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When one thinks of Nevis, one generally conjures up an image of the posh Four Seasons Hotel with its magnificent golf course, beach front hotel suites, and its very fortunate guests tanning on manicured sand on the edge of an azure Caribbean Sea as friendly and hard working staff bring frozen daiquiris.
But while the Four Seasons deserves its many accolades, Nevis is much more than a reflection of this world class resort. It's a diverse island, with an interesting economic past that includes the dominance of the sugar industry and a future built around a universal and demanding education system. Although politically unified with its sister island of St. Kitts, it has its own independent spirit and culture. And, while it is a very small island, it has a lot of open space. Very few people live here.
A five hour horse back ride to explore this beautiful and welcoming island? Definitely.
My daughter and I started out from the stables on the main road going towards the airport with our savvy equestrian guide, Malokai. We saddled up and immediately crossed the paved road and rode through a massive coconut grove where freshly fallen fruit lay side by side with older nuts already regenerating into new trees. We rode through a large cattle farm adjoining the Caribbean Sea and then directly onto the beach where the horses immediately broke into a sustained gallop as if to show their spirit to the adoring tourists. Americans love the image of a horse and rider galloping in the surf. Next, we hitched up our legs jockey style as the horses waded stirrup deep into the ocean to avoid a protruding rock jetty and then we were on the beach in front of the Four Seasons. Cautiously avoiding carefully constructed children's sand castles as well as the near ocean sun bathers, we crossed the famous beach without incident and headed inland.
Initially we followed the main coastal highway in Nevis, but before long we started the slow climb into the foothills of Nevis Peak, following the old sugar plantation roads. Built over a century ago, these concrete and rock one lane roads are slowly being encroached by the jungle; but they are built to last and still provide much of the inner infrastructure for the island. The beauty of the island is evident up close as one passes hundreds of fertile mango and avocado trees; the local pyracantha-like plant is espaliered over fences, trees, and houses, with its unique strawberry colored flowers in full bloom. It's islands of rouge against dark green foliage with the Caribbean sparkling in the distance.
The old stone fences that divided the sugar plantation show disarray after so many years, but many have been totally realigned and rebuilt by the islands 36 minimum security prisoners on work details. We ride by the abandoned sugar mills, seemingly defiant but taciturn about their past, with the rock and mortar construction still solid but wood roofs and windows rotted and decaying.
We break for lunch at the Hermitage plantation, which is a working inn and dates from the seventeenth century. It's a trip in a time capsule to another age; only a tourist with a laptop spoils the centuries old image.
And, of course, besides being a great way to see the real Nevis, a five hour horse back ride is an adventure in fitness. Prior to the ride, we stretched and did some functional exercises to wake up our core. We used a 75 mm stability ball for sit-ups, ball passes and various crunches. Serious riding isn't a walk in the park and being successful at it is all about core fitness. Whether you are walking, trotting or galloping, your core is engaged while riding for balance and stability as well as to protect your back and neck from injury. The saddle is not a lounge chair but a balance point so that you can use your core strength and lower body strength to flex in the stirrups and grab the horse with your knees and inner thighs.
So what better way to spend a day--combining a memorable trip into the beauty and history of Nevis coupled with a solid day of core conditioning.
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