Nope, not a good choice. Keep looking. I decided to give one star for the return of my deposit.read more

My boyfriend and I had the BEST time at Serene Ranch! I'm so glad I had my very first riding…read moreexperience with Echo. She was so informative and gave the best vibes all around. We learned so much about horses and now have so much respect for them after our riding session. We were able to connect with our horses before we ride them and fell in love with them afterwards. 100% recommend checking out Serene Ranch!

I requested a refund from Living Social which I did receive. After asking for the refund I…read morereceived emails back finally from Jacqulyn which needless to say were less than professional and in turn she informed me that she was asking Living Social to cancel my voucher and issue a refund. I definitely do not recommend this company!

This is our first experience taking riding lessons and it has been great so far! The owner is very…read morepersonable and great encouraging the kids. She has very reasonable prices and flexible scheduling. I highly recommend trying this if your looking to learn in a friendly & fun environment!

Casual, kind, instructive. Perfect for kids new to horse learning. A business that cares about…read morewhat they are doing, and treats animals and customers with kindness and respect.

From the owner: Welcome to California Haflingers…read more Dedicated to sharing and preserving this unique breed. The largest breeder of registered Haflinger horses on the west coast. Our goal is to teach safety, confidence and control when riding and interacting with a horse. Lessons are tailored to the rider's ability, starting with the very basics to advanced riding techniques. We have many horses available to match up to any level of rider's ability. First time riders learn how to master the basics and ride for fun and with confidence and even the most experienced riders can benefit from an objective observer.

So my ten year old daughter was having a hard time with her 3yr old mustang he is a smart horse and…read moreplayed alot of games with her like riding under branches and turning the oppisite way she wants to go. I found Alexa's website by chance and set up a lesson for my daughter and her horse spirit and was amazed at the resolts in just one lesson. The next day was the first time she rode without getting upset at spirit and was just able to have fun. I can't thank Alexa enough for helping my daughter and her horse.

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Would you like to renew your faith in humanity? Enjoy the site of happy, healthy animals living in…read morethe wild as they should be? Meet kind, generous and wonderful people who are doing exactly what they want in life? Rather than watch TV (again!) this weekend... Visit the Wild Horse Sanctuary! It's a short drive from Redding, Red Bluff, even Chico. There's a comfortable visitors' center, interesting guided tours, and of course, 5000 acres of wildland where contented horses, burros and donkeys live. These are rescue animals which would have been killed because they were no longer wanted. This is an environmentally sound, ethical non-profit organization that is good for horses, good for the planet, and good for visitors. You might even see a cute baby horse or two! Call ahead due to covid, etc.

Unfortunately California is way too crowded to let wild horses roam free and if they were on public…read morelands they would be killed. Luckily for the horses there was Dianne Nelson who stepped in to help and make this 5,000 acres sanctuary on the west side of the sierra mountains. We were so fortunate to have a chance to get to know these wild majestic creatures a little better. This Sanctuary made me think of the movie Spirit. Our daughter Esther has been fascinated with horses for some time now and we wanted her 13th birthday to be a memorable experience and it sure was. She will never forget her 13th birthday. She started at 7am. Esther learned how to catch a horse named Cloud, learned how to tie the horse to the pole, cleaned  the horses hooves, saddled him up, put repellent on him, walked him to the arena, learned how to command and ride a horse. After all of this she took the saddle off and bathed him. Once she was comfortable with being around horses we got to go out into the pastures and feed the wild mustangs. These horses have never been saddled, rode on, and they have no horse shoes. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Here you can adopt a horse, sponsor a horse if you have no room to keep one of your own, live and work at the ranch as part of your internship, and experience a two or three day trail ride experience.

I am currently taking lessons with Carolyn. She's super knowledgeable, kind, and very rewarding…read morewhen I am getting a lesson. She does not harp on you or make me feel like a bad rider... like some other trainers. My saddle didn't fit my gelI g so she lend us her awesome saddle that fits my gelding a lot better. My gelding is very green and has come along A LOT after only taking 4 lessons.

Carolyn Carroll is a very skilled trainer! I started riding with Carolyn as a beginner and she has…read morehelped me through the levels of dressage. Thanks to her I am now am riding Fourth Level! Her classical training has made this experience pleasurable for both horse and rider! I highly recommend her!

Drakesbad Guest Ranch - Beautiful setting, but still room for improvement…read more Drakesbad Guest Ranch is set in a truly spectacular location, but a few operational issues prevent it from being the exceptional experience it could be. We booked a two-night stay in one of the Annex 2 cabins. About a week before arrival, I attempted to extend our reservation by an additional night. I called multiple times and left messages but never received a return call. I also sent an email and never received a response. As a result, the extra night was never added. When I arrived, I brought it up in person and was told by the property manager that I would need to return at 3:00 p.m. to see if anything was available. He explained that their communication system had been experiencing issues and that calls and emails sometimes do not come through because of limited connectivity and spotty internet service. Unfortunately, this was my first impression. Needless to say, the additional night was never added. This communication issue really needs to be addressed. If guests need to modify, confirm, or cancel reservations, they should be able to reach someone reliably. The ranch itself is located in a remote meadow valley within Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is surrounded by forest recovering from the devastating 2021 Dixie Fire. Burned trees still cover many of the hillsides, but the landscape is showing remarkable signs of recovery. The meadow is filled with tall green grass, colorful wildflowers, and deer grazing throughout the fields. Despite the fire's scars, the setting remains stunning. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find no clearly marked reception desk or office. There are no signs directing guests where to check in, so you may need to find an employee for assistance. The property manager personally checks guests in using a laptop and escorts them to their room or cabin. There is also no information provided in the rooms. No guest guide or information sheet was available, so be sure to ask questions about meals, amenities, and property operations. Since there is no cell service, I asked about Wi-Fi. The ranch uses Starlink, but during our stay the signal was only reliably available outdoors and not inside the cabins. Given today's connectivity expectations, a mesh network or Wi-Fi extenders would significantly improve the guest experience. That said, being mostly off the grid was actually refreshing. Guests should also know that the Annex cabins do not have electric lighting. Small solar-powered lanterns are provided and offer just enough light to get around after dark. In addition, power to the ranch is shut off nightly from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., so plan accordingly and charge devices during the day. The Annex cabins appear relatively new and are in good condition. My only design criticism is the deck railing. It sits almost exactly at eye level when seated, partially blocking what should be one of the cabin's best features--the VIEW. One of the highlights of our stay was the dining experience. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included, and the staff were consistently friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The food exceeded expectations, and it sounded like the kitchen was happy to accommodate dietary restrictions. They also offered a nice selection of beers from local breweries, which was especially enjoyable after a long day of hiking. Unfortunately, horseback riding was unavailable during our visit. From what we were told, reservations appear to depend heavily on a single staff member. If that individual is unavailable, horseback rides may not be offered, which was disappointing. One important clarification for prospective guests: despite what some older information may suggest, Drakesbad no longer has a hot spring pool. The pool was damaged during the Dixie Fire and later destroyed by flooding. Today, all that remains is a pipe flowing hot spring water into a nearby creek. The surrounding hiking trails, including Devil's Kitchen, Boiling Springs Lake, and Terminal Geyser, were excellent and provided some of the best experiences of the trip. A few sections were heavily overgrown with thorny vegetation, so hiking pants are recommended. In some places the trail became difficult to follow because of vegetation encroachment. During the summer months, you'll also encounter hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, which adds a unique element to the experience. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and but probably not return. The setting is undeniably beautiful, the staff are friendly, and the food is surprisingly good. However, improvements to communication, guest information, signage, Wi-Fi coverage, and activity coordination would elevate Drakesbad Guest Ranch from a pleasant stay to a truly exceptional destination.

We spent our 45th wedding anniversary, July 2025. We love this place. Even after the fire(s), it's…read moreLassen Park! Beautiful! The guest ranch is a wonderful base camp to experience this part of the park. The ranch staff make the experience happen. We felt like family (in the good way). These folks actually care. Look closely at their website for what they offer. For us, it was like you'd think of an early 1900s, Adirondack's mountain motor lodge to be like. Rustic but regal. The staff made it regal for us.

Amazing place! Beautiful surroundings and excellent horse setup. Ruth is awesome. Took care of our…read morehorse and Pony so well they didn't want to leave LOL!!

Such a good time! Molly is clear, patient, kind, and great with kids. We did an hour ride which…read morewas enough for us. Wear jeans! I had on yoga pants and they kept riding up so my legs got scratched and there were lots of twigs, bushes and branches leg high. Molly took photos and airdropped them to me after. It was easy to find, fun and easy to arrange, and was a highlight of our trip!

I bought my MIL & FIL a 45 minute horse back riding package and they absolutely loved it. Their…read moreguide was incredibly sweet and she gave them an extra 45 minutes to their trip, free of charge. They were so happy and they had such a blast, it was so sweet. They also went to the winery after and had dinner and they said it was amazing. I am so glad I stumbled across them on yelp.