3.5 stars Another tourist trap The young one loved it and was the most favorite part of irvine regional park--kids having a fun time is what matters most. BEWARE -- when the pony pees, it is a strong and long stream that bounces high off the ground and onto your child...WITHOUT WARNING. So have your child stay several feet away from the rear of a pony , unless your child wants a face splash. Otherwise the young one loved the pony ride which lasted 3-4 minutes (2 laps). Kids can choose between a slow walk to a trot on the pony....usually older kids would choose the trot and younger ones would like to ride on a walking pony. It is nice to experience once but We would not go again. read more

We always have a great time with the pony's. We come a few times a month and always have a great experience with nice workers until today. I don't Know what side of the bed this girl woke up on but man was she incredibly rude the entire time. Her name is AMBER. Even the people standing next to me commented on how rude she was. It was very unnecessary. She is not a pleasant person and should not be working with children or Horse/ponies. She literally bullied us the entire tome. Poor girl just needs to feel "empowered" or something lol. It was sad that the entire pony ride my 4 year olds daughter kept asking" " Why so she being mean to you? Why does she keep yelling at you?" 5 stars for the ponies, this girl (AMBER) needs a good talking to from her mom. I could say worse, but I'm no bully. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Beware- AMBER is Very rude. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

Deserves zero stars! Bought tickets then was told while in line that one of my girls was too tall. I was refunded and then made sure to ask the same associate if my other girl's height was ok before I continued the long wait in line. She assured me that it was and said "she's good". When I got to the front of the line I was told after waiting for 40-45 min that she was too tall. I was visibly upset and rightfully so. The person in charge mentioned they are a small buisness which even more so they should care about a customers frustration. She gave zero cares and said all I can do is "offer you an apology" while she smirked. The lines are were ridiculously long and I'm sure they will do nothing about it. They don't care about families or kids waiting just as long as they get their "cash only" so they can cheat on their taxes. A long line is generally considered a sign of poor customer service. To the vile girl in the lame hat, shame on you! Eliminate sarcasm, rudeness and have some decency for others. Get organized and train your staff so others don't go through what I had to. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - You reap what you sow! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

My two daughters age 2 and 7 love the pony rides and it's fun for the whole family to enjoy read more

See all

Perfect for the little ones. They don't have anything like this where we live. I think $5 is a pretty good price to let your kid ride on the pony for three laps. My son loves it! This year he was brave enough to try the side where they trot. He thought it was great. The girls that were working here do such a good job with the kids and handling the ponies. read more

See all

Amber is the sweetest! Thank you for your help and being so kind. Excellent customer service & very gentle with the kids. I'll definitely be coming back soon. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

We love enjoying the pony rides with my two boys. Today, however, we witnessed a girl who we later found out was named Amber, being rude to multiple people. It was very uncomfortable to watch. Just watch out, I don't want her near my kids. read more

We took our 15 month old boy today and he did great! There is a seat belt that wraps around his waist to keep him secure. We paid $8 for 3 loops. Staff was friendly. Highly recommend! read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

See all

Trot or walk? That is the question. No matter what you decide the price will be $6. Signs posted about the possibility of horses biting . Saw a man not heed the warnings and decide to pet one on the face from the other side of the fence . The horse was not having it though and threw back its head and opened its mouth. The man moved his hand real quick. Moral of the story make sure you have a ticket to ride or don't touch the pony! We chose trot side . My kids were able to ride at the same time . One rode on a pony that my son happily said had the markings of a cow and the other rode on the aforementioned pony but it gave no problems on the trot . Employees led the horses out into the ring with a rope and trotted with them. A customer next to me in line was struck by how energetic the employees were. One of the horses did do his business really close to the line so people had to look down /warn others to make sure they didn't step in it .My kids had a great time!Glad they could experience it.They'll only be young/ small enough to ride for so long. read more

The Sound of Ponies and Horsies is the Sound of Music to Kids! Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels Horsies and Railroads you don't have to google Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings These are a few of my favorite things When the dog bites When the bee stings When I'm feeling sad I simply remember my favorite things And then I don't feel so bad A pony ride cures all. A great and fun activity that your child will remember for life. The simple things in life are what matter most. These ponies and horsies are close by and cheap. A few bucks. You do have to pay for the park entrance which is cheap. This is also a great place for Birthday parties. Enjoy the Park. These ponies and horsies will bring love, laughter and fun to any child 1 and over. Yes, the minimal age is 1. Just a few bucks! Horsy and Pony rides at Irvine Park in Orange...another reason the OC is the best place to live! read more

My boyfriend surprised me by taking me here for my early birthday celebration!! First off, horses are my #1 favorite land animals. I've had a horseback riding class in the past and I've always wanted to go on a scenic horseback riding trail! So when I got here, I was super duper excited! First off, it's very important to book a time slot ahead of time. You pay onsite (cash) and sign some waivers before they pair you up with a horse. It's $45/hour. They offer 1 and 2 hr riding times, however the 2 hr time slots are only available during the weekday because the weekends are busy (that's what the owner told me). Anyways, you set off for a nice scenic hiking trail. You ride in single file line with 1 guide at the front and another at the end. They teach you how to hold the reins, steer, stop, and go. You do ride up/down some rocky slopes (super fun!). Overall, the experience was relaxing and fun! This is a definite must try to anyone who loves horses! I'd definitely come here again. One thing that was annoying is that there is a $5 parking fee. Of course, why am I not surprised ... because it's Irvine after all haha. read more

My daughter absolutely fell in love with the horse riding. Its cheap, but short. The smell is a bit noxious in the "stables" but the kids absolutely adore the rides. They have special saddles built to hold a kid properly in place. They do about 3-4 circuits of a 100 yd course so almost a 1/4 mile for about $4. Every kid who goes on it has a big grin from ear to ear. This kind of happiness is a Godsend for parents who want to treat their kids to something special. For the little tykes they have a pony walk at the same price where you can lead a pony around a shorter course a few times allowing the tot to sway with the movement. These are both great introductions to animals for kids. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

See all

I have a 4-year-old daughter and she had been asking me to take her to ride a horse. She had been on the little go-in-a-circle ponies at the fair before, so I know she wanted more than that, but she isn't quite ready for equestrian camp, ya know? So I looked for a place where she could ride a kid-friendly horse and still feel like she got to do something special. We went last Saturday (7/20/2013) to Irvine Regional Park because it seemed like exactly what I was looking for. A lot of the Yelp reviews stated it was only a few dollars for three laps around the track. It ended up being $5 for only two laps, plus $5 to enter the park. So it was $10 for roughly 7 minutes of entertainment. I lean toward the 3-star end of things, BUT, my daughter thought it was awesome which was the whole point. So for her sake, they get a 4-star rating from me. The dude at the ticket counter was nice. The horses were super mellow, so much so that they almost seemed sad or something, but I am no horse whisperer so I don't know. There were clear signs on the fence that said not to pet the horses as they may bite, which did alarm me a little bit but the one my daughter rode, Patches, seemed gentle and she thought he was great. I would probably do it again if I was going to make a day of it at the park, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there again just for the pony rides. And I would probably buy her two tickets so she could go more than twice around the track. But all in all, my daughter was stoked and that's all that matters in this case. Great little activity for the young ones. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - My 4-year-old daughter on the pony, Patches. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

We were pleased to see they were open and observing social distancing, mask requirements, etc during the pandemic. But one ticket for $6 only offers two laps around the field which lasts about 5 min. They should consider offering more rounds to at least give the kids a 10 minute experience. read more

2.5 year old on the "walk" side on Gypsy had a great 3 laps. Good value for a "first time on a horse" experience. Bring another adult to help with photography and wrangling your kids because you are the one leading the walking pony. read more

Cash only, sometimes exact amount only. $6 ticket will get you 3 laps, sometimes if it's not to busy and u buy multiple tickets your child can use them consecutively. Staff is nice and friendly, & understanding of toddlers lol my son always cries getting on but once the pony starts moving he doesn't want to get off! read more

The staff here are fabulous! We are always greeted with a smile and they are so great with my son! Corrine (may have spelling wrong) is such a sweetheart and really makes the experience so fun! read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - His smile says it all!! Thanks Corrine (I hope I spelled that right)!!! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

1. Don't take sandals. 2. The pony rides are for kids who weigh less than 60lbs and are under 48feet. 5.00 each 3. Every activity has a fee. 4. There is a train ride, face painting, bounce house, bike riding on the park and on the pond and a zoo, and all of the activities require a fee, if you have a large family I can't say you won't break the bank. It is a beautiful park where one can definitely enjoy a nice picnic, however with all the activities todo I can say that it's a good idea to take some extra cash and in a way it is what drives me away at the same time because kids want todo everything and it gets a little expensive. Overall we enjoyed our time, just wish I knew how pricy it could get. read more

Got to experience this while here for the Christmas Train on 12/1/2018. Fun and worth $5 for 2-3 loops around the mini-track. Pony was calm and friendly, and kid had fun. read more

I highly recommend this. My daughter is 2.5 and loves loves riding her orange pony Darell and in charge Paul is a very hard worker and always very polite. read more

Went last Saturday with a gf and her daughters. The man at the ticket booth was nice and we made conversation. My little one wanted to ride, so the parent holds the rope with the pony as you make 3 laps around the thing. Pretty fun. read more

My son has ride ponies here since two years ago. One ticket should has two cycles for pony trotting but we found that laddies sometime only give kids one cycle when the parents don't know the rule. It is CHEATING! read more

My brother and I have been here at CC Stables numerous times for trail rides and until yesterday have had enjoyable experiences. My brother has a mild developmental disability, but is physically fit and loves animals. Previous young women who have led the trail rides have been pleasant, kind, and social, engaging everyone in conversation, pointing out plants and features, and being generally friendly and polite. Although we had an appointment and showed up a half hour early as requested, we and the other customers were ignored for several minutes when we tried to check in, as Amber was listening to voice mail messages and writing notes. Eventually we were all given our release forms to fill out. I indicated that we both were experienced riders and noted my brother's condition. Waiting to be assigned horses, Amber comes up to us, and right in front of my brother demanded "so how disabled IS HE?" I was shocked but didn't want to embarrass my brother further. I said, "mild, we have both been here many times." She retorted "well, can he follow simple directions? He needs to be able to follow simple directions!" On the trail ride, she completely ignored my brother, and everyone else for that matter, leading my brother's horse behind hers the entire way as if he were a baby. She constantly pulled her cell phone from her back pocket, texting constantly with her left hand while holding the reins with her right. She did nothing beyond bark orders, such as "pull up the reins!" or "kick, and keep kicking" if a horse stopped to nibble a bush. At one point she had the nerve to scold me for taking a photo of my brother while our horses paused for one horse to defecate. She said "You shouldn't take your phone out cause if you dropped it it could startle the horses." I showed her the attached ring which kept it secure. Meanwhile, she must have pulled out her phone two dozen times to text while riding. The girl Macy, who was at the end of the line up, was pleasant and chatty with the family riding in front of her and clearly had better customer service skills. At the end of the trail ride, Amber took off and left everyone to dismount on their own without a word. I got off my horse, took a photo of my brother with his horse, then held his horse's reins while he dismounted. Macy came over and asked if we'd like her to take a photo of both of us. I asked her if I could see the manager and she said she wasn't there I will never come here again and drop $100 in return for such rude and dismissive treatment. Amber needs to go! Many young people would love such a job and treat people better. read more

My boys are now both big enough to ride the horses. That means they get to go a little bit faster. I think they both enjoyed the experience. There are a few things that keep this attraction from getting four stars from me. First, they raised their prices. A couple years ago it was $2 for a short ride. Now, it is $4. That is not enough to break the bank, but it is still double the price I was expecting to pay. Second, the horses look pretty depressed. I hope they treat these animals well. The staff is okay. No enthusiastic, but they make sure the kids are strapped into the saddle so there is not much chance of falling. It would be great if the staff just gave the kids a pointer or two like hold the reins here and squeeze with your knees. Oh well, what can you expect for $4? read more

Came here with my family on a Friday because we wanted to do something fun together. The people here are very friendly and easy to talk to. It was also nice because it just ended up being my family and two guides on the ride, so it was cool that it was like a private ride. The horses were great and well trained. The only thing that wasn't so great was that you have to stay in a single file line the whole time with everyones' horses all lined up in order. Other than that, it was a nice, slow relaxing ride. And they were even nice about taking a ton of pictures for us after. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Riding with the family on a beautiful Friday - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

My sons love this place. They have a walking side and a trotting side. The kids get three laps for the $4, so it's worth the price. You do have to walk your own kid on the walking side, so don't wear heels. (Okay, I know...you're thinking, who wears heels to a park. It's Orange County, and several moms had on heeled sandals and boots.) It would be nice if they opened on time, though. They only take cash, but there is an ATM by the train station. read more

our baby fell in love with riding horses here. fell in love with horses overall. the first time he ever cried for something that he wanted was here, cause he wanted to ride a horse. the look of absolute contentment on his face when he got what he wanted was such a precious moment. that's when I realized this baby has a mind of its own now. rides can get pricey so I use the entertainment book coupon for a buy 1 get 1 free. also for the train rides. makes it a bit more affordable cause 1 round is never enough. read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

We just got through doing the Pony Walking. Walking the Ponies are not for big kids....five and older may not be able to walk the ponies. You must check height at booth. I'm not sure about Pony Trotting. The cost is $5 (cash only) and its totally fun for the kiddies. But, if there is a line there will be a long wait. The kids get impatient easily and there's nothing you can do about it. read more

Excellent place for children to enjoy ponies. I have been taking my children here the past 9 years and always had a fun experience. When the children get older, they can ride the trot ponies let by an experienced rider. Highly recommend! read more

This is a really nice place for a families or just a day out in nature. It has everything from pony rides for kids to horses for adults, bike rentals and paddle boat rentals. A very large park with lake for great picnic and fun! I'll have to make a trip back here every summer! read more

The workers definitely go around TWICE! Ignore the people spreading FALSE information!! The workers are always so kind and courteous, can't believe some people can be so dishonest. My son has been going here forever, and never has any worker not gone around twice.... if you notice that maybe yourself or the handler has miscounted just TELL THEM! I'm sure they will go around again. read more

My girls loved it it could get a little dusty but its all worth it. They are a separate business than the train co. so their tickets can't be used here but it's only $4 a ride read more

My son took his first pony ride here. Cost is $5 per child and there is an option of walk or trot. There are height minimums/maximums depending on your choice. The walk option gives you 3 laps and the trot option gives you 2 laps. My son had a good time. This horse was pretty tame and calm and from what I could tell the other horses were the same. Hubby pulled the horse along while I took photos. read more

Located inside Irvine park very close to the train. My daughter loves to come here and ride the ponies. The staff is hot and cold. Some days they are super nice and friendly and sometimes they look at you like I really don't want to be here or help you. We will continue to come back because she has fun. read more

Drove 45 minutes so daughters could ride the ponies. Upon arriving at the stable was advised they had decided to close today. Per their website the only day they close is Mondays. I specifically did not make the trip on a Monday to avoid this problem. Sucks when businesses act like this. read more

Pony ride is $5 per child, sounds great but it lasts 1 minute. The kids did two laps around and that's it. The train was the same thing, very uneventful, $15 for 3 of us. Took you in a small loop to see nothing and came back. The zoo is well worth the $2 per person however. read more

My daughter absolutley loves the pony rides. The owner Paul is so sweet and great with the kids, horses are always gentle and well taken care of. We always have an enjoyable experience and love that the horses are on a leash and not connected to a metal pole going around in a small circle all tightly together as some other pony rides are (which we wont ride as we feel that is cruel). Irvine Park is AMAZING for toddlers and kids, love love love this place! read more

Irvine Regional Park Pony Ride - Horseback Riding Near Me - Orange, California

Our daughter wanted to try horseback riding and there are not many places in SoCal to do trail rides. Country Trails riding is the name of this business in Irvine Park. They have good mellow horses, the trail is smooth and easy, but offers a nice escape from the city. The guides were friendly and helpful every step of the way. They just raised the price to 45.00 which was a pain since they advertised 40.00 on the website. They only take cash!!! Overall a great place to ride for an hour. read more

We recently visited this park and it wasn't what we expected. There were not many people here. We rode the train and all we could see where dead plants. We did pony rides and the kids got to do 2 laps and and then were rushed off to get the next people on. I would have to say the good part of this park was the bike riding as we got to go at our own pace but there really was not much to see but people having their parties and picnics. Would not recommend this place as our kids did not have much fun here. I've been to other parks that have had more to offer. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. Brought my daughter all the way over here (1/2!hour ride) to ride the ponies. Was told they are short handed so they didn't have any trot ponies available and that she was too tall for the walk ponies. They told us that the last time we were here as well. Wasted trip. Unhappy kid. Won't be back. Too far to come to be told she can't ride. She's only six and she made the weight requirement for both the walk and the trot ponies. She's just too tall for the 48" max. Height. read more