Horse Riding Vacations At California’s Family Dude Ranch
Horse riding vacations In California’s Klamath National forest provide a thrilling mix of stunning scenery and fabulous mountain trail riding. We ride through ancient Doug Fir tree stands to high vistas with views across deep river valleys and granite ridge tops. The terrain here is dramatic, varied and rugged so horse and rider are provided an evolving backdrop of challenges, obstacles and landscapes to ride through. The scenic grandeur and rewarding challenges of mountain trail riding create a remarkable opportunity to join horse and rider with the historic American West and a natural outdoor setting.
Horse Riding Vacations Programmed To Match Your Abilities
Horse rides at our family guest Ranch are choreographed to match your riding skill with appropriate horses and the trails. Group sizes typically limit at 6-8 riders with a maximum staff ratio of 6 horse riders to 1 wrangler. After check-in we will meet you at our covered riding arena for a riding orientation and quick analysis of your riding prowess. With clearance from our wrangling staff, more advanced horse riders will ride more challenging trail sections during the week. Advanced trail rides are typically longer and more distant. They cross creeks, ancient mining flumes and other trail obstacles. The more advanced trail rides are especially noted for rapid gains and losses in elevations as we traverse the mountainous terrain of the Klamath Forest.
Riding Options & Information
Opportunities for novice horse riders and younger riders include round-pen and arena horse riding instruction. Arena riding is instructional in purpose and formatted in engaging games designed to simulate trail conditions found on our local trails. Our focus in the arena is to build horsemanship skills immediately applicable to mountain trail scenarios. We also assign our novice riders to easier trail sections and level ranch perimeter trail rides that are shorter and closer to our ranch base. Novice riders will find the Western Riding style to be user friendly, while experienced English riders will find the application of their existing horsemanship skills in a new setting to be rewarding. Our horse riding vacations are based on stock that is bred and trained by our staff and family so that we know intimately the personalities and traits of our horses. Here are some of the horses in the dude string that you will meet on your trail riding vacation.
Horseback riding on mountain trails requires participants with proper attire and some minimum physical conditioning. Please come dressed with long pants, sturdy shoes or boots, and no large or expensive jewelry. Your boots should ideally have a 1″ heel minimum height and have soles smooth enough to allow easy extraction from the stirrups. We require all riders to wear an equestrian hard hat and we have them available on site for your use. You may also bring your own riding helmet. Sorry, riders must weigh less than 230 pounds. For rides leaving the level ground portions, you should be able to get on and off the horse unassisted. If you have members of your family that have never ridden before, you might also consider maximizing your experience here by taking a few basic riding lessons at home prior to arrival. Safety is our prime directive in guiding you and your family to an enjoyable and safe trail riding vacation.