I was looking to surprise my wife with her first horse back riding experience. Tried searching for…read moreevery place near me, leaving voice-mail after voice-mail, but couldn't get through to anyone until... until I managed to locate Iron Horse Guest Ranch. Nestled in close to the Renaissance Fair and downtown Magnolia, this was the perfect place; close to our home. Setting up the appointment for a lesson was quick and painless; used facebook messenger to work out the best time. Prices varied, depending on the type of lesson, were very reasonable, and all proceeds went back to the horses on the ranch. I would quickly learn that everyone is a volunteer, as this home is for horses rescued & rehabilitated from someone the harshest circumstances. We arrived to meet with Niki, owner and operator. She was an amazing guide and teacher. She and her son helped explain everything to my wife and I prior to mounting our amazing rides; Gunner & Hershey. They were both very patient with our questions, taking safety very important. Best part of the experience was enjoying the ride without having to take any photos. Niki did all of this for us without having to worry, and sent us all of the amazing pics after the ride. All and all, the hour or two we spent here was very special and we will soon not forget it. Highly recommend a visit if in town for a visit, or even living close by. Helping these amazing animals was the best thing ever!

Visiting from OR and had a great ride! Female-led, plus involved in rescue/rehabilitation of the…read moreanimals. Highly recommend!

Thanks for a great ride today. The trails were great and it was just different enough throughout…read morethe terrain to make it interesting. My son, Brent, and I truly enjoyed our time riding.

Highly recommend horseback riding at Cowboy Country Life! It's less than an hour drive from Katy…read morefor a bit of western adventure. We rode through trees, water, saw cows and fed horses. It was fun yet peaceful. Cole, our guide, was the best - very personable and kind. Already planning to take the "littles" next time!

Words can't describe our experience with this ranch!!!…read more Darrell was fantastic to help me coordinate this surprise ride for my sisters birthday and my nephews to go for the first time. Our ride was stunning across the fields and trails on the ranch. And they even picked up my dad in the 4-wheeler to feed the cows while we were horse riding so he felt he could be a part of the day (we had purchased feed for the cows ahead). The entire family enjoyed the ride itself, the guides helped us take photos. Next time we would consider staying in the cabins on the ranch. Thank you a million times, it was worth the further drive for the experience itself!!!

Great venue! Darrell and his staff do an amazing job! You…read morewill be pleased with what they have to offer!

This is an absolutely beautiful property, but it's the staff and the family who owns it that make…read moreit truly special. Cindy is excellent... she is knowledgeable, caring, and very detail oriented with the care of each horse under her supervision. The entire staff ensures they take excellent care of the horses. You have the option to board with the existing herd or in a private pasture, which few of the near by boarding facilities offer. There are several riding trails which are well kept and a pleasure to ride. The petting zoo is so much fun for our children to visit and interact with a variety of farm animals. We look forward to every opportunity to come to Levantino Ranch.

I would post zero stars if I could. Interesting that the 2 google reviews above that are 5 stars…read moreare from the owner of the ranch and one of his colleagues. Our horse has lived on the Forever Faithful Ranch for over a decade. He was happy, healthy, the herd was healthy - there were never any issues. 2 years ago the Levantino's bought the ranch. Many problems begun at that time - the following are the most concerning: 1. The Levantino's added a herd of longhorn cattle that they let roam free. Once they were let free to roam the property the kids were nervous when getting the horses. The cattle were especially threatening when they had small calves. No warning or preparation was given or instructions on how to work around them. 2. Cattle grazing - Horses eat the tops of the grass so it can regrow. Cattle eat the grass down to the dirt. This is the reason the grazing grass was wiped out along with poor pasture maintenance. Not the lack of rain alone. I addressed this with both Pat Jr. and Cindy (the ranch caretaker) and they kept blaming the lack of rain. Pasture maintenance includes soil testing, consistent watering, fertilizing, mowing, weed abatement and rotating livestock to keep the grasses healthy and growing. When I suggested this to Cindy, she said it was far too expensive to bring in watering trucks. The other ranches in the area had plenty of healthy grass during the dry season including the ranch we currently use. We also own two ranches and understand what good pasture management entails. We trust our valuable horses to this facility and pay for a safe, healthy environment and pastures. With that trust comes much responsibility. At the very least the cattle could have been separated from the horses. I assume that they wiped out the grass in the small area so they were set free which supports the idea that they continued to ruin the grazing for the horses. 3. Unhealthy herd - The lack of good grazing grass created an unhealthy herd. Horse herds have a balance and pecking order. The herd went from harmonious to violent as they fought for food. 4. Too many and unvetted horses - The herd grew much too fast and the horses were not vetted for temperament to see if they were appropriate and safe for the herd. This also led to an unsafe environment for both horses and boarders. 5. Injuries - As I mentioned, our horse has lived at the ranch for over 10 years and never had injuries. In the last year he has been injured twice that were bad enough to have the Vet assess him, including x-rays. The Vet determined that he was injured by other horses. He has also been scarred many times (see pictures). When we addressed this with Cindy she said the scars were from the branches of the trees. Matthew has been navigating those trees for many years. The scars were clearly bite marks and gauges from hooves and/or cattle horns confirmed by a third-party equine specialist. 6. Feeding the horses Cattle Molasses/Sugar Buckets without our prior authorization. Pat told us that the molasses buckets were put out for the cattle but the horses naturally ate it. This should have been discussed with the boarders that pay him before it was introduced to the herd. We balance out our horses diet strictly and anything that is fed to the horse should be approved by the owners. Our horse had molasses all over his face and I have photos of the horses eating out of the bucket (see picture). When we called Pat Jr. with all of our concerns he invited us to leave his ranch. We did so immediately. He was then quick to send us nasty letters from his attorney. If you love your horse(s) like we do, you should NOT board at Levantino Ranch.

My family and I have taken lessons here, participated in summer camps and have used and enjoyed the…read moremany features and attractions the ranch has to offer for more than ten years. The atmosphere and quality horse stock and facilities cannot be beat. With three arenas and a large outdoor arena lessons and events are a joy to have / attend here. Give Banshee Ranch a try you'll be glad you did.

I've been boarding and taking lessons here since 2019 and I couldn't ask for a better place to keep…read moremy ponies! Della (the owner) is so knowledgeable on the subject and has improved my riding tremendously! I've also taken a few lessons from their junior trainers and the same can be said for them. Highly recommend!

Howard/Ray/Lynn/Owen/Patterson -- From New York and Katy, Tx…read more GREAT, our grandson's took the ride on Sunday 5/26/2024. First time at Bella and on horseback. They loved it and talked all the way home about the horses and activities especially were impressed with riding the horse to cool off in the pond. These boys were excited to do their first ride and we were so grateful to the staff who spent much effort to insure they knew how to handle these horses. Safety was the watch word. Our escort was just great. She assisted in every way to show the mount/use of reins/dismount. Thank you so much! BTW: The area is great -- rich woods and very beautiful forests of northeast Houston area (Spring, Tx)

Awesome Mom & Pop run trail riding. Nothing bougie but the experience is unique and this family…read moretreats you like you are a welcome guests at their ranch.

Booked a 1 hour trail ride for my 40th birthday. I also booked an equestrian experience for my…read moreparents who are a little older and didn't want to ride. The ranch and ride was so much fun, being outdoors with the beautiful horses. It was my first time riding- felt nervous but excited- and the team made me feel at ease. I received a mini walkthrough on how to guide the horse to go forward, stop, and turn. My guide was Matt who made my first visit (but not last!) great - told great stories, and shared about various animal/plant activity along the trail. Great activity for a birthday and the hour flew by. Be sure to buy the treats at the end bc the horses sooooo love those, and tip your guide! Such a memorable experience! Thank you!!

Had an amazing time at Cypress Trail Ranch! I made a spontaneous reservation the day I landed in…read moreHouston and didn't regret it at all. Special shoutout to Melisa -- she was both hilarious and super educational! The staff was incredibly friendly and sweet, and the horses were gentle and patient (which I definitely needed since I was a little scared at first ). Everyone -- both the team and the animals -- made me feel completely at ease, and I was able to truly enjoy the ride. I'll definitely be back!

My daughter took riding lessons from Miss Jill over the summer and had a blast! Miss Jill is a born…read moreand raised "horsewoman". We not only learned about riding, but also about horse care, and horse lore. The horse she was assigned to ride as a beginner is a big lovely, gentle soul named Tex. Tex is big hearted and gentle, but also challenging enough so that my daughter learned proper horse commands and how to make a horse listen to her.

This is a small facility where the owner lives onsite. She has 12 x 12 stalls with turnout daily…read more Feed and Hay is given twice daily and if the owner provides suppliments they will administer for you. They also will blanket and flyspray as well if you provide the supplies. Owner loves your horse as if her own and really cares about its welfare. Owner is also a certified trainer and will give lessons to you on your horse at your place or hers. If you don't own a horse and would like to learn all about horses as well as riding, she teaches this as well. She teaches from small children to the adult amateur. She has summer camps and clinics through out the year as well as events that get the boarders together such as the annual painted pony parade, the ornament exchange and we have field trips to horse shows to watch and sometimes support fellow boarders showing in the event. Low key place. Trailer parking available as well.

Our riding group had a 2 day Reining clinic with Trainer Tommy Powell at Silver Horse Ranch! It…read morewas one of the best clinics I've ever attended! Tommy did an excellent job at helping each of us accomplish our personal goals. The facilities and staff are awesome! Nice big clean stalls for the horses and a huge covered arena. I highly recommend Silver Horse Ranch if you are looking for a place to board or fine tune you and your horses skills.

Tommy and Pepper went above and beyond to see that we and our horses were comfortable and happy…read morewhile our clinic was held at Silver Horse Ranch. The human and equine amenities were wonderful. Tommy's wisdom and skill were so helpful; we all improved in every skill we worked on, from spins to run downs, stops, lead changes, you name it. I hope to go back soon for more instruction and to enjoy this fine facility. Might even have to send my mare for some boarding and training. If you are a horse person, this is your place!