We had a wonderful 1.5 hour ride at Stony Lake Stables. The weather was perfect for late September. The wranglers and staff were very kind. The horses are all very well mannered. This is definitely a family friendly activity. They have horses of all sizes, even for younger children. You can also pay 50 cents for a cup of treats to give your horse at the end of your ride :) The scenery winds through fields and wooded trails. We saw so many deer and a very big buck! Such a great way to unplug and get out in nature. They also have restrooms to use. Highly recommend this family farm for horseback riding! The wranglers do work for tips so bring cash to tip! read more

Rainbow Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - New Era, Michigan

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This place was amazing! They were very friendly. We had a mid-size group of 9 people (all family). From 2 to 60. They had a horse for all of us! This was a trip my grandkids and their parents will never forget! read more

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Had a great time ..the workers were very kind. Enjoyed the ride! I would definitely would recommend this place for a great ride!

Everyone please reconsider before booking here. This business is incredibly unsafe. I experienced a life altering spinal fracture due to their negligence/equipment failure last summer and the owner has ignored all of my inquires about safety protocol. They don't seem to care if it happens to someone else. Horseback riding is inherently risky, but this was 100% preventable. The saddle was so loose that it slipped completely around the horse's belly a few minutes into the ride. I have been in pain every day since June 20, 2023 and will likely never fully recover. It's not worth it. The only staff present that day were very young girls, and they either didn't know how to tack a horse or the equipment was faulty and they didn't notice. I'm a novice rider and trusted them. Please don't make the same mistake I did in trusting Stony Lake with your safety. read more

A great experience. I booked the 1.5 hour ride, and oh lucky me, I was the only rider on the tour. Led by young Lillian who made a good experience great with her knowledge of all things Michigan. My ride was "Queen" who, at first, I wondered how she picked up the concrete in her hooves (it was late in the day, she was probably tired and fed up with being a hired ride) but then she spooked and the Action was on. She jumped straight in the air but, believe me, my jeans were welded to that saddle as I brought her reins back around and soothed her with some soft words and pats. Lillian asked, concerned, "Are you ok?", well I was ok but definitely woken up. Lillian laughed saying, "You're now a certified cowgirl!" Great experience, affordable pricing, several generations of barn cats, a historic family-owned ranch of 350 acres, lots of critters, clean restrooms, accomodating staffers, beautiful scenery and best of all, Lillian as my guide. She will even photograph you in your directed poses. A highlight of my summer in Michigan. Tips are not mandatory but are greatly appreciated. read more

Rainbow Ranch is a wonderful place to visit in West Michigan if you are looking for a fun outdoor activity! Three friends and I were visiting Ludington. On our way up, we saw a billboard for this place and decided to check it out during our trip since it's only 30 minutes away. Very friendly staff - very welcoming and organized. They have over 60 horses on the ranch and nearly all of them were outside within view of the entrance, including a baby horse that's only 1 month old (as of June 2018). The staff is very thoughtful to ask the skill of the rider so they can pick the safest horse for you to ride. The horses are well-behaved, at least by my standards of someone who's only been on a horse a couple times in my 35 years. Our guide apologized for a couple of the horses in our group who frequently wanted to stop for snacks (long grass and wildflowers). I found it quite funny, because the horses are sneaky when trying to grab a snack! I can just imagine them saying, "these riders are too nice to pull on my reigns, so I'm going to sway my neck just a little bit and grab giant mouthfuls of grass and they won't be able to stop me!" The ride itself was a 1 hour walk through beautiful scenic woods. On a humid day, beware of mosquitos - I suggest bringing bug spray. But I was here on a cooler day and there were no bugs. We saw a couple of deer on our walk as well. If you think bathroom humor is funny, then the most amusing part of the ride is when each horse takes it turn to poop or pee. "We've got a pooper!" And when the nose of one horse is pretty near the rear end of another, it can be pretty funny when they pass gas also! Speaking of bathrooms, the ranch has two very clean bathroom stalls (yay! I was hoping I wouldn't have to use an outhouse, but you never know at places like this). Overall, the horses seemed well taken care of and were very clean and friendly animals, and they are known by name! $35 for the hour was well worth the entertainment and I would definitely return if in the area again! read more

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Now called stony lake, this was one of the best horse back riding experiences I've ever had. Definitely book this! read more

Rainbow Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - New Era, Michigan

The Rainbow Ranch is a diamond in the rough. I've been coming here all my life and my favorite parts have changed over the years. When I was 8, my favorite part was when my horse would poo on the guy behind me. When I was 14 my favorite part was the 30 seconds of galloping they allow at the end of the ride, or is it trotting? Either way, don't get your hopes up -- it's not that fast. When I was 17 I wanted to talk to the pretty girls scooping shit out of the barn. Now that I'm ten days shy of my 25th birthday, I think my favorite part would be getting off the horse and drinking a Colt 45 with my bitches in the car on the way home from a day with the ponies. Yeeaaaeahhh, just kidding...Jesus... A) I don't drink after riding beasts; and B) I'm not that cool. Rainbow Ranch offers slow, lazy horseback rides through a beautiful Michigan forest. It ain't no thrill ride, so all you fannypackin' hippies can keep your mid-back-length pony-tails and your paperback Danielle Steel novels with you. Check out their website for detailed info. read more

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I absolutely love this place! My family used to take me and my brother here while we spent our summers at our cottage in Silver Lake. I hadn't been in a while was itching to go riding again. I was crossing my fingers that the weather would cooperate and it did! I rode Leo this afternoon and my mom rode Shasta. Beautiful area. Well-kept, friendly horses. Helpful staff. I highly recommend! I'll definitely be coming back again before the end of the season. Thanks Rainbow Ranch for a lovely ride today! Seeing Lily the foal made the visit even more memorable. read more

Rainbow Ranch - Lily! - Horseback Riding Near Me - New Era, Michigan

I was so impressed with this place! Everyone was very friendly. I took two of my kids (ages 5 and 3) the 3yo rode with me and loved every minute of it. The 5 yo got to ride his own horse tethered to a guide. We did the hour long ride which was plenty of time. We saw a huge buck on the trail along with other wildlife. The horses were so friendly and each have their own personalities for sure! All of the staff knew the horses and matched them with each rider perfectly. I couldn't recommend this place more. Great experience!! read more

Rainbow Ranch - Horseback Riding Near Me - New Era, Michigan

This was my first time riding a horse and it was a great place to learn, they showed us how to ride. The trails were great, lots of deer right off the trail. Definitely recommend. Great for the price. read more

Rainbow Ranch - Riding horses - Horseback Riding Near Me - New Era, Michigan

Excellent time..Abigail and Kayla were a lot of fun and knowledgeable ...We had a party of five and all had wonderful horses. Thank you for the wonderful outing! We will definitely be back! Loved Sierra! read more

My family and I have been coming here for years to horseback ride whenever we come to visit Michigan. The guides and staff are all amazing, and the horses have great personalities. It doesn't matter if it is your first time riding or an expert because you get paired up with the perfect horse based on your skill level. I have been to many different horse ranches in many different locations, but Rainbow Ranch is by far my favorite place to ride. The trails are beautiful and sometimes we see wildlife such as deer and turkeys. I highly recommend! read more

Incredible family owned business providing exactly what we wanted: a family friendly adventure while visiting from Austin, Texas amenable to all ages and fairly kind to the wallet. My 4 year old daughter and my 2 year old son had an absolute blast! We will be back next summer! read more

Rainbow Ranch - Here is the start of the ride - Horseback Riding Near Me - New Era, Michigan

Beautiful ranch! Delightful employees! Tour guides were amazing! Would highly recommend visiting here if you are anywhere close by!! We will be back!! read more

Horseback riding done the fun way. Perfect for vactioners or novice riders. Family freindly atmosphere. Reasonalbe prices.

Great place! We go every year when you go to Michigan. The four year old rode alone on her own horse!

Enjoyed the 1.5 hour ride. Like most stables the horses were well used to the varying people personalities and kept on the trail without effort. Nice that they have restrooms at the office. read more

I took my teenage sons here while spending the week at Silver Lake. We did the 1 hour river trail and it was fun walking through the small creek on horseback. It is basically just walking through the woods on horseback, but they all said they enjoyed it. They hadn't really ridden before and I wanted them to experience it and this was a great place to do it. I believe they enjoyed it because they weren't really expecting much and it is very pretty area you go through. They have a platform to help you mount and dismount if you're not young and eager to try climbing aboard like a real cowboy. Everyone was very friendly and it's a very nice place. They do take credit cards. read more

I was on a little weekend getaway in Michigan and wanted to give horseback riding a shot. There were a few places around the area but we decided to go with rainbow ranch. I'm so glad we did because it was just a great experience. The staff were so unbelievably nice and helpful. Their prices are great. It's a family owned place and it definitely has a comfortable feel to it all. I had never ridden a horse and was a little nervous. They matched me perfectly with a great horse. My fiancé had ridden a few times and they also matched him with another amazing horse. I will absolutely be back here every time I'm in Michigan. I can't emphasize how much I enjoyed rainbow ranch! read more

Rainbow Ranch was a great choice for a trail ride. They own the 100+ acres on which they ride, and the land is GORGEOUS. The horses we rode were well behaved. We paid a little extra to be a private group (just my sister, me, and a guide), rather than be put into a larger group. I think that was definitely worth the money. The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. I also wanted an hour private lesson before the trail ride, which they were happy to accommodate. Unfortunately, the instructor didn't show up on time, so it was cut down to mini-lesson of about 20 minutes, which they did not charge me for. In the end, I was very happy with that. I do wish they had called my cell phone, even if I was on the way (if I had been running late, at the least the notice would have let me know I didn't need to rush). I wasn't interested in learning western saddle, and they were able to offer a bareback lesson, which I enjoyed (I've been riding english about 7 years). The trail rides were all in western saddle, which was comfortable. We arrived first thing in the morning for the earliest trail ride, and I was happy with that timing. The farm was quieter then, with only the staff tacking up the horses, and a few barn cats around. By the time we returned a couple hours later, there was a crowd of people hanging around, going out on the trail or coming back. I enjoyed the serenity in the morning better. Even with the crowds, though, the place was organized and efficient. There were a few places on the trail where the guide let us trot. I was impressed with how forward my horse was. I was with someone who didn't have a lot of riding experience, so those bits of trotting were as far as we got. I wish there had been opportunities for me to do a bit more, but even without cantering or jumping it was fun. The horses were very healthy. Our guide has been there for about 20 years, and has worked at other ranches too. She said Rainbow Ranch is the best place she's worked. I like riding at a place where the horses and people are treated well. read more

The staff was helpful, great at matching horse personality with rider experience. My kids were first time riders and the staff did a great job acclimating them to the horse. Horses were well cared for and the property was awesome. The only downside is that this review may raise expectations beyond those that may not match your personal experience......very unlikely though. Nice people, great experience, great price. Cheers. read more