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Review content:
This place was appalling. I have been riding and showing horses for over ten years and I thought it would be fun to take my friend out here to ride for the first time. When we arrived at the property, I noticed how extremely dirty everything is, and how pitiful all of the animals looked (especially in the ""petting zoo""). The horses are made to stand in tiny, dirty enclosures, with a heavy western saddle on ALL DAY. It was about 90 degrees today, and the only shelter they had were some measly tarps. The water they provided the animals was green and sludgy, and was definitely not fit for consumption.
Again, my friend had never ridden a horse before, and the horse that they gave her was extremely uncooperative and dangerous for a beginner rider. It got so bad that we switched horses on the trail. I frankly was surprised that they would put ANYONE on this horse in good faith (and unguided?!). We were constantly fighting the entire time, especially when nearing the exit point. It was only because I had so much riding experience that I was even able to keep this horse on the trails, and it was especially disconcerting when he didn't seem to understand basic commands.
The trails themselves were horrid. I remember joking around saying ""Wow, I thought we were going trail riding, no one said anything about the swamps!"" The paths were extremely narrow and unkempt, and in some places we could barely fit the horses between the trees without scraping our legs. The staff had said in passing before we started our ride that the trails were ""a little muddy"", and that was the understatement of the century. In some places the mud was up to the horses knees, and it was very difficult for them to wade through it. In other places, the trail was completely underwater. However, the worst part was the banana spiders that were hanging EVERYWHERE. I couldn't even enjoy the ride because I was ducking and swerving trying to avoid them. However, this was impossible and twice I ran face- first into their webs.
Overall, I'm sorry that I went here. I liked that they let us go unguided, because I would have been very bored in a group. However, I don't think that it was worth it. The animals are in no condition to work, and are not trained for beginners. I thought it was funny how they say on their website that you can gallop if you want to, seeing as there is NO WHERE to safely go faster than a trot. If you're looking for a nice ride, pay the extra money and go elsewhere.
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