We had an amazing time! It was the highlight of our trip to the Big Island. Mahina was an excellent guide- she gave us a lot of advice and recommendations of places to go and things to do while we are here and made sure that we had a wonderful experience riding horses! Highly recommend! read more

This was by far the best experience we have ever had our guide Mahina I hope I said that right was absolutely incredible! The horses are amazing and the ride was absolutely spectacular. I couldn't recommend this place enough! Thank you so much for having us!! read more

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This was sooo much better than your typical trail ride. They first situated us with our horses bases on weight and experience. Then we followed our guide and we went from gate to gate in field and they did NOT want us close to the other horses. As long as we made it in the general direction we showed our horses where to go which was so much fun. I much preferred this to the normal trial rides where you're behind another horse. read more

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I had the absolute best time horseback riding at 4D Quarter Horses. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcome and at ease. Even as a beginner, I felt completely comfortable. The horses are clearly well cared for and well trained. I rode Hoku who was incredibly gentle and responsive. It's obvious the team here truly loves and understands these animals! Our guide, Emilie, was very knowledgeable, friendly, and patient. She explained clearly what we were about to see and pointed out interesting things along the trail; beautiful views, local wildlife and even a little bit of history about the area. The trail itself was stunning, peaceful, and scenic. I would highly recommend 4D Quarter Horses for a memorable outdoor adventure. You'll be so glad you did! read more

4D Quarter Horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

We called very last minute and we were delighted to get a ride planned the next morning. They were kind and helpful on the phone and equally so in person. It was great to be able to include our 5 yr old. You're really getting your moneys worth on a beautiful trail with sweet, healthy, calm horses. Will be back for sure! read more

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Super fun. They encourage you to ride and direct your horse and not allow them to follow one behind the other as they would in typical group rides like this. read more

This is the first non-trail type of horseback adventure we've gone on where the guide actually tells you "don't stay so close together, the horses like to roam free". Took my daughter here and we enjoyed seeing the mountains and hills, riding through cattle, seeing some baby calf, and being free to run wild. The weather pattern up here is totally different from the resorts so bring a jacket, sunscreen, hat, and don't bring a purse! There's nowhere to put it! Must make reservations! read more

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We called a day prior and was able to book reservation the next day. The scenery was incredible. I have ridden horses on a trail before, but this felt more like off roading. You don't go fast, but you get to experience going up and down hills and walking on different terrain. It was me and two nine year old girls. They were super nervous at first, but eventually got the hang of it. Horses were super friendly and well mannered. Would definitely recommend. read more

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A Must Do in Hawaii !!! Beautiful horseback ride through open fields with panoramic views of the ocean and island. The owner and our guide Emilie were exceptional. read more

This was really something. My daughter couldn't stop talking about it afterwards and I enjoyed it too, not expecting to ride horses in Hawaii till some last minute googling led me here. By the way, it's not Dahana ranch anymore. It was explained to me that they had to move to another location a few miles away. Their website is odd because there is no prices or description of the ride. I got more info by googling but even there I was wrong. They had to raise their prices due to the cost of feed - still the price seemed OK to me, for a 1 1/2 hour ride. I emailed the email address contact and she got back to me pretty quickly but then stopped communicating the rest of the afternoon. I all but gave up, until I got a text the next day, just a few hours before our hopeful ride. All was good! And I had packed multiple sets of clothes in the car so we could pivot to ride at a moment's notice. We drove out to the country, with rolling hills and beautiful vivid green. No instructions and just hit a gate with a cow skull. I texted her and she said to open the gate and drive in! OK. Vicki, our guide, friendly, met us and got us set up. She was very knowledgable. We got the horses Juice and Bullet. Not much instructions needed and away we went! How cool to feel like you had your own horse and get loose instructions (see that tree over there? let's meet there). And away we went. Extra horses came running alongside us for the ride, playing with each other. We rode through a bunch of cows. The landscape was stunning. The hour and a half was a very nice amount of time. It went slowly and we got to savor the ride thoroughly. Vicki was very good with kids and patiently helping them with controlling their horse. The horses we had were around 12-15 years old, and very well behaved. I'd highly recommend this experience. They are a pretty small operation but well worth the effort of booking the experience. We got some great pictures too with Vicki posing us and helping us take some. Thanks for the memories! read more

First time to Hawaii, and we planned lots of activities & adventures... But this was our FAVORITE one! Have done a few horseback rides before... But this was, by far, the BEST! You don't get stuck nose-to-tail on a tiny trail. No! You get to free-ride and roam beautiful fields, hills, and valleys with the most picturesque views of Waimea! The horses are gentle, well taken care of, and trained. We felt safe & comfortable the entire time. We got lucky with scheduling and ended up having a private tour... Lots of love & special thanks to our guide (Melissa). She was a great coach along the ride; she really knew the horses and the terrain. Such a sweetheart and so much fun to chat with - about Hawaii, the ranch, and life. Couldn't have asked for a better experience! Really made our visit to Hawaii memorable. So worth it!!! read more

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This was the best experience ever!! We had a family ride with 7 of us and did the cattle drive which was amazing! Absolutely loved it. Our guides were incredible and helped us through everything. I would recommend them to everyone and we will be doing this again every trip. 5 stars is not enough for this ride. read more

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Celebrated my mom's birthday horseback riding in Ahualoa with 4D Quarter Horses. Don't take it lightly when I say we had the most AMAZING time. My family, friends, and I will definitely be back soon! Awesome location, awesome horses, and awesome experience altogether! read more

4D Quarter Horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Decided to join a couple of friends for this activity since we were visiting the Big Island. My hubby had fun and my eldest daughter (10 yes old) had a blast!! Directions to the ranch is pretty straightforward so use google maps. When we got there the owner and her daughter were prepping the horses - brushing them and saddling them up. They will hand you waivers to sign, then you pay and choose a helmet to wear. Since I didn't go with my hubby and daughter this is second-hand review :) It's definitely not your typical horseback ride where you follow a guide. You have latitude to roam and take in the sites. They saw cattle while roaming the pastures and other groups of horses. The owner led the group of 8 towing 2 younger ones (7yrs old) on horses right next to her. At one point my daughter said the owner let them choose whether they wanted to go down the steep route or 'normal' path, of course the 2 ten year old girls chose the steep way and the adults took the less adventurous path. The owner is really good about letting you know if it's likely to be rained out to reschedule. I tried to book another session for my daughter since she loved it so much but when I called days after she said because she had to reschedule some groups due to rain, she was all booked. Thought it was nice of her to do that instead of just canceling reservations and risk losing your money. read more

4D Quarter Horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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We had so much fun on our ride! This was a one of a kind experience. This isn't a "trail tour ride" this is full on riding on the ranch, spread out, through cattle, and well overall just magical! Thank you for this memorable experience and amazing views! read more

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We had the experience of a life time this am at the Dahana Ranch! We ventured out with one of the daughters (her Hawaiian name is too long for me to even try & spell or pronounce) of the current family leader and what a fabulous story teller she is! Hx of the islands and her family's property! We rode (Aloha & Concho) safely up hillsides & down Into valleys observing laboring cattle, and other newly born calves with their mothers. We saw wild boar and a wild horse! That wild horse catching us only wanting to play with our well obeyed and trained work horses! It was raining from a mist to heavier & the entire I thought how blessed are we to have this experience! This island gives something new to me upon every trip! Today it was this lovely young woman's stories & her journey in life to date!!! At the end of our ride we learned our guide served in the US Army! Thank you for your service!! Don't miss this opportunity to ride & learn at the Dahana working ranch!! Thank you for giving us alittle piece of your family's history & the island! I'll watch the rodeo for your lil sis! Best Kim & Larry read more

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Amazing experience- the horses were so well trained and responsive. The scenery is absolutely spectacular. You have to go on a ride with them, you will enjoy every minute. read more

My family scheduled a trail ride on November 26 for my daughter's 9th birthday with 4d Quarter Horses Hawai'i in Waikōloa. During the ride we were instructed that we didn't need to ride in a line and could ride side by side. About a quarter of the way through our ride one of the horses "Jalapeño" lunged over and full force bit my upper thigh. I am very thankful I was wearing jeans or it could have been much worse. Needless to say this ruined our ride, as well as the rest of our vacation for me since I couldn't do many of the activities we had planned. I don't feel that the company took the incident very seriously and I am very concerned for any children or inexperienced riders using this company. Please be very careful. Almost three weeks out you can still see the outline of the teeth marks in my leg with a large painful hematoma in the center of it. My doctor says the swelling will last up to six weeks and I could have scarring. If it doesn't heal after the six weeks I will have to go see a general surgeon. read more

We had a magical time riding horses here (Smokey, Patch and Mimi). The scenery was so lush and we were able to explore hills and valleys, come close to cows, and trot in safer areas. Our first booking was rained out but our hardworking and knowledgeable guide Vicki offered to take us out the next morning. This experience was worth the two trips out! read more

Dahana ranch offers an amazing experience for us city dwellers/suburbanites. This isn't your typical nose to tail trail rides...you ride in the open hills of their 2000 plus acre ranch and you will have control of your horse. We saw a mother cow with a freshly born calf (within a couple hours old!), Lots of cows, a few wild horses as well as learn about the history of the ranch. Our guide, Kua-ipo (sorry if I butchered your name!)grew up on the ranch as her family owns it and her passion in the history is apparent. The horses are very well mannered and docile...after the first few minutes my nervousness about my 7 yr old on a big horse disappeared. She had a blast and already ask to come back! It was a great experience....highly recommended. read more

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Serene and beautiful! We are a family of first time riders and We're guided by Vicky well! This is a must do adventure in Big Island. They have advanced riding too. My 8 year old had a well behaved horse Julie. They had a great time together. read more

As a person who currently breeds and shows Quarter horses, you wouldn't think that I would want to pay to ride someone else's horses. But guess what.. your in HAWAII! So yes- do it! Horses were ready when we got there. She gave us the option to wear a helmet or not and we signed waivers. She was very educated and helped the beginners feel comfortable and be safe around the horses. She was also very kind to me and allowed me to ride freely on the mare they gave me. It was a great time riding through the rolling cattle fields. Its so nice to see how well taken care of the animals on the big island are. We were happy to give them our business! I only wish that I would have remembered my jeans! Instead I was city slicker looking with capris and tennis shoes! read more

We had the BEST time on this activity!!!!! Our guide was Ku'uipo and she was an absolute rockstar. Kind, attentive, friendly, knowledgable .... We loved her! Please choose this option for your ranch style horseback adventure as this is a family owned and operated business. The horses are extremely friendly and tame and they know they land very well. Support local families and choose this activity, you will not be disappointed! read more

We came across this place in web search when all of the places we had brochures for were booked and I'm glad we did. It was by far the best riding stable we have been to. No nose to tail trail riding here. You ride through the hills and valleys of a working cattle ranch. The guide would basically point out a landmark and say that's where we are headed. You were then free to spread out and get there any way you wanted as long as the guide could see you. The horses were very well trained and because they use them to work the ranch and they weren't used to following the same trail, you could actually steer them where you wanted to go. The mountainous views while riding were amazing and it was easy to forget you were in Hawaii and not out west somewhere. The staff was also great. I highly recommend. read more

This was the coolest thing we have done on this trip! Horses definitely knew what they were doing and tolerated amateur riders. Loved our guide and still cannot believe we drove cattle!! read more

Now it's 4D quarter horse and it's great! Best horseback riding experience ever!Vicki was awesome guide. Small groups and lots of choose your own adventure riding. Amazing views. Fantastic horses and really fun riding through cows and fields. Feel like a real Hawaiian cowboy! Take Vicki's advice and go to Tex drive in after! read more

Absolutely amazing ride with Patch! Loved that we could free roam with the horses rather than in single file. The scenery was beautiful and getting to ride near the cattle was so fun! My guide was also great. Knowledgeable, personable, and great with all of the horses. Highly recommend!!! read more

I copy and pasted my review from google to warn more people about the cattle drive The idea of doing a cattle drive is a great and unique idea, but the staff are unprofessional and outsourced a horse from some redneck moron. The horse they gave me, named Jalapeño, was half mule and was obviously not trained. The staff decided it would be a good idea to include an untrained horse to accompany the cattle drive herd. The entire time I had to fight it just to make it walk for two meters, all the meanwhile it tried to fight other horses on the drive. Even with a large gap between me and other riders, Jalapeño turned to the other ones and started charging, all the meanwhile I'm trying my best to pull back on the reins, turn him the other way, do everything to prevent him from either bucking me off or fighting other horses. The entire time I was doing exactly what the guide was telling me to do, I fought my best to control the hot headed bastard of a horse. The entire time of that, the guide was screaming at me to "control it" by doing a bunch of stuff I was already doing. It got to the point that I got so frustrated, I dismounted the horse halfway and took a quad back to the ranch waiting area. A cattle drive is a good idea, but was very poorly executed don't waste your money and possibly your life... The ranch might have been great in the past, but not to my experience. read more

This place was perfect for our family vacation. Our 5 year old was able to ride with us and I felt completely comfortable having him ride on their horses. Their horses are very well take care of and well trained. The property is gorgeous. Melissa was an amazing guide. Loved the ability to trot the horses and ride to our competence level. Our visit here was incredibly memorable and we will treasure our time together. read more

4D Quarter Horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Super fun. Horses were very well behaved. I really liked this ranch because they let you spread out with the horses and not stand in a line. I had the horse Kiwi and she was great. Would definitely recommend. Best ranch I've ever been to. read more

Love love LOVE, loved it so much that I seriously considered booking another ride the next day. This was my first time riding any horse. In our last minute planning wisdom, cousin and I took off to Waimea without realizing that horse riding might need advanced reservations. Having realized that, I decided to open Yelp to see about calling a few places and maybe drumming up an opening. Dahana was the first ranch I called. Contrary to the 1/11/16 review, I got a response within like 2 rings, and they told us they could take 2 adults on their 11am ride! We swung by Hawaiian Style Cafe in Waimea and then headed immediately to the ranch. It is down a bumpy side road which was a little precarious for our Nissan Versa, but there is a sign on the main road pointing to the turn. We got there a bit before the scheduled checkin so decided to open our loco moco takeout. This resulted in being ambushed by their CUTEST pushiest, fluffiest australian sheperd. He/she was such a lovebug. We gently nudged the pup away, at which point the lovebug decides to flop on the ground for belly rubs. Ahhhhh~ The ride itself: Check-in was smooth. Their price is much lower than I expected, at $83.33/person currently for the beginner ride. They provide buckets of helmets, which are recommended. However, it is not required, but you have to sign a waiver if you don't wear it. I have a massive head and could not fit any of the provided helmets, so I signed the waiver. The staff probably selected the mellowest horses for cousin and I to ride. Hers adorably kept trying to eat grass at each and every opportunity. Guide: we had Eric. He really knew each horse's personalities and would point out to us things we should or should not do depending on how he saw each horse and rider interacting. He also stopped at a point midway to check our tack, and emphasized safety in turning the horses and keeping our distance. All the staff seemed to be knowledgeable people though, and would probably all be great guides! Would absolutely come back. read more

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If you are looking for an authentic horseback riding experience, this should be at the top of your list. Rides are reasonably priced, you get a lot of freedom to actually ride, and the people are amazing. You'll get all the instruction and support you need (and they were fantastic with our kids) as you ride the rolling hills. The horses were perfect, and the experience is phenomenal. We will definitely be back. I can't recommend this highly enough. read more

I've been on a lot of trail rides and it's ALWAYS a nose-to-tail gig. BUT NOT HERE! Here, you can roam where ever you please (generally) and even canter a bit! For a big island trip, this is a MUST. Like, you're hawaii trip won't be the same without doing this trail ride. I've been on A LOT of trail rides, but this has to be my ultimate favorite. My husband has never ridden a horse before and was worried about squashing the 'boys' or hurting in certain sensitive areas, even though I told him everything is FINE. lol. Well, after our ride, he reported everything was FINE! Oh brother...lol. At Dahana Ranch, they encourage you NOT to follow the horse in front of you and let you roam where ever and give you a far off destination. THe guide takes you all around their acres and acres and ACRES of ranch, which only contained a scene out of Dances with Wolves. Green grass lands with rolling hills for as far as the eye can see. I wish we paid a little more to herd cattle, but for my husband's first time riding, I didn't want to freak him out too much. Definitely next time. It was just so fun to go up and down the hills and walk along side herds of cattle. There was also a little goat on the ranch that took my immediate attention as it was barely clearing 1.5 ft. I die... Super friendly, lots of instructions, plenty of freedom. This is truly a rider's dream and a beginner's new first love. read more

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I loved this experience. We are on our honeymoon, and one of the top things I had on my list to experience on the Big Island, was a horseback ride. We took it a step further, however, and opted for the 2.5 Hour Range Station Ride. Our wrangler was Keo (apologies for the misspelling). She went through the basic steps for horseback riding, how to work with your horse and take control, etc. I can count on one hand, not even needing all of my fingers, how many times I've ridden a horse in my life. The horses at Dahana Ranch are trained quite well, from what we experienced. Keo was great. We learned a little bit about her, and she learned a lot about us. I really felt comfortable with her and trusted her and her expertise. We practiced riding with our horses and explored the beautiful green, rolling hills of the ranch. It was SO FUN when we came to the point of herding the cattle! I'm typically a quiet person, but when it came time to herd, I was yippy-ki-yaying with best of them. It is a working Ranch, and our ride was a "working" experience. If you're a diva and have no interest in getting dust in your eyes and listening to direction, then this ride is not for you. If you're adventurous and open-minded and patient, then you'll have a great time. I would absolutely recommend this Ranch experience, and if you have the time, the Range Station Ride is worth it. Thanks for a memorable experience! read more

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We had a great experience This was family's first experience riding horses I'll admit I was scared and first but the horses were gentle My six year old's horse was tethered to the guide's horse There's no paved road here. It's wide open terrain with hills and valleys . You can ride along next to cattle at your own pace I highly recommend this experience read more

What an amazing place with great people and breathtaking vistas. If you want a truly authentic experience on a ranch in Hawaii, Dahana Ranch is the place to go. Not just a nose to tail trail ride. Great for riders of all experience levels and ages. We own horses, and treasure the freedom and ability to spread out and ride on a quality horse with expert guides while on vacation. This was our third time visiting the Ranch. Bring a raincoat, and wear long pants with boots or closed toe shoes. They have cattle drives, advanced rides, beginners rides, day camps and more. We just referred a friend from our 4H group who is visiting in the next few months. My daughter wants to come back and spend the entire day there. The staff is friendly, experienced, safety conscious, double and triple checks the tack before and during the ride. Gives great instructions and genuinely cares for their horses and other animals on the ranch. This may be the best stable/ranch we're have ever used on any vacation. We horseback ride almost everywhere we travel. I very much look forward to the next time we visit Dahana ranch again. Thank you for making us feel like Ohana. read more

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Had an amazing time here today! The views are spectacular, the horses are very well trained, and the people are so welcoming! There is so much to see on the horseback ride such as cattle and absolutely beautiful landscape!! I would recommend this to anyone looking for great time! read more

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This is the best horseback riding excursion I have been to anywhere in the islands. The horses are very well behaved, safe and endlessly patient with their riders, as well as being obviously well taken care off. No skinny, lame or sad horses here!! Our guide, Kiyo, was fantastic. She was super personable and well in control of the group. There were a lot of kids who clearly had no riding experience and there are a lot of hills on the ride and all of the horses got the kids home safely. I was really impressed!! I would definitely come back here again and recommend it to everyone! read more

Amazing experience! I now love horses. We had such a great time herding cows. Gave us so much freedom. Felt so freeing.

Formerly Dahana Ranch, 4D Quarter Horses is my number one place to visit on the Big Island. Beautiful working horses, breathtaking view of the mountains and the ocean from high in the mountains . Less than an hour from the Kohala Coast. It's a wide open ride, not a nose to tail type trail ride. They have rides for beginners and experienced riders from age 3 on up . We've been here several times over the past 15 years and have never been disappointed. Seriously, if you have a chance to ride at 4D , do not pass it up!!! read more