Melissa is an excellent wrangler. We had a private ride through an arroyo and up a mountain she…read morewould point out the geology and flora and fauna of the area. She has been a horsewoman all of her life and has rescued her horses and dogs and rehabbed them from dark fates. It is nice to know that she gives them second chances at life. My horse, Early, was a good boy and a pleasure to ride. If you want a nice scenic ride in a beautiful area and to feel good about helping horses, this is the place to go.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Melissa is fantastic. We signed up on a whim and she took us out that same day…read more She is so nice, so easy to work with, and an amazing horse handler. I was nervous and she really made all of the difference. The horses were easy to ride, the trail was gorgeous, and she points out so many lovely things along the way. If you are looking for horseback riding in the Taos area, go to her!

Incredible time on a few hour UTV tour! Our guide was a lot of fun, knowledgeable, and passionate…read moreabout the area. We rented a six seater. So much fun!!

Really good time to get a ride around the September time. The rental UTVs were more than capable on…read morethe trail. The vehicles were really fun to drive. The staff up front was really nice and flexible. I recommend the self guided tour to go in your own pace.

Took the 2 hour trail ride with the family today and we all had a blast. Nicole was our trail guide…read moreand she was awesome. She made us feel very comfortable with the horses and knew a ton of stuff about the area and town. So many beautiful post card views from the ride.

Great views on horseback! Great staff that was helpful, experienced and fun! The 2 hour ride was…read moresteep, and ended with a great view of the valley. My friend had not ridden in 30 years, I have horses at home, and we both enjoyed the ride! Saw wild turkey, deer and a mouse.

Today we went to Fishtail Ranch to enjoy a horseback ride. They were so wonderful, and attentive to…read moreour needs (short people raise your hand!). They made sure that the shorter individuals in our party were set up with saddles to match the needed stirrup height. Our guide Eli was amazing! The stable is full of incredible horses and we had zero issues with behavior. Our ride was about 2 hours long, and winds through some of the most amazing scenery around! This is a must stop location for a fun family adventure!

We had an awesome experience doing a 2 hour horseback ride through the mountains at Fishtail Ranch…read more The price was unparalleled (65 per person for a 2 hour ride!), the wranglers were helpful and easy to talk to, and our horses were well selected. One of us had moderate experience with horses while the other is a beginner, they matched us well with our horses and we both had a wonderful time. We drove up for the day from Albuquerque and it was worth the drive, a beautiful scenic trip along the way. Would absolutely recommend.

Great guide and nice expedition. They were a little backed up due to road construction and the…read moregroup ahead of us getting there late but they bumped us back to the next available time slot and it all worked out. We've been on horseback tours before as a family and this was definitely the most laid back. The guide got a nice group photo at the end and was able to give us some history of the area along the ride.

This was the best thing about Angel Fire. Skiing was fun and my kids loved this trip. But after…read morehaving done this horseback riding with my 6 and 4 year old, we definitely all agree Dillon and Olivia made our trip so much better than it already was. They even played Ispy with my kids while they rode horses through the snowy beautiful mountain.

What a fantastic horseback adventure with Big Al and Blake. Al picked us up at the entrance to Taos…read moreSki Valley in the "Pope-mobile" -- his 4-wheel drive truck with a tall camper. I have to say that Al is as nice as the day is long. He is interested and interesting. He is eager to hear where we came from, as well as to share his history in the Taos Ski Valley. He is one of 34 year-round residents of the area. After signing waivers, he drove us roughly 30 minutes up the mountain to his horse camp at 10,500 ft. in the mountains. He assessed us for experience and fit us in duster-sized rain slickers, to keep us both dry and warm in the mountains, he said. We didn't hit any rain, but there were grey clouds on the peak next to us and lightening in the distance, so the slickers were obviously a good idea. Next he gave us a lesson on horse handling and safety, and had each of us practice on his saw horse models. Then he and Blake helped everyone saddle up and we were off...Big Al at the front and Blake at the back. We had a great 2-hour ride through the mountains with beautiful views of Taos Ski Valley and Wheeler Peak on the Bull of the Woods Trail. At the 12,000 foot summit, we were close enough to touch the last snow of the season (if we were't on horseback) which thrilled the kids on July 3. It was a glimpse of the mountain usually restricted to expert hikers...truly a privilege. Every one of our group of six are convinced that we had the best horse. My daughter was on Rio and I was on Blanco (the best I'm sure), the rest of our group were on Badger, Ace, Milagro and Payday. These horses are obviously used to riders of all experience level--were we handling them or were they handling us? The ride ended back at the horse camp. On the literature they advertise a 15-course snack, which for us was a big variety of sodas, snack cakes (twinkies, little debbie, etc), granola bars, peanuts, snack crackers, cheezits. We sat and snacked and truly enjoyed our visit with Al and Blake. On the way down the mountain, we asked Al what would be for dinner had we chosen the ride that ended with a chuck wagon dinner. He said: Shrimp cocktail Mozzarella/tomato salad Pasta Grilled pork loin Apple pie with maple syrup However I'm sure the menu changes occasionally. Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it would be good. Our ONLY disappointment of the day was that we didn't get photos of us on our horses. Once we were riding, it was hard to manage a camera, as you always had one hand on the reigns and one on the saddle horn. It would have been nice to get a group picture, or even to stop at the more scenic places. Besides that, we were thrilled. Now for the 411: 2 hour ride with snack was $65 plus tax or $70 per person all in. 2 hour ride with chuck wagon dinner was $85 plus tax. Overnight with dinner and breakfast is $145. We saw the bunks and camp and it seems like it could be a really fun adventure. Overall...6 thumbs up from our group of 6. Thanks Al, and thanks Blake. It was all you said it would be and more.

Don't do his snowmobile tours. He goes VERY slow, the exhaust fumes are nauseating and he's…read moreunpleasant to be around. Go to Red River. Much better experience.

A great place to stay with or without horses. Adjacent to the Carson National Forest, a beautiful…read morearea for hiking or horseback riding, Taos Horse Getaways is a jewel compared to most "horse hotels.". The owners have constructed two "casitas" and a cabin which they have appointed tastefully and completely. They are very well stocked with appliances for a short or extended vacation. There is a flat-screen TV in the living room with a large selection of DVDs to view and several shelves of interesting books to read if you wish. That's right beside the wood-burning stove that would be a delight in the winter. Bring your pets as well as each unit has an adjacent large enclosed chainlink fence kennel which is both covered and protected on one side to hold your dogs in comfort while you're out wandering the forest trails. Of course all horse owners will want to know about the equestrian facilities. They're excellent! Large paddocks with electric and water hookups. Each unit has a large run-in shed, gate access is easy, and the paddocks are easily visible from inside the living quarters. Large stock tanks are provided. There is ample space for your trailer and easy turn-around drives. Finally, all of this would be diminished if the facilities were old and in need of updating and repair as so many horse resorts are. But they're not. Everything is well maintained and and in excellent condition. The owners are dedicated to this place and it shows.

I hoped to make a visit to a riding ranch, especially one featuring a a Certified Therapeutic…read moreRiding and Posture instructor. My research on the run came up short and I should have known better, but it was worth a try. I left a voicemail with Christina inquiring about a last minute reservation for the next day. Christina called back (voicemail) leaving a very kind and considerate message that she currently only travels to the clients locale and schedules group sessions. Okay, jealous we don't live locally to take advantage of this unique service. Christina provided us with alternate riding ranches in the Santa Fe area. We were able to connect with one and reserve a ride (tomorrow). Thanks Christina! If you reside in the Santa Fe / Albuquerque region and have your own equine and riding facilities and have a physical, postural, and/or mediative need/interest...the services provided by Buckaroo Balance can deliver. I'm betting you will not be disappointed. http://www.buckaroobalance.com

Christina is an excellent instructor and versatile in so many different aspects of horsemanship,…read moretraining, and ranching! Quick to share her knowledge and skilled in communication.