Today was my birthday and it started so wonderfully at Dan Patch Stables! The staff, the trail, the horses all get high marks from this retired teacher and horse lover! If you are looking for a traditional trail ride with family and friends, this is a great choice. I wish trotting and running were allowed, but really, no place that I've seen locally has that option. I thought the staff was so kind, thorough and professional. The horses were well trained and sweet. Go have fun! read more

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I took my 11 year-old daughter for a first time horse back rider and we started by going really slow and she had the horse named ADIOS and it started by walking and then we come on a corner and horse took off and jump, jumped over a fence into a lake. She was traumatized and when she asked to get off, they would not let her get off. They said "oh this is normal just you probably made a mistake. Yeah, you definitely made a mistake" She did nothing. It just took off. Definitely do not recommend this shit full place. Don't go if you want you could be safe if you want your kids to be safe do not go. also, staff was the rudest people on earth. DO NOT GO read more

We loooooove going to Dan Patch! Jessica is always so sweet with our son (3yo) and makes the visits extra special. The ponies are so great and calm, which makes it such a wonderful and safe experience for little kids. The other animals are always a highlight too -- our son loves seeing and feeding them all. We first went last year while staying at the Grand Geneva and loved it so much we made a detour to visit again during our Milwaukee trip a couple weeks ago. Can't wait to come back! read more

Dan Patch Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me

The horses in our group were great, calm, easy to trust. The reason I didn't give the experience the full five stars is because the trail ride is a pretty solitary 45 minutes. The horses only have room to go single file, which may be safer or maybe it's because of space, but if you were with a group, there was no opportunity to share the experience with each other while it was happening. That sort of bummed me out. I wanted to hear more about how my son was feeling as we were riding. I think getting on a horse, riding and the peaceful time are a valuable experience, just know what you are getting into, it's not a social time, but there is a lot of value in the other parts of the trail ride. read more

Dan Patch Stables - Single file, distance between horses. - Horseback Riding Near Me

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The staff here were incredibly accommodating and understanding but sometimes it's a bit challenging to wrangle the workers, they're always super nice and willing to help out. The price for the experience was very reasonable, allowing us to enjoy quality time without breaking the bank. Watching the joy on my kids' faces as they interacted with the animals and went for a pony ride was priceless. The highlight was definitely the huge bowl of animal food provided, which kept my kids entertained for hours. This petting zoo and pony ride is a gem for single parents like myself, offering a wholesome and affordable outing that creates lasting memories. read more

I came horseback riding here and it was fun! The horses were very well behaved and the trail itself was pretty, the tour guide was nice but didn't really talk too much. We rode through a trail on a 45 minute horseback riding trail ride! read more

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The staff was fantastic. This was my grandkids first time to horseback ride. The first thing they said upon getting off their horses was that they wanted to go again. The price was reasonable and the ride was a good length of time. read more

What a fantastic ride we just had! We called ahead to make reservations- easy! Then we arrived early and enjoyed sitting the grass watching the chickens and pony while we waited for our ride time. It is a peaceful and beautiful property. The staff did an excellent job matching all riders up with the right SIZED horse/horse personality. Thank you Dan Patch Stables for making Father's Day even better! read more

Dan Patch Stables - What a fantastic family trail ride we just had! - Horseback Riding Near Me

Took my 8 yr old niece who started to show interest in horses. There was a small petting area and could buy feed to give the animals which included a pig, sheep, goats, and donkeys. We did that while waiting for her to go on the trail ride. Everyone was amazing and helpful. Great location beautiful trail that's about 45 min ride. Highly recommend. read more

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If you are a beginner rider/have never ridden, book a ride immediately at Dan Patch Stables! But the question then is: Why am I giving them only 3 stars? Because overall as a guided horseback ride they could (and should) be doing more... even for beginners. My husband and I were staying at the Grand Geneva and when I saw there was a stable on the property I was ecstatic. We have horses and ride regularly, but we both enjoy guided tours and riding other people's horses (also my horse likes to go go go so it's nice to get on a horse with more whoa than go). This was less of a tour and more of follow the leader. As many have pointed out they ask that you keep these horses in a single file line or at minimum don't ride side by side. It does make it more challenging to talk, but for a beginner this isn't a bad thing. Where they could've done more is to actually have the guide talk to the group. Outside of the initial introduction on the ground and quick info on neck reigning, there was no real guidance, no communication. The trail ride was soooo slow (again, great for beginners) with soooo many stops that there was ample opportunity for the guide to talk about the property, the trails, the horses, or even the history of the barn. The second thing that was kind of a little off for me was they tacked up the horses brought them out, had everyone mount, but never tightened any of the cinches (or at minimum checked them). This oversight became apparent when one man mounted with a mounting block and his saddle came to the left of the horse. The guide adjusted his saddle, but didn't check the cinch. And as we were riding a young boy was leaning to the right because his saddle had started leaning. Given that the ride was so slow and there was no trotting or cantering this poses little threat, however, a small misstep on the horses part could leave the rider unbalanced and/or potentially falling... so my word of advice if you're a beginner, if you get on and the saddle moves towards you and they have to readjust while you're on, ask them to check the cinch. The guides are nice and I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem doing so if asked. All that said, the property is nice. The trails are easy to maneuver. At the pace and only 45 minutes long, definitely better suited for the beginner, but overall a good price for the money. If they ever offer private rides for more than an hour, I would consider coming again. read more

Me and my husband love going here when we go to lake genvea wi 5 star very happy we will be regular customers Awesome staff very happy definitely Good and social distancing is wonderful during covid read more

Really short ride about35 minutes. Some of the animals in petting farm had open wounds and my grand children were sad for them. 4 minute pony ride Not really a petting farm read more

Super friendly staff, beautiful trail ride. My horse was named Rocky, such a good boy. Would highly recommend for anyone wanting to connect with nature! read more

Dan Patch Stables - Horseback Riding Near Me

I wish I could give zero rating. They made us wait for an hour. An hour! For a freaking pony ride. They say you can't reserve a pony ride it's first come first serve. We went there in the morning and were the first ones. We managed to book it after 15 min of looking around and finding someone. Anyways they told us to wait for ten minutes. We waited and waited and waited. After 20 minutes I went back to look for someone. And finally found a lady who said oh no I forgot!. We all were standing right there in front of her! There were atleast 6 kids waiting in the heat for them. How can you forget! The ponies were friendly though. I feel bad for them. It's such a beautiful place perfect for horse and pony riding but I wish they get better with the service. It's honestly so easy to be nice and honest. read more

We were there last weekend for the Haunted Wagon Ride. It was very busy - and we went early to stand in line before they even opened to buy tickets. I appreciated that there was a large bonfire for people to gather around as they waited for their turn on the wagon ride. As it's very busy - I wish there had been more places for people to sit - especially the elderly or disabled people. Also, I noticed that as we were getting on to the wagon, the workers didn't attempt to help those that struggled (elderly and/or disabled) to climb the steep steps. I think that would have been very helpful. Otherwise - the wagon ride was great. Not really scary - but creepy enough. I especially appreciated the person that zip lined between two trees in full costume above our heads. There are less scary rides earlier in the night for families with young children. I think overall this is a great Halloween experience. read more

Absolutely horrible experience. We had a party of 8 for a trail ride and another special needs child who was to have a pony ride. We did not know we were supposed to arrive 15 mins prior to our start time and only arrived 5 mins early. From the moment we arrive the staff was rude. We were yelled at and ordered around. It is the year of the 17 year cicadas and I have a daughter with a significant phobia of them, I tried to ask the staff how they would be and was dismissed told they were fine and ordered to get on the horses. Once we got on we were told they were missing $20 from our group and were almost not allowed to ride (it was later found while we were on the ride, because a gust of wind blew all the cash (its cash only) all over the room with the register). On our ride there were a lot of cicadas, my 10 year old had a full blown panic attack. This is why I was asking to find out if it was appropriate to take her on the ride. There was only one guide for the 10 people on our ride. She initially would not come back to help her. I tried to ride up to help her and was told I needed to remain in line. I do understand the horses may not all get along and need to ride in a certain order, but my daughter needed help and no one was helping her. The guide finally ended up coming back to help her get the cicada off of her, but it was an unsafe situation to have her panicking on a horse. The guide made a call and I assumed she was calling for another guide to help bring us back, instead she was calling and making fun of my daughter's behavior. I have never encountered staff that was so rude in my life. read more

Friendly and knowledgeable staff! Trails weren't the best due to the weather but overall experience was great. Will definitely be back. read more

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we had a great time Jess was our guide she was so sweet .it was the first time I was on a horse so much fun . we will be back an bring more people with us . horses are so sweet I had Lucy an my brother had Rocky .....everyone should come here great price read more

Around Halloween time, they have a nice haunted hayride. This year it was $15 for adults and kids 11+. Younger kids are cheaper. It lasted about 20-25 minutes. The actors are really good. While you're waiting for your ride, there is a big bonfire and a concession stand where you can get beer, wine, hot chocolate, snacks, etc. Before dark, they did have a couple rides which are more kid friendly. read more

I don't know what all all the negative reviews are about, but here is my take on the trail riding session we had. Our family of four, two adults and two kids, ages 8 and 11 went on a trail riding session for around $30. The session lasts 45min and my kids had a blast. To start with, these are full size horses and the kids will be riding independently. My 8yo who weighs about 45lbs was on a HUGE horse named Adios and she had a blast!!! The horse followed in line and she even got a first hand view of my horse having several BM's during the walk. The trail is great, it goes up into the woods with steep inclines and narrow paths. The kids kept talking about exploring like they were on Lord of the Rings. The horses were extremely well behaved and listened to all commands. The lead rider teaches you how to guid the horse using the reins. Overall, for a family of 4 it will cost you around $120 and will last about 1hr. If you kids love horses, they will love the experience and talk about it for years to come. read more

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Always a great experience, I've Been coming here now for three years in a row you should always just call to make a reservation and make sure the weather is right be sure to wear bug spray because there's so many in the forests are horses were named Mason and Benny very friendly horses and the girls who work here are all very friendly as well also we have to be sure to pay in cash so make sure you bring cash to pay as well or Venmo:) Can't wait to come again next year read more

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5 of us went for the haunted barn. It was $10 a head and lasted less than a minute. This is hands down the worst haunted house I have ever been to. The actors were bad. When we walked in, one of them saw us and quickly put his cheap chicken mask back on. I really feel like they stole $50 from me tonight. I was not about to give them more money for the hay ride. Its a shady business that can take $10 per person for what we experienced. read more

I decided to go here with my friends to get into the Halloween spirit. The workers had the worst service possible. The people checking us in had our group pay $120 and didn't tell us our ride wouldn't be ready for 3 hours. We then asked for a refund and denied it. read more

Went for trail ride with my family. Upon getting there I witnessed a young lady that worked there throw a bottle at a horses face! As she continued to get them in line for the ride I witnessed this more! Hitting the animals and absolutely poor care. I asked to talk to manager and was told no one was on site to speak with. Well after taking numerous videos of this behavior and pics of how poorly the animals are cared for I have decided to report them for negligence. I was told that the young woman was bed annebell . Now on a positive note I was able to deal with another young woman and her husband and they not only were friendly but showed passion towards the animals. Someone needs to take this seriously!!! Come on they deserve better ! read more

Incredibly friendly staff and trainers, and willing to answer questions. We had a great time with the horses, and we would definitely go back again! read more

My review is strictly for the pony rides and "petting zoo"... First and foremost, I cannot express how much my 2 year old loved her pony rides. Yes, rides, plural. She loved her first $8, four lap, 4 minute pony ride so much that we had to come back the next day and ride the other pony. High five to both ponies, Patches and Twinkie, for their slow trot around the pony arena. Thrilling stuff for a 2 year old and beyond cute for the parental units. Beyond the ponies, the petting zoo, while quaint with goats, sheep and donkeys isn't really a "petting" zoo. You can pet said animals through the fence or pay for some feed but that's about it. This is a prime place for a horseback ride and I definitely want to come back when the kiddo is old enough to take to the trails! read more

Wow... I am surprised a place like this has not been shut down by PETA or some other animal welfare organization. First of all, when we pulled into the parking lot, we were surprised that the pony rides for little kids were being conducted right in the lot itself (doesn't seem very safe). They said the fields were muddy but we actually walked around and it was fine. Also... The office with attached bathrooms was literally dilapidated and there was shit all over the place. Looks like only two young gals working this place... one was pretty apathetic. The petting farm portion of this place consisted of several goats (one either hugely pregnant or with a giant tumor in the belly) and a couple of donkeys, and the pens looked pretty bad. "Petting Farm" means you just pet them through the fence BTW. The water troughs in each of the pens had a bunch of stuff floating in it and the water itself looked like it hadn't been changed in weeks (it was so yellow). We walked over to see the horses and one pony came over looked so sad and had so much matted dirty hair it broke my heart. The two ponies used for the kids rides didn't look like they had been groomed much at all either, and one had a huge patch completely covering both of its eyes... and it was still used for pony rides, being led around blindly! We were told it was because of an eye infection. This place is just depressing. WTF is going on here??? They obviously don't have enough help to support these poor animals. read more

I should start off by saying I don't ride horses often, if ever, so I had fun at Dan Patch stables. They have plenty of horses, all healthy and beautiful. For $32 they take you on a 45 min ride through a decent trail that has both up slopes and down slopes. Though, you stay in a single file line the entire ride, so if you're expecting to gallop or run at your own speed, then you might want to reconsider. But I had a good time, we went a relatively slow speed so I was able to take out my cellphone and take pics along the way. The scenery was decent, they take you into the woods and near a pond, and they even take you through a haunted trail (which didn't scare me, but if I was a kid I would have enjoyed it). Overall- If you're in the Lake Geneva area and are a beginner at horseback riding, I would recommend this. A side note- There is no official address, so your GPS won't find it. Make sure you look on their website for a description of where it is. read more

On the way back to Chicago from Lake Geneva we went for a late morning ride. The group was about 15 people, I believe, and we rode in a single file line on narrow paths through some fields and wooded areas. We really did enjoy it but being a big-ol softy at heart, I got a bit concerned when the horse was walking in mud or on rocks, concerned it'd injure itself. I would've liked time after the ride to pet the horses a bit more but we were unloaded right away when finishing the trail. I'd definitely suggest this as a way of wrapping up a trip or breaking up a long road trip. The staff was friendly and it was a peaceful mosey through the woods. read more

We came this time only for the haunted hayride-- so much fun! It was a fun activity for date night, but there were plenty of families with younger kids on our ride too so it's suitable for parents with brave little ones. If we make it back to Lake Geneva next fall, this will definitely be one of our stops! read more

We came at 2:30 and were greeted by the staff who were very friendly. The young lady said they were going to get the horses ready. We visited the petting zoo and a little boy came out and all the animals ran to the gate so he could feed them! It was too cute. At 3pm we started our rides. Our guide was really nice. She warned us that there were going to be mosquitoes once we entered the woody part. Omg! The mosquitoes were horrible . It rained the night before. Let me tell you. We are from Chicago and I have never been bitten like that in my life. My legs were covered. My husband only got 2 . But it was so fun. We really had fun. I would recommend this on your trip read more

This review is for the Haunted Hayride. SO MUCH FUN!!! The staff was awesome, the monsters jump onto the hayride and scared the crap out of you! I loved it! If it was closer, I would go back with more friends. Good job guys/girls! read more

Love this place! Horses are very well cared for along with the rest of the animals. We always have a great time at Dan Patch!

I been calling Dan Patch Stable for a week trying to get a reservation for a carriage ride while we were going to be in Lake Geneva. Nobody ever answered the phone. I left a message with my name and number and that I wanted to make a reservation for a carriage ride. No call back. Finally while in Lake Geneva, I called again and asked if we could come in for a carriage ride that day. The lady who answered said they need at least a week in advance for a carriage ride reservation. I told her I been trying to call them for a week and even left a message for them to call me back and that nobody ever did. Then she said there is no driver for the carriage ride today so it wasn't going to work. She said she would take my number and see if she could get me a ride for the weekend. We were going home before the weekend so no carriage ride ever happened. read more

The picture that Pearl posted of the dilapidated house is no longer like that. I wish I saw her pictures and took a new one, they must have been refurbishing it when she was there, because it looked brand new. This place is nice for pony rides. Kind of expensive though for just a few times around the circle, but my daughter loved it. I definitely would want to come back for a horseback ride. That price was reasonably at less than $40. The only thing that I didn't like was the petting farm. You only got to touch them if you were lucky to have the animals come close to the fence. I get it, they are understaffed so they can't have someone stand there full time to watch the kids pet the animals, but it would have been nice if my daughter could touch more of the goats and lamb. read more

Very nice, well mannered horses and great guides! The horses are and trails perfect for first time riders, the trails are interesting and beautiful, and the guides are very conscientious, friendly and informative. We had a great time and will definitely come back! It was reasonably priced as well. The petting zoo was very cute as well, with an adorable miniature horse, some free roaming chickens, a couple of adorable pigs, goats, and sheep. read more

Not sure what the heck Pearl T is about - I urge her to Google "pony winter coat", because that looks pretty normal to me. Things were very different when we were here in early June of 2014. There was a clearly defined area for the pony rides, which was in the grass in the shade of a large tree. We could easily see inside the barn itself, which looked like it was kept swept and clear of debris and had a nice large fan running for the animals. The trail ride cost $32 per adult and was about 40-45 minutes long. They leave every hour on the hour from 10 am until 4 pm, I believe, as well as by private group booking. The ride takes you back behind the Timber Ridge Lodge, through some wooded hills and back around. The grounds were tidy, the buildings were in good shape. Whatever was going on with the trailer and office building in Pearl T's photos was totally done when we arrived. The animals all looked well-kept and healthy. There were horses in a paddock behind the barn that were clearly "out sick" - one had stitches on its face, perhaps from another horse biting it. Obviously the animals receive medical care. Animals kicking or biting one another cannot be avoided - it just happens sometimes in a herd environment. All the animals were friendly and inquisitive, and very gentle. On the trail, the horses had the usual behavior quirks like stopping to sample some plants or getting too close to the horse in front because they wanted to have their tail swish flies for them. This is normal and all it takes is some gentle correction and a firm hand on the reins. The people were very friendly and patient. They were safe, but laid back and had helmets available for people to use, but did not require them. I bring my own when I go riding, so I wore that. I'd definitely ride here again. My only complaints are that the ride could be longer, and that the stable was difficult to find based on the directions Google provides. They are very easy to find if you come in off of Highway 50. However, if you follow the directions that say to take Sheridan Springs Rd, you will be coming in the "back" of the resort property and will have to find s a sneaky, hidden road that you can only get to by going THROUGH the conference center parking lot, and back around behind the building. There are NO signs indicating that this parking lot goes through to anywhere and doesn't just END, plus there were buildings and trees everywhere blocking the line of sight. You're supposed to follow this hidden road ALL THE WAY AROUND THE ENTIRE PROPERTY until you get to the "front" entrance, which is where the stables are. The Grand Geneva people have no signage for the stables, since they are not part of the resort technically. I spoke with the owner about this, and he said he has been offering to put up signs, at his expense, for a long time and the resort refuses since it would mess with their "aesthetic" of the existing signage. I wish I'd taken some photos, but our detour through the resort made us late, and we were booked on the last ride of the afternoon. We pretty much drove up, signed the waiver, paid, and hopped on our horses. Since we drove down from Milwaukee just to take that ride, we would like to come back another time and stay at the resort so that it's more worth our while and we won't be in such a rush. They offer carriage rides around the property, as well as hayrides in the fall and sleigh rides in the winter. It would be fun to come back for any of those things as well! read more

MADDIE WAS AMAZING ! we had such a good time the trail is beyond beautiful up hill down hill in the trees it was just breathe taking ! Our first time going horse back riding and I can't even begin to describe how much fun we had ! Thank you Maddie for the great experience ! We hope to see you again soon ! read more

We came for the petting zoo snd pony ride. We showed up late in the day and the one woman working was happy to help us. She had a few groups show up at the end of the day so we waited while she attended to them setting up before prepping a pony for my daughter. The pony was led in a circle by the woman for a while. It was nice to see a smile on my daughters face as well as get some photos. We will be back. read more

My daughter and I went on a trail ride and it was very enjoyable. They walk slowly and ride past the Timber Lodge hotel and into the woods. You do see the parking lot but for maybe 10 minutes of the 45 minute ride. You can look the other direction and see the woods instead. My daughter thought it was the best time ever and it's definitely good for inexperienced riders. Probably pretty boring for advanced riders. read more