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| - A wonderful experience.
My partner and I reserved an early morning ride and it was just two of us and our cowboy.
Meeting up with them seemed a little suspicious at first. I suppose it isn't so much suspicious as I'm often wary of out-of-the-way friendliness (I come from a big city - friendliness is normally suspicious behavior for me). We had to park in front of a restaurant, waiting underneath a streetlamp until our guide would arrive. Our guide comes in on a slightly worn truck, asks us if we're there for the horseback ride, asks us for our names, and asks us to follow his truck onto the ranch. Of course he'd need to do this as the ranch is a little out of the way, and its road is private - so without him we probably wouldn't get in. But still, as a city boy, that sort of escort seems extremely suspicious.
Thankfully, we weren't led into the woods to be shot in the back of the head: We were led into a lovely ranch with several beautiful horses... and a beer donkey (a donkey that carries beer, in case that didn't make sense).
The feel of the place and their service was wonderful... When they tell you to take your time, they really mean take your time. Before we went to pay for the horseback riding experience, we wandered around a bit in their ranch, and not once did we feel pressured or rushed to start what we reserved.
Finally, we paid, signed, and got introduced to our horses.
My horse's name was Jalopy, and my partner's horse's name was Blue Eye(s).
Anyone who's gotten to know horses will tell you that each have their own very distinct personalities... and you certainly won't miss that when getting to know their horses. Just how each one rides is so vastly different from one another. Jalopy, one of their youngest riding horses on the ranch, was extremely impatient and always ready to run forward whenever she was given the chance. Blue Eye(s) was a bit on the older side and didn't have too much enthusiasm for going out for a ride early in the morning. Despite these distinct attitudes, they were extremely tame and well-mannered for their riders. Even if at any point they found us annoying (for stopping them from eating extra food on the side of the trail), they never did anything more than whine or complain - they continued on as they were tasked to do. Which was very kind of them.
During the slow, picturesque ride - with the stunning scenery and lovely weather (far better than Phoenix... which I had been staying in for most of my time in AZ) - our cowboy would tell us about the desert and its plantlife and critters, how life was on their ranch, and just general facts that would pique our interest.
I felt a bit awful that my partner and I weren't much into talking - we're more of a quiet-type... but even still, our cowboy remained friendly and respectful to us. I could tell that if we were extremely curious and talkative, he would have an answer for everything. He's a wonderful guide.
So if you're the type to ask about the horses, about the scenery, about anything at all - feel free to ask. He'll make it enjoyable for you.
The destination of the ride, their little western town, was filled with activities. For us, we did the axe throw, the single-action shooting, and the archery activities. All were lovely and our cowboy was helpful in giving us tips to better our aims - while remaining respectful and unintrusive. We could continue these activities for as long as we wanted -- again, there was no rush.
We took a bit of our time exploring the town, searching every nook and cranny... and we had some sodas and waters at their saloon.
This place is about an hour away from where you first start riding, so if you're thirsty and can't handle being without water for the next hour: drink something before you go.
The ride back is actually much faster. I'm not sure if it actually is or if the horses were just keen on getting back to the ranch. But even that didn't feel rushed.
After we returned to the ranch, we were allowed to further explore it. Take our time, as always (this is a big deal for those who tend to live on calculations and seconds).
And when we were done, we hugged our horses, tipped our cowboy, and went on our way...
Overall, the entire experience was unforgettable. Amazingly unforgettable.
If you haven't ridden a horse in years, if you have never ridden one before, or if you just feel the need to do it again soon: I HIGHLY recommend this place.
Just call in ahead of time! And don't be afraid to ask for directions. The location of this place is actually quite different from what it says on this yelp address. So get in as much details as possible before going in.
//Ah, and I must recommend the cafe you park your car in front of.
Their biscuits and gravy is delicious!//
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