General Riding Qualifications:

There are always exceptions, but the following will help your riding experience to be safer and more enjoyable.

Acknowledgement: ​Any horse, no matter how gentle, is still a large, unpredictable animal capable of inflicting serious harm.

Physical Fitness: ​Riding will try muscles, tendons, and ligaments you have forgotten about or did not know you had. If you are overweight or out of shape, your riding experience and others’ experience could be compromised. At the very least you should be able to: step onto a chair seat unassisted; touch your toes while keeping your knees relatively straight; and while standing on one foot, be able to swing your leg behind you over a chair, straddling it as if you were going to ride.

Anxiety: ​If you are scared of horses, riding, or heights, your anxiety will cause yourself and others undue stress. However, we will work with you if you wish to experience other horse-related options in lieu of riding.

Weight: ​Not more than 20% of the mount (maximum of 240 lbs.).
Minimum and maximum age: ​Six to eighty years-old or as ability allows.
Pregnancy: ​Pregnant women may not ride. Even at a walk, serious injury is possible.

Boots:​ Over the ankle, leather-soled or “riding tread” boots with a significant heel are required to ride. These help prevent your foot from being stuck in the stirrup, or from slipping completely through the stirrup. Both are dangerous situations. Your own boots will probably be more comfortable, but we have some available in the store for rent at $2/day.

Helmets:​ Riding helmets are strongly recommended but do not always prevent serious injury. Because of their personal nature, we cannot provide them for rent. Additionally, we believe it is never a good idea to rent a helmet because you don’t know what it’s been through! Purchase them before leaving home, buy one in Missoula or contact Connie 406-544-5348 and one can be purchased for you. Be sure your helmet fits correctly. The fit of children's helmets is often overlooked, so double-check. A helmet should stay relatively in place while you are bent over at the waist without buckling the chinstrap. It should not move forward or backward exposing the forehead or the back of the skull, nor should it move from side to side exposing the sides of the skull. It should not be so tight that it creates uncomfortable pressure. A poorly fitting helmet is like wearing no helmet at all.

Intoxicated People: ​Not permitted around livestock at any time.

CORRAL INFORMATION: ​Your safety is our utmost concern. Please read and follow our guidelines to promote a safe, educational, and pleasurable riding experience. Riding or being in the vicinity of horses is inherently dangerous. Serious injury or death is possible. If you choose to ride you are doing so at your own risk.

It is advisable to be at the corral around 8:00 am so you can be ready to leave by 8:30 am. Look on the bulletin board for your assigned wrangler and ride. If you’d like a change let your wrangler know. Teenagers shall saddle their own horses and will want to arrive any time after 7:45 am and be ready to leave the corral no later than 8:15am. Generally, there is no riding in the afternoon because the horses are turned out to pasture. If you are not riding, be sure to text Andy (406) 544-5383 before 7:45 am of the day you wish not to ride.

Rides are generally divided into groups depending on age and ability. Children will usually be together in one or two groups, as will teenagers. Adults will ride in groups according to ability, desired destination, etc. Look for the handwritten sheet of paper on the bulletin board to find what group you are riding in each day. Instruction for all abilities will be provided throughout the ride. We do not encourage parents to ride with their children. Experience has shown us that this is often a counterproductive endeavor. Of course, if you wish to take a family ride toward the end of your stay, we can accommodate you.

Rides will usually return to the corral by 12:00 pm. Feel free to request shorter rides. We encourage you to unsaddle your horse, put your gear away neatly, wash your horse down with salt water, turn it loose in the catch pens, and put your halter away. If your horse wears a bell, remember to put it back on him/her before you remove the halter. Your wrangler will show you how to do all of this safely. If you are not able to unsaddle your horse, a wrangler will happily do it for you.