Had a FANTASTIC experience today! It seems some of the less than favorable reviews below are related to the other business with the same name. We met our guide at a private lot with direct beach access. (No crossing freeways or long rides to the beach) Our guide Steve was friendly and we were given clear instruction before mounting the horses. My husband had never been on a horse before and he was nervous but afterward said he had a great time and felt confident on the horse as we rode. While we did not book a private ride, our group ended up only being our family of three and it was a truly gorgeous day and awesome experience. If we lived local I would do this all the time! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Tours Near Me

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This trail ride was perhaps the worst I've ever experienced for multiple reasons. Two of the employees in particular were so rude, uptight, and condescending. I brought a water bottle attached to a lanyard and both of these employees felt the need to judgmentally ask me if I "really needed that water bottle" and "are you sure that won't fall off?" Of course, the water bottle did fall off. When we got back, the man rudely and unnecessarily remarked "I told you it would fall off." I was paired with a terrible horse who did not follow any of my commands, constantly ate the vegetation, pinned his ears at and would try to bite the other horses for no reason, etc. I have some experience riding horses and I was doing my absolute best with this out-of-control horse. In turn, I was continually being barked at by the guides to "pull up on the reins and release, don't let him eat, kick him, go to the back, catch up to the rest of the group, keep him away from the other horses" etc. In addition, we rode through a very busy freeway overpass with multiple onramps/offramps and cars everywhere. We also passed right next to an active railroad. Of course, a train roared past a mere ten feet away from us. The horses spooked and it was a miracle that no one was thrown off. We were not given any prior warning that we would be riding in the middle of these very dangerous environments. If there was a warning in the waiver, I wouldn't have known because we were so rushed to sign it and had no time to read it. We finally made it to the actual beach and spent a mere 20 minutes on the shore before riding back through the danger zones towards home. I spent the entire ride pissed off, disappointed and feeling unsafe. read more

Amazing ride, amazing views, went on the sunset beach ride, the sunset was beautiful, horses were shiny and beautiful, leaders are so nice (: Definitely recommend. I love this place, definitely going back to here! Good for beginners and intermediate! read more

Beautiful safe ride at sunset! Our guide Christian made sure we were safe and took lots of pictures! Will go again when in the area. read more

Excellent experiance! Steve was the absolute best guide, and my husband and I had a beautiful private ride on the beach during our StayCation. We met our guide at a driveway to a lot right at the beach. (Just before the Ritz Carlton) The horses were really calm and instruction was really easy. We live here, so we are going to book again, especially when family comes into town for a visit. Booking was easy, the guide was friendly and helpful and the ride was amazing. We highly recommend Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides! read more

This place is not safe for beginners. I hadn't ridden in over a decade, and I let them know that when I arrived. When we were mounting, we had no instructions on what to do once we were on the horse. The owner, Charlie, said to keep my horse (Scout) away from the black horse. My horse kept walking forward, and I said my horse wasn't responding to my command to stop. People said to pull back on the reins and I said that I'm trying to. He didn't give clear instructions on how to keep my horse away, and just kept standing between me and the black horse saying "keep the horse away," and "it's you. It's not Scout-it's you." I told him again that I didn't know what I was doing and that I hadn't ridden in years. I was just sitting there, pulling the reins, hoping the horse would stop walking. He repeatedly told me to go to the end of line. I didn't know how, so he said to move the reins, look where I wanted to go, and give a kick. So I did... and my horse turned quickly and raised its head sporadically. How do you expect me alone to lead a horse I just got on-a horse I had already lost control of-without even knowing how to properly ride to begin with? For being on a horse less than 5 minutes in over a decade, it was pretty scary. His sternness yet lack of detailed instruction did not help. After attempting to trot to the front of the line, the horse eventually calmed on its own when the group began walking off during this spectacle. The guides gave instructions throughout the ride, but it should have been sooner, at the start, and before we were even on the horse. I wasn't the only one struggling. To add insult to injury he asked if we left them a tip at the end of the ride. I would only recommend this experience for people who have recent horse riding experience and work well under pressure. PS: There are apparently 2 different trail companies sharing the same name. This review is for the company under the "santabarbarabeachrides" website. read more

I've been riding with Santa Barbara Beach Rides for nearly five years, and I truly consider them the best. Unlike most group rides--where everyone is limited to the pace and ability of the least experienced rider--SB Beach Rides manages to give each person an experience tailored to their level. The guides are skilled, attentive, and know how to make every rider feel comfortable and challenged in the right way. Their horses are sound, well-mannered, and safe, which gives you complete confidence whether you're a beginner or an experienced rider. Every ride feels both fun and memorable. I recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a great riding experience in Santa Barbara. Love those guys! read more

Buyer Beware - Misleading Experience and Not Worth the Price Visited with a group of four for the 4:30 PM ride on a Saturday. While the total time was indeed 90 minutes, more than 75% of it was spent simply traveling to and from the beach -- including crossing the access and exit ramps of Route 101, and even riding over the freeway itself. The actual time on the "beach" was roughly 15 minutes, limited to a short, back-and-forth walk of about 1/4 mile. Contrary to what the website suggests, this is not a private beach experience. Several dogs were roaming off-leash, and the setting felt more like a public access point than anything exclusive or curated. The guide originally assigned to us did not show up. The person who did guide our ride was polite but very difficult to understand, making communication during the ride almost impossible. As for the woman overseeing the stables - while she was somewhat accommodating, she came off as dismissive and rude. At $380 per couple, this experience was far from what was expected based on communication with the company and their website . In hindsight, we should have looked beyond the testimonials on the www.sbbeachrides.com website and dug into broader reviews and social mentions. Hopefully this review serves as a cautionary flag for others considering this ride. Save your money and your time. read more

I planned a trip on the PCH from LA to Sa Francisco to celebrate my daughter's 17th birthday with fun stops along the way. After reading a LOT of reviews, I left a message to ask some questions. Bob was wonderful. He answered all my questions and made me feel very comfortable. I'd ridden a horse twice in 30 years and was very nervous each time. This would be my daughter's first time. He assured me they would pair us appropriately with a horse. Zack was our guide. He exceeded my expectations!! He was very informative and gave great Instructions. he was very patient and never made me feel uncomfortable for being nervous. He teaches riding and is obviously a very skilled rider. you can tell he loves his job and likes to share the experience with people! The scenery was gorgeous. It's a memory my daughter and I will cherish for the rest of our lives! read more

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Had a great time with our guide Lucas, very professional and extremely friendly, will definitely be coming back!

We were celebrating our five year anniversary and wanted to do something really special! Horseback riding on the beach has definitely been on my bucket list forever! It was such a beautiful day to go and our tour guide Ava was so professional and friendly. Definitely pricey but a worthy experience! Recommend!! Side note: If you do not normally go horseback riding just be aware that it can really hurt your thighs and booty! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - My partner and I went for our 5 year anniversary! - Tours Near Me

First for the positives. The horses behaved well and it was a fun experience to ride on the beach and take in the beautiful scenery. Negatives: the ride was scheduled at 10 and when we arrived they said we had the wrong time and had to come back 2 hours later. The guide was talking on his phone or looking at it for 90 % of the ride. The tack was old worn out, synthetic saddles with ripped fenders and uncomfortable stirrups. The bridles were mis matched pieces of both english and western tack. The horses appeared under fed and thirsty. Oh, and this is a good one, at the end, he asked if we wanted to leave a tip! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Guide glued to his phone. - Tours Near Me

We had a wonderful time! I forget the guy's name who took us on the trail, but he did a great job guiding the tour. You go through the beach and even some lemon trees! Very fun, and romantic. Small group setting which was perfect for our honeymoon adventure. I definitely want to go back and see Sprinkles and Scout again! Don't forgot to tip your tour guide, and follow the rules! Some influencer type girl kept getting in trouble not listening. ...it was kind of funny. I was entertained!! Absolutely beautiful view, we went during the week and it seems like no one is on that beach. The guy even took a photo of us which was really nice!! Hopefully we will be back next year on our anniversary! read more

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After alot of research this is the best (in my opinion) horseback riding business you can go with. The guide was very knowledgeable and very concerned for our safety. It's a very nice and tranquil ride from the property where the horses are at to the beach. All the horses are very well mannered and trained. We will definitely be going back to do this again. read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Beach ride - Tours Near Me

Easy to learn to ride. Gentle horse and peaceful trail. We hit the ocean just at Sunset, which was absolutely glorious. Very relaxing and fun. The taught us one little trick, to gallop a bit on the beach, which was one of my favorite parts. I wish they had done more of this rather than us just walking in a line. But, I still highly recommend! read more

I made a yelp account to write this review, because my experience must be shared to warn others. The staff were extremely rude and condescending. Not a place for beginner riders. Paco would yell and get aggravated at us when the horse would not cooperate; yet, we told him we are beginner riders. Charlie was extremely rude and snarky right off the bat. He would consistently jab snarky comments at us. He loudly told me that my helmet is "too small" in front of everyone and then got mad at me and yelled when I went to go change it. He made my friends and I extremely uncomfortable and scared. He got annoyed when we took pictures with the horses and got mad that we had our phones with us during the ride. I do not understand how we had to be scared to take any pictures/videos when we payed for the ride and experience. Towards the end of our ride, Paco stated we were "lucky" he took us to the beach. I am not sure how we were "lucky" for that as that is the package we payed good money for. The place is called "SB Beach Horseback Rides", so, I am not sure why he stated we "should be lucky" that we rode the horses on the beach. He was rude and yelling at me throughout most of the ride, making me extremely uncomfortable. Mind you, we also did not go to the beach during the sunset, we left before that. Do not go here if you're a beginner rider, they seem to get annoyed and be rude with beginners. I would definitely not recommend this place to anyone as they lack normal customer service skills. Their snarky comments lasted from the moment we stepped onto their property and up until the moment we left. Save your money and go somewhere that treats their customers with respect! I went to another horseback ride in SB and they were extremely nice and helpful and did not make us feel uncomfortable at all. read more

I was really excited to go on this ride but I had to cancel 48 hours before my booking date because we got really sick. It's been 2 weeks and Bob has still not refunded me. He is very responsive when you are making a booking but after you cancel a booking he is no where to be found. I have been calling and texting him and he keeps lying to me saying that he will refund me on this day and that day but nothing so far. He doesn't respond to my calls or texts anymore. I got so tired and now his business has been reported to respective authorities. Don't be fooled, find something else to do read more

Took my wife horseback riding for her birthday... something we had not done in decades so I was little terrified but ended it up being a blast and having lots of fun! We were scheduled for a Sat 1pm ride and I had checked how long it would take to get there in the morning but by the time we headed out, there was a lot of unexpected heavy traffic which would put us about 15 min late. I texted then spoke to Charlie, the manager, to give him a heads up and he was very accommodating... Part of the group had gone ahead as scheduled but the other part of the group was also running late so they got us a separate guide with Tori which all worked out great! (FYI - Charlie is direct and has dry humor which we found hilarious so don't be put off... He's really a nice guy!) My wife rode Koda and I was on Haze. Haze is a great horse who was kept at the head of the pack as he was fast and liked to run and gallop ahead of the rest which after I figured him out, was a lot of fun! Koda was a little slower than my horse and a bit stubborn so you have to be a little more assertive which my wife had no trouble with and had fun on too. So just go into it knowing that each horse has its own personality and character traits. Our guide was Tori who's an expert rider with many years experience riding horses and knows how to handle any situation. Her own horse was jittery and got spooked a lot but she handled it like a pro which was amazing to watch. We really liked her; Tori's very knowledgeable and she answered all my questions as we were riding. The ride was beautiful! My wife especially liked the ride down the road from the stables as it was very scenic and peaceful. And I enjoyed the ride along Loon Point Beach. If you'd like to do something fun for a special occasion, I highly recommend these guys! They'll take good care of you! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Mini horse in the corral. - Tours Near Me

Beautiful ride, a little drama with one of the horses but overall we owe the great ride to the great guide, and my great horse! She could have probably used some help though read more

My boyfriend and I had such a wonderful time and will be recommending this to our friends and family. We had originally planned for a beach ride, but the tide was too high so we did the scenic trail instead and we were not disappointed! Gorgeous views, also through the lemon groves of the nearby ranch. Our horses, Tommy and Duke, were very well behaved. Our guide Mason was knowledgeable and great to ride with, although not much time was spent on initial instructions. Unfortunately another young woman in our group got bucked off, I think because her horse got too close beside another horse and freaked out. Mason handled it very well -- apologized, made sure the woman was okay, and switched horses with her. Overall, excellent experience and I would love to go back someday. read more

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I went on the beach ride with Paco today and it was an amazing experience. I highly recommend this experience! It is beautiful, the horses are wonderful, Paco was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and made the experience very special. I have only ridden horses one other time ten years ago and he made me feel very comfortable and safe. We trotted on the beach, rode on beautiful trails, he took wonderful pictures and we saw lots of amazing birds (a huge blue heron), property, and plants. If you are thinking of booking this trip - definitely do so. Worth every penny. Also felt very safe with how they handled things with COVID. I hope to get back and do it again soon. I loved my horse Tommy! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - My beautiful horse for the ride = Tommy - Tours Near Me

Great experience on a beautiful day to walk from the ranch to the beach. Almost chose a different place due to price but it was well worth it. Mason was very helpful and patient with riders of varying experiences. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Tours Near Me

We had a beautiful sunset beach ride. Truly unique and a spectacular sunset. FYI This is not for people wanting to "ride" ie cantor, gallop etc. but is for people highly recommend this wonderful experience read more

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Overall an okay experience. I was impacted by the Patelco security breach so I couldn't access my bank account. I reached out to Bob to make sure my card went through but he would not get back to me. I called and sent two texts. He finally responded about 5 minutes before our session which thankfully we were already there. As a beginner I didn't feel like they gave us enough information to successfully enjoy the experience fully. My sisters horse started running and he just told her to not scream but they didn't tell us what to do in that situation beforehand so how was she supposed to know. Going back my horse fell behind a couple of times and my sister had to tell the guide she could not see me. My sister told me he joked around and asked the group " should we leave her behind " to the group which I obviously didn't find funny. I think they should have a guide in front and behind to make sure no one gets left behind. The guide should have been aware that I was behind and helped. He did wait for me a couple of times but at the end he just completely disregarded me it seemed. read more

Our bachelorette party of 7 booked a ride on a Saturday for 4:30. We had a great time and the price seemed reasonable for 2 hours (a little under $120/pp). Many in our group had no experience and our guide Paco was patient with all of us and able to make us feel comfortable on our horses. The views were pretty epic and I enjoyed riding my horse Sprinkles. The tide was high at the beach, so we didn't spend tons of time there, but it was a pretty nice ride down and we rode on the shore for quite some time. Paco our guide even was kind enough to take some pictures of the group. We also rode through what looked like part of a vineyard. The scenery was really green and looked a bit rustic. Also, there was a lot of pretty flowers and trees on our ride. Overall, if you are in Santa Barbara, I totally recommend booking a ride here if you want a unique experience and something fun to do in SB. read more

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Excellent ! My husband and I had a fantastic time . We loved our guide , Mason , and our great horses Scout and Duke . The beach at sunset was beautiful and peaceful ! We did this as a private ride for my birthday. I ride regularly at home , but not on a beach , so this was special. I believe every level of rider will enjoy this experience. I highly recommend this company. ! AAA+++ read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Riding on the beach - Tours Near Me

What a wonderful experience. This was truly one of the top things on my bucket list. I loved every second. My guide was awesome! This is certainly a must do. I will definitely be going back to ride again with them! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Tours Near Me

It is a good ride but if you have previous extensive riding experience don't tell them cause they'll give you a horse that needs training and spend the whole time telling you how to school the horse instead of you being able to actually enjoy the ride. read more

WOW! I love this place! Paco was our guide and he was so cool!! My boyfriend surprised me with a horseback ride on the beach for my birthday. It was everything I could ever ask for! So much fun and such a thrill going through the water with the horses. I got to ride Scout! He was so sweet and calm, an absolute joy to ride. All of the horses on the ranch look very well taken care of and seem happy. That's something I always look into going to places like this. They appeared to be well fed and groomed regularly - not that I'm a horse expert or anything, haha. There's also mini ponies on site that are super friendly and allow you to play with and pet them! I thoroughly enjoyed that after the ride. They were so cute! I would love to come here again! Thanks for the amazing ride, Paco! read more

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Just finished a fabulous ride with Rudy. My group had all beginner riders and Rudy was not only a great instructor, but also was made us all feel welcome and relaxed. We will certainly come back again the next time we are in the area! read more

Horses were great and the beach ride was awesome! The only complaint is that Charlie the manager came off with a bit of a pretentious attitude when I asked for an "equestrian saddle". He was a bit rude in correcting me abruptly saying it was called an "English saddle" and then gave me a condescending lecture on the proper terms! At another ranch, I asked for an "Equestrian saddle" and they gave it to me no problem. If he had just communicated to me, that they do not have one, instead of shaming and mocking me on what was the correct term of the saddle, that would have been fine! I felt his behavior to be immature and disrespectful. read more

Charlie was such an awesome host; he tailored my ride for me as I have more riding experience than the group. Gave me the weekday discount too! He paired me with Erica, and she was a fun guide. We rode down to the beach and there, I was allowed to trot and canter my horse. She took pics of me on my horse, and made it a very memorable experience. I highly recommend this place, and will be back with my kids to share the beauty and fun of riding! read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Tours Near Me

Tried to reach Bob three times via text to get information in a ride. He asked me to send him my name and email, which I did. Three times! Never heard anything back. That's ok, Bob. I made other plans! Thanks. read more

A friend of mine came to visit and we decided to explore Santa Barbara. We are both outdoorsy, athletic types, so when we came across this listing, we knew we had to do it! We had a nice ride for 90 minutes, and that was plenty for someone like me who's never been on a horse before. Seriously. I had a mare named Scarlet who was on the slower side, which was good for me, and there were four of us with the guide/trainer, Charlie, who was talkative and gave strong direction. The beach was quiet and beautiful. However, my favourite part of the ride was on the way back through the lemon grove. Wow, that was absolutely gorgeous. Getting to and from the beach is a little bit unnerving, as you have to cross some of the busier roads to do so. But keep in mind this is a two-exit town, so the roads are not like crossing the PCH. By the end, you'll be pretty sore if you've never been for a ride before. Ask about the two-for-one wine tasting for the winery down the road. My friend and I got a coupon for it because we asked, and we loved the rose we tried. read more

Santa Barbara Beach Horseback Rides - Bocce and Scarlet - Tours Near Me

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Charlie was a great tour guy, Very funny Guy and pointed out things as we went with the tour. If you're visiting Santa Barbara make sure you don't miss the horseback riding with Charlie, being able to ride a horse at the beach was just incredible and watching the sunset it takes you to another world. Thank you Charlie. read more

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This site is a complete scam. Bob pairs you with any available ranch/horse he can find. We were taken over the INTERSTATE with live traffic and massive construction. The horses spooked and took off the second we hit the beach. The stirrups in the saddles were not even fitted properly. Thank god we had been riding our entire lives or serious injury and even death could have occurred. Do not book through this site. Do not take your kids on this. Ask a reputable business in the area for safe and legit horse riding excursions. This is not that. read more

Had such a blast on our 60 minute trail ride! Scout and Sprinkles were amazing on the trail. Nice and scenic along the mountain as we couldn't do the beach because the tide was high. The houses along the trail were super beautiful and the our guide Paco was excellent as well. Will be back for more horse back riding fun. read more

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The sunset beach ride is a must! This was a bucket list item for me and an anniversary experience for my significant other and I. This ride was one of the highlights of our anniversary trip. I am an inexperienced rider and this was only my second time on a horse. The tour guide Paco was patient and understanding with my nervousness and inexperience. Customer service is above and beyond with this company. I can't wait to go on more rides with them! read more

They hear it hundreds of times, "It's on my bucket list". I was one of those folks and our guide, 'Tori' and steed 'Tommy' made this part, the crown jewel of my bucket list trip! Beautiful ride, trusted horses, and a must-do if you've ever wanted to ride the wilds or the beach in Summerland, CA (a burb of Santa Barbara). Thank you Santa Barbara Beach Rides!!!!! read more

I was bucked and fell off Scout during a sunset beach ride where the horses got spooked (I was the second horse going up the hill away from the beach) and several horses went galloping and I fell into the beach right at the water line. I know that you ride at your own risk, blah blah, but it's not the horse throwing me off that was the worst of it. It's the way Paco, the lead guy handled it. He never got off his horse, asked me how I was or assisted in any way. He left me and my teenage daughter alone in the beach while he took the other three riders back to the stable, without a cell phone (which was trampled by the horses when I fell) and told me that Charlie (supposedly the owner) would come and pick us up. We waited 35 minutes, until it was almost dark on an isolated beach, with me limping and hands bloody. He drove us back to my car, never apologized, asked if I needed anything, nothing. The next day, still nothing. Not their fault that the horses got spooked, and I fell, but how they completely did not care afterwards is really awful. Still hurting a week later and grateful I didn't break anything. I found them on Yelp. read more