National Park Gateway Stables — Attraction in Four Corners States

Definitely — here’

Review: Disappointing and Stressful — Not Ideal for Beginners or Animal Lovers

I recently went on a horseback riding excursion through the Rocky Mountains, and overall, the experience was disappointing and stressful — both for me and, it seemed, for my horse.

From the start, it felt like we were just being pushed through a routine. As a novice rider, I received very little instruction or support. The staff quickly placed us on our horses and sent us off with minimal guidance, which felt unsafe and unsettling.

The trail was narrow, rocky, and often right on the edge of steep mountain terrain. We encountered several steep inclines and declines, and if you're even slightly afraid of heights, this trail will be very challenging.

What concerned me most was the condition of the horses. My horse seemed exhausted halfway through, breathing heavily and clearly struggling. Flies were relentless, and the horses were constantly trying to shake them off. I was genuinely afraid my horse might trip or stumble, which made the ride feel even more dangerous. It truly felt like these horses were overworked and not well cared for during the ride.

Although the guide encouraged us to take photos during the ride, the horses were never paused to allow us to safely do so — not ideal for a beginner trying to stay balanced. I had to specifically ask the staff to take a photo of me on the horse, which they did, but only after being prompted.

There was one short 5-minute break during the tour where our guide offered to take pictures. Unfortunately, she was a poor photographer — she positioned us and the horses in the shade, facing away from the mountains, and the photos came out terribly. It was frustrating that the one opportunity to capture the scenic views was poorly executed. We couldn’t even take our own photos of the landscape during the break, as we were intentionally parked with our backs to the mountains.

While the guide appeared to be a skilled rider, she lacked the ability to lead a group safely and thoughtfully. I’ve been horseback riding in other places and left feeling confident and comfortable. This time, I spent the entire ride clinging to the saddle and worrying about the horse beneath me.

I would not return to this outfitter, and I cannot recommend it to beginner riders — or to anyone who values safe guidance and compassionate...

Normally I don't do reviews but if you are an experienced rider this place is NOT for you! The girls that helped us with our horses before and after the ride were absolutely awesome and deserve bonuses. That being said our guide was the rudest most insulting girl either my husband or I have ever met! We were the oldest in the group and had over 60 years experience each - I have ridden working cowhorses since I was 5 and my husband was champion reining horse competitor for numerous years so we have ridden all types of horses longer than this girl was alive. We were asked our experience and she proceeded to treat us like children, she got off her horse and led it several times because she couldn't handle it, we both had to constantly breath the dust from everyone ahead and if we slowed up to get some fresh air to breath we were reprimanded. She was more interested in talking to and catering to the 3 girls that were probably in their 20's than in making sure anyone else heard what she said. Our horses were awesome for being trail horses and they knew better than she did. We hit some steep inclines that we would never put a horse through for their safety and when we took them on the path that was less than 12" over to protect them since they were already stumbling from being worn out we were rudely yelled at. This girl couldn't even tie up the horses correctly for our break, they were at risk of getting tangled up or hurt. I understand the hiring field isn't that great but you might want to check out these kids better and hire country kids that understand horses and know how to be courteous to your clients. We have both been in every level of working from cleaning clear up to owning businesses and we never tolerated our staff being so rude to anyone. We got back from our ride and our guide jumped off her horse and left it for everyone else, she didn't even make sure her group made it back safely, they recommend tipping your guide? I only tip for jobs well done and then I do so generously but if I get treated like an inconvenience you get a bad review with NO tip. We will NOT be back and will not recommend your stable to...

We booked online for the 3 hour horseback riding tour. We ended up needing to change the time for our ride due to the heat and they were very accommodating. Our tour guide “Ricky” was fantastic. He was very professional, personable and knowledgeable. My favorite part was how he treated my sons. He took the time to answer the many questions and was very personable with them. I was also impressed with his focus on safety for not only the guests but the horses too. You could tell he has a passion for what he does and that he was proud to work for this company. He spoke very highly about the company, the owner, and how the owner truly cares for the employees and the horses.

The horses looked very healthy and well cared for. I had “Tex” and he was a breeze to ride. The 3 hour tour provided amazing views and was truly a very memorable experience for my parents, my sons and me. However, I must admit that my parents and I were a bit too sore afterwards and probably should have booked the 2 hour ride only. Also, for the 3 hour tour, there is no where to stop to use the restroom unless going in the wilderness is your thing :)

I saw the reviews prior to our ride where an individual made claims about having to weigh themselves in front of others and having a horrible experience etc.. I am not quite sure what exactly happened but I would recommend to others to be as accurate as possible about your weight upon booking your tickets. The longer the ride means that the weight allowance will go down. This is for the safety of both the guests and the horses. With that being said, we were not asked to weigh ourselves when we arrived.

Overall, we had a great time and I am thankful to have had this experience...