Horse holidays abroad · USA
Horse Riding Holidays in the USA: Ranch Weeks in Wyoming, Montana and Arizona
Horse riding holidays in the USA are mostly week-long stays on a guest ranch in Wyoming, Montana or Arizona, riding out each day in western tack.
- Best monthsMar to Nov, AZ all year
- Level
Novice to expert - Typical trip6 to 8 nights
- Price guide
Higher to premium
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in USA involve?
- Best monthsLate March to early November in Wyoming and Montana; all year in Arizona
- Riding level
All levels on most ranches; confident at all paces for a horse drive - Hours in the saddle1 to 8 hours a day
- Typical trip6 or 7 nights; a horse drive runs 8 nights with 5 riding days
- Weight limit90kg to 104kg; some Arizona ranches set no fixed limit
- Group sizeRides split by ability; usually up to 10 riders in Arizona, 5 to 12 on a horse drive
- HorsesMostly Quarter Horses, with Arabians, Appaloosas and Mustangs on some ranches
- TackWestern saddles on most ranches; endurance saddles on a few
- AccommodationLog cabins and ranch rooms, most with private bathrooms
- Price guide
Higher to premium for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in the USA like?
Horse riding in the USA mostly means a week on a guest ranch, often called a dude ranch, where you ride out each day and return to the same cabin each night.
A ranch groups riders by ability, so a beginner and an experienced rider can stay on the same ranch and ride at different speeds.
On a working ranch you may also move cattle, after learning the basics in the arena first. Cattle work follows the ranch's own needs, so it cannot be guaranteed.
A horse drive is the faster choice. You help move the ranch's Quarter Horse herd across open country on the Montana and Wyoming border, riding 6 to 8 hours a day.
Wyoming
Montana
Arizona
When to go
When is the best time to ride in the USA?
The best time to ride in the USA is May to September in Wyoming and Montana, and any month in Arizona.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Wyoming ranches open between late March and May and close between September and early November. On some Wyoming ranches cattle work weeks run from July to September, and rodeos from mid-June to early September.
Horse drives on the Montana and Wyoming border run in April, May and October.
The Arizona desert ranches stay open all year, which makes them the winter choice when many northern ranches close.
Your level
What riding level do you need for the USA?
You can ride on most American ranches with no experience, because the rides are split by ability and the slow rides are mostly at a walk.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You want a family or mixed-ability week in one place
- You would like to learn western riding and some cattle work
- You want the same cabin every night
It is not for you if
- You want English tack on every ride
- You want a point-to-point trail with a new bed each night
- You dislike slow rides in a mixed group
A horse drive asks more: you need to be confident at walk, trot and canter and able to ride varied ground for 6 to 8 hours.
Weight limits run from 90kg to 104kg on most ranches, and some Arizona ranches set no fixed limit. Children ride from age 5 on the slow rides at some ranches, and from 8 on the faster ones.
Western riding is new to most British riders, and ranch staff give you pointers on the style in the first days.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in the USA?
Most ranch horses in the USA are Quarter Horses and Quarter Horse crosses, standing about 14.2hh to 16.2hh, with Appaloosas, Mustangs, Arabians and draught crosses on some ranches.
Tack is western on most ranches: a deep western saddle with a horn, and a horse that neck reins, ridden with the reins in one hand.
A few ranches use endurance saddles instead. One Wyoming ranch rides Arabians and Quarter Horse crosses this way, which suits a rider used to English tack.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in the USA?
You stay in a log cabin or a ranch room on a guest ranch, and most have a private bathroom.
The larger Arizona ranches have 40 or more rooms and suites, and some Wyoming ranches offer casitas or a whole house. Some log cabins have a wood-burning stove and a view of the mountains.
On a horse drive you sleep in a wooden bunkhouse with shared bathrooms, or in an en-suite cabin at extra cost.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in the USA cost?
A riding holiday in the USA is a higher price for most ranch weeks, and a premium price for the Big Horn Mountains ranch, before flights.
Tucson desert ranch, Arizona
Price guide
Higher
Montana-Wyoming horse drive
Price guide
Higher
Yellowstone foothills ranch, Wyoming
Price guide
Higher
Big Horn Mountains ranch, Wyoming
Price guide
Premium
Tips for the ranch team are not included in the horse drive price, and transfers to some Wyoming ranches cost extra.
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in the USA?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Tucson desert ranch week
A family-run desert ranch near Tucson, open all year, with slow and fast rides of 1 to 4 hours a day.
Yellowstone foothills ranch week
A ranch at Dubois, near Yellowstone and Grand Teton, riding Arabians and Quarter Horse crosses in endurance saddles, with cattle weeks from July.
Montana-Wyoming horse drive
Moving the ranch's Quarter Horse herd through the Pryor Mountains and Bighorn Canyon country, in groups of 5 to 12 riders.
Big Horn Mountains ranch week
In Shell Valley at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains, on Quarter Horses and Mustangs, with some team penning in the arena.
Common questions
USA riding questions
Do you have to ride western in the USA?
On most ranches, yes. Staff give pointers on the western seat and the one-handed rein, and a few ranches use endurance saddles.
Can beginners go on a ranch holiday in the USA?
Yes. Most guest ranches take complete beginners and split the rides by ability.
What is the weight limit on an American ranch?
Most ranches set a limit between 90kg and 104kg in riding clothes. Some Arizona ranches set no fixed limit.
Can you work cattle on a ranch holiday in the USA?
On some working ranches, yes, after practice in the arena. Cattle work follows the ranch's own needs, so it cannot be guaranteed.
Where can you ride in the USA in winter?
In Arizona, where the desert ranches near Tucson are open all year.
Are ranch holidays in the USA good for children?
Yes. Some ranches take children from age 5 on the slow rides, and some keep ponies for young riders.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.