Q. How Early Should I Arrive for My Ride?

• For most rides, we ask guests to arrive 20 minutes prior to a scheduled reservation. If you are booked at 1:30, we need you to arrive 30 minutes early. This allows time to sign release forms and use the restrooms before the ride. It also allows extra time in case guests take a wrong turn. Late guests will be turned away without a refund.

Q. Is there a weight limit to ride horses?

• Yes, all guests must be under 250 lbs. to participate; all guests will be weighed upon arrival. Please make sure you are under this limit before making your reservation as it's not comfortable for us or you to have to be turned away at the ranch. Keep in mind that though we allow persons up to 250 lbs. to ride, some persons who meet this requirement may not be physically fit enough to ride horses. Each person is the best judge of his or her abilities to ride and stay balanced in the saddle. The guest must also have the ability to mount their horse without assistance (step stools are provided).

Q. What Should I Bring?

• The following are recommendations of what to bring when visiting the ranch. These are only suggestions, they are not mandatory:

  • Insect repellent

  • Long pants for the ride

  • Close-toed shoes

  • Cash for snacks and/or gratuity

  • Sunscreen and/or baseball cap

  • Camera

  • SMALL water bottle

--DRESS ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER!

Q. Can parents ride double with young kids on the same horse? 

• Unfortunately, no. For the safety of our horses and guests, double riding is not allowed. Each rider must be on their own horse. Children ages 6 and older are welcome to join our trail rides and will ride independently. We have excellent, gentle horses that are well-suited for young riders!

  Children of all ages are welcome at the ranch, even if they are not riding, and can enjoy other amenities while the rest of their group is on the trail. For younger children (ages 2–5), we may offer a short 10-minute corral ride by special request while the rest of the group is out on the trail. During this time, an adult from your group who is not participating in the trail ride will lead the child and horse around the corral.

  There are plenty of things for younger children (and their accompanying adult) to do at the ranch to stay occupied. The cost for non-riders is $15 per person and includes access to water activities such as fishing and paddleboating. Release forms must be signed by everyone on the ranch, whether they are riding or not.

  Please keep in mind, due to limited time and resources, corral rides cannot be booked on their own. They are only available as an add-on for groups with scheduled trail ride reservations, and only for children ages 2–5.

Q. What is the age limit to ride?

• We recommend children be 6 years old to ride on the trails, and they will ride their own horse. Absolutely no double riding is allowed. The child needs to be able to listen to and follow directions from the guide, as well as give the horse basic cues and commands. Every child is different, so please keep your child's unique personality and abilities in mind when considering if he or she is ready to ride. Most young children do quite well, even without prior experience, and the horses we use for younger riders are exceptional!

Q. What is the Difference between a Private Ride and a Group Ride?

• A group ride means there will be other guests on the trail ride with you. All guests begin together as one large group and will receive a horsemanship and safety demonstration as a group. After that, we match each guest with a horse and adjust stirrups as needed. This process typically takes about 30 minutes. Once everyone is ready, we divide the large group into smaller riding groups (usually 3 different groups) before heading out on the trail.

  A private ride means only your group will arrive at the ranch during your scheduled time. The horsemanship demonstration, horse assignment, and stirrup adjustments are all done exclusively with your group—no other guests are included at any point. You will have a dedicated guide and the entire experience will be focused solely on your group, making it a more private and personalized ride.

  Please note that a private ride does not mean a faster or “running” ride. The pace is still a relaxed, casual trail ride, just like our group rides.

Q. If my child becomes too scared at the last minute to ride, can I get a refund?

• We have a firm 48-hour cancellation policy, and refunds cannot be made after this time, including for children who decide not to ride at the last minute. Most of our rides book full, and we will likely have turned other guests away to hold the horses you reserved.

  It is very normal for a child (and the occasional adult) to feel nervous, even if they were excited beforehand. The best approach for a nervous child is to wait until most of the group is mounted and ready to go, then have them get on their horse near the end. The hardest part is usually the beginning while waiting to leave. Once they are on the trail and see how calm and easy-going it is, they typically relax very quickly.

  We strongly encourage children to at least give it a try. In most cases, if they ride for the first 10 minutes, they settle in and enjoy the rest of the experience. If they ultimately decide not to ride, an adult will need to stay behind with them. Unfortunately, there will be no refunds for either rider.

Q. Do I need to make reservations in advance? How far?

• The earlier you make your reservation, the better! You can always cancel if something comes up, but we do turn away many people during our peak summer months. You can check real-time availability by clicking the "Book Now" link. Most of our guests reserve their ride while planning their vacation, well before they arrive in the area.

  While it may be possible to make a last-minute reservation, it can be risky to wait too long. And don’t worry about the ranch ever being overcrowded—we limit the number of guests we accommodate each day to keep the experience enjoyable for everyone. Eagle Ridge Ranch is a piece of heaven and a great way to escape the crowds in Yellowstone. (Please check out our cancellation policy below.)

Q. What is the cancellation policy?

• We understand that plans often change when planning a vacation! Therefore, we offer a very generous 48-hour cancellation policy for most of our horseback rides, and a 72-hour cancellation policy for any ride that includes a meal ("Western Cowboy Cookout" and "Ride, Play, & Eat Package"). This means you must make any changes at least 48 or 72 hours PRIOR to the date and time of your reservation.

  We ask you to be considerate of us as a small family-run business that has only four short months to make a profit for the entire year (horses need to be fed 12 months of the year, and we are only using them for 4 months). After these timeframes, we are not able to cancel or reschedule with a refund. If you have a balance due, we will charge 100% of the remaining balance.

  We don’t enjoy enforcing this policy, in fact, it makes us quite uncomfortable. We would much rather welcome you to the ranch and show you a great time. Please be responsible and show up for your reserved ride so we can help you make great memories. Thanks!

Please note that we have a separate cancellation policy related to rainy weather.

​Q. What if it turns out to be poor weather on the day of our reservation?

• Our goal is to make sure everyone has an enjoyable time! If it is raining or snowing at the time of your ride, you may reschedule or cancel without penalty. If guests still want to go out in the rain or snow, we are happy to take you. If you’d prefer to cancel due to weather, that’s not a problem—just be sure to let us know. Please note, cold weather alone is not a reason to cancel. We often wait until right around your scheduled ride time (or shortly before) to make a final decision, as conditions can change quickly.

  Please keep in mind that mountain weather in our area is very unpredictable. It’s not uncommon to have a beautiful sunny day with a quick cloudburst that appears out of nowhere, or for the forecast to call for rain that never arrives. Weather forecasts here are not very reliable more than 24 hours in advance and are constantly changing.

  If the weather is clear at the time of your ride, we will continue as scheduled and do not allow cancellations. Please note, we do not cancel due to cold weather. We are in the mountains, and it is often cold—please dress accordingly!

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Q. How big of a group will we be with?

• We can accommodate many guests per time slot, but we break into smaller groups to ensure a more personal experience for everyone. We generally ride in groups of 10 or fewer. If you have more than 12 people in your own group and would like to ride together, let us know and we will see if we can arrange it. While it is not always possible, we do our best to group guests with others of similar experience and type (for example, families with young children are typically grouped with other families with young children, and adults/teens with other adult and teen groups).

  Please be aware that the "Afternoon Family Special" at 1:30 is primarily made up of families with small children. If you are concerned about being grouped with larger numbers of guests or riders of differing skill levels, or if you have special needs or requests, we recommend considering a more intimate private ride.

Q. Are the horseback rides guided? Can we rent horses and go on our own?

• All of our horseback rides are guided by our fun and knowledgeable guides. Legally, we are not allowed to send groups out without a guide in the state of Idaho. 

• The price for non-riders (including children ages 2+) is $15 per person to be at the ranch. You will receive a wristband that gives you access to the other activities at the ranch, such as canoeing and fishing. Even if you don’t plan to do these things, we still need to charge you to be on the ranch. Yellowstone Horses gives this $15 payment directly to Eagle Ridge Ranch (we do not benefit from this payment). Please keep in mind that ALL persons must sign a release form upon arrival (babies must be listed on release forms as well).

• The fishing is catch and release. If you want to keep one, it's $7 and you can pay that directly to Eagle Ridge Ranch.

• We would love to loan you a pole! We do have some basic fishing poles you are welcome to use. They are equipped with a hook, sinker, and bobber. You will need bait. You can usually purchase worms at the ranch for $5/dozen, or bring your own! The loaner fishing poles are first come, first served. If you have your own equipment, you are welcome to bring and use it.

Q. What are the differences between the three daily rides offered?

• In a nutshell, the morning 3-hour rides are longer and, depending on the season, are usually mountain rides. The 2-hour rides are all very similar, with the main difference being the time of day. All rides include a variety of terrain, including riding through the trees, across meadows, and around the lake and streams.

  The Afternoon Family Special also includes additional water activities at the ranch. On all rides, guests help guide the experience by choosing things like how often photo stops are made, and what they would like to see along the way. The 2-hour rides offer a well-balanced combination of meadows, trees, and lake/stream scenery throughout the ranch. The ranch has a network of intertwining trails and areas to explore, so every ride is slightly different.

Q. What should I wear?

• Though we do occasionally have guests ride in shorts, it is generally not recommended. Long pants and close-toed shoes are best for horseback riding. If you didn’t pack the appropriate clothing for your trip, don’t fret. You can still join us, though you might not be as comfortable. 

Q. Can we bring water and snacks? Is there food to purchase at the ranch?

• Yes, you can bring food with you, or purchase snacks and soda at the ranch! Just remember to bring all trash back out with you so we can keep our trails and ranch clean. We have small saddle horn bags on every saddle that are just the right size for a small water bottle. Some guests prefer to bring backpacks, and you are welcome to do so, but just keep in mind that sometimes it is hard to access them while riding. Backpacks taken off during the ride can also spook the horses. We strongly encourage you to bring only the minimum necessities and leave backpacks behind when possible. You can also ask for a saddle bag if you have medical items you don’t want to leave behind.

   

Q. How long will it take to drive from West Yellowstone?

• Approximately 35 minutes, and it is a beautiful drive!

Q. What if we have never ridden a horse before?

• That’s not a problem! Before every ride, our wranglers and guides teach a basic horsemanship and safety course. At this time we try to determine a guest’s level of ability. Using this determination, we then match our guests with the appropriate horses. If you are nervous, please let us know! We know exactly which horse will be best for you depending on your skill level and how comfortable you are.

Q. Are we allowed to ride where we want to?

• Yes, after leaving the corral area the guide will stop and allow riders to change their locations. This can be done as often as you want during the entire ride; you do not have “assigned seats”. However, for safety purposes, we ask you not to break away from the group, or attempt to pass another horse while traveling. (Horses have a “pecking order” and might kick at, or run from another horse while trying to pass). Because of this pecking order, we do not ride side-by-side.

Q. Grandma and Grandpa feel like they are past the age to ride horses, but they’d like to join us for the Western Cowboy Cookout. Is this an option? What is the cost?

• Sure, that’s not a problem. We want to keep your family all together, so if you have members that can’t ride a horse for whatever reason, they can still participate in the cookout with everyone else. The cost for a non-rider per adult is $35 and $25 for children five to eleven.  If these guests will also be doing the other activities at the ranch there is an additional $15 non-rider fee to participate. Again, release forms must be signed by every individual visiting the ranch, not just the horseback riders!

Q. We don’t want to ride horses, can we just pay to play at the ranch and fish? 

• We are a horseback riding business only. We do not own the ranch and therefore cannot give anybody permission to use the ranch facilities unless they or part of their group are one of our horseback riding guests. You can contact Eagle Ridge Ranch directly, and they can help you out with this. 

Q. Can we ride horses on one day and then return to the ranch on a different day to do the water activities and fishing?

• If you are booked for the "Afternoon Family Special" or the "Ride, Play, Eat Package",  water activities are available to you on the day of your ride. To control the number of people at the ranch, we do not allow you to come back on a different day to do the water activities unless you want to pay the $15 per person water activity fee for a different day.  If you need to leave the ranch it is possible to come back later on the same day (keep your wristband on).

Q. Can we bring our dog to the ranch?

• No, dogs are not allowed at the ranch (not even on a leash).  If it is a cool day, you could leave the dog in the car in the shade, but most days are not cool enough in the summer for this. If the dog is kenneled and does not bark or yip they can sometimes be left in the barn while you ride. Please make sure you call us and make arrangements for this in advance. 

Q. Are we allowed to run our horses?

• No! Our horses are not the sleepy, lazy, fat horses that are frequently found in commercial-type riding situations. Most of our horses are either ranch horses or semi-retired professional horses. These horses are used in the mountains every day and their physical condition is great. Running horses side-by-side can turn them into racehorses very fast! Running our horses can be dangerous, not only for the person who is allowing their horse to run but for the person who is riding another horse that instinctively wants to compete with the running horse. Our meadows are home to many burrowing animals such as rock chucks and badgers. They burrow in the ground leaving holes that running horses could step in and break legs! 

Q. Is there lodging offered at the ranch?

• Yes, there are several cabins of various sizes available to rent at the ranch. The cabins are very well kept, and comfortable! However, Yellowstone Horses deals strictly with horseback riding and has no connection with cabin reservations, so we can’t tell you prices or availability. For more information about cabins, visit https://eagleridgeranch.com/ or call 208-558-0900