Diane's Riding Place offers a fantastic horseback riding experience for everyone. We took our four…read moregrandchildren to ride and learn to be cowboys and a cowgirl on the beautiful grounds and trails. Diane has the utmost patience with all of us beginner riders. The kids learned how to lead the horses and not let the horses lead them, not to be afraid of the horses, and to enjoy the trail rides. Diane is extremely knowledgeable and kind. Her horses are well cared for. She took fabulous photos for us while we were on the horses so we adults could enjoy ourselves and not worry about capturing the perfect photo. I highly recommend Diane's Riding Place.

We came to Diane's 5 years ago, with neither of our kids ever having been on horses..my daughter,…read morewho was only 5 at the time wanted desperately to ride a horse. My son, who was 3, was terrified. He was in love by the end of his first ride as was our daughter. Five years later and we made it back! This time for our daughter's tenth birthday celebration. And while they ALL loved it, my son especially, said that he absolutely loved it. We now have 3 kids wanting horseback riding lessons and 5 kids that LOVED their day. Once again WE ALL loved the experience and thank Diane so much for the incredible experience.

Our experience with Smith Rock Trail Rides was amazing. Brian was kind, fun, and attentive--an…read moreabsolutely amazing person to have lead these trail rides. He gave us great directions on how to ride and lead our horse, and stopped many times to take photos of our group. The views were GORGEOUS. Butterflies everywhere. They also have an adorable little puppy that made our time there extra sweet. I will definitely be coming back! Thank you!

This is an absolute must-do if you're thinking about visiting Smith Rock. My husband and I have…read morehiked Smith Rock before, but being able to see it on horseback is just a whole different experience. The trail itself gets you up close to the rock formations of Smith Rock. Let me tell you, the scenery, the canyons, and the gorge that you get to see are spectacular. I really like how this company only does one ride a day and keep the groups small, we had only 5 ppl in our group. It kept things less hectic and I felt safer knowing our guide was able to keep an eye on all of us. Our guide Brian was super helpful and knowledgeable. He made sure you were comfortable on your horse and was very thorough with his instructions on the basics in order to enjoy your ride. He also gets extra points for taking great photos! We got to ride Slim & Sunny. Both horses were really sweet and easy to ride. You could tell Brian and his wife Melanie take great care of their horses. They know them pretty well and match each rider to their horse. No matter your experience level, I think anyone will have a good time and smith rock trial rides makes sure of that :)

Just did a Treats and Trail ride with a group of 2 adults and 3 children aged 5, 6 and 8. Our guide…read morewas Chris and from the moment we stepped foot out of our car he was super friendly and attentive. He was able to give everybody a horse that match their riding ability and gave a great quick lesson to both adults and children. He was also very calming with the horses and was able to help 2 of the children, who were more nervous, gain confidence on their horses. Chris was very Knowledgeable both about the horses, who are very well taken care of, and the area and the resort. He was very interesting to listen to during our ride and could answer all our questions. Though it was a trail ride the horses had to go through different terrains so that was cool to experience. The campfire, hot chocolate and s'mores break was super fun for both the kiddos and adults. The graham crackers and marshmallows were home made and delicious. Chris also had a wonderful dog name Art that followed us along our ride. Chris made sure immediately that our children were OK with dogs when we got there. Once we told him that they were the dog followed us everywhere. We all loved him! Would definitely do another type of ride with Chris and Brasada trails if we come back!

I sent the following email to Brasda Ranch regarding my experience. I received NO response. Very…read moredisappointed in their lack of good customer service - especially since I had to pay the "gratuity" ($90) when I schedule our trail ride. Wed, Jul 23, 1:58PM "I'm reaching out to let you know what a disappointment my ride was on Sunday. I was partnered with Medicine Bow for the ride. I'm an experienced rider and own two horses myself. I didn't find out until after the ride that he is only four years old - which may explain his green behavior. I really don't find it enjoyable to constantly be pulling on a horse's mouth while they are trying to go their own way or getting too close to other horses. He's already got a hard mouth and I'm sure it's going to get worse. Putting experienced riders on this horse for an hour at a time is a poor excuse for proper training. I sincerely hope you do the right thing for this young horse before he's ruined.

Long Hollow Ranch provides a taste of the Old West and appeals to visitors fondly remembering those…read moreold John Wayne westerns and life on the range. The majority of their business is focused on guests who are staying at the ranch (many from overseas) who want to go on longer trail rides or an old fashioned cattle drive a la City Slickers. Since we already have a home in the area, we didn't get to take advantage of their hospitality as guests. However, we did visit to enjoy a trail ride. My boys love to ride, but it has been quite difficult finding a trail ride that satisfies all of our needs. We've tried Diane's Riding Place, but they tend to be more instructional. The stables at the Seventh Mountain Resort were only OK. My goal was to get more of an 'authentic' trail ride with a little bit of fun. We were only partially successful. First off, making reservations wasn't terribly easy. After calling the main business line, I was given a second number to dial for the stables. Since the focus is on their ranch guests, they don't seem to be overly eager to take outside riders. Fortunately, some of those guests had another activity planned, so we were able to arrange a ride. It turned out to be semi-private and Katie was a wonderful guide. You will sign a brief liability waiver, and riders must wear jeans and boots. The boots requirement was a first, but fortunately they have plenty to borrow at no charge. Children are also required to wear helmets. The ranch covers 600 acres, so they took a gentle ride up through the hills to enjoy the view of the Three Sisters. It was a good ride, but low on the excitement factor. No cantering or galloping, just an easy mosey up and back. Unlike the prior reviewer, the ride lasted exactly 60 minutes, so no complaints there. It is really disappointing that there aren't more horseback riding options in the area. These hills are filled with ranches, but due to liability concerns, very few open their doors to the public. We still feel like we are searching to find that magical ride. http://www.lhranch.com/index.php

This place was EXACTLY what we were looking for on our way home from our family vacation. We…read morewanted somewhere quiet to lay our heads down, somewhere 'different' than the normal hotel scene, and a place that our kids would remember. The Long Hollow Ranch checked every one of those boxes. We stayed in the Homestead cabin, which had three beds upstairs, and one downstairs. The cabin had two strong window AC units, which were wonderful. The cabin had no TV, which was great, but did have a vintage stove that served as a table top for the in-room microwave. There's also a mini-fridge and a Keurig Coffee Maker. Beds were comfy, bathroom has hot water in the shower, and the decor was fantastic. The morning breakfast was signaled by a good old-fashioned dinner bell at the main house, which is beautiful. There were lots of hash browns, fruit, juice and more. They even offered to cook each of us an egg to order, which our son took advantage of. The breakfast was absolutely great. All in all, this place was well worth the price, which was already much lower than other places on our trip. They even let us dabble with our fly pole in their bass pond free of charge. They accommodated our late check in (10 PM) and even had the AC going when we arrived. Customer service was top notch. This is the definition of a 5 STAR property.

Let's say first, our guide Douglas was fabulous. Educational, friendly and fun conversation. Really…read morelike that they bring the horses out into stalls so people not riding can interact with them. They keep the horses in the pastures at the resort. It's baby season, really enjoyed seeing them out running around. There were 4 of us. We had the ride all to ourselves. Very safe and easy going horses. We did the 1 1/2 hr ride. 10 years ago we rode thru open field. This time our ride was on a trail. Which was not scenic. I didn't mind the $150 feet. After all it was my 60th birthday. Couldn't ask for a better day.

What a fun experience! We went for an hour trial ride for my friends birthday. The location is very…read moreeasy to find. Fill out a quick waver then they tell you about the horse and basic skills. It was honestly so easy and peaceful. The horses all follow each other and are trained so well. The trail was beautiful and no one else was out there. Definitely do a morning ride if during the summer as it can get quite warm. Would highly recommend for a group or family outing if you are visiting Sisters.

Had a great trail ride last weekend with Kevin! Wanted to plan something fun and different for my…read morehusband's birthday while we were staying Bend and Therese worked with me to get us in at the time I needed as we were only in town for a couple of days. Kevin took us out on a trail ride and it was amazing. He showed us the ropes as we were both novices and made sure we were always comfortable. He gave us great insight into the surrounding area while we were out as well. I can't wait to come back again! Thanks Kevin & Therese!

The owners are so kind and the welfare of the horses are their first priority. It's a welcoming,…read moreand inclusive barn.

Absolutely loved my ride with Wilderness Horseback! Our guide, Vinnie, was amazing--knowledgeable,…read morepersonable, and genuinely fun to spend a Sunday morning with. We rode along the beautiful Deschutes River, and I had the pleasure of riding Maverick, who was such a great horse. Vinnie made the experience feel relaxed and personal, with great conversation along the way and plenty of helpful horseback-riding tips that made me feel more comfortable and confident in the saddle. The scenery was gorgeous, the horses were wonderful, and Vinnie really made the whole experience memorable. Whether you're newer to riding or already comfortable on a horse, I'd absolutely recommend them. I'm already looking forward to getting back in the saddle!

Booked the one hour ride from the ranch and it was everything I'd hoped for. As first time riders…read moremy partner & I were not sure what to expect but our guide was awesome! We encountered many deer, & a coyote on our ride. Our horses Maverick, & Tye were the sweetest companions. So grateful for the experience we are definitely coming back! Thank you for the memorable afternoon. - Mallory

My boys love to go horseback riding, but it was a bit of a challenge arranging it during our visit…read moreto Bend. Most of the places we've gone to in the past (Crooked River Ranch and Eagle Crest Resort) were closed this summer, so we decided to make the drive to the Seventh Mountain Resort by Mt. Bachelor. We had a terrible experience trying to make a reservation. So up to the actual trail ride, I would give them one or two stars for the administrative side of the business. Nonresponsive by phone, a bit disorganized in person and they overcharged us for the ride until we called the discrepancy to their attention. Once we got on the horses, things improved from there, slightly. The ride is a bit dusty and not the best we've ever had, but again, there appear to be very few options in the area. Unfortunately on a trail ride your experience is very dependent on other riders and whether they are comfortable and able to control their horse. We had two other riders that almost fell off and unfortunately it really freaked out my son. We've gone to Diane's Riding Place, which I now consider the best in the area, but it is more instructional rather than a trail ride. So at the end of day, a fun family activity, but hopefully others will have a better experience before mounting their steed. They also have adorable miniature ponies at Pony Town, so that would be a hit with little ones.

Our guide was great group was small. We did ride down to the river but we were only there about…read morefive minutes the rest of it was extremely dusty ride on extremely hard saddle. Probably the hardest saddle I've ever written on and I ridden on a lot of them. We were all sore for days. They should tequite or suggest that you bring a scarf for your nose because the dust is toxic.

I haven't had a horse stabled here, so I can't speak from personal experience; however, I had the…read moreopportunity to get a tour of this facility, and learned how well they take care of animals. The stables are well made and clean; the horses seemed very happy and well taken care of; and they have plenty of room to run around and get exercise. The farmhand that I spoke with was very passionate about his work and loving towards the animals, and was friendly towards me too :) They also grow their own hay for the year, so the horses always have plenty to eat. The farm also offers riding lessons, and horse training for those that don't know how already.

Big Eddy Thriller: The ride was short and sweet! The whole thing is dialed in, these folks know…read moreexactly what they're doin. They start on time, so don't mess around and miss the bus (though not sure they'd leave anyone, it's a friendly place). Mikie communicated expectations well from the jump and got us to and from safely. Trevor was a great raft guide, clearly loves what he does, and as far as I could tell, does it well. Would row for him again for sure. Rode a raft with a family my partner and I didn't know, it was a good time all around. Will probably hit up another tour next summer for fun, was worth it. Tips? Kinda? You could easily hit this and another outing in one day. Set your timing right and you could ride and then raft, this is certainly a good time but it doesn't take long door to door. If you care about pics sit in the front. If you're worried about rowing, don't sit on the right for big eddy (the guide will likely seat folks for safety and row power anyhow). Not sure I need to say this but I will, there isn't a dry seat on the raft. The road to the spot is bumpy, sit toward the front if that bothers you. If your kids not taller than an oar, they likely won't get one. There are two spots you'll be offered to jump in.

We just did the Big Eddy Thriller as a group of 5 (3 adults, 2 kids) and had a great time…read more Super easy online booking and check in. Well organized prep and pickup in Sunriver, in the main village behind the Sunriver Country Store. Our guide, Lanny was lovely and kept us safe while also ensuring our group ranging from ages 7-50 had a great time. Only real feedback has to do with the to/from transportation and driver sales pitch. School bus to the put in added a lot of extra time to the overall trip which made the short time on the river feel even shorter. And while Roberto our driver was lovely, the sales pitch for other trips that Sun Country offers prior to heading back to the main office felt very sales-y and drawn out. These guys can't help how the river and rapids are set up but they could be more efficient with time overall. My kids definitely had a blast and have been bitten by the whitewater rafting bug. Thanks to Lanny for a great time on the water!