Horse Riding

The best state for horse riding in California. There are many stables and horse trails in the state. It has a variety of terrain from mountains to beaches, from deserts to forests.
Great Places to Ride Horses in America
Pressing your toe into a stirrup and swinging your leg over a leather saddle to go on a horseback ride, one of the oldest forms of transportation is an indelible way to connect to the natural world around you and light up your senses. Whether you’re clip-clopping through an old-growth forest, trotting on a well-worn trail up and over verdant rolling hills, or making your way through a dung-dotted cattle pasture, you’ll be aware of your surroundings as you travel at a slower pace in the open-air. You’ll notice an assortment of birdsongs, spot tiny critters scurrying across nature’s floor, and feel the breeze as it rustles your hair. In short: you’re more cognizant, present, and engaged.
Fall in Love with Cowboy Culture in Cheyenne, Wyoming

If you pop into The Wrangler, a three-story brick building built in the late 1800s, you can meet a cowboy hat shaper and pick out a pair of new Western-style boots. If you’re a history buff, you can also learn about the Nagel Warren Mansion, built in 1888, and the Historic Plaines Hotel, built in 1911. Don’t miss Cheyenne Frontier Days, the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration, which has been operating since 1897. Of course, after all of this historical perspective, you’ll be inspired to ride your steed.

Make your way to Terry Bison Ranch where you can see and hand-feed Bison on a narrated train tour and, of course, ride gentle horses on a guided trail ride, perfect for multi-generational families.
Ride Horses at the Gateway of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
It’s not uncommon to hear bugling elk as they roam in the meadowlands, or see large herds block traffic as they cross the street, in the town of Estes Park, Colorado. Outdoor activities, in and around Rocky Mountain National Park, are this town’s modus operandi. From rock climbing to hiking to mud bogging off-trail in an ATV to horseback riding, there are no shortages of happenings to keep you engaged in Colorado.

Unplug in California
Surrounded by wineries in the beating heart of Santa Barbara wine country, in the verdant hills of Santa Ynez Valley, sits Alisal Guest Ranch. You’ll have no choice but to unplug and experience the ranch in the present moment—the rooms are void of telephones and television sets and the Wi-Fi is delightfully spotty.

What you will do, instead, is explore over 50 miles of trails on horseback. There’s a fitness center, swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, and golf course on the property but, honestly, the horses at this working cattle ranch are the nucleolus of the operation. Join a wrangler and ride to the Old Adobe house for the Breakfast Ride, where you’ll enjoy a well-earned cowboy breakfast around the fire while being serenaded by acoustic guitar.