San Jorge Cowboys - Herb and Rafael
Chalana getting her nails done by Huber
.JPG)
Prieto - our 4 year old gelding - I call him my sports model!
One of the things I really love about Costa Rica is that
finally I have achieved my lifelong dream of owning horses. Ever
since I was a little boy way back in the 1950s I wanted a horse. We lived on a grain farm in Saskatchewan with
no farm animals so the chance of getting a horse were slim and none and slim
just left townJ However I did pester my mom and dad for a lot
of years for a chance to own a horse just like Little Joe on Bonanza (still on
TV down here and I love to watch it for the old memories). As an adult, over the years we
lived all over Alberta and Saskatchewan with no time, money or space for a
horse. At one point in time we lived on a nice acreage for 9
years in Bragg Creek, Alberta, but there was no room for a horse and boarding was
out of the question with costs in the $400 to $500 per month range for boarding
not to mention other costs like shoeing,
cutting manes, medical issues
etc. When we moved to Costa Rica, owning a horse
never occurred to me until we had spent some time here in Guanacaste which is a
horseman’s dream. Horses were and are a
big part of the culture - they are used extensively on ranches and farms around
the country. So when we bought a farm
in the mountains and I started riding the neighbor's horses, my dream came
back. We bought a nice creole mare
about 1 ½ years ago for the huge sum of $300 and she is a great gentle horse –
sure footed and intelligent. I would
trust her with any of our grandchildren.
This year we bought another horse from our neighbor for $500 - a four year
old gelding that needed some work. Now
he is like a big puppy and a pleasure to ride as he has the Spanish gait that
you see on TV or all around Costa Rica.
Monthly costs to maintain these great beasts are minimal. Our neighbor, Huber, looks after shoeing the
horse and all we pay for are the shoes and nails. He expects nothing in payment but we do have
a few shots of Johnny Rojo (Johnny Walker Red Scotch) after he is
finished. Rafael, our trusted Nicaraguan
worker, looks after cutting manes and together we look after tick control and
other minor issues. We have free pasture
for the most part and when we need a little extra our other neighbor, Jose, charges us 10,000 colones per month ($20
USD) for both horses. Because the horses are doing what comes
natural – grazing the open range - their medical bills are negligible. Unlike horses that are kept in stables and
stalls for extended periods, our horses are always moving and do not experience
the problems other horses experience when they are locked up for long periods. Riding
in the mountains and jungle of Costa Rica in the early mornings is at times a mystical experience with the birds singing and the
howler monkeys grunting like some huge intimidating beasts. So if you are horse
lover – Costa Rica is calling!
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