many ponies outfit

I was fortunate to ride with Lisa and Paul when Many Ponies was located up on Wilson Mesa.My kids and I looked forward to riding every summer. Lisa and Paul are both the most honest, friendly, kind, gentle, lovely people you could ride with. They also love their horses, train and treat them well and it shows. Horses are individuals with their own personalities but each one is calm, friendly, lovely and happy. This is also not' nose to butt' riding. Paul is happy to ride at the pace of the group, those who wish to cantor are able to do so where possible, plus they are just wonderful with children--very calm and encouraging to help them become better riders. Paul will be happy to point out historical, geological tidbits about the area, as well as recite terrific cowboy poetry. The lessons in the ring are outstanding, both Lisa and Paul have a long comfort with training adults and kids. The stable is now located in Norwood, with a lovely drive of about 35 minutes from Telluride, but worth the distance. When you're here, visit the the Miramonte Reservoir, see Lone Cone mt, stop in town for ice cream, kick back your boots before your return home. You'll want to come back, like our family does, and ride again soon with Many Ponies. Enjoy!

My friend and I did a half day trail ride at Many Ponies Outfit. Lisa fitted us with cowgirl hats and horses. Paul was out guide. Although we had both ridden several times in the past, he gave us a refresher course on how to lead our horses so that they did what we wanted them to do instead of what they wanted to do. Horses can be very stubborn, but these horses were very responsive. After a short time on the trail, we almost forgot we were riding on horses. They were so well behaved, and the trail and the scenery were both beautiful. We talked a lot about the area and learned a lot about the area. It was informative and fun. We did take a lunch break that was welcome, not because we worked up an appetite, but because it was just so peaceful sitting high on the edge of a cliff and looking out for miles and miles at the beautiful countryside. And Paul read to us from a well worn book of cowboy poetry. The experience was well worth the price, which we thought was very reasonable. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

We were looking for horseback Riding near Telluride, and were going to go to Ride with Rowdy, but he is closed on Sundays. With only a day's notice, I called Many Ponies ranch, and was able to book a 2 hour ride for the next day. Linda was our guide and was very friendly. She took our riding experience into account, and selected horses that had spirit that we could handle well. They limit their group size to 6 riders as well.The ride starts with learning western style riding commands, which the horses are used to. Also, a "cowboy jog" is practiced, which is a little like a canter but slower. Once out on the trail, Linda was full of information about the area, as they live there and have neighbors nearby. Part of the ride is on a public unpaved road, and part on BLM land on a trail. We saw evidence of cougers which the gov't was studying, but not much else save for some deer and rabbit. Many ponies also boards horses for private owners, so their rates are reasonable. I'd definitely recommend this place, its about 45 minutes from downtown Telluride, and on the way to Cortez. Its a nice alternative to Rowdy, if you just want to ride a horse without the theatrics.(Once your'e done riding, head to the Lone Cone in Norwood for some Excellent burgers.)

Four of us went to Many Ponies Outfit for a half day trail ride and had a wonderful time. The organization was very professional, well trained healthy horses, tack in excellent condition, clean facilities, etc. The members of our party had highly varied riding experience. It ranged from pre-beginner to intermediate. The ranch did a wonderful job selecting horses suited to our respective levels of skill. They also began our session with 15-20 minutes in the arena to give us time to become familiar with our mounts and learn (or refresh) basic skills. Our ride consisted of walk, trot, and lope. Scenery was beautiful, and the discussion of local plants, wildlife, and terrain added to the experience.My husband and i liked it so much we went back a few days later for a 1 hour lesson in the arena coupled with a 1 hour trail ride. Again, our experience was outstanding. This was a more economical riding experience as the half day trail ride included down time for lunch and a little R&R. We took a different trail this time, and again, the scenery was gorgeous.Highly recommend this organization for a first rate riding experience.