Banff Trail Riders - Stables — Local services in Banff

The excursion itself was great but our interaction with one individual was far from pleasant and ruined our entire experience. I do want to start off by saying that the group I was with were all fully aware of the conditions before arriving and completed the waivers online. When we got there, we headed into the office. We each had to step on the scale to see what we weighed. My one friend went on the scale and unfortunately surpassed the restriction for participating in the ride. We were fully aware that we would not be refunded, so that wasn’t the problem. The problem was how the message was communicated to my friend telling her she was over 230lbs in front of everyone. The message could have been delivered in a professional and respectful way. My friend was in tears when she made it back to our truck because of the way her weight was communicated to her and was quite embarrassed. At the time we didn’t know this person’s name, so we asked someone else that worked there and we were told it her name was Sydney. Despite feeling hesitant to proceed with the trail ride due to Sydney's demeanor, we chose to continue to avoid forfeiting our fee. It then came time to get in the paddock to pair up with a horse. Sydney went over the handling of the horses and how the trail ride would be carried out. We were then set up with a horse. My cousin had never been around horses and was uneasy with the horse that was given to her. The horse was a little busy and eager to go. My cousin expressed her concerns and asked for a calmer horse to Sydney. Sydney offered no assistance and was dismissive in her response claiming ‘he’s a sweet horse’ and ‘no, that’s what you’re riding.’ She didn’t take my cousin’s concern seriously at all. My cousin asked again and that she was quite anxious with him, to the point of pulling out of the horseback ride. My cousin was about to walk away from the ride since Sydney refused to address the concerns brought to her. I ended up pulling aside a different lady who worked there. I stated that the horse given was too busy and that my cousin was quite uncomfortable with him. Without hesitation, she exchanged the horse and got her a very calm horse. Sydney then walked by and said sarcastically to my cousin ‘does the colour meet your expectations?’ My cousin responded saying it wasn’t about the colour, she was uncomfortable with the horse and his behaviour. Sydney laughed sarcastically and responded ‘does this horse meet your satisfaction now?’ It was completely unprofessional and condescending. Sydney's subsequent comments further highlighted her lack of tact and consideration for customer comfort. Her lack of respect for those paying to have a positive and comfortable experience seemed to not be her priority. The fact that her colleague was able to accommodate and assist without any issue went to show Sydney just wanted to be difficult and unhelpful. And her disrespectful comment after the exchange of horses was unnecessary alongside how she communicated the weight issue to my friend earlier. Extremely poor customer service on her part. I firmly believe that Sydney's behavior falls short of the standards expected in customer service. It is essential that employees representing your establishment uphold a level of respect, empathy, and professionalism in all interactions with customers. Despite this, the ride out was wonderful and the riders that took us out were awesome, friendly, professional, and full of cool facts during the trail ride. They ensured that we were safe, comfortable, and had a great time. I have nothing negative to say about the excursion, it was fantastic and run by a great team. It’s quite unfortunate that one person out of all the those we met that worked at the stable put a damper on our whole experience. Sydney’s lack of compassion, professionalism, respect, and customer service really ruined what should have been a good day and experience. I would not return...

Disappointing Experience at Banff Trail Riders

Unfortunately, our experience with Banff Trail Riders was deeply disappointing. We had high expectations based on thorough research and numerous positive reviews. The ride was intended as a Mother’s Day gift for my mother, an experienced rider who had long dreamed of riding through the scenic landscapes of the Rockies. However, from the moment we arrived, the experience fell short of expectations. To summarize, if you're seeking an authentic horseback riding experience that allows for connection with the horse and the surrounding nature, this is not the right choice.

Upon being assigned our horses, both my mother and I explained to the staff that we were accustomed to riding and preferred slightly longer stirrups. Our request was denied without a clear explanation, forcing us to ride for two hours with our knees uncomfortably bent. This resulted in considerable knee pain for both of us by the end of the tour.

Once the ride began, we were instructed to ride in a single file of ten horses, maintaining close proximity. The guides repeatedly insisted that each “horse’s nose remain directly behind the tail of the horse ahed”. This led to constant bumping when any horse slowed slightly, making the ride feel mechanical and restrictive. To be fair, both guides were kind and polite throughout the tour. However, due to the size of the group and the single-file formation, it was very difficult to hear most of the information and commentary they shared during the ride. Near the end of the tour, my horse briefly stepped out of line and stopped, as the group had already come to a halt. Since it was no longer moving, I did not correct it. A staff member approached and abruptly repositioned my horse while stating that the horse “could not learn bad habits.” For those familiar with horses, it is disheartening to witness such a understanding, where “good behavior” appears to be defined solely by following closely in line without autonomy.

Our primary concern, however, was with how the staff managed safety protocols. While we understand that most guests are inexperienced and that safety must be prioritized, there is a professional way to enforce rules without resorting to rude or aggressive behavior. This was not our experience. As we dismounted at the end of the ride, a staff member attempted to assist my father. English is not his first language, and he did not immediately understand the instructions. Instead of calmly clarifying, the staff member raised his voice, repeated the command aggressively, and physically guided him—despite the fact that my father's actions posed no risk to himself or the horse. This interaction was unnecessarily harsh and should have been handled with more patience and respect.

Finally, after dismounting, my mother asked if she could briefly thank her horse by giving it a stroke. Her request was dismissed curtly, without any attempt at understanding, and she was simply directed toward the exit with a scripted response.

Considering the overall experience and the cost of the tour, we left feeling disappointed. We cannot recommend this experience to those seeking a genuine or respectful horseback riding...

We went for the 1-hr Bow River ride since it was the first trail run for one of our companions. The weather was great and check in was smooth. After fitting the helmet and weighing in we were assigned our horses which are all very beautiful! There were 8 of us in the group and led by Rachel in the front and flanked by a cowboy at the back. Rachel was enthusiastic and pointed out instructions clearly. Horse-riding is inherently an all weather outdoor sports and horses like people have moods and personalities. So we were prepared! The trail runs alongside the Bow River and this ride does not cross the River. It is a natural trail that meanders through some forests, bridges and meadows with muddy areas. Some forested areas have a few lower lying branches so need to push them aside or duck your head. It gives nice views of the Cascade, Rundle and the Tunnel mountains. We even saw a coyote on our way back. Some tips for prospective riders: this trail may be too straightforward for those who have done trail riding a few times and expect more eg river crossing. you should be able to understand instructions in English. This is because you should be able to perform simple maneuvers when instructed by the staff when the horse is distracted and not follow the group, like steer the rein left / right/ halt, gently kick the horses belly with your heels if the horse stops or does not follow the horse in front as a single file. Getting on or off the horse is quite ok as they provide platforms. this trail is suitable for beginners. But for younger kids, I saw some very young looking child riders being led by an adult on horseback, not sure if that’s part of the service or not. A older child in our group had a horse which was feeling playful and distractible, enjoyed munching grass and sometimes not following the group. Also the horse might not know that over hanging tree branches might brush up against the rider - for instance a girl (maybe 7 or 8) in front of us had her head and neck pushed back against a tree branch…..luckily the horse was in slow motion and she did not panic or cry and was able to soldier on and steered the horse away from the trees. The cowboy did make an effort several times to guide the horse. The little girl deserves a big applause for keeping her cool and getting herself out of the woods literally !! yes the trail is natural and so when the hooves trudges over muddy areas your shoes and pants will get a little bit dirty, that’s horse riding ! Wear something easy to wash. the staff helped ensuring the saddle and stirrups are fastened and your feet are comfortable. when taking photos with your phone, tie your phone around your neck with a lanyard ! do some simple stretching before you ride helps to reduce strains and aches afterwards plenty of parking at the stables. Washrooms available. No cafe on a rainy day, I think a poncho might be a good idea Overall we had a great time and highly...