So I've been dragged by my hair to horseback riding lessons for the better part of a year. Recently bought land with my lady so that she can own her first horse and we took the lessons together so that we would be able to care for and at least have some concept of how to ride well. This ranch, the people & the experience they offer was the best equine experience I have ever had. We rode for an hour and a half through woods, fields and horses out to pasture... The whole time engaged in conversation about the ranch, donkey basketball and my beloved Boston Bruins. Our guide was the owner's daughter who has stories about every horse & can tell you about the land & growing up on a ranch. I could say more, but I'll leave it there. Before this experience, I was just going through the motions to learn how to help care for a horse because frankly, I'm about to be put into a situation where I have to. Trotting and cantering through the woods and fields, losing my glasses... It was awesome. Now I know why people ride horses. Great time! read more

John was awesome! So knowledgeable and took us horse riding rookies through a nice and easy path. The horses were so sweet and their extensive training was apparent. Kohn went out of his way to get us some nice pictures as well! Such a fun way to spend an afternoon! read more

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Without a doubt the best riding experience I've had yet! I took my girlfriend (a very experienced rider) and myself (very little experience) on the Advanced Ride as a gift. John was an awesome guide, super cool super nice guy who gave me a lot of great pointers on how to improve my riding and offered lots of encouragement along the way. He helped me work my way up to a canter--my first time ever--and we all had a lot of fun! Even while we were hitching our horses at the end of the ride, my gf and i were already talking about when we were coming back. The nature scenes and mountain views were stunning, and John and his staff were so helpful and welcoming (Ruger the ranch dog was especially welcoming)! I can't recommend this place enough! read more

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Mountain View was the only ranch in Vermont we could find still offering rides in December, and we were so glad we chose to go there. First of all, the setting made the ride a lot more special than your average train ride. A lot of the time we were in beautiful open fields surrounded by magnificent mountain views rather than a trail. (The ranch is very aptly named) This also allowed us a lot more opportunity to practice in an area not constricted to a narrow trail. The fields were well maintained and easy to navigate for people with minimal experience. The second unique point was taking a private ride with John. After just an hour ride with him I felt like I improved a lot, as he is very experienced and goes above and beyond to provide opportunities for you to challenge yourself. Lastly, the horses themselves were patient, well trained, and an absolute joy to ride. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Mountain View Ranch offers the best trail riding experience in Vermont! Our group of five loved our day spent trail riding through gorgeous scenery. We were pleasantly surprised with 4 games at the end where we competed against each other. John and his daughter were incredibly knowledgeable and absolutely delightful to ride with. The ranch is run by the family and is a perfect option for beginners or experienced riders! Will definitely return read more

Mountain View Ranch - Out on the trail! - Horseback Riding Near Me - Danby, Vermont

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My wife surprised me with some ride time at your ranch. Since I love horses but don't get to ride often I'm limited to iron horse (motorcycles) mostly she thought it would be nice. Our guide was Emily and our horses were Stormy and Kevin, and all I can say is a huge TY to all. Emily was amazing, love that girl she's great don't let her go ever! She alone made the experience that much better. Kevin is huge but a very well mannered horse, and my wife loved Stormy. Ty for allowing my wife to surprise me with this opportunity and ty for having great horses and such a great guide! read more

From the minute we parked we felt very welcomed. It was a beautiful fall day at the base of Dorset Mountain. Our group had several 1st time riders. John was very helpful for all riders of various skill levels. Thank you John for taking great care of your horses and riders. It was a great tour of the area. Ruger the lab was a bonus. Well worth the money! read more

Mountain View Ranch - Fall group tour - Horseback Riding Near Me - Danby, Vermont

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John and Wednesday were terrific guides! The horses are very healthy and well-trained. Would highly recommend!

We waited for two hours in our car for our scheduled horse ride today because they were 'running late'. I booked this just yesterday and secured with a credit card. The man was unapologetic and ultimately wouldn't let us ride today because he said I 'had an attitude' ... after waiting for 2 hours with no apology!!!! Don't waste your time here folks. read more

Very disappointing. This ranch is poorly managed and unreliable. I would avoid it. Vermont is beautiful and you don't need an unprofessional business ruining your experience. I'd reserved a private 'Cowboy Up' ride to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday weeks in advance: $100 for 3 hours of private lessons. Confirmed on the phone and via email. When we got to the ranch, there was a long line of customers that were at 1.30pm for their noon ride. Immediately, we knew this didn't look good... We had arrived 15 min in advance for our ride as requested but couldn't get any service. When we finally checked in, we were quickly handed off to a trail guide. It wasn't until a good 30 min into the ride that we realized this was nothing like what we'd signed up for. Instead of private lessons, we were getting a basic trail ride (took us a while to realize this because we'd assumed we were riding to the ring). When we told the trail guide about the mix up, all the owner said was to add a 30 min trail loop to our session, which meant bushwhacking just to add time. Ultimately, we ended up paying $70 for a private trail ride that was less than the 90 min specified for that $70 and NOTHING LIKE WHAT WE'D RESERVED! Not how I had planned to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. To top it off, when we finally got back to the ranch, the owner was barely apologetic and just said the next time we were up here, he'd treat us to something special. (1) this is what he'd said in the original phone call when i made the reservation and said it was my boyfriend's birthday and (2) why on earth would we come back to such an unprofessional ranch?! read more

no One was there to even help us get into the cabins and attpts to contact anyone due to the cell service was a joke. The beds are awfully uncomfortable. If you don't like the ranch dogs barking on the porch at 8 am this would not be a good option. ABNB refunded my money. Buyer beware. read more

Great fun group ride. Friendly staff. The owner was very nice and the scenery was beautiful. The horses were great. We would definitely come back. read more

I really hate the negative comments below. This place was beautiful if you're a fan of horses, love nature and like supporting small businesses, it's well worth a trip. The ranch is owned and operated by John. He's very personable and made us feel very welcome right away. There was not a big line (and I can understand why a big line would bother people. But again, this is not a bustling business. It's a family owned and operated horse farm. If you have to wait, pet a cow or talk to the people in front of you.) John asked us about our riding experience and set us up with his daughter, who would be our trail guide. She was very talkative and within a few minutes we were talking sports and she was telling us about her life growing up here. A very nice girl, we were shocked to find out she was very young. But that isn't really a big deal. She asked us a little about the type of riding we'd like to do, and we were cantering and trotting for a very decent portion of time on our 1 1/2 hour ride. We cantered through forests and fields and found ourselves on a beautiful scenic outlook where our guide snapped a few pictures for us. Overall we were very happy and would definitely come back. If you want people to do cartwheels for you and sing a song and dance every step of the way, this isn't exactly the place for you. If you're easygoing, love horses and can talk to new people easily; this place is an excellent way to spend your afternoon. We can't wait to visit again next time we're in VT. read more

Mountain View Ranch - Our horses decided this was the best angle, but there was a really beautiful mountain just to the right in this photo. - Horseback Riding Near Me - Danby, Vermont

My boyfriend and I were staying close to killington for our ski vacation a few weeks ago. Snow wasn't falling when we arrived so I thought horseback riding would be a great alternative and it was! We had such a great time and the guide was very nice! read more

Mountain View Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - Danby, Vermont

What an amazing experience. It was a great break from the horse show hustle. We had an advanced trail ride with great guides and horses. We already have it in our plans when we return next year. John is flexible and happy to accommodate your plans. Be sure you pat your ponies before you leave, these are some really amazing animals. Thank you again! read more

I had an awesome time at the ranch yesterday riding Leroy! My BFF was on Cherokee, who was also a chill pony. The sights we fantastic and our guides were fun and knowledgeable. We had a perfect experience. 10/10 will ride again read more

We have been riding here twice now. Once on a group ride and once on a private ride. The guides are amazing, the owner is a nice guy and the scenery is absolutely beautiful! We will be back for sure!! read more

4 of us visiting from out of town recently did a 1 hour trail ride around the Mountain View Ranch property led by John, the owner. Highly recommend Mountain View Ranch - we heard about them from the inn we were staying at nearby and were only able to squeeze in 1 ride before we had to leave. Wish we'd planned ahead before our trip and to schedule multiple rides, we all loved it! The horses are energetic, healthy, well cared for and well behaved. John was a really engaging, knowledgeable and kind guide who was fun to talk with. We were impressed he remembered everyone's name the whole ride! We are experienced riders and were hoping for a ride that was not "nose to butt" with what we call "robot horses" as we've experienced at other places, despite marketing to the contrary. For safety purposes the horses do need to ride single file, but we were delighted by lots of walking and trotting around their gorgeous Vermont country property. Highly recommend. read more

We went to E Dorset, VT for a guys weekend away and came across this ranch. John and his family were amazingly accommodating and super friendly. The ranch was very well kept. The horse ride afforded us some spectacular views of nature. I highly, highly, highly, recommend going riding at Mountain View Ranch. This is a true gem amount the majestic beauty of the Green Mountains. read more

Great private ride with Claire (and Ruger)! When our plans for the day changed, we decided to do a last minute horseback ride. We had such a great time and would highly recommend! See you next time we are in the area. read more

Terrible. Avoid it. We booked weeks in advance, called ahead of time, and here is what we found when we got there: a line of clients waiting for over an hour and underage trail guides that were upset with being there. And upset at the owner (John) who does not seem to know how to organize the place. They then took us for a 1 and 1/2 hour ride, which was not what we had signed up and paid for!! Bizarre. The "cowboy up" ride promised in the website and arranged in advance was NOT available and we only learned about it when we were already on top of the horses!!!! Oh well, we tried to enjoy it. Now here is the cherry on top of it: at the end of the ride we met John who had the nerves to make a sexist joke about blondes when we gratefully praised our trail guide. Really, an offensive joke to our guide after her effort to make the for us and her boss. Bizarre. read more

My husband and I visited the ranch looking to try out a horse for potential purchase. We found the owner, John and his daughter to be very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. Both knew the strengths and limitations of their animals and were adept at recognizing the skill level of my husband and I as riders. The ranch setting is lovely, and the horses were well fed, groomed and the tack in good working order. It's a nice place, I am sure we'll go back again and check out one of their trail rides. read more