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Monday, April 29, 2013

Closed for Summer From May 13th to October 12th

Come visit your favorite horse up at our ranch, Mystic Saddle Ranch,
in Stanley, Idaho, and beat the summer heat!

Click here to see our adventures offered at Mystic Saddle Ranch

Mother’s Day ½ Off Special

Cave Creek Trail Rides would like to thank you for your support and to invite you to take one more ride before we close. Spring flowers are blooming in the Sonoran Desert coloring the hills and mountains, which is the perfect time to schedule your ride at Cave Creek Trail Rides.
Mother’s Day is held the second Sunday in May which lands on the 12th this year. Have you thought about what you are going to give mom? If you are looking to do something different from the ordinary as flowers and a card, how about scheduling a 1 hour or 1.5 hour horseback trail ride through the Sonoran Desert while the wildflower season is in full bloom. This would make Mother’s day extra special by scheduling a horseback trail ride for the whole family to spend quality time with mom on her day.
Cave Creek Trail Rides is honoring Mother’s Day with a ½ off special for mom. Mom will receive ½ off her ride and a flower after the ride is done. This special is good May10th-12th 2013. This will be a relaxing, fun time for mom, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She will be surprised at how peaceful things are out here. What more could a mom want than to be with her loved ones for the day, being outside in the beautiful Cave Creek Regional Park, surrounded by a picturesque view of mountains covered with saguaros and wildflowers.
Last year Bonnie Leggett and her daughter took the 1.5 hour ride on Mother’s Day. Bonnie said, “This was a special time doing this with my daughter. We are going to make this an annual event.” The trail rides offer a special bonding experience. Don’t worry if mom has not ridden before, because with the gentle horses at Cave Creek will make it easy for a beginner to ride. Make memories for a lifetime with a Mother’s Day Ride this year.
Sunday, May 12, 2013, also wraps up this seasons horseback riding at Cave Creek Trail Rides. The owners Deb and Jeff Bitton will pack up their> saddles, horses, and staff to begin operations back in Stanley, Idaho; where everyone can enjoy the break from high temperatures of Arizona’s summer heat. Horseback rides are available to everyone, ages six and up. Children who are younger than six can enjoy a pony ride in the corral. A wrangler will lead a gentle kid’s horse in an enclosed area where they can enjoy being a young cowboy or cowgirl. Adults and children may dress up in authentic cowboy gear for wonderful photo opportunities. To make the photo more western, grab a lasso or a toy gun while standing in front of the corrals of horses. Smile and yell Yee Haw! Let’s Ride!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Have You Heard...?

Have you heard about our new corral, Corral West? Jeff and I are opening up a new operation in Goodyear, Arizona this fall!

Not only will we be offering quality horseback rides but we will also be putting on a Cowboy Country Fall Festival! We will have family friendly activities for all ages. Come check out our pumpkin patch, wagon rides, pony rides, and much much more! Opening day is October 5th and goes through the Oct. 31st.

Corral West will also host a Winter Wonderland and other special events throughout the year. We are so excited for our first year of business and hope to see you all there. Check out our website for more info, phoenixhorserides.com

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Stanley Bound

Another winter has come and past and as always we enjoy checking the Cave Creek weather reports as we snuggle up to the fire and watch it rain and snow outside our windows here in Stanley, Idaho. We will miss our Arizona friends and coworkers but not the 100 and above temperatures. We really did have an amazing winter in Cave Creek this year and we expect next season to be even better. Things will be different next year, for sure. Jeff and I are opening up a second operation in Goodyear, Arizona at the Estrella county park so we will be plenty busy getting that business off and running. This winter we have been buried under paper work for Corral West (our new corral) so we are very excited to see all our plans get put into action. There is still lots of hard work ahead but between the two of us we will get through it! It's hard to believe it's already June and I know that in a blink of an eye it will be September again. If you feel the need to escape the summer heat, come see us here in Stanley, Idaho. The weather is lovely and the scenery is absolutely breath taking.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Ride and Rose Special



We have offered our Ride and Rose Special every year and it is always popular. Bring your special someone out between the 1-14th of February and receive this special rate on our most popular ride.


LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Come and join us for a beautiful, relaxing and quiet horseback ride in the Sonoran Desert as the sunsets in the Cave Creek Recreation Area.

February 1 - 14, 2012

$96.00 per couple + tax for the 1 hour Sunset Ride
(Regular rate is $106.00 per couple)

$116.00 per couple + tax for the 1.5 hour Sunset Ride
(Regular rate is $126.00 per couple)

Monday, January 30, 2012

Horse back trail riding tips.

I found this article and I thought it was a good one for all horse back riders, whether you were riding your own horse or someone else's.

Enjoy!

Deb

Tread Lightly!’s Tips for Responsible Horseback Riding
To view this information in a brochure format, Click Here.
TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY
Travel responsibly on designated roads, trails and areas
Stay on designated roads, trails and other areas open to horse use.
Ride single file to reduce trail damage.
Don’t cut switchbacks.
Spread out in open country where there are no trails. Spreading out, rather than following each other’s footsteps, disperses impact and avoids creating a new trail.
Comply with all signs and respect barriers.
Riders should match their skill level to the temperament and ability of the horse they ride.
At trailheads or staging areas, park vehicles and secure horses in a manner that provides a safe distance between the horses and passing traffic.
Less experienced horses and riders should ride behind more “trail-wise” horses and riders.
If you are “ponying” a horse, go slow and never take a loose horse on the trail.
Buddy up with two or three riders. This reduces vulnerability if you have an accident.
RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS
Respect the rights of others, including private property owners and all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed.
Be considerate of others on the road or trail.
Be prepared to let other trail enthusiasts know what needs to be done to keep you, the horse and other passersby safe when you meet on the trail.
Remember, many people are afraid of horses and may react unpredictably.
Be alert and aware of the presence of other trail enthusiasts. If possible, pull to the side of the trail when you hear oncoming off-highway vehicles or bicycles.
Leave gates as you find them. If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner(s).
Keep the noise down.
Be especially cautious around hikers, bikes and motorized vehicles.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Educate yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning, taking horseback riding skills classes and knowing how to properly manage your horse.
Obtain a map of your destination and determine which areas are open to your type of pack animals.
Make a realistic plan and stick to it. Always tell someone of your travel plans.
Contact the land manager for area restrictions, closures and permit requirements.
Check the weather forecast for your destination. Plan clothing, equipment and supplies accordingly.
Carry a compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and know how to use it.
Carry water and emergency supplies even on short trips.
Keep groups small and carry lightweight gear to reduce the number of animals needed.
Pre-plan camp locations that provide plenty of room and the proper environment for confining animals.
Take responsibility for your horse’s education. Introduce it to vehicles and situations it may encounter on shared trails.
AVOID SENSITIVE AREAS
Avoid sensitive areas such as meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes.
Other sensitive habitats to avoid, unless on designated routes, include cryptobiotic soils of the desert, tundra and seasonal nesting or breeding areas.
Do not disturb historical, archeological, or paleontological sites.
Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you encounter and keep your distance.
Water animals in areas where stream banks and water access can withstand hard use and are downstream from campsites.
DO YOUR PART
Do your part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and restoring degraded areas.
Pack out what you pack in. Carry a trash bag and pick up litter left by others.
Practice minimum impact camping by using established sites and camping 200 feet from water resources and trails.
When selecting a campsite, first consider your horses; the site should accommodate them without damaging the area.
Inspect grazing opportunities before making camp.
Use yards, paddocks, and hitching rails where provided.
Use hitchlines, hobbles and staking to confine animals. Erect hitchlines in rocky areas with established trees and use straps or tree savers to protect bark.
If you use temporary corrals, move the enclosures twice daily.
When breaking camp, remove or scatter manure, remove excess hay and straw, and fill areas dug up by animal hooves.
Repackage snacks and food in baggies. This reduces weight and amount of trash to carry out.
Observe proper sanitary waste disposal or pack your waste out.
Bring pellets, grain, or weed-free hay to areas where feed is limited or grazing is not allowed. This helps reduce the spread of invasive species.
Wash your gear and support vehicle and check your animal before and after every ride to avoid the spread of invasive species.
Build a trail community. Get to know other types of recreationists that share your favorite trail.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Festival Of Horses in Queen Creek

Jeff & I had a great day on Saturday, November 12, as we attended the Festival of Horses in Queen Creek. We had never been at the Horse Park in Queen Creek and it seemed like a great excuse to see this facility and also see the events offered at the Festival of the Horses event.

We were very interested in seeing the draft horses as well as the other activities which included horse soccer, horse trail competition, clinics on a variety of topics of general interest to the public, girl scout programs as well as competition classes for both youth and adults in both draft and all breeds of horses.

We particularly enjoyed the draft horses running the barrels. It reminded us of the time that our daughter was in high school rodeo and she started out by trotting around the barrels. Draft horses are not the fasted barrel horses :).

Another event that looked like good fun was the horse soccer. Our horses would be scared to death of the ball to start with but our cowboy's would love to square off and have great fun moving that ball down the field with the ball.

The day wad relaxed, informative, a great facility and a really fun day.