Beach Horse Riding at Imhoff Farm
My mom loves horses and we celebrated her birthday by visiting Imhoff Farm for a horseback ride along Kommetjie Beach. The experience was wonderful and Imhoff Farm has more than just riding activities, making it a great location to spend the day.
The Basics
- Riding is R750 per person with a weight limit of 95kg
- 1.5 hour ride (plus spend another 2 hours getting lunch and wandering the shops)
- Shops and restaurants on site
- Goat tower (!!) and petting zoo
- Located here, 50 minutes from Cape Town
How to get to Imhoff Farm
We were renting a car in Cape Town (which is what I typically recommend for people staying more than 5 days in Cape Town) and it was an easy ride following GPS. On the way there, we stopped at Muizenberg Beach to see the colorful houses. This wasn’t the exact direct route but you can pair these two activities together to make the most of your drive.
Beach Horse Riding at Imhoff Farm
Weekends are the farm’s busiest days. On the Monday we visited, there were just four people signed up for horseback riding, including me and my mom. The Imhoff Equestrian Center can cater up to 6 people per excursion. As long as you book in advance for a weekend date, you will still feel like it’s a private ride because the group is small.
There are three rides offered daily at 9am, 12pm, and 3:30pm. You should arrive 30 minutes beforehand to sign the indemnity form and get fitted for the helmet (hairnet provided). The minimum age to ride is 12 years old. You don’t need to have any horse experience to ride. I’ve only ridden a horse a couple of other times in my life and I’m definitely not comfortable yet.
Although there are many horses on the property, Imhoff Farm will pre-select a horse for you based on the weight and height that you send them when you do your booking.
Book online via the inquiry form at the Imhoff Equestrian Center website. You’ll have to pay a 50% deposit via a yoco link or bank transfer. You’ll pay the remaining amount when you arrive.
The Horses
There are a lot of mixed reviews on google for horse riding at Imhoff Farm, but our experience was good. I expect because these are live animals, it’s hard to predict how each will behave.
When we first entered the horse enclosure, the horses seemed a little agitated with us. My horse, Pocket, wasn’t fond of my holding the reins. This worked out since he knew what he was doing anyway so it didn’t matter for our journey.
When my mother and I went, there was a lady in our group who was uncomfortable on her horse and there was no backup horse available. As such, she didn’t end up riding and didn’t get a refund.
The Horseback Riding Trail
There is a guide each at the front and the back of the riding group to help manage the horses. The horses know what they are doing for the most part. They stop when the leader stops and continue when the leader continues.
The first part of the trail takes you through the small winery at Imhoff Farm and past the petting zoo.
Then, you’ll wander through the sandy trail. It is here when the horse decided to walk through the bushes instead of the open trail ahead of them. Not sure why… The view is gorgeous though!
The trail continues until you reach Kommetjie Beach. I was totally stunned to see flamingos! This sighting isn’t advertised at all as the flamingo’s return to this part of the beachside is recent. Poor water quality caused the flamingos to leave several years ago, according to our guide. But now they are back! However, I’m not sure how permanent their return is so don’t count on it and instead be happily surprised when the flamingos are there.
Then, the horses will take you on a walk along the beach. It’s such a stunning experience.
Finally, we took the same route back.
I enjoyed the ride a lot more than expected though my bum and legs were in pain after we got off the horses. My mom had to hold me for several minutes until I could take my own steps, haha.
Tips for Horse Riding at Imhoff Farm
- You are asked to wear long pants and closed shoes. The horses like wandering through bushes, even when there is a clear path ahead so don’t wear anything that will easily tear.
- You can’t bring a backpack or purse with you on the ride so wear pants with pockets or a jacket with pockets to keep your phone for pictures.
- The guides will take your pictures with your phone once you reach the beach area.
- I wore a jacket even in November because I felt the chill of the beach winds but less sensitive people won’t need this.
Other Things to do at Imhoff Farm
If you don’t want to go beach horse riding or if there are younger peeps (under the age of 12) in your group there are plenty of other activities to do while you wait for the horse riding crew to return. My dad didn’t want to attempt riding a horse and so he waited with tea and a cake.
Upon entry into Imhoff Farm, you’ll see the fantastic goat tower. This is only the second goat tower I’ve ever seen! The first is at Fairview Winery just outside of Paarl. You can check out the goats and give them some gentle pets.
There are several restaurants and cafes on-site as well, including a sushi restaurant, coffee shops, an ice cream cafe, and a farm shop with sandwiches, juices, and salads.
Wander around the shops as well. There is clothing, plants, and interesting art!
I only saw the petting zoo with bunnies and chickens as we were riding by on the horses. I didn’t manage to get a picture, however, there were several children enjoying the animals.
Check out the website for all the Imhoff Farm activities.