Happy Horse

Riding Horse Makes You Happy

About Us

For lovers of nature, there is no better way to get in touch with nature’s splendor than from a position on the back of a horse. At Happy Horse, we offer a number of different horseback riding opportunities. From a leisurely stroll down an easygoing trail to a challenging run on rugged terrain, we have every type of riding style available to individuals as it suits their particular skill and experience levels. No matter what kind of experience you want to have, or how much time you’ve actually spent on horseback, we’re going to make sure that you have the time of your life.

Relaunch

Finally, we are excited to announce that happy horse is relaunching with happy-horse.org.  There are certainly many beautiful places for horses to be and also to go on a horseback riding.  But, there truly is no place on earth like Hawaii to ride.  We are excited to bring the horseback riding to Hawaii and provide quality care for the horses as well as offer awesome tours to the visitor and horse lovers.  We are very excited to have this project going again and looking forward to the grand re-opening of it!  So that we can start riding again and share our love of horseback riding with the others.  Hope to see you again soon!

Top 5 Places to ride horses on Oahu Hawaii

Hawaii, once known as Sandwich Islands, is situated in the Central Pacific Ocean. It is known to be the farthest place from any landmass on earth. In fact, it is considered the most secluded and also the most extensive archipelago in the world consisting of eight islands. Oahu also referred to as ‘Gathering Place’ is the third largest island in Hawaii. It is one of the best hideout places where you can find solace from fast-paced urban hassles. With a wealth of open and scenic landscapes, you’ll never get tired of exploring Oahu Island. Whether you prefer Western or English horse riding style, Oahu is the place to be. There are especially guided horse riding tours and adventures that will enable you to experience the picturesque landscape of this peaceful island. Are you excited a bit? Here are some places to consider for horse riding adventures.

Top 5 places to ride horses on Oahu Hawaii

1. Turtle Bay Resort
Picture yourself exploring the beauty of nature in a gorgeous oceanfront setting. Just imagine as your horse will be keenly watching the trail, you’ll be busy catching up the view of a scenic landscape. This 850-acre resort is the perfect destination that will keep you entertained. You’ll enjoy the views of tropical forests, spectacular beaches as well as the sandy coastline. There are organized evening horse rides, group trail rides, private outings, and sunset tours. The fun never ends here and is ideal for the entire family.
2. Gunstock Ranch
Gunstock Ranch is a 400-acre resort located on the windward side of Oahu. Here, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve ridden a horse before or not because Gunstock Ranch provides intimate horse rides for visitors of all skill levels. Kids will enjoy Pony Rides while adults will have the Advanced Rides. As you will be riding through Ko’olau Mountain Range, you’ll enjoy the elegant vista views of the surrounding. The guides are knowledgeable and very friendly, and you’re guaranteed to experience the real horseback riding. Gunstock Ranch offers a �full moon’ ride two times every month specifically for couples. The options are unending as you can also choose from introductory, luncheon, BBQs, and advanced rides.
3. Happy Trails
Nestled on the summit above Waimea Bay is the Happy Trails. It is situated next to Polynesian Culture Center. Here, you’ll experience the scenic nature of Oahu as you enjoy a horseback ride along breathtaking trails through organic tropical orchards, sun-filtered forests, and fern-laced valleys. Nevertheless, you’ll also capture the charming mountain and ocean views that will uplift your spirits. Happy Trails is all that horseback riding means. Visit this place and taste how it feels to ride through the ocean side.
4. Kualoa Ranch
This is popularly known as Jurassic Valley and is the most sacred place in Oahu. Kualoa Ranch horseback ride is a 400-acre nature reserve that offers unending horseback riding opportunities. Perhaps, over 70 TV shows and movies have been filmed here. You’ll have to choose from half-day or full-day horse riding adventure options. Additionally, you’ll also select from land, ocean or beach tours. As you’ll be riding, you will never miss to adore and admire the magnificent views of the lush green mountains of Kanehoalani. You’ll also get the chance to view the remnants of ancient Hawaiian inhabitants. There are tour guides who’ll help you on your ride. There are several options to choose including the one or two-hour horseback riding adventures. Make reservations for your Kualoa horseback ride tour in advance.
5. Kahuku Kai Horse Ranch – (unfortunately this location has Closed)
Kahuku-Kai is another homey destination you’ll not want to miss in Oahu. The scenery is simply stunning, and you’ll never miss appreciating every moment here. The ranch is located at the base of mountain ranges and features a rugged landscape making it unique and spectacular. You’ll meet very friendly staff who’ll guide you on how to handle horses. Horses are easy to tame and very friendly. Get the chance to ride along the beaches as you take cool photos for memories. Conclusion While it is considered one of the most remote places on earth, Oahu in Hawaii is the ultimate escape destination to visit. With well-organized horse riding and other leisure activities, you’ll keep wanting more and more. There is something special for everyone right from kids to adults. The above are the top five places to visit for Oahu horseback riding.  

Can Horseback Riding Make You a Better Person?

YES! (Wow, that was a short blog post. Just kidding! We could go on about horses forever). That’s because at Happy Horse, we’ve seen firsthand how horses can not only make you happier— they can make you a better version of yourself. But we don’t expect you to take our word for it, and that’s why we’ve put together a list of our favorite reasons why horseback riding helps you become the best and happiest you. Don’t believe us? Keep reading and find out!

Horseback Riding Develops Positive Character Traits

If you’ve ever played sports before, you know that learning any sport requires patience and commitment. You also know that those lessons aren’t over once you master the basics of the game. The more you play, the more you learn— both about the game and yourself. And whether you ride competitively or not, mastering the basics of horseback riding is a vigorous activity that functions like a sport when it comes to the amount of exercise and teamwork it involves. So, when you take up horseback riding lessons, you’re not just learning to master the basics and control yourself, you’re learning to how to work closely with and control somebody else: your horse.

Because of this, horseback riding develops skills that aren’t taught through the pursuit of many other sports— skills like empathy, understanding, discipline, and self-control. And while you might be surprised to see self-control on the list, it’s more critical than you might think. Learning to be a good rider and develop a bond with your horse requires you to actively surrender the inherent selfishness we all have as people because you have to put your horse first. The necessity of consistently putting your horse’s needs above your own by prioritizing their health, grooming, and tacking encourages you to become a more considerate person day by day.

Likewise, as you get closer to your horse, you may find yourself becoming a more empathetic person, increasingly in tune with your horse’s moods, feelings, and needs. As such, it’s kind of a no-brainer that the patience, empathy, and selflessness you develop through horseback riding will improve your relationships with people too.

Horses Improve Your Sense of Confidence

At some point in our lives, all of us have struggled with the feeling that we’re not good enough or that we fail to measure up. These doubts and insecurities can affect not only our self-esteem and identity, but our relationships with others too. Horseback riding can help because our sense of inadequacy often stems from the feeling that we aren’t talented enough, smart enough, or capable of contributing something worthwhile. And though many of us have tried (and failed) at some type of sport during our time in school, horseback riding is not commonly taught and thus, not something everybody can do.

So, while you might not have anything on your football-playing buddies from high-school, mastering a skill like horseback riding gives you the ability to flaunt a rare, new skill you can be proud of. Likewise, when a new rider sets goals with the help and support of their riding instructor (and practices to meet those goals), they gain the ability to point to a pattern of consistent discipline, perseverance, and achievement that they earned through personal merit alone. Similarly, the consistency horseback riding requires can also improve our forgetful tendencies and remind us to stick to our guns in the real world when we need to set deadlines and take care of our responsibilities.

So, when you put all these factors together, you can see how the ability to conquer new hurdles and embrace opportunities can provide riders with a foundation of confidence which will improve their lives outside the arena. So, the next time you start doubting your self-worth, get back in the saddle to get comfort from your new best friend and a reminder that yes, you can!

Outlook

So, while we’re not suggesting that horseback riding is the magic cure to everything with which we struggle in life, we firmly believe that it can help each and every one of us to improve and become the best versions of ourselves— provided that we work at it. Building positive character traits takes consistency and time, and the journey to self-improvement can be difficult at times. But the great part about therapeutic horseback riding is that it feels a lot less like work when you’re having fun! So, whether you’re an old ranch hand or a newbie just breaking in your saddle, at Happy Horse, our advice is to keep riding and keep growing. Because while you’re taking care of your horse, your horse is taking care of you and teaching you patience, discipline, and empathy along the way.

Riding Horses Makes You Happy

If you’ve never ridden horses before, you might be surprised to learn that horseback riding isn’t just something you can take up for sport or a hobby only accessible to those who can afford a horse. In fact, it’s something that’s accessible to everyone— and it has more health benefits than you’d think! We know because at Happy Horse, we’re not just committed to making our horses happy, we want to bring joy to people too. That’s why we bring people and horses together for the creation of new friendships that can last a lifetime. Are you curious yet? Keep reading for a few of our favorite reasons why horses make you happy.

Horses Are Cheaper Than Therapy

Okay, that’s a joke. But it’s kind of true! And— plot twist— horseback riding is actually as a form of therapy for a number of problems ranging from sensory disorders and autism to cerebral palsy and post traumatic stress disorder! As horse trainer Tony Golcazk confirms, therapeutic horseback riding is especially beneficial to children with autism spectrum disorders because the repetitive movements of the horse can not only be soothing to those with sensory issues, it can help to stimulate cognitive function as well. For those who feel trapped in their own heads, whether through the inability to communicate (as is the case with some forms of autism) or the sense of being paralyzed by depression or anxiety, horseback riding offers a safe and sensory-friendly way to move and communicate with the outside world. Golcazk also states that horses are finely tuned to people’s emotions and respond with empathy, affirming, “The horses know—honest to god, I don’t care what anybody says—they know that there’s somebody on them that has problems, and they take to them.”

So, put simply, why is horseback riding so effective? Well, when read in conjunction with reports like Golcazk’s on the effect of therapeutic riding and studies like this one conducted by the British Horse Society, it’s because horses just make you happy! In fact, over 80% of participants in the study confirmed that, after riding, they felt “cheerful, relaxed, happy, or active,” and also reported higher levels of these positive feelings during riding than during many other moments of their everyday lives.

Some attribute the happiness experienced during riding to a type of “rider’s high,” similar to “runner’s high” and triggered by a release of positive endorphins in the brain, while others— like Washington State University— point to studies which prove that horseback riding actually relieves stress. But how does that function in practice? Well, one possible explanation— and, in our opinionion, the most likely one— is that it stems from the sense of companionship. Horseback riding is the best of both worlds because it combines the activity and exercise of engaging in a sport with the comfort and companionship found in interacting with a pet. Not only do you get the benefit of connecting with nature and engaging with a new, fun activity, you get to make a new friend at the same time!

Horseback riding may also be more accessible than traditional forms of therapy because, despite common misconceptions, you don’t have to own a horse to ride one. Whether you take a scenic guided riding tour as part of a vacation package or check out some basic riding lessons at a local stable, you can enjoy all the psychological benefits of riding for a fraction of what it would cost to own your own horse. So, while we’re by no means suggesting that your horse take the place of a licensed mental health professional who might be able to help, we are saying that maybe the next time you catch yourself feeling anxious or depressed, it might help to get out of your head and onto a horse!

Horseback Riding has Physical Benefits Too!

We’re all a little happier when our health is good, and you might be surprised to see just how much horseback riding actually does for improving your physical health. Because although it might look as easy as just sitting on a horse, riding is actually classified as a type of moderate-intensity exercise. So, while you’re sitting, you’re actually doing the equivalent of a quick run of the treadmill! (I don’t know about you, but I’d always rather sit and get points for exercising!) It works because staying upright on a horse works your core, causing you to move in tune with your horse and adjust according to their body’s movements.

Even small movements like switching your reins from hand to hand, guiding your horse, or changing direction are stretching and strengthening your back, shoulders, thighs, calves, and abdominal muscles. (Wow!)

Riding Benefits Your Self-Esteem

Although this effect is most beneficial and most commonly seen in elementary school children and young teenage girls, a lot of adults benefit from the self-esteem boost of horseback riding too. That’s because the core tenets which boost a rider’s self-esteem remain the same: it teaches a new skill, provides riders with that “I can do this!” feeling, and bolsters confidence through the mastery of something new. Unlike some other skills or hobbies, horseback riding isn’t something you can fake until you make it and it’s not a skill you can master unless you’ve truly it. Instead, horseback riding provides tangible evidence of skill, knowledge, and perseverance that a rider can look back on with pride. When people are able to remind themselves of their ability to learn, grow, and succeed, their sense of self worth is restored, leading to a happier outlook on life overall.

So, whether you’re struggling with something in your life or you’d just like to learn a new hobby, the great thing is that you can’t go wrong with horseback riding! Because as long as you come prepared to put in the work and get to know your horse, you’re guaranteed to leave happier and healthier every time you ride.

Contact us

For some of us, nothing is more satisfying than viewing the world from the unique perspective of horseback. At Happy Horse, we want to give this experience to anybody who wants it. Call today to book your session, whether it’s for a first-timer or someone who’s spent half their lives on the backs of horses.