It's a family run establishment. They treat their customers, horses, and one another well. It's the sort of place you leave feeling really good about spending your money. Not to mention the trail ride is a blast! read more

Kurtz Corral Riding Stable - Horseback Riding Near Me - Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

The online scheduling is a breeze. They do a good job of assessing your riding experience and your height and weight to get the right horse for you. They make sure people in the same group have horses that get along well together. The guide, Ashley, did a great job of checking in on everyone and encouraging young/new riders. The trail started in an open grassy area and then entered the woods and was a lovely trail. My sister and I grew up with horses and have many years of riding experience, and loved to get to ride again! read more

Such a fun experience! The staff was super friendly and made everything easy. I rode a sweet horse named Boo who was gentle and full of personality. The trails were beautiful and relaxing--highly recommend! read more

Kurtz Corral Riding Stable - Horse, horseback riding - Horseback Riding Near Me - Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

My daughter (a beginner) and I had a wonderful wooded trail ride this week. The horses (Moon and Daisy) were so beautiful and gentle. The wildflowers seemed to be at their peak in the meadows, which made for a peaceful ride. Jill was our trail guide and she was extremely calm and competent. We have been to Kurtz once before and look forward to coming back on a future trip to Do Co. thanks! read more

My guide, Jill, was expienced and guided our group through the trail without any worry. I have been to Kurtz Corral for about 15 years and have never been disappointed read more

I had so much fun here. My horse Bambi was so gentle and smart! I also love their horses are well taken care of and are loved by staffs. I will come back here again next time I'm in Door county. read more

Kurtz Corral Riding Stable - Horseback Riding Near Me - Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

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I rescheduled (not canceled) our ride more than once. Once over a week before the ride, and once the night before because of rain (and I offered to have them keep my payment and also charge me for the rescheduled ride). I don't ride in the rain ever because I had a fall in my younger days while wrangling cattle in a rainstorm that resulted in surgery on my leg. I was quite respectful and cordial about rescheduling and there was no problem indicated when my emails were responded to - and yet Jimmy evidently felt the need to sternly lecture me in-person in a disrespectful manner. He scolded me like I was a child and not a paying customer. I had also emailed twice to ask if they had a public restroom available for use. I take medication that has the side effect of needing to frequently use a restroom so I needed to know if I should stop before we got there. My emails were not answered by Kurtz, but I found a review that stated they had a portable - which I was directed to when I asked before we started riding. While I was in the portable, Jimmy said to my daughter and 1 of the other 2 people riding with us "we have a regular restroom inside, but they spend too much time fussing with their hair and this gets them out faster". My daughter did not tell me this until we had left, which was probably a good thing for Jimmy. That statement was sexist and inappropriate in my opinion and quite presumptuous on Jimmy's part considering he doesn't know me at all. And I guess lying by omission is ok to Jimmy. The atmosphere itself is fine and what I expected for an older horse set-up. The man at the office desk who greeted us did not smile and wasn't very friendly. Luckily the dogs were. We were told to take four "cookies" to give our horses - two before the ride and two after. They looked like dog biscuits which struck me as odd. Jimmy came out and gave us what sounded like a pitch I'm sure he has repeated thousands of times over the years. He tried several helmets on us and did not spray them to sanitize them after they were taken off. Not wearing a helmet was not an option. We watched a standard video. I was assigned Pokey as my horse because I was an advanced rider, and when I went to greet her and give her cookies, our guide Jill informed me that Pokey needed twice as many cookies as I was originally told and went in to get more. Before we left, Jimmy barked at me to get my heels down and toes up, which I found amusing. A rider should not force a heel position - the foot needs to rest diagonally in the stirrup so the ball of the foot takes pressure and the heel naturally drops - that way the ankle can act as a spring. And that's what I did :) He also told me Pokey was shaking her head back and forth because I was holding my rope reins too tightly. Again - not true. It was more likely the tack was ill-fitting or she simply was communicating her lack of enthusiasm for the work ahead of her. The ride itself was nice. Jill is a great guide - and several dogs accompanied us which was fun to see. I was warned by Jill that Pokey would try to eat apples off a tree and she would tell me when that was coming up. The autumn scenery was very pretty and we rode through both pasture and wooded areas. Pokey did stumble and hesitate at times - especially over rocks and curvy hills. And yes, when we got to the apple tree, she was VERY determined to stop and munch away. She got one - but I figured she deserved it - lol. My daughter is a novice rider, and her horse Daisy suited her. Daisy pretty much stayed right behind Jill's horse and seemed content to keep her head down and go through the routine. I knew Pokey was an older horse, and when I got back to the corral and asked, I was told she was over 20 years old, but they weren't sure about her exact age. Jimmy also said "poor Pokey is mostly used for the men because they are bigger". I wasn't sure if that was a dig at my stature (I am a tall and larger woman, but well under their weight limit), but luckily I'm comfortable in my skin and just shrugged it off. Jimmy also said that Pokey needs to retire to just having kids ride her around the ring because her wanting to eat on the trail "is a problem". Honestly - I don't think that is the problem. I think Pokey is just an older horse with an attitude and stubbornness in her (which I admire and relate to) and she just needs to live life on her own terms in the pasture instead of being subjected to the repetitiveness, boredom, and demands of having the life of a trail horse. I also understood why she needs extra cookies to coerce her into working. The ol' girl just wants to chill - and I don't blame her. Our experience was one of "goods" and "not so goods", but I decided to not let Jimmy ruin it for me - and I took the memory of the dogs, Jill, the beautiful clouds on a crisp day, the gorgeous colors of the trees, and the familiar feel of being in a saddle again with me as we drove away. read more

A yearly tradition for us when we vacation to Door County. Jill is fantastic, they are very family friend, and the horses are clearly well-trained. read more

This was our second year riding at Kurt and we love it! The guides are wonderful and the trail is gorgeous. Our group had advanced and beginner riders and everyone always has a lot of fun! read more

It was the first time that I rode a horse. I loved riding. It was so so so fun!!!!!!!! I had so much fun riding that I want to do it again 5000 times. The horses were so cute,fun and calm. Shout out to Cayenne. I loved that I I was able to take the horses' back to the corral. loved the EXPERIENCE read more

I've been riding at Kurtz since I was 4 (about 30 years ago!) and was just in this past weekend with five of my closest friends celebrating my bachelorette party. Jimmy and his staff are excellent at what they do and they truly love it which makes it that much more enjoyable for their guests. read more

I wish it was a better experience. My mom and I both listed ourselves as beginners but the horses we were paired with did not cooperate at all. Mine would not stay on trail despite me pulling the reigns & directing the horse dozens of times. The horses name was Boo. Boo wanted to go through the trees and as a result I left with cuts all up and down my arms and neck. When I first got on, Boo wanted to do his own thing and I was just told he was "lazy" by the guides. Unfortunately, it was extremely frustrating being a beginner with a very difficult horse. Everyone else's horses ahead of us were perfect and I wish I could have had the same experience. The guide never rose to check up on us and see how we were doing. My saddle was loose and falling over to one side and despite asking about it, the guide ignored it. This made the experience even more difficult having to reposition myself every couple of minutes. When we got back no one was helping us get off the horses and some older lady even fell to the ground when trying to get off the saddle. No one asked us how it went or anything, we just felt like we needed to leave. Again, I am not one to leave a bad review - I am just disappointed by my experience. read more

Awesome place, highly recommend. Such kind individuals who accompany the groups on trails. I would go again and again!

We have been going to Door County for years but never had consider going to Kurtz Corral till this past weekend with our son. He loves horses and nature in general. The team on site was very friendly and knowledgeable. Our son did the arena ride for his first time on the horse with Jerri leading him. He had the time of his life. I would recommend make some great memories with you and your family at Kurtz. read more

My daughter and I head up to Door County each fall and a stop at Kurtz Corral is always a non-negotiable stop for both of us. We have the chance to ride regularly at home, but we love the owners, the staff, the horses, the gorgeous setting - truly it is so full of heart. Highly recommend. read more

The website clearly states that riders should arrive 30 minutes before the ride. there were 6 of us there on time for a 10:30 ride. the owner decided that making us wait for 2 late arrivals ( who got there at 10:45) was ok for 6 other riders even tho the weather was threatening rain. rather than inconvenience the 2 late people by making them wait, he chose to make 6 people who had been on time wait. bad form read more

Our guests from France thoroughly enjoyed their experience at Kurtz Corral Riding Stable! The horses are paired with riders based on experience riding, personality, etc., and the trail through the woods is delightful. The ranch operators could not be more welcoming! We highly recommend this experience and will bring future guests here! read more

Great !!!!!!! We coming here for last 17 years and every time it's great!!!! From reservation to actual horse riding everything so easy, great stuff and owners!!!!! read more

Very concerned with proper safety and riding instructions. As a mom of a 6 year old, I really appreciated this!

My partner and I came to ride at kurtz corral and will be back again and again. The trail is beautiful and the horses are well loved and cared for. The guides are extremely professional and always checking on the riders. The owner is knowledgeable and informative. read more

FANTASTIC!! This place is so special, the kids enjoyed their hour ride! Very safe and very good instructions form the owner. Love it! Will be back. read more

Kurtz Corral Riding Stable - Coral - Horseback Riding Near Me - Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

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My family has been here many times over the past few years and the memories will never be forgotten. The owner makes every effort to make sure the experience is amazing!!! I appreciated all of the thoughtfulness and caring that went into our trips. Thank you for helping my littles love for horses become real. read more

Kurtz Corral Riding Stable - My 4yo enjoying her experience! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Fabulous time at Kurtz Corral. The staff was lovely and the stables were beautiful. We enjoyed the arena ride.

The man in charge was extremely rude to my 18 year old daughter and her cousin. He jammed several different helmets on her head, accused her of lying on her experience form, and worst of all, didn't properly tighten her saddle, which caused her to fall off the horse during the ride. A man fell off his horse as well for the same reason. He received apologies afterwards. My daughter did not receive any apology. The actual guide for the ride was very nice. It was the man checking people in who was so rude and negligent. read more

We enjoyed our ride at Kurtz Corral. This was a good beginners ride through a field and then some woods. Our 7 year old was able to navigate the process and enjoyed the experience. read more

Great riding experience for my eight year old granddaughter. It was the first time on horse and they made it so comfortable for her. Definitely will return. Great folks read more

The ride was beautiful, the place spot clean and organized. The owner, Jimmy, very safety conscio read more

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Had a great time. The staff was very friendly & helpful!!! Very well run. The wooded trail was nice. We rode on Bailey's Irish cream & Cali very well manered horses. Great experience & would recommend this place. We will go back again.. read more

My first ever equine experience was at Kurtz Corral in 1960. I was seven and we rode ponies. My heart and soul have been with horses ever since! Wanting to spread this love to my granddaughter, I birthday gifted myself an arena session for Lucy who is 5. As you can see from the pics, it was a wonderful first horse experience for Lucy. Even though Jeri and I got her up into the saddle for only about a quarter of a minute, the attention Lucy received from Jeri was perfect! They petted, fed cookies, learned click-click and whoa. Strolled with Starbuck around the arena, leading through the barrels. Then some more petting and anatomy. And beautiful chestnut Starbuck couldn't have been more kind! We both so enjoyed the place. Lucy especially the toy horse collection. And I got such a kick out of Jimmy! Good people! I'm hoping to hear from Lucy that she's ready to try again soon! I know we'll be back to this Door County institution and treasure before long! Thank you for a special outing! read more

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My 11 and 6 year old children had a great time on their arena ride. The horses were very gentle and staff were knowledgeable and friendly. We look forward to returning. read more

This place was great. I am a complete beginner and found that the instructions on mounting, riding, and dismounting were clear and the horses were quite friendly and well taken care of. The ride was scenic and the staff were all helpful. read more

Super fun ride, knowledgeable staff and wonderful horses. Next time we will do the intermediate ride so we could trot a bit.

We had a great time on our trail ride. All the horses were well behaved, well cared for, and knew their job! The trail was beautiful and well kept. The staff were very friendly and clear in their directions beforehand. We had some family members that came and did not ride, but there was a place for them to sit and wait for us and play games. The greeting staff (dogs) were a hit with the kids, too. Highly recommend! read more

So disappointed and frustrated. I'm sure the rides are lovely. We never even had the chance. I made an online reservation for two people to take one of the morning rides. The system gave us a ride time of 9:30 am. Excellent! When I received confirmation, the date was wrong by three weeks. No big deal, I thought, I'll call and correct it or get a refund if that day is already booked. Their cancellation/refund policy indicates that there is no penalty if the reservation is canceled within 48 hours of the ride. This was a week out from the date I wanted to ride so it shouldn't have been the ordeal it turned into. When I called I was informed that the online system didn't work quite right and would book you for times that there weren't actual rides. The tone indicated that I should have known this as the business has been around for 50 years and was just moving into the online world. I was told we had to come in early on the day we wanted to ride and see what's available. The reservations couldn't even be done by phone because they were too busy. Fine, I asked to have my reservation canceled and the money refunded so we could come in when we were in Door County to try and book a ride. I live in Milwaukee which is where I was calling from. They told me to come in to their office and they'd do it. I pointed out that I live three hours away and that wasn't exactly feasible. So then they said to send the information via email and they'd take care of it. I had already done that but i did it again just to be sure. Three days later and still no cancellation so I called again. I was told they were working on it. Later that day I received cancellation notice. It's been 4 additional days and I have not received a refund and no one has responded to my follow ups about that which means now I have to go through my bank and dispute the charges I've booked similar rides with other corrals and I've never had this problem. As I said, it's disappointing. ETA: On the 8th I finally received notice that they were refunding my money and as of today, the 12th I finally actually saw the refund. All in told, it took two weeks, six emails, and numerous phone calls to resolve the issue. read more

Update, we returned to Kurtz today and were able to ride. We had a very good experience and may even go back tomorrow. My son loved it and the stable is well organized. We rode through pasture and woods and it is a great first ride for young riders. You will have a brief lesson in a ring before heading out, and this is for safety. It may be helpful to get there in the morning or call ahead to make sure rides are available if the weather was bad or its later in the day on a weekday. I rode Ebony and my 9 y.o. son had his first ever ride on Austin. Our guide Olivia was excellent and personable. Thank you Kurtz Corral. =================================== Will hopefully update this review if we can manage to ride during our vacation. We were unable to ride today and we are disappointed. It rained in the morning, but is a gorgeous sunny afternoon and we arrived at Kurtz Corral at 2:30 p.m. planning to ride. But the business was closed. I called from the parking lot to see if they were still closed or possibly available and asked if the stable would be open tomorrow. I was told that because no one wanted to ride in the morning, the workers were sent home and horses put out to pasture. They don't want horses or staff standing around. And if we want to ride, come in the morning. Did I misunderstand something when planning our trip here? The Web site says that 3 p.m. is their last trail time, and that they are an all weather stable, walk-ins welcome. Our experience did not match up to that information. Now, do we try again first thing in the morning when it is not raining? Probably yes because I have a child who would like to ride for the first time, and the other reviews are so good. It's frustrating this didn't work out for us today. The business did not live up to the info. that it provided online, we were disappointed because we drove 20 mins to the stable, but we will try again. read more

This place is our favorite horse stable!! We have a four-year-old daughter who loves horses and loves riding them. The owner is so absolutely sweet and really cares about his riders and his horses read more

The people were not very friendly and at times downright rude. No training was provided except for a video which was played while they putting on our helmets. Instructions were yelled at you as they had you riding off and not shown. My husband's saddle was not fitted appropriately and stirrups were uneven. The guides were nice but didn't help keep the horses apart which caused issues. Not good for novice riders. read more

Wanted to take the kids to something totally different. This place delivered!!! The staff was fun and very patient with our 7 year twins, and helped them build confidence to ride a horse all by themselves. They let you swap shoes for cowboy boots, watch a helpful video, acclimate you to the horse, and assign you to a size appropriate horse. The facilities are... well it's a horse farm so expect to get dusty and smelly. The price tag isn't cheap, but they do a really good job giving the kids an hour ride on a full size horse all by themselves. As an adult, I wished they would've let you take off on the horse. Not just trot, but really take the horse for a free form ride. The horses trotted along on a well worn path through the fields and the woods, which was super safe. It's expensive for a 2 hour excursion, and the kids made great memories. For the adults, they could stand to up the excitement level and take the entire group on a fast trot several areas. Let the horses run!!! And if they pay extra, let them ride around the field unguided to truly ride a horse! Currently is too safe and can become boring after 45 minutes of slow walking the horse. They're open in the winter, which would be a cool experience to ride in the snow. All in all, super fun for kids but they need to up the excitement for adults. read more

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We really enjoyed our trail ride. The horses seemed very happy, well taken care of, and they paired everyone with an appropriate horse based on their experience level. Our trail guide, Joan, could not have been nicer. She was patient, friendly, and handled a few unexpected horse behaviors safely and effectively. We would 100% return. Only reason for 4 vs 5 stars is the guy at the beginning with the "rules" was a little unnecessarily intense. read more

This place was wonderful from the owner's first greeting of our crew to our guide Joan who was super sweet, knowledgeable and concerned about everyone's safety from the start. The video was educational and more attention was paid to our safety than any other place I've taken trail rides (even out West). Staff was so sweet and understanding, they managed to get my nervous 6 yr old on a horse for a arena ride and NOW she wants a horse. read more