Watsons Mountain Country Trail Rides — Attraction in Boorolite

In September this year I had the privilege of completing my year 10 work experience at Watsons Mountain Country Trail Rides. From the moment I spoke with Michael and emailed back and forth, I already felt welcome. I was travelling from Adelaide to Mansfield so to be welcomed the way I was meant so much to me.

My first day attending Watson, I was a natural 15-year-old barrel of nerves as I walked through the paddock to the little hut where a number of High School students were waiting to go on an adventure of a lifetime and been spoken to by a wonderful instructor Aimee. Aimee saw me and my family approach and instantly came and spoke to us. Aimee went through all my capabilities as a young and learning horse rider to ensure that I was going to be safe and enjoy my experience, within minutes my nerves had calmed and was ready to embrace the day which turned into the most amazing week of my life.

I was soon introduced to Theo another wonderful instructor and Maree a German back packer also on work experience, boy what a team, I was learning from the best of the best.

After my first day, Mum and Dad came to collect me, Michael was so happy with the way my day went I was invited to attend the camp for the whole week staying overnight assisting with the school students. Michael, Aimee and Theo were allowing all my dreams to come true.

I spent the week riding, feeding, teaching, learning, boy did I learn, the experience to ride in the High Country was a soul experience, it spoke to every inch of me, Aimee and Theo fuelled my love for all things horses and provided me with an experience I only ever dreamed of from sleeping under the stars, to giving me the opportunity to express my knowledge to the team, allowing me to guide groups, from sitting and chatting with me at night about life experiences, to providing me so many opportunities and passing on their wisdom to enhance my skills. Watson’s horses were the best of the best, they knew their riders, they knew the mountains, they knew how to care for everyone crossing their paths and this was a thank you to Michael, Sally, Aimee and Theo for the love and exceptional care they pour into their horse, they are not just trail ride horse, they are their family.

I can never fully describe the incredible joy, the learning, now what I carry in my heart from my work experience with Watsons. I will be forever grateful and thanks to Watson and the amazing team human and horse’s I know where my future lies. Thank you for allowing me to be me and for...

Unfortunately the rides are falsely advertised. I'd recommend not trusting their website, instead call and find out details before booking.

We took part in the full day ride described as:

"Offered mainly on Saturdays these rides join the first day of our popular 2 day rides. Rides leave from our farm and travel up to a ridgeline that affords spectacular 360 degree views of the High Country and the Delatite Valley looking towards Mansfield. We then descend to the ‘Dungeon Hut’ for a picnic lunch. After lunch we traverse creek beds and bridle trails as we make our way through to the Howqua Valley. We cross the Howqua river many times and finish our ride at the accommodation used on our 2 day rides. Here we enjoy a refreshment before transferring by vehicle back to the farm."

The views from the ridgeline in the morning were spectacular and the guides were helpful in pointing out landmarks and points of interest. This ride did not join the 2 day ride. Lunch was a nice bbq, however the 'hut' was more of a storage shed which was even currently housing a trailer while we were there. We did NOT do any river crossings. We were told after we’d already arrived that they are only done on the multi-day rides, which confused and disappointed a lot of the group. I had chosen this ride and travelled a long way specifically for the river crossings so this was a particular shame and felt especially deceptive. Further, the ride ended back at the farm and did not conclude at their accomodation for refreshments and transfer.

The horses didn’t seem to like each other. They often spooked, shied, kicked out, and tried to break the line or overtake. During the ride the guides are reasonably hands-off which is great if you’re comfortable on your horse, but if you’re uncomfortable or struggling to handle your horse they don’t provide much support or patience. Another small gripe is that some of the saddles were really uncomfortable which made it difficult to relax into the ride. Boots/chaps were not offered despite being advertised as included in every ride.

Beautiful ride but it didn't meet our...

Unfortunately, our experience was quite disappointing, echoing concerns raised in several other reviews. The ride felt disorganised, with guides appearing overwhelmed and unprepared to manage a large group of riders with varying levels of experience.

Unlike other trail rides we’ve been on where beginners and more experienced riders are split into separate groups, everyone here was grouped together. This created ongoing issues, as the less experienced riders struggled to keep up, resulting in constant stops every few minutes. The lead guide frequently shouted instructions from the front, which added to the overall tension rather than helping the group flow smoothly.

When we were given a chance to trot, it was on narrow, single file trails, which did not feel safe and the guide from the front was shouting and stressed . One of the other guides was also very young and clearly inexperienced…not only in guiding but also in basic riding. She struggled to mount and control her horse, and it was uncomfortable to watch her being criticised by the lead guide during the ride.

The guides were very strict about riding style, which felt unpleasant, almost as if we were being scolded, especially for riders that have experience. The tone felt more patronising than helpful which created an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Overall, the experience felt poorly managed. The staff seemed on edge, which translated into a tense experience for the riders. Uncle nevs is a better alternative for an organised, supportive, and enjoyable...