we enjoyed it a lot -especially the horse riding" Kate and Mese 2.4.07

"What a wonderful location, calm tranquil and peaceful. Wonderfully roaring fires and great company. Riding was excellent among the local wildlife" Jon and Liz Bamford

"Thank god for Google it brought us here to have great fun milking the cows and riding across the campo" Sue Stevens 3.8.08

"Enjoyed the dinner conversation and felt like a real gaucho riding across the open plains" Yolanda y Jorge

"The horses are wonderful and good natured we will certainly love to come back again" Emma and Sam 21.06.08

"The home cooked food was great and the horse riding was magnificent" Jan and Bianca 18.10.08

"The horse were great we finally got Tom on a horse" 16.11.08

"Galloping in the pampas will remain one of my greatest memories" Veronique and Natalie 9.01.09

"La Margarita (people, place horses, dogs , kittens and food) surpassed all our expectations" Alain and Mary 15 01.09

"Great wine, horse riding and company. I shall be back." Lizzie 16.03.0

"We had wonderful rides" Berni and Paul

"We will miss the rides across the pampas" Azad and Liz 8.5.09