My son/daughter is not quite 7, can my child ride on the same horse with me?

“Double riding,” as this is called, is very unsafe for both the adult and the child. We value your child's safe experience at our stable and would never want to put him/her in jeopardy. There are no exceptions to this policy for any reason.

I have a lot of experience, so can I take a horse out on my own?

Our trails are not your basic boring pasture ride – there are lots of different routes, wildlife, and state park users – all of which are experienced guides are here to help you navigate, so we cannot send you out alone. We also love our horses like family and would not want to risk their well-being. Most people are wonderful to our animals, but it only takes one bad experience to undo years of training. There are no exceptions to this policy.

I want to get on a horse and run – can we do that?

Simply put – No. If you want to go on a fast-paced ride at breakneck speed – please look elsewhere. We are situated in the Gold Fields of the Folsom Lake Recreation Area and it is very rocky in some areas. We also share the trails with mountain bike riders and hikers. Approaching others at a lope, gallop or run puts riders, horses and other park visitors at risk. These two elements coupled together make loping on a trail ride extremely risky. If you are interested in learning to lope please talk to us about taking a lesson series where we are able to teach you how to properly control a horse at a walk, trot, and lope. No loping on trail rides in no negotiable, but we would love to teach you to lope in a lesson series.

I have a ton of riding experience, is this ride going to bore me?

No! We have beautiful trails, well-trained horses and guides who have a ton of information about the area. The trails go up and down hills, through wooded and open areas, down to Lake Natoma – this is not your boring, flat ride through a pasture! Come see what the Folsom Lake Recreation Area has to offer.

Can I pick my horse?

We will match you with your horse based on size, training, and personality. Certain horses are appropriate for children, adults, beginners and advanced riders. We are often told our horses are the best rental horses people have been on. Our horses are not dead sided or broken down – they are happy, healthy animals who seem to genuinely enjoy human companionship. Please let us find you a good riding companion!

How long is the one-hour trail ride?

Yes, people really do ask this. It is actually about 62 minutes, but who is counting right? We assume people must mean distance, so it is approximately 3.5 miles. All rides include views of the lake.

Do you do birthday parties?

We would be happy to provide horseback riding for a birthday activity, but we do not provide and food, decorations or entertainment beyond the horse ride. We do have a picnic area you are welcome to use to have cake before or after the ride but ask that you not bring streamers, balloons or pinatas – as much as children love these things, horses do not. For every 3 children 12 and undergoing on the ride, 1 adult must go on the ride as well.

Do you have discounts?

Not at the moment. If we offer discounts in the future we will include the information on this website.

I want to take my niece/nephew/neighbor's child/grandchild, etc. on a trail ride. Can I?

Of course! Please make sure you have the child's custodial guardian signs the Release of Liability available on this website. We cannot let individuals under 18 ride without the consent of the parent or guardian.

Why do you need my credit card to make a reservation?

Whenever we book a ride for someone we are paying out money as well. We have to pay staff, make sure horses have shoes, shots, and feed. We also can't book other riders in the time slot and a number of riders being held by reservation. This means if you don't show up we lost money and the potential for other businesses. We will charge the credit card on file if riders do not show up, or fail to cancel by the close of business the day before. For example, if someone had a reservation for 1:30 on Saturday they would need to cancel no later than 4:00 on Friday to avoid being charged for the entire cost of the ride.

What if it is rainy or windy? Will I still be charged?

No, we will call you as soon as we are certain the ride will be canceled to try to reschedule. We will not charge your card if for any reason you can't reschedule.

Why can't I just come in and go for a ride? Why do you have to know in advance? How far in advance do I need reservations? Etc.

Our facility has gotten very busy! We recommend making reservations for weekend rides 4-5 days in advance. If you are aiming for a particular time, day or have 5 or 6 people even more notice is usually recommended.