Hands down the best run show in Phoenix!…read more We take our younger students to the half shows and they love them! They even started a pre-short stirrup division that my 5 and 6 years olds can ride in once they get bored of the lead line classes. The staff is always amazing and very friendly. Unlike some other horse shows in AZ, the show secretaries are always happy to see you. The only issue I have with them is that they don't have enough shows, my students would go to them even month if they could!

Nicely run show. Super friendly staff. A very enjoyable epxerience for schooling your young horses…read more A little more work on the jumper division (I understand that this in in the works) and it'll be totally perfect!

I've been to a lot of barns over the years, but Sweetwater is by far the best I've ever…read moreexperienced, and for so many reasons. Bailey and Lucy are so amazing! I feel complete trust in them when it comes to leasing or eventually purchasing, which is rare in this industry. They always have your best interests at heart, and it shows in everything they do. The quality of the horses here is top-tier across the board, so you know you're in good hands. But what really sets Sweetwater apart is the community. I grew up showing horses, and I've never been part of a barn family like this, everyone is hardworking, down-to-earth, and genuinely supportive. You don't just ride here, you build lifelong friendships. And the instruction? Next level. I've never had better coaching in my life. They don't just tell you what to do, they explain the how and why, down to the mechanics, so you truly understand how to ride and improve. It's not just about getting around a course, it's about becoming the best rider you can be. If you're serious about becoming an exceptional jumper, this is the place. Your horse will be cared for with the highest standard of love and attention, and you'll be surrounded by an amazing group of people who inspire you every day. This barn already means so much to me in the short time I've been here, and I'm beyond grateful to have found it.

Lucy is a terrific teacher and runs a top notch SAFE program! If you are looking for an honest,…read morewell run program, Sweetwater is your best bet.

They work with my adult son with a traumatic brain injury. Very patient, calm and helpful! They…read moredo amazing work. My son has been coming for many years and he always looks forward to groom and ride the horses. I highly recommend Horses Help!!!

Horse's Help is a hidden gem in the valley for kids with special needs! They truly love the horses…read moreas much as they love the children who ride on them! My son participated in two Adaptive Riding Sessions with his instructor Saebra. She was incredibly kind and patient with my son and the weekend volunteers made his experience fun and educational! He loved riding on "Chuck" the horse and gained many valuable skills! We will miss riding with Horse's Help this summer and are excited to return back in the fall!

I never even heard of this place and I was very fortunate to have been asked to go to a fundraiser…read moreat the establishment. Honestly, there's so many wonderful places like this that take in animals, especially horses that are going to the kill shelter or that have been abused. The same way how they help people connect to the horses. Horses are so healing and wonderful. It's hard to phantom how anyone could abuse any animals. As I walked around, I was able to enjoy the property and to learn more about the program. I really can't wait to go back, I think I missed a few animals. I want to ride a horse and to see more, but to really talk to the owners. They, are extremely passionate. This area is beautiful and I can't wait to discover it on horseback. Thanks again for such a fun night, Great chuck wagon food, and music.. I WOULD RECOMMEND

My daughters and I have done a few horseback riding tours in the Phoenix area and its always a…read moregreat way to get out in nature and take in the scenery a little differently. The staff is very friendly and accommodated a last minute schedule change with incredible courtesy. My reason for 4 stars is we booked a 1.5 hour tour and our tour was about 1 hour and 10 or 15 minutes, so a little short. The area for the ride was easy to find with Apple maps and the surroundings were gorgeous.

Such a fabulous ride on well behaved horses. Patty is amazing and busting at the seams with…read moreknowledge. I saw all learned so much on our ride. As a seasoned horse rider I wasn't sure about taking a "trail" ride, I am so happy we did it was a lot of fun and an amazing experience I will forever hang on to. Thank you Patty

I've been to several horseback trail riding outfits in the valley and his is by far the best. We…read morehad 3 adults in our party and got a private 2 hr ride with a wrangler and wrangler in training. The wrangler was knowledgeable about some of the flora and fauna in the area. We saw some wildlife too! A rattlesnake and deer. The trail was just challenging enough to make us feel like we hadn't done this before. The horses were incredibly clean!! I can't state this enough. After our ride we noticed that our pants were actually clean enough to go about our day without changing. Loved it. Highly recommend!!

I worked with Lori setting up a half-day 'Group Event' and could not have been more pleased with…read morehow it turned out. We had a group of six people and everyone had a fantastic time. I had been looking for something with more immersion than a simple trail ride, and wanted the members of our group to experience a taste of horsemanship, rather than just hopping on a horse and going nose-to-tail for an hour. Lori worked with me to put together a full agenda including everything from a facility tour, safety/horse psychology seminar, gathering horses, to grooming, tacking up, lunch, then bridling and getting some basic riding lessons in the arena before tackling a trail ride together. We had the great privilege of meeting the one and only Rocco and having him give us a phenomenal overview of horse psychology and sharing well informed views on safety around these powerful animals. While their horses are supremely well trained (especially Jimmy!), Rocco made sure everyone understood that part of being a good horseman is having respect for the dangers associated with what you're about to do, and an understanding of how to stay safe. Lori and her wranglers, along with Rocco, joined us on the trail ride. Most barns will have only a couple wranglers for a group of our size, but Lori arranged for us to have one wrangler per guest, which was fantastic and likely helped people's confidence, since only two of us had ever ridden before. The trail ride was outstanding and so much better than your typical "follow this well worn dirt path on level ground" that I've experienced in the past with other trail riding outfits. It was much more free form and spontaneous and that made it a lot more fun. It was a great privilege to personally meet and then ride the trail with both Lori and Rocco. Their enthusiasm and energy were infectious and kept everyone in our group engaged and excited for what we were doing. In fact, every single person we dealt with was super friendly, professional and courteous. It's unfortunately quite rare to find a trail riding barn where the management appreciates that they are in a people business, not a horse business. I was really happy to see that this place was the rare exception. At the end of the day, everyone was thrilled with the experience and had a fantastic, memorable time. This was so much more than a simple trail ride, and I am so grateful that Lori was able to help me put this together. I would highly recommend this barn, whether for a trail ride or something more involved like this half-day event. It was absolutely worth it and a tremendous value that was competitively priced. Please give them a try and see for yourself, you will NOT be disappointed.

It was a really great experience such an enjoyable trail ride I would definitely recommend. It was…read morea very beautiful ride through the desert. I can't wait to do it again.

Amazing horse competition at Westworld with the beautiful Arabian horses and their very skillful…read moreriders. So much excitement for the entire family as you cheer on your favorites. Local participants as well as many from around the country. And the different costumes for each event that the riders wear are stunning!!! The event also has many many vendors selling everything from clothing, jewelry, horse related gear and so much more, food booths and food trucks. Not to mention that the event itself has many interactive experiences, especially for kids, including tours. Free parking at Westworld, which is a definite bonus!!

We enjoyed the show. There's different categories Championship night including: Western Pleasure,…read moreEnglish Pleasure, Native Costume, Jumpers, Egg & Spoon Race, and Liberty/Freestyle. The expo before the show is huge, it would take you all day to see. The event goes on for 10 days. We chose to come Championship night but really you can buy tickets for any day. There's a lot to do, and a lot of food. From barbecue, to Mexican, to chocolate, and ice cream. There are also bars, they have beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Worth a look. It's at West World, so lots of parking and walking - bring your cowboy boots and go on a barn tour, eat some bbq, then have a drink, and see a show!

(My 14th Half this year!)…read more Phoenix, Arizona: my hometown, so to speak, since moving there during my 5th grade year. What I looked forward to most was running alongside a couple of my childhood friends, ones who I've known forever, it seems (and ones whom you could never have told me I would be running a Half Marathon with so many years later.) Nostalgia--as it always does when it comes to my Phoenician classmates--delights. So when a 13.1 came up, one that would bring me back to my cactus roots in the desert, I registered. The Illuminations Half, Arizona--having been its inaugural in 2014--takes place upon the beautifully scenic golf course trails of the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort. Although it commences at sundown--and, believe me, you'll need a headlamp for this run--there's really no escaping the gorgeousness of the resort itself. My photos--some taken during daylight hours in order to fully illustrate and capture the surrounding areas--stand as testament. The trails, illuminated by glowsticks--hundreds and hundreds of glowsticks--direct runners along the greens, lakes, fairways, and residentials outlining the course. At times, there are bottlenecks and congested impediments, so emphasizing PR's shouldn't be prioritized, but they can be overlooked. As dark as it becomes along this run, one that begins around 6pm, you shouldn't set caution to the wayside. Navigating this run carefully is important: some Halfers neglected the signs, running the 5K mistakingly. There are also times when the route crossed itself, runners having to slow their pace, yielding for others heading toward them. (It's actually quite dangerous.) Only at the race's end are there truly any luminaries; however, the celebration upon the Marriott's fountained courtyards make up for that. Music, food, fire pits, and congratulations await. It's a party, really. Registration bibs provide free chicken tacos and hot chocolate (the deserts are cold in November) after your run. And what is even better is that registrants are offered discounted rooms at the resort, and heated pools and steaming jacuzzis are plentiful. You cannot beat having run 13.1, only to relax and unwind immediately upon completion without having to drive home afterwards. If the Illuminations Half becomes tradition, and I suppose it will be if my friends have anything to do with it, the Marriott--once again--will definitely be included in our trip.