TLDR: Don't expect a personable guided trail ride. Expect to be treated like a another payment, with tips EXPECTED but not EARNED, and expect to spend half the time on pavement, not wooded trail.
I took my two children out to Red Buffalo Ranch this morning for a ride. The horses seemed to be well fed and cared for. Their saddle pads, however, were pretty thin and falling apart. I would not personally use those on my own horse as they are well past their prime of usefulness.
Our tour guide, Mya, didn't find out any information about the skill level of the group, names, or anything else. She introduced herself on her horse at the lead and most of the people behind me, my daughter and two other strangers, could not hear her. She was not relaxing at all - on the contrary, she seemed to snap constantly. We spent a good portion of the ride on pavement - not trail. She constantly gave directions to lean back or forward, said something about mud and always told people to not let their horse's eat while she let her horse eat constantly. The majority of the ride her saddle was completely crooked (which can hurt a horse) and I noticed she didn't have her feed in the stirrups at times, which my son saw and attempted to do as well. I informed him not to ride in that manner as it can be unsafe. If a guide is going to expect certain behaviors of those following them, they should exhibit those behaviors.
I've ridden for a long time and can direct reign with one hand, for example, when the horse is in a line and following, this becomes even easier. However, Mya made sure to yell at me for not using two hands, even though I wasn't neck reigning and the reigns I had were tied off too short which made direct reigning with one hand preferable. Also, she herself was not using two hands.
My horse, at one point, started a trot and I quickly backed the horse down, after which she yelled at me to not "run the horse" as it would "hurt the horse." I didn't run the horse at any point, I did however respond and appropriately back my horse down to a walk when Tonka changed her gate. Mya seemed so up-tight and irritable that it made what should have been a relaxing ride not relaxed at all. Thankfully the horses were well behaved with great personalities.
The riders were not informed to do simple things beforehand such as foot placement in stirrup (balls) and keeping their heels level\down and off of the sides of their horse. This simple instruction would help new riders a lot as they may not realize that they are cuing the horse to run and also pulling back at the reigns asking the horse to stop. I noticed this problem with one of the people that we were riding with, as a result, she was constantly in the horse's mouth and the horse was throwing its head out of frustration a lot.
As for the guide, as soon as we arrived back she was off and gone, I had my son find her to give her the tip that is, "customary and appreciated" but was not earned, IMO. She quickly took it with a quirt "thanks" and walked away.
If we go back, because it is cheaper to scratch the horsey itch while I cannot devote time to owning my own horses atm, we will be sure to request a different tour guide who is hopefully more personable and relaxed: the tour guide is part of the paid experience and should act as such.
For reference on proper reigning:
http://gilmorehorsemanship.com/militaryreining.html read more