09/02/2026
🐴 Today’s episode of “Things We Apparently Need to Explain at a Guest Ranch” 🤠
A guest recently joined one of our trail rides on Spotty, one of the gentlest mares in our herd.
Like most horses, Spotty occasionally prefers the softer ground along the edge of the trail. If you don’t want to go there, the solution is simple: you guide her back toward the middle.
Because horseback riding is not a carnival ride. You don’t just sit on the horse while it automatically takes the perfect path. You actually have to ride it. 😂
The problem was that when Spotty went toward the edge, the brush would touch the rider’s legs. Instead of following the wrangler’s instructions and steering Spotty back toward the middle, the rider started taking her feet out of the stirrups, putting them up on the saddle and sometimes putting both legs on one side of the horse to avoid the bushes.
Which is… not particularly helpful. 😂
Horses respond to your weight and leg pressure, so while trying to avoid the bushes, she was actually giving Spotty all kinds of strange and conflicting signals.
Our wrangler repeatedly asked her to put her feet back where they belonged and explained how to guide Spotty properly.
Luckily, Spotty is an absolute superstar and basically went:
“Well… this is different.”
…and calmly kept chugging along. 🐴😂
Eventually, though, safety wins.
If someone repeatedly doesn’t follow the wrangler’s instructions, we can’t just keep them on a 1,000 lb animal and hope for the best. So the rider was asked to dismount and walked the second half of the trail with the group.
Which led to another surprising discovery:
🪨 The trail had rocks.
💩 There was horse p**p on it.
🌲 And, perhaps most shocking of all…
THE FOREST TRAIL WAS NOT PAVED. 😂
Yes. Our horseback trails through Wells Gray Provincial Park are, in fact, dirt trails through the wilderness.
There may even be mud, roots, bushes, deer p**p, moose p**p and occasionally bear p**p.
We like to call this “nature.” 🤠
Afterwards, the guest was unhappy that she hadn’t been able to complete the whole ride on horseback and asked about a refund.
And of course, anyone is free to ask.
But from our side, the service was provided: the horse was prepared and saddled, an experienced wrangler guided the ride and provided instructions, the trail ride took place, the horse was cared for and unsaddled afterwards.
The reason the rider walked the second half wasn’t because we couldn’t provide the ride or because there was something wrong with Spotty.
It was because eventually our wrangler had to choose safety when repeated instructions weren’t being followed.
Most of our guests are complete beginners, and that is absolutely fine. You don’t need riding experience to come riding with us.
You just need to listen.
Hopefully sometimes an experience like this also becomes a lesson: next time, trust the person teaching you, follow the instructions and actively participate.
Your horse will do its part.
You have to do yours too. 🐴🤠
Real horses.
Real wilderness.
Unpaved trails.
Occasional p**p.
And still no autopilot at Wells Gray Guest Ranch. 😂
