If there’s one gait we could do without, it would certainly be the trot. A sitting trot is a particularly daunting acquirement for European riders, demanding an almost masochistic stamina. In other parts of the world, however, people have a more relaxed approach. Even some horse breeds agree and won’t trouble you with the bothersome trot.
So much more relaxing: The Mangalarga Marchador breed’s typical Marcha gait.
So, look forward to the "Marcha Batida" and the "Marcha Picada". What sound like exotic drinks are the two unique gaits of the Mangalarga Marchador horse. Non-experts would describe them as kind of like the Icelandic tölt, only better. The Marcha Batida is a diagonal four-beat movement in which at least one hoof is always on the ground. This makes the gait smooth and so unbelievably comfortable that even beginners look as balanced as if they’d been riding all their lives. Then there’s the Marcha Picada, a lateral gait that rocks you gently and smoothly over longer distances. With a height of between 147 – 157 cm, the Mangalarga Marchador is not at all intimidating in size and is extremely elegant in appearance.
Haras Maracaipe farm is located just a few hundred metres from the beach of Porto de Galinhas, and is home to 25 Mangalarga Marchador horses bred on the farm. Riding trails wind through coconut plantations, a hilly hinterland and down endless tracts of beach. If you stop for drinks at a beach hut, the horses will wait patiently for you, true to their laid-back nature – such a detail deserves a mention! The Haras Maracaipe package so inspires visitors, that the little farm was awarded TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Award in 2024.
Even non-riders have things to do. One of Brazil's most popular beach destinations, Porto de Galinhas, is just a few kilometres away. No wonder it’s famed. The sand is super fine and white, the sea a turquoise blue and dotted with natural pools. In the town itself, you can shop or feast for days on end. What is especially pleasing, is that nature and marine conservation are integrated into the tourist offer. In the Sea Turtle Museum, you learn much about this endangered species and about the sea – the very one along which you’re riding, enjoying your pleasantly undulating Mangalarga Marchador.
