Had a great time. We had a brief lesson before hitting the trail and the horses were very easy to ride. Our guide was very sweet and obviously cares a great deal about the horses. Great little ranch they have there. read more

Be advised if this company Cancels your ride, not the other way around. They will not refund you! They cancel your ride and keep your money. I am embarrassed I booked this for my anniversary, I do not live in Temecula but was there for an anniversary trip. Our ride was canceled and they kept our money. They do not return calls or emails. Terrible business practices. Do not book here, these people are scammers. Review is not fake as I can show the bank charges. Rain in the morning shouldn't affect a late afternoon ride, it was cold but very dry. Book any other company but this one- fair warning, worst service I've ever experienced. Complete crooks!!! Check the BBB- they stolen from more people! read more

My sister's and I booked a horseback riding trip last week. Katie was our guide. She was so much fun and we felt so safe. She picked out the right horses for us which made the ride perfect! Definitely ask for Katie. read more

I've been here twice this year and each time the horse back riding has been better and better. The personal touch by each lead rider is what makes the experience so great, relaxing, enjoyable and safe for all riders of all level. read more

We were a group of 4 ladies with minimal riding experience. We were met at the stable on time by Cole, a 16 year old boy and his 14 year old brother. They were very kind and knowledgable, with cheery good humor getting our waivers and instructions all squared away. He did an excellent job of making sure we were safely prepared to handle the horses for the ride. My reason for 3 stars is that it took us an hour and a half to get going. Each person was saddled up on their horse with a 20 minute safety, "how to" instruction session while the others waited, either on their horse or at the rail of the corral. An improvement would be to get everyone on their horse and go through instructions together for a small group like ours. The ride was painfully slow, with me continually having to stop my horse from getting too close to the one in front of me. I was pretty frustrated and couldn't wait for it to end. read more

We took our son and granddaughter for a ride for her birthday. V gave detailed instructions to our 10yo granddaughter on how to control the horse. Even though she had ridden before this was the first time that she controlled the horse on her own. V took us on a 2 hr ride through some of the picturesque back country of Temecula with a variety of terrain and awesome views. We did a ride last year through vineyards, which was nice but this was more like a real trail ride. Thank you V, you made this special. read more

My son and 2 granddaughters went to Vin Hesten's Trail Rides yesterday. My 11 year old granddaughter has been asking for a long time to go riding again. She took lessons when she was younger and rode a few times a year until Covid. She and her 6 year old sister were so excited to go. I live in south eastern Oceanside and drove to pick them up in Fallbrook and then on to the ranch. It was a 2 hour trip each way for me. I signed up for the 1 hour Family Trail Ride that said 2-4pm. Their description is- "Ride on a timeless trail that will wind you through spectacular oak forests, grassy meadows and Wine County roads in Temecula, CA." Sam was our guide and was very nice, informative and good with the kids. We arrived just before 2pm and were greeted by Sam. She then explained things and started getting the horses ready to go out. She brought one at a time out to the corral and then had us get on one at a time. While we waited for everyone to board their horse, we sat on the horses in the corral. We finally left the corral at 2:40pm. She led us through some brush and trees, which we had to lean way down to not get hit with the branches. I kept waiting to get on the trails. She then had us stop for the photos, and spent about 10 minutes getting the horses lined up and taking photos from different angles. Then back to walking through the brush and trees again. We came back out to the little path we can in on and there was actually a little trail and then she led us back to the corral. I was at the end and entered the corral at 3:08pm. That is less than a 30 minute ride for over $270+. Sam's mom was in the barn when we returned. I was really disappointed and felt badly for my older granddaughter. The girls liked the little bit we did, but we only got half of the ride I paid for. My son and I were disappointed and angry. We waited while Sam put the horses away because Sam had promised my 6 year old granddaughter that she had some carrots in her refrigerator and that she would let her feed her horse one. When she came out, my granddaughter reminded her and she said she didn't think she had any big carrots after all. She looked quickly in the fridge and said, no I don't have any big carrots and the baby carrots aren't good for them. My granddaughter was bummed! So we then went to the car to leave. It was then only 3:35 and we were scheduled until 4 and no other customers there the whole time we were there. Originally we had planned on making this a regular activity with the girls, but after the disappointment, we are still looking for a good place to go trail riding. read more

Purchased a Groupon but the voucher number didn't work at all, when I tried to book a date. Called Vin Hesten Trail Rides and got no answer nor a way to leave a message. Called Peak.com who does the booking on behalf of this trail ride, and they couldn't help out either. Unfortunately had to completely cancel this despite that I was looking forward to it. I'm not sure what's wrong, but I guess it hard to figure out when you cannot reach anybody who may have answers. read more

My girlfriends and I booked a Mother's Day ride and wine tasting. The people were nice, but the ride was very basic. We were told not to bring cellphones and that they would provide pictures for $25. We paid for the photo package, but a month later we still haven't received them, even after several email correspondence. I requested a refund for the pictures a week ago, and have been ignored. read more

Lisa was great, horses were super friendly and easy to ride. A great birthday present for my wife and I. Colin read more

It is a wonderful ranch with lovely people and well cared for horses! Highly recommend it. AKS read more

We came with friends for horse riding and wine tasting from a Travelzoo deal. Vendella was a great guide and she knew the horses really well. The trail is beautiful especially after all the rain this year. I do have two issues with this place: 1- we drove an hour and a half to get there and had to use the bathroom, all they have is a porta potty which I can deal with but this one was absolutely disgusting, I mean really bad. It had not been cleaned in a very long time and there wasn't anywhere to wash our hands. 2- we had four couples and they were only equipped to do small groups so we couldn't all go together at the same time. So aside from those complaints we had fun and enjoyed the trail and the guides and the wine tasting at Mesia de la Vinnia was fun too. read more

I had fun riding for the first time . I had Luke as my horse . I enjoy his crazy personality . All in all it was a great experience . If I had to do it again I would go early in the morning . During the day is HOT!!!!! read more

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I cannot say enough good things about this place! My mom, girlfriend, and I came here for my vacation and had a BLAST! We enjoyed a nice small group- just the three of us and Bridgette. We got one on one pre-training before riding around the trails so that was nice since all of us had pretty much never been on a horse. We rode Duce, Red, and Whisper- all three were great with us. I personally am biased towards Red since he was my horse. Bridgette was a great guide, funny, friendly, and amusing. Everyone at the ranch was super friendly and welcoming. We got to learn a ton about the history of Vin Hesten, our horses, the family, the trails, and their goal to save horses. So you really do get a lot more than what's written down. I would TOTALLY come back here and I recommend this for people that like to ride horses (even newbies like me!), or who want to ride a horse, and for people who like the outdoors. read more

Went on a ride for our 6 year anniversary with the adorable Vendala (hope I'm spelling her name right) yesterday with my husband and we had a great time! He got to ride the gentle giant Mater while I was on Duce the smarta** lol. Vendala was very informative, entertaining, funny and bright. My butt still hurts but we will definitely be back for this ride again and we look forward to the new different tours in the future. Thank you Vendala and Vin Hesten Tours, this was definitely an anniversary trip to remember! read more

Vin Hesten Trail Rides - Fyi, Duce loves being scratched on his head, behind his ears and under his jaw. He also likes to stick his tongue out lol - Horseback Riding Near Me - Temecula, California

We paid an additional $20 for a photo package because phones aren't allowed on the trail. Our horse riding lesson/tour was on 12/12/21 and we were told to allow 5 business days to get our photos but still have not received them yet. We have emailed and messaged multiple occasions with the last couple of emails going unanswered and no updates. read more

At first I was super intimidated but Elizabeth made the whole process very fun. She's super energetic and made sure we were following her instructions because safety is important as first time riders. I'm definitely looking forward to do this again soon. I hope she's our trail guide again. Loved this whole experience and my horse Whistle thank you Elizabeth, hope to see you soon again read more

This was such an awesome first time experience! Our guide (I can't remember her name but she was our tour guide on 9/25 at 11 am) was such a sweet and knowledgable guide! We were the only two on the tour and she made us feel involved. The horses are beautiful! I would totally recommend anyone going there. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to find the ranch. read more

Vin Hesten Trail Rides - Pictures taken by guide - Horseback Riding Near Me - Temecula, California

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I surprised my sister for her birthday to go horseback riding and wine tasting. What a wonderful experience. Bridget & Savannah were great on the trail ride, and Dusty really worked with me to get the date I needed to schedule. It was only a week in advance and he was able to squeeze us in so I could surprise my sister on her actual birthday! They really did an amazing job making this trip memorable and enjoyable. I highly recommend!!! read more

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The guide never showed up. We drove 2 hours and no one was there and claimed we were a no show, but that's not true. We have proof of us there at the time of our appointment. I wish we got to go on the ride as I'm sure it would be good according to the other reviewers. Unfortunately my own experience was terrible. Driving 2 hours and leaving back home with a huge headache and disappointment was not a fun experience. read more

Awesome experience! The horses are well cared for and the stuff was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We had a great time! read more

Vin Hesten Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Temecula, California

This was definitely money well spent. I am 100% satisfied with our experience at Vin Hesten trail rides. We are not experienced riders, but that does not matter. The groups are limited to 4 riders in a group with two guides which to me is a perfect ratio. The horses are brought out one at a time and the riders get to "practice" on their horse before heading out onto the open trail. The trail that they take you on really shows you breath taking views of the countryside in a very remote location. We did not see any other people on the trail despite it being Saturday. The ride is also away from any major roads and the guides are very careful when cars do happen to come by on rare occasions on small roads. The most impressive thing about the experience is how passionate our guide was about the horses and other animals that are kept there. (I am told that this is also a horse rescue) Every horse has a story, with many of these horses coming from backgrounds of abuse and neglect. It is inspiring to me to see how they adopt the horses and make their lives meaningful again. Lastly, the e-mail that we received before we showed up for our ride said that we can bring "treats" for the horses, so we had a lot of fun after our ride giving our horses a well deserved reward of carrots and apples. read more

My boyfriend surprised me with a day of horseback riding here. All the trail horses were retired thoroughbred. They also offer riding lessons and adoption of the horses. We had a great time! The wonderful girls that helped us were all very knowledgable and friendly!! We also got wine tasting coupons after!! (I think it was part of a groupon/living social deal) read more

Vin Hesten Trail Rides - Horseback Riding Near Me - Temecula, California

Awful customer service. I bought 2 trail rides on Groupon then when I tried to use the codes, they wouldn't work. Since I didn't want to miss the day and time we wanted to go riding, I booked 2 spots at the full rate price assuming they would refund me the difference since I had purchased the Groupon. The trail guide did not offer any assistance other than keep calling. I have called at least 15 times and sent countless emails with no response. The day ended up costing me $500 for a mediocre 40 minute trail ride. If I don't receive a response soon I'll be making a report to the better business bureau. I would be happy to delete this bad review if the owner would please respond and assisted with assistance. read more

fantastic experience! Dusty was very knowledgeable , friendly, and welcoming (as was his son, Cole). We can't wait to go back for another ride. read more

I went to do a horse back riding tour with some friends today and we had a great time. As a total beginner, I was a little scarred but it was a great experience. Each horse had a different personality, mine (Flash) was extremely lazy and did not want to move !! But it went fine thanks to the lovely sisters who are the trail hands :) Dusty the owner contacted me right away after I sent a message to Vin Hesten and made things very smooth, explaining everything in details. This is a family business which I like a lot. I just thought we will see more of the vineyards while riding ! read more

I've been volunteering here for a couple months now and love the owners. They have great hospitality. It's always a joy to be there. Come and book yourself a ride! read more

Overall a nice experience. Our guide was a young lady that I was a little apprehensive initially but she knew her stuff. After a while my confidence in her grew. Most of the ride was on dirt and I wish that some of the trails will pass through fields. The young girls were friendly and knowledgeable and I would recommend this ride for someone who has not ridden a horse. read more

This was an incredible experience for my wife and I. Not only was our instructor knowledgeable, but she was also funny and reliable. She made us feel like friends and not clients. We took a beautiful trail. And she made sure we were properly handling the horses and the horses were listening to us. Afterwards they gave us instructions on where to go to our wine tasting, which was an an experience on its own: We are definitely planning on coming back in the future for another adventure. read more

Had a good trail ride, our guide Trisha was great but disappointment for the aftermath customer service. They didn't follow through with sending the pictures as was promise on the Groupon deal. After waiting about a week and still not receiving the pictures I tried to contact by leaving many voices messages including numerous emails and even try texting but no reply at all by any mean over a few weeks period. After so many attempts of trying to get any type of respond back I just gave up and forget it. Not worth my time and frustration anymore to follow up. That was the major disappointment I had and I'm very unhappy of how I'm being treated after but my experience on the trail was great. read more

Don't buy photos with them. A waste of money, might as well use that money to gamble at the casino. I never received mine nor did I ever got a refund or a reply back. read more

This was the best birthday present to myself ever! Riding horses in Temecula wine country was a blast! Vin Hesten Trail Rides is a wonderful experience. The family-owned business rescues horses and takes great care of them. The horses are gentle and well trained. Our guide was a beautiful girl with a fabulous personality! She was engaging and shared interesting information about the horses. Before our ride, she worked with each of us one-on-one providing horseback riding instruction and made sure all of our questions were answered. (I'm a teacher so I appreciate that--Thank you!) She even double checked our saddles and asked if we were comfortable in the stirrups. My friend and I highly recommend going to Vin Hesten Trail Rides, because they rescue horses, and you'll have fun riding on the scenic trails to a gorgeous overlook. We will definitely go back soon! read more

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We had a fantastic time! We spent time visiting the horses and dogs prior to our ride and they were very accommodating as it was our first time riding a horse. Gave my husband and I am lesson first and made us feel very comfortable. Our guide was fun and shared very informative riding tips and experiences. They also took great photos of us and printed them and emailed them! After, they shared great local dining recommendations that were not the typical winery. We will definitely be back! read more

My friend purchased this as a gift for my birthday so we could spend the day in Temecula together! I love the outdoors and most importantly love horseback riding and have been many times all over California! Overall this was my favorite spot I've been to so far! The view is outstanding and the staff was incredible, especially the way the treat and care for the horses. Wine tasting after was the cherry on top of a perfect day! Thanks again!! read more

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We did the ride last weekend and have mixed feelings about it. Loved that we rode rescue horses and thought the employees/owners were nice. Our guide (Lisa) was very friendly and patient. The ride itself was ok, the trails were not very scenic - no where near the pictures they presented. My main complaint is that we never received the pictures or did we never hear back from the owner after 2 emails (you can call the number but you can't leave a message) about when the pictures would be arriving. Twice we stopped (on the ride) for about 5 minutes so we could get in a proper setting so that our pictures could be taken which only added salt to the wounds (as well as leaving a generous tip) in not getting the pics. Hard to believe in this day and age that it is that difficult to send pics that were taken on a phone- would recommend that the owners not mention that you will receive pics and not stop twice to take pics if they have no intention of sending them...if you go, maybe you could give the guide your phone and/or tell her once you receive the pics you will give the tip- very shady/deceitful to say the least! read more

I booked a trail ride for 4 riders for my moms birthday. She absolutely loves horses and use to have one. Dusty was our tour guide and he was so nice and informative. He made everyone feel extremely comfortable before and during our ride! I can't rave enough about this place and how wonderful it is! I would definitely recommend to anyone and everyone. My family and I will definitely be coming back!! read more

Super awesome experience!!! My work friend and I got a living social deal for Vin Hesten Trails. Unfortunately, we were half hour late because we got a little lost and had to deal with some traffic but the guides were so understanding and awesome. The crew was super understanding and told us not to worry but to be safe getting to the ranch. When we pulled up, we soon realized we were the only ones that booked for that time slot...so we got a personalized appointment, which we were super thrilled about! When we got fitted to the horses, we got a quick review and headed out. We got to ride Whisper and Flash with Savanah and Bridget (trail guides). The trail guides were wonderful and super friendly. We learned about the land, types of horses, fun things to do in the Temecula area and about Naked, their new wild Mustang that was joining our ride for one of the first times. It was a beautiful day. We stopped at the top of the trail and got some cool pics for their website and then we got our own personal pics with our phones. The trail was a mix of uphill and flat. You definitely got a chance to scan the surrounding scenery with the super laid back, slow moving and perfect for beginning riders pace! When we got back, we fed some of the horses, who were very thankful. We also got some wine vouchers which we will likely use at another time. Such a cool day and certainly recommend these girls to any small group of people looking for a relaxing, calm outdoor activity. Will definitely be bringing my girlfriends from home when they come to visit SoCal. Don't forget to tip the crew! They work super hard to give everyone a good experience! read more

Had a great ride and lisa was a more than excellent guide! If we ever head back to cali, we will definitely be booking another ride.

Will update my review after we receive our pictures. No response yet from management. Do not buy the photo package!!! We had an amazing time celebrating my fiancé's birthday. Lisa was awesome and even gave us some good suggestions to check out in old town (Gambling Cowboy and Augie's Ice Cream) definitely want to come back and ride Whistle and Duece read more

Words cannot express our appreciation to Dusty and his family for accommodating our group and for providing such a fun, enjoyable, relaxing and memorable experience!!! I HIGHLY recommend this trail ride venue for any one regardless of experience. We were given thorough instructions on how to ride our individual horses and we were led into beautiful scenery. I'm usually a little anxious around horses but I was completely at ease because I was given the necessary tools to set me up for success. We are so appreciative to the Lunde Family for making our outing nearly perfect in every way and we plan to visit again and share this experience with our friends and family. read more