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Type Of Ride

Riders under 5 years of age must ride with an adult. Older children can have their horse lead by the trailguide.

Riders will receive basic instruction on how to control the horse.

We will stop along the trail to pose for pictures.

Sometimes the trail makes its own frame for photo opportunities.

Parents are welcome to lead the horse that their young child rides.

Stopping to water the horses, this family is really enjoying their ride.

Young children enjoy the opportunity to ride the horse by themselves, but we will allow two small children to ride together.

Riding is a great family bonding experience.

Some of the horses may have to wear a nose basket that prevents them from eating during the entire trailride.

Cell phones are out, hopefully they are taking pictures or texting their friends about the ride.

Posing on the shores of Lake Kachess in Easton State Park. Early summer the waters are high and laping the edge of the trail; in late summer we can ride on the beach.

This was our first time riding the Cat Lake area near Sequim. The new trailhead is now across the street, but we hope to make it an annual camping ride, so we can ride both areas.

Many of our riders come back again and again, sometimes they bring other family or friends to ride with them. Some of our riders even own their own horses, but enjoy riding ours too.

Parents are welcome to walk along with the horses, but they should know that the trails are better suited to riding than walking.

Taking a picnic break along the trail out of the ranch.

Many young riders start out on leadline, but ask to be turned loose shortly into the ride. This trail at Buck Creek looks much like a park.

This is the Cedar River and part of the Cedar River trail near the Danville-Georgetown trails.

The ranch trails have many fallen trees that the horses have to step over and sometimes trees that riders have to duck under.

This trail is on Taylor Mountain. This is part of a managed forest park, so parts of the forest are in different age stages.

A big rock along the trail out of the ranch has been the location of many picnic stops. It is also a good place to stop and take a photo.

This giant tree is the biggest along the forested trails out of Buck Creek trailhead, it really makes the rider feel small. We always try to offer riders a photo opportunity.

Some of the ranch trails are old logging roads, which provide for a nice sunny wide trail. But many of the trails are narrow and brushy.

Lake Walker is a great place to ride to for a picnic lunch. It is about an hour away from the ranch, making a good two hour ride.

This trail is part of the Sahara Horsecamp trails near Elbe. This hillside was recently logged and edible black caps (wild raspberries) are ripening everwhere.

All the riders must follow the trailguide, no passing allowed. This trail is out of the Buck Creek trailhead.

Late spring and early summer, the foxglove flowers along the ranch trails are bright and offer good photo opportunities.

We have warm and waterproof lap robes (bright orange) that riders can borrow for rides in cold or wet weather.

This meadow is part of the trails near the ranch. It is lined by apple trees that feed the local wildlife in the fall.

Occassionally the trails are wide enough for riders to ride side-by-side. This trail is in the new Washington State Horse Park near Cle Elum.

We are never sure who has more fun, the kids or the parents. This ride is on one of the many trails out of the ranch.

Helping dreams come true. Sandy can only afford her one horse, but we could help her share her love of riding with her family and friends.

Basic horse control can be learned out on the trail. If a rider wants extra practice, we will put them in the round pen with a few obstacles to steer the horse around.

Riders under 18 must ride with a helmet. Riders under 5 must ride with an adult; some experienced 4 year olds can ride on leadline or be ponies (trailguide has rope on horse).

We only allow double riding when a child is under 5 years old. This creek is on the ranch trails.

We do allow the horses to drink water from streams along the trail. This is Buck Creek as it comes down the hill and before it goes underground on its way to finding the White River.

Riders can dismount and walk the horse down the trail. This does help loosen the legs on a longer ride.

The trails out of the ranch have a variety of folage, some hills, and lots of logs to step over. Longer rides have a creek crossing and good picnic areas.

We can accomodate small birthday parties. After the ride, more family and friends can meet the riders back at the ranch with a cake or barbeque.

In late summer, the trails out of the ranch have plenty of red huckleberries that can be picked from horseback.

The horses did the nose touching on their own, but we can setup flowers and/or cards on the trail and we have also packed along a special romantic lunch for riders.

We can provide a horn bag to pack along snacks or your camera. This trail is out of the ranch.

This ride on ranch trails started as a birthday surprise for mom, but her real present was watching the enjoyment of her horse loving daughter.

This large standstone rock tower is along the trail above the Roslyn trailhead and offers a good photo opportunity.

This trail on the Joe Watt trails crosses grassy hillside full of wildflowers. There are a variety of trees and some surprising viewpoints along the trail.

Some riders are insecure and ask us to pony them. Ponying another rider means that the trailguide has a leading rope on their horse at all times. This works well for young riders.

Wildlife is often seen on trail rides out of the ranch trails, especially on earlier morning or later evening rides. This elk was eating along the railroad track.

Sometimes in the summer, parts of the trail can get a little dusty. This is a trail along the White River on the Buck Creek trail.

This is a place along the Danville-Georgetown trails that is high above the Cedar River. Another trail on the other side of the river can look up to this cliff edge.

Some of the trails lead to great fishing lakes in the wilderness of the National Forest. This is Sheep Lake on the Crow Trail.

Some families choose to meet us out along the trail rather than everyone ride. This trail is out of the ranch, but we can plan for meeting points at other trailheads too.

Many trails are also shared with hikers and mountain bikers, as well as other horsemen. Tree growth is a big change on the trail; as the trees grow taller, they begin to block some of the views. This is a trail on Taylor Mountain.

We can help you plan a picnic in the middle of your ride. This ride along the trails out of the ranch, included a stop in a meadow that was full of flowers and had some hidden blackberries to pick for a natural dessert too.

The trail vegetation changes from season to season, but also from year to year as various trees may fall or logging can occur. This trail is out of the Transfer Station trailhead.

We ride rain or shine, and sometimes in the unexpected snow storm too. This was a little ride out on the ranch trails where the weather changed very quickly.

This was one of our most memorable Jan 1 rides. There was 3-4 inches of frozen snow and as the light breeze blew, crystals floated and sparkeled in the sunshine. This ride was on the Mt Baldy trails.

This was a cool day so everyone dressed warm. This beautiful view is from the trail coming back down to the trailhead of the Mt Baldy trails.

Riding on the ranch trails in the fall, there is a mystic sense when traveling through a foggy forest.

We are open year round and every season brings a beautiful change to the landscape. This trail ride was in the fall along a trail out of the ranch, note all the fallen leaves.

Beginning riders can learn many of the riding basics of turning and stopping horses while riding a trail. This trail is part of the trails out of the ranch.

Many of the trails offer tremendous views. This hilltop trail is near Ike Kinswa State Park above Mayfield Lake in Mossyrock.

Bridges make good photo opportunities. This bridge is on the trail near the White River on the Buck Creek trails.

Some of the Buck Creek trails follow the White River and allow access to a rocky beach.

This trail is part of the Danville-Georgetown trails. The forests are beautiful and sun filtering through the moss covered trees make for an enjoyable ride.

Often trails are near housing developments, like the Wilderness Lake trail in Maple Valley.

This ride on the Danville-Georgetown trails was a lot of fun in the fog. The fog is eery and cold, but not wet.

We allow friends with their own horses to ride along with us. This allows friends without horses to ride with their friends that own horses. This photo taken on the Transfer Station trails.

Sometimes friends come with extra surprises, the baby. We ride in the deeper snow if it is frozen enough to not pack into the horses hooves. This photo taken on the Transfer Station trails.

This huge rock is hidden in the forest. This trail is near the ranch and has some challenging hills to get into, not recommended for beginners.

We will stop anywhere along the trail to make a photo opportunity for you. This big mossy stump is located along the Buck Creek trails.

A favorite photo opportunity on the Danville-Georgetown trails, the vine maples hang over the trail and frame the riders beneath.

All treats are easily collected from the back of the horses.

There are sufficient treats that each rider is able to collect a minimum of 12 treats.

We do allow persons with their own horses also ride our treat rides.

The trails are easy enough for young and older riders.

Treat rides are a great family event.

There are short Starter rides and longer Extended rides.

Young riders and timid riders can be lead by an adult along the trail.

Riders under 6 years old can ride with a paying adult.

This was great fun for a group of friends, they made it a competition of who could find the most eggs.

Monsters along our Trick n Treat Ride are not scary.

Baskets of treats are scattered along the trail.

Digging to the bottom of the treat basket.

Rider is enjoying herself, but squeemish about the spiders in the giant web.

Even young riders look up into the spiderwebs. Many of our riders come back year after year for their favorite Treat Rides.

We do have laprobes (bright orange) for increment weather riding.

Experience a rare phenomenon; weightlessness, floating out of the saddle on the Trick n Treat Ride (NOT!).

The bones of a long dead rider hang in the forest.

The forest trees were naturally decorated by colorful mosses and raindrops for the Candy Cane Ride.

Sometimes it takes a while to get to just the right treat in the bucket.

Not all riders are on horseback or maybe not all horses have four legs?

Missy demands to go on all of the rides. She rides in her bag hanging from the saddle horn.

Prize Rides are very popular and many riders attend. The trailheads fill with horsetrailers.

All riders must register with club sponsoring the Prize Ride. Sometimes lunch is also included in the ride registration fees, sometimes it costs extra.

Some Prize Rides allow riders to purchase extra entry or raffle tickets. Some even sell raffle tickets for other items; the 50/50 cash raffle is very popular and a chance to win cash.

The trail is marked by the organizing club and can be anywhere from two to four hours long. We just follow the flagged trail and enjoy the sights along the way.

Each Prize Ride is run slightly different from all the others depending on the sponsoring organization. Some have checkpoints at various locations along the trail. These members of Tahoma BCHW are collecting tickets from us.

The Meridian Riders Prize Ride has riders draw from a container of chips. Pick the right chip and win a prize; Bobbi on Hawk draws while Catherine on Spot waits. Our riders have have won free photograph sessions and saddle bags from these drawings.

Meridian Riders Prize Ride has each rider draw a numbered chip that will be their raffle number back at the trailhead. Here Catherine on Spot is drawing while Kathy on Echo waits as next in line to draw.

On the Alpine Riders BCHW Prize Ride, we toss washers onto boards covered in poker cards.

On the Ellensburg Rodeo Posse Prize Ride, we draw for numbered chips that are added together at the end of the ride.

Tahoma BCHW members help riders (Julie riding Spot) cross paved roads with high vehicle traffic.

We stop along the trails if the riders want to take a break. Here Hawk, Big, and Missy are taking advantage of eating grass during a break.

Alecia and Bobbi are picking some big ripe blackberries along the trail.

Close up of blackberries.

The horses like to eat blackberries too. Big has eaten so many blackberries, they have stained his lips purplish.

Close up of blackberry juice lipstick.

Returning to the trailhead, the horses search for their horsetrailer.

It is surprising how many horsetrailers can fit into the trailhead.

Most of the clubs serve lunch after the ride.

There is often an area where the prizes are on display.

Riders relax after lunch and wait for all prizes to be awarded.

Socializing with new and old friends after the ride.

Mounted Orienteering is a team sport. The team must search for only one of the ten objective stations at a time. They can separate to look find the landmark clues that will give them the compass bearing leading to the objective station.

The objective station will be a paper plate with the ride date and two letters. Sometimes there are two words, each starting with the letter(s), to help riders remember them.

Sometimes landmarks are close and sometimes far. The map lists the landmarks, but it also shows major roads and the general areas of each objective station.

Sort of like a treasure hunt, the objective stations can be seen from horseback, but they are sometimes up in a tree and sometimes on a low stump and sometimes...

An orienteering map has a map of the trails on one side and list of landmarks and bearing lines leading to the objective stations on the other.

Late in the afternoon, we had climbed a long steep hill and were checking our map. Above us looked to be a shorter way home, but deep snow covered the trail. Below us was that steep hill.

These rides are not easy. You have to have a patient horse that stands still so you can read the map.

And any movement while trying to read a compass bearing will throw off the reading. A steady quiet horse is a must.

This objective station was found practically under a fern.

This objective station was found attached to the under side of this tree branch, can you see it?

This is the fourth objective station that we found.

This objective station was found in this cubby hole of sorts.

Some of the landmark clues are hard to find. This old burned stump is in the middle of some beautiful forest does sort of stand out. But if we had been traveling too fast, we may not have seen it.

This big snag on top of a cleared hill was one of the easier landmark clues to find. We must make sure that we take a compass bearing from the correct landmark or we will never find the objective station.

Mushroom hunting for the whole day requires a lunch stop.

This area has provided us a successful Chanterelle harvest for many years.

Those orange dots are Chanterelle mushrooms, not fall leaves.

We will check all mushrooms harvested to verify that hunters are taking home only edible mushrooms.

Often on a hunt for one mushroom, we find other species of edible mushrooms. On this hunt we found four Admirable Bolete (Boletus mirabilis) on a stump next to the trail.

More Chanterelle; after all this was a Chanterelle hunt.

Nice fresh Chanterelle mushrooms. This was only part of the days collection.

A large Hericium, about basketball size. Excellent edible, one of our favorites.

Hugging the horse for the ride into the mushrooms and for carrying us and all of the mushrooms back out.

Another successful hunt. Posing next to a couple Hericium mushrooms; they resemble waterfalls.

The find of the day. This specimen was a little mature, but still an excellent edible.

We attended a PSMS field trip; this rail full of mushrooms were all identified and labeled by a mushroom expert. We personally found eight different species (King Bolete, Hericium, Shaggy Mane, Yellow Chanterelle, White Chanterelle, Hedgehog, Shaggy Mane, and Pine) of edibles that day and took home over forty pounds of mushrooms.

Morel mushrooms are initially difficult to spot, but once one is located, others are soon easily spotted everywhere.

Some Morel are black, others more blonde. While most edible mushrooms are found in the fall, the Morel mushrooms are found in the spring.

The horses wait patiently while we pick mushrooms.

Some of the many mushrooms collected on this day.

Highline setup for Hawk and Big adjacent to the campsite.

It is only camping if there is a big fire going.

When camping at a trailhead, we sleep in a livingquarters horsetrailer. For camping out on the trail, we have a small tent that is packed onto the horse.

Missy must be tied when camping, as she wanders off to chase chipmunks.

The horses enjoy camping too, especially when they are hobbled in knee deep grass.

Often there are meadows out on the trails were the horses can graze during lunch breaks.

Big tied to a tree branch during a lunch break at the top of Green Mtn near Mt Adams.

Some trailheads have built in picket lines for the horses. Our horses will also tie to a trailer overnight or to our own portable picket line.

Returning to the ranch after lunch. One of our more popular repeat rides, we are often joined by riders who own their own horses.

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Horses waiting at the hitching rail of the City Hall Saloon.

The trail ride part of the Dinner Ride, can bring some unexpected sightings - like the time we spotted the bear eating apples. Our watching made him nervous and he walked back into the woods.

Riders headed back after dinner; City Hall Saloon in background.

Most riders are 21 years of age; but we can accomodate younger riders by eating the meal out by the horses.

The meal can be either lunch or dinner and is great fun to ride in both a small group or with lots of friends (who sometimes bring their own horses).

The trail is mostly open and wide, so riding back to the ranch after dark is a safe possibility.

Each adventure story has parts or clues posted along the trail for riders to read and/or collect.

Riders follow the trailguide along the story trail.

Riders on the Cattle Drive Adventure are gathering cattle (cards) that are strewn along the trail.

All riders get to participate in the adventure stories.

Riders on the Cattle Drive Adventure will find instructions that describe what to do with the cattle (cards) they have collected.

The Adventure Rides require rider participation and imagination.

Scavenger Hunts can be of any theme; search for Cowboy or Horse related items.

Maybe someone in the group has an interest in searching for Pirate related items. Everyone in the group can be searching for the same or different themes.

Each Scavenger Hunt has at least ten items to search for. Choose a Princess or Fantasy theme.

Make the hunt a friendly competition among friends, a special event for a small birthday party, or just fun when everyone wins by finding all their items.

For this ride, a dozen roses were spread out along the trail. Each was carefully hung, so they could be collected from horseback.

Yellow roses held a special meaning for Jenelle. Each rose had a simple note of love attached.

Cards allow the giver to express feelings in their own words.

Kris wrote four cards and planned their sequence for placement along the trail.

Kris served a picnic lunch that included champagne.

Jenelle glowing with affection.

Find and collect charms along the trail to make a personalized bracelet.

The hardest part is picking the charm theme. Everyone in the group can be searching for the same or different themes.